Category: India
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Under the Flyover
We are sitting under a concrete overpass, or “flyover”, used by trains. I am with a North American folklorist and eight Indian men, some tribal, of various ages. They greet me warmly and we all laugh easily. Three of the men are fluent in English and I wonder whether they are college educated. Near us, crows…
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The Language of Travel
Friday night, while waiting for the flight from Dubai to Chennai, I watched what appeared to be soap operas on Arabic television. Given I know nothing of Arabic languages, I had to interpret what I saw at face value. The plots were rich and diverse, the depicted social environment, complex. One character was particularly engaging.…
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In Transit
I am writing from the airport in Dubai. What a long flight, and many more hours yet to go. The flight arrived after dark, the city stunningly beautiful below us. The terminal is majestic, and immense. The waiting area for flights, crowded. I am struck by the beauty oil money can render. I am also…
