by Palak D., Class X
The India-leg of the Indo-German Cultural Exchange was an experience of a kind and one to cherish for a lifetime. To share one’s culture: a way of life in itself, is a feeling more beautiful than can be put into mere words.
Having a German partner at home, seeing them relish Indian delicacies, fall in love with the vibrant finery and navigate through the chaotic, yet unfailingly charming streets of India, filled me with a sense of gratification that I’d never felt before. Be it the Gurdwara Bangla Sahib or the jostling lanes of Janpath, the bewilderment and awe I saw on the faces of German students made me feel deeply grateful for this platform and such accepting partners, who embraced this new culture with open arms.
My partner and I, for instance, shared a common fascination with jewellery, and India holds a plethora of different kinds of ornaments, influenced by our culture and history. I don’t remember a single store at Janpath that we didn’t stop to admire. Despite the designs and styles being so different from the ones back in Germany, every piece was appreciated for its distinctive handiwork.
How can I ever forget the visit to the iconic Taj Mahal, virtually the only monument in the world that looks even more splendid in-person (so our partners said)! The marble-works and intricate carvings, and the visible difference they had from modern-day Indian lifestyle intrigued our partners the most; every single destination had something unique in store for us. Regardless of the heat, traffic and crowd everywhere, the extraordinary splendour at each stop outshined everything.
A highlight for me would be the Deepavali celebrations; one festivity after another, with the scrumptious food, traditional, yet snazzy new outfits, took us on a roller-coaster ride through the rich tapestry of Indian heritage. I’ll never forget how much my partner savoured the “kaju katli” (a traditional Indian dessert made of cashew nut) and “dum aloo” (a dish made of authentic Indian spices and potato) prepared specially for her.
Perhaps, spreading the beauty of one’s culture, makes us adore it more with every new experience. In some places similar, some strikingly different, we discovered that Indian and German cultures, woven together through these shared experiences, make a stunning fabric, different from everything we thought we knew about each other’s cultures.
Now, I sincerely look forward to the German chapter of this story: one that’ll be etched in my heart forever.