Upon entering the Indian territory known as Pondicherry (or Pondy), one is immediately aware of a shift in form and feel. I’m reminded of the late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s explanation of ragas and improvisation in classical Hindustani music. He said that a raga is like a woman without jewels or ornamentation, the musician’s improvisation is what adorns the woman with ornaments. When juxtaposing Pondy with other Indian cities, you’ll find that it is mostly congruent; zealously spiritual, chaotic yet sublime, gregarious to the point of inducing misanthropy, and culturally profound. The cultural profundity, however, is not homogeneous.

India, by occupation or by choice, has had to syncretize her ancient culture with the culture of those who have claimed her as their own. From the Mughals to the Portuguese to the French to the British, India has drawn these foreign waters through her vascular system and grown, but her roots have remained unchanged. Pondy is a stellar example of the confluence of cultures in India as it was a French colony for more than a century. The buildings serve Indian needs, but within a form that is French. The restaurants serve the same, ghee-laden food, but have a bistro-like atmosphere. One of the predominant ashrams here, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, holds Hinduism as its foundation, but it has embellishments derived from its broad, international community of followers.

To posit that India is a shining example of acceptance and harmony amidst diversity would be erroneous. There are those who are fiercely nationalist. Nationalism isn’t a bad thing, but their vehemency dances on the boundary of persecution. What I find troubling about this minority is that they fail to recognize the contributions of India’s syncretization; rather, they claim the product as being uniquely their own. Fortunately, most people are aware of the influence of foreign cultures, and continue to draw upon other cultures.

Of course, being an American, I see everything here as such. Interestingly, American culture has emanated across the cities of India. Trends in The States invariably find their way to India. I’ve noticed that since my last trip to India (four years ago), people confuse me as being native to India more often than they did before. On my first four trips to India, I was easily picked out as being a foreigner. My attire hasn’t changed much since then (read: jeans and a t-shirt), but now most people think that I’m from Chennai and not vacationing American. While this is pleasing from the sense of belonging to the motherland, it is simultaneously disconcerting that such a metamorphoses has taken place in such a short amount of time.

Fundamental to syncretization is the notion that varying influences must be amalgamated harmoniously. Having done this for so long, I think India will continue to draw its influences from abroad. However, I think India’s progression as a nation will lead to increasing influence of its culture in other nations. Better start buying stock in turmeric and rickshaws now, people!

Visit the gallery to see more pictures from my trip.

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