Shamrin blogs about his weekend in Dharamsala. En route he asks directions from Lynn, a Californian, and strikes up a conversation with him.
Linked by BA. Join Blogbharti facebook group.“Oh, I hate India”, he said putting his book down, leaning back on his elbow and looking up at me. “This isn’t India up here, haven’t you noticed? I like it here, but I can’t stand the rest of the place, it’s a pig sty.” He continued, “People just throw their trash everywhere, the cities are horrible.” Trying to keep the conversation upbeat I offered that perhaps as the middle class grows, a critical mass of people will care enough to change this. Lynn shook his head and rubbed his scraggly beard, “It’s not like this in Pakistan”, he said. “I was there for three weeks and I never saw anything as bad as it is here.”
I really wish that were true. The middle class, who have the most money to spend creating garbage, seem to be the biggest culprits. I lived in Dharamasala for 4 months straight and the “lowland” Indian tourists (ie, middle clas) were the major litterers - this also according to the Gaddi locals who are sharply critical of them.
The poorer people just throw supari wrappers down. That’s about all they have to litter with….
Thanks for blogging, when I talk to young progressive Indians about such things I do have hope for this beautiful, polluted country.
Thanks for the comment, sirensongs
As I come from Dharamshala, certainly makes me feel unhappy about the sad state of affairs.
I can hope we can do something about this
Thanks Varun.