My India, where people say foreigners have to tread with caution. My India, where women are not safe and where outsiders are harassed. Thats what I always get to hear whenever I travel .Thats not true at all. In fact, the following episode proves my point.
Mom and I travelled to a small Artist Village, from Bhubaneshwar, near Puri , called Raghurajpur . A village that floods every Monsoon. It has small houses built for Artist families, an effort by the government, to promote the traditional arts and crafts of the Village. Here elders have officially appointed a RAKSHAK (protector) to shadow tourists. Sounds sinister? However hear me out. These “protectors”are selected from the youth of the village and accompany visitors into artists homes. They are discreet and one hardly notices their presence since the merge with the locals. They ensure that the visitor is not hassled, or that the artist family is not cheated. He sits in a corner discreetly, helps in packing, thanks you for your visit and leaves with a smile. I was genuinely impressed and was wondering why this idea has not been adopted by other states and countries.
INCREDIBLE INDIA
Go with Jo 