India has given birth to some of the world’s great artistic traditions. So says Amit Sankhala, a travel designer who lives in Delhi. As he shows his country to visitors, one of his favorite things to do is connect the dots between Indian traditions and western forms of art.
Forts And Castles
Throughout the country are forts and palaces, many dating back thousands of years.
“It’s something you would imagine would be in Morocco, or staying in castles in France or Italy,” Sankhala said. “Over time, they have become these amazing places to stay.”
They started out as wedding venues, and now also house music festivals.
“They’ve become these fantastic venues for bringing the culture back,” Sankhala said.”
Festivals
There are links between Indian arts and culture, and the west.
A festival in Marchmarks migrations of Roma from India to Spain, and the similarities between the cultures.
“They say that the roots of gypsies were migrated from India,” Sankhala said. “There’s similarity in Spanish music and flamenco dancing. When you have flamenco happening, and Indian kalbelia dancing happening, it’s just beautiful.”
There’s also a festival celebrating Sufi culture, in February.
“Sufism became a way of life, a trance,” Sankhala said. “All of central Asia and northern Africa was influenced by Sufism. It’s incredible to see all these performances happening within one fort.”
Diversity
You’ll want two weeks, at least, to see India, says Sankhala. It’s a diverse country, with hundreds of languages (but most everyone speaks English, too).
“Every time I go to a festival in India, I am still blown away,” Sankhala said. “Fifty kilometers north, south, east or west, the language changes, the spices change – everything but money changes.”
Sankhala says you need years to really see India, but if you spend two weeks, and you like it, you’ll keep coming back.
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Going Places is KPLU's weekly exploration of travel. This week, we were joined by Amit Sankhala, who lives in India and arranges tours throughout the country.
