Day 5: From rural reflections to city life
As our journey through India continues, today marked a significant shift—from the tranquil rural setting of MYRADA to the vibrant, fast-paced energy of Bangalore. Maria and Heather share their experiences of the day, reflecting on the lessons learned along the way, from the spiritual wisdom of the ISKCON temple to the powerful role of in-person connection in community movements.
From rural calm to city chaos: A day of adaptation and teamwork
By Maria
Today marked the beginning of an exciting new journey as we left the MARADA center this morning. I couldn't help but smile, reminiscing about our first day there and how quickly time has flown by. Our destination was Bangalore, and the shift from the serene rural setting to the bustling city atmosphere was palpable. The streets were alive with people and vehicles, all navigating their way to various destinations.
Public transportation was a novel experience for me; at times, it felt overwhelming, but we always arrived safely at our stops. Our first visit in Bangalore was to the Iskona Temple. The journey to the temple was a bit challenging due to the numerous steps, but the reward was worth it. Upon entering, I was enveloped by a sense of calm and tranquility. The atmosphere was peaceful, and the warmth of the people was evident. Their smiles were infectious, and the curiosity shining in their children's eyes was heartwarming. It was a lovely experience to interact with them, as their parents welcomed us with open arms.
After our visit, we faced a little challenge finding our bus, which was parked on the opposite side of a busy road. However, through teamwork and the leadership of Eddie and Noel, we successfully crossed the street as a cohesive group, creating quite the amusing scene. We then made our way to a restaurant, ready to enjoy a meal together and share our experiences from the day.
Overall, today was filled with new experiences and valuable lessons about adaptability, teamwork, and the kindness of strangers.
The power of presence: What India teaches us about connection
By Heather
Today, we said goodbye to MYRADA. The kind faces. The generosity. The feeling of being part of something bigger. Then, we stepped into Bangalore. The noise. The movement. The gold-gilded ISKCON temple standing tall in the middle of it all.
ISKCON’s message is simple: chasing more—money, status, stuff—won’t bring you peace. Connection will. To Krishna. To people. To something deeper than the next thing on your to-do list.
That really stuck with me and reminded me of the SHGs saying their groups meant more to them than gold, a point Noel goes into more detail on in his summary from day 3.
The West talks about the Global South in terms of what’s missing, the lack. But maybe we’re the ones missing something truly, truly valuable.
Take the Self-Help Groups. Women who built something stronger than wealth—trust. No contracts. No fine print. Just people showing up for each other, week after week. When COVID hit, they adapted fast. Moved online. Used tech when they had to despite illiteracy rates being extremely high in the priority areas for MYRADA. But the moment they could, they went back to meeting in person. Because they knew something we often forget: trust isn’t built through a screen.
And yet, in the West, we’re doing the opposite. More emails. More Zoom. Less real-life connection. We call it ‘efficiency.’ But is it? Or is it just loneliness, disguised as progress?
India protects its social capital like it protects its savings. It’s woven into daily life. A safeguard against isolation. Meanwhile, back home in the UK, loneliness and isolation are significant issues affecting various age groups.
Maybe the ISKCON temple was right. Maybe happiness isn’t about adding more. Maybe it’s about subtracting what gets in the way of what really matters.
So, here’s the question:
Are we truly more free, or have we just traded community for convenience?
And if that’s the case—what are we going to do about it?
