Bangalore Walks

This weekend I went on a tour of Bangalore with Bangalore Walks, a journey through 500 years of history in 4 hours. This tour is one of the most popular among overseas visitors and expats, and is not a sightseeing tour--rather, it is an interactive introduction to Indian culture in parts of Bangalore that most expats (and even locals!) are unlikely to have visited. It includes short walks, along with portions driven by an air-conditioned bus, and moves from point-to-point over the 4-hour period. The tour was followed by a fantastic lunch at Ebony, a restaurant on the 13th Floor, a local favorite spot.

Andi, Mike, and Michael (from Target) joined me along with several other international expats and visitors from the Bangalore Expat Club (BEC) for this enlightening tour of old and new Bangalore and its rich history. It included visiting the legacies left behind by the British, French, and other nations of the world. India has been a foundation for so many of the world's influences--from the exportation of exotic spices, to being the home of a young Winston Churchill. Many battles have been won and lost on Indian soil, and if Napolean would have made it past Egypt to India in 1799, Indians may very well be speaking French today. Je trouve cela incroyable!

One of the most fascinating parts of the tour was visiting a Hindu temple and learning more about the different customs and traditions of Hinduism. Since 80% of population of India are Hindus, I wanted to learn more about the foundations behind their belief system. It was interesting to learn that Hinduism is not as much a formal "religion" as a philosophy about tuning into God within you. The Hindu teachings recognize a single God/Source, and view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations or aspects of that supreme God (sound familiar...?) The Hindu religion brings a tolerance that allows for different stages of worship, different and personal expressions of devotion, and even different Gods to guide your life on this earth. Fascinating. I was once again reminded how so much of spirituality is deeply within us; our religions just manifest this common understanding in different ways. Our physical and emotional bodies may be different, but our spiritual bodies are One--we are cut from the same cloth. And when it comes down to it, isn't that what really counts?

See beyond the body and mind;
see the spirit within each of us.

Namaste.