AUTHENTIC LOCAL EXPERIENCES IN INDIA
I was eagerly awaiting my first visit to India considering I already obtained my visa three years earlier! It took me awhile to show up in-person, but I had long before contemplated the various experiences I wanted to happen. Often times, we are looking to visit the most touristic destinations, simply because that is “the popular thing to do”, but I like to travel from an authentic perspective. Below, I will mention a few of the most simple, yet fulfilling activities that made my trip to India more complete.
WATCH THE SUNSET FROM A ROOFTOP
Homes in India tend to have beautiful rooftops and are worth spending time outdoors there when weather permits. I had visited Tamil Nadu in the month of July, so the sun was still scorching day in and day out. Rain seemed to be rare during this time of year. When it rained for the first time in over two weeks, I quickly ran to the rooftop to catch the scenery and cool off under the rain drops. It’s also a great place to practice yoga or mediate (if that’s your thing). At nighttime, I would walk laps around the r
ooftop to compensate for my daily exercise I couldn’t do throughout the daytime.
Photo by Sayan Nath
VISIT SMALL VILLAGES
No visit to India is complete without a visit to a local village. This doesn’t necessarily mean going to a remote location near a jungle as you might think. There are many villages on the outskirts of major cities like Chennai where locals will be more than happy to greet you as many foreigners wouldn’t likely venture to these places. There is a certain charm to these villages even if there not the most well kept areas. It never ceases to image me to see cows roaming about freely and people planting in their gardens, or simply going about their everyday business. I personally found peace once I switched over to a location on the outskirts of the city and got to see a closer look at the local life. It was much less noisy as expected being on the outskirts which was a nice change of environment.
GO FOR A SCOOTER RIDE
Riding a scooter through the streets of India (as the driver) is not recommended unless you’ve got some expert experience driving in vastly populated cities. When I say “vastly populated”, I am really referring to major cities in Asia like Bangkok, for example, because the traffic will not compare to western countries. I was even scared taking a rickshaw through the streets, so I can’t imagine actually driving one or even a motorbike. The locals are of course accustomed to the high-level traffic, but you are not necessarily unless you are the exception I mentioned above.
However, if you’re lucky enough to know a local or book a ride through apps (like one motorbike app in Bali), then you can experience the thrill without worrying about the navigation. In fact, I couldn’t wait to go for a ride in the evening when my friend’s sister offered to take me. I even got to ride the scooter for about five minutes on a dead street (of course). The cool part was riding on a scooter when traffic had died down, feeling the breeze in your hair, and being open to the elements of the city surroundings. It might seem like a simple experience, but for me, I felt energized riding as the passenger around Chennai city. It was a lot of fun and probably could have made rounds of hours…
Photo by Sebastien GabrielDRINK FRESH COCONUT WATER
If you’re a major fan of coconut like I am, you may have found your heaven. Coconuts are simply being grown in the backyards of many homes in India which is amazing considering that would never happen in the northeast of United States. I was super impressed when my friend told me there were coconuts available. I’m sure my eyes lit up instantly! The coconuts were cut from the tree and then with a machete-sized knife (seemingly) cracked open to drink the lush coconut water and eat the flesh of the coconut. It was delicious indeed and as fresh as could be.
