As a girl born, bred and proud of bring a Brit, my mum's homeland of India always brings with it an avalanche of mixed feelings. It's one of the more mysterious countries on the planet, and one that boasts some of the most drastic differences in lifestyle between poverty-stricken and the rich.
View of Gateway Of India from The Taj Sea Lounge.
(ALL PICS COPYRIGHT JASMINE DOTIWALA)
The seventh largest country in the world with over 1 billion people living in its territories, makes it second only to China. It's a land of legends, myths, food, culture, political strife, and a wide variety of ethnic and cultural diversity.
As a young girl that visited her grandma, aunts and cousins there it freaked me out. It was total sensory overload. As soon as you stepped out of the Bombay airport, the hostile heat, intense noise, variety of pungent smells and stares from locals at my white skin and foreign clothes was intimidating. I guess it didn't help that as a west London teenager I loved to experiment with fashion, and my Salt & Pepa shaved hairstyles and Madonna fashion didn't go down too well with the very traditional locals. Often they'd point and laugh at me. Beggar children would surround me to plead for money or stroke my very pale skin.
Cats and dogs? Children play happily with goats.
Back in the nineties it was manic. Imagine the busiest road in your city or town, and then triple the traffic, and add lone camels, herds of cows, lounging buffalo, erratic goats, barking dogs, a colourful temple emitting chanting, people's cell phones blaring Bollywood tunes, constant cars hooting pointlessly, and overpowering smells - exhaust fumes, animal excrement, incense, a bit of wee and some chai masala spices - and you get an idea. It couldn't be more different now though.
Also, many of their houses and buildings all look like they're in a dilapidated state and could do with a few licks of paint and renovation. However once you understand that the wet and hot weather damages paintwork all year round, you understand why they don't all look fresh to death like western buildings. Nonetheless it was traumatic for a western kid.
However over the years I've grown to realise that India is a magical and charming country that really is like no other place on earth. The things that used to fascinate me now impress me. It's a country of extremes. One moment you're driving through the chaos of the cities, and the next sitting in the desert watching the sunset, seeing a caravan of camels against the horizon. Another moment you're manoeuvring around thousands of people in a train station, the next you're gawping at dramatic white snowy mountains and emerald green tea paddies whilst traveling on an old steam train.
The organised chaos that is their roads has to be seen, to be believed. Scuffed cars, millions of motorbikes, random cows (The cow is venerated because of its association with the Hindu deity, Krishna, who is believed to be a prince of the cowherd clan. It is an important symbol in some Hindu rituals, but is not part of everyday religious practice in India.), the occasional ox pulling cart, huge, colourful, music blaring lorries and pedestrians, all get around in perfect harmony with no road rage and total equality for each other regardless of number of wheels or legs. The locals simply drive around the animal in their 'live and let live' state. However, It's not all crowded and overrun by traffic. Wide-open areas exist too, as do under-populated rural areas.
This month I took my mum back to visit her family for her birthday treat.
When informing others of my impending trip to India the preconceptions and misconceptions were outrageous. Lets take a look at some.
The idea that anywhere you go in India you will see people in a state of starvation. .... I've seen more opulence in India that most countries.
Every family, regardless of class has maids and servants to help with daily cooking, cleaning and chores. Their brides wear and own more real gold than most western women can comprehend or will ever see. Most kids travel to and from school in taxis, and are much more highly educated than our own, often speaking up to six languages by the age of 14. Every home and public building has air conditioning. Their food is fresher and tastier than the pre packaged produce we get at our supermarkets. Theirs comes straight from the fields and oceans onto their plate. Not my definition of poverty.
Also, The service is crazy efficient in India. They don't want you to lift a finger. Your suitcase will be carried, your tea will be poured, your food served and your every need catered to.
That Slumdog Millionaire and Bollywood are true reflections of exactly what it's like in India... This is like saying that every part of the UK is like Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Railway Children or a James Bond movie. Any Indian you come across with roll their eyes if you mention these. Yes, the slums of India are known worldwide for being some of the worst in the world, which is unfortunate given the wealth of the nation and the absolute opposing lifestyle of those people enjoying the high life. However, even their slums have all the modern electrical gadgets of an English home and satellite TV! I've seen more poverty on UK reality shows like Benefits Street.
People asked if I was going to 'find myself' in the mystical land of yogis where everyone sleeps on nails and levitates ... This is like foreigners coming here, and assuming we are all akin to ye olde Englande of yesteryear, and assuming that still in 2014 we Brits Morris dance, only eat fish & chips, speak in plummy accents, wear bowler hats, are all violent football hooligans, that our only reason for being is to acquire materialistic wealth and be on permanent diets (that last one may be somewhat true).
The idea that you will only be able to eat curry, and almost certainly suffer Delhi belly.... Firstly, not all their meals are curry-based. Secondly, most westerners see India as a backpacking cheap holiday adventure, and so eat at street food stalls that they'd never dream of eating from in the UK. Of course you're going to suffer! Eat in regular establishments as you do at home and Delhi belly wont affect you!
My local Mumbai train challenge.
Our trip began in Mumbai where on day one, feeling adventurous, I convinced my local family to travel the local train from one side of Mumbai to another as challenged by a Mumbai-ite who now lives and works in London. She said if I were truly ''street'' I would take pics at regular stations to prove I'd done it. Oh the jokes! My little lord Fauntleroy style Indian nephews weren't impressed and looked traumatised, my other half couldn't believe the crowd and open doors as passengers hung off and on top of the trains, but challenge completed, we celebrated with high tea at the opulent Taj Palace Hotel.
The Taj Palace Hotel.
Taj gardens and pool.
The beautiful parks and gardens and the grandeur of the famous Taj Mahal Hotel overlooking the Gateway to India (which is similar looking to our Marble Arch), is currently the focus of a BBC documentary HOTEL INDIA, showing on our TV's right now.
High tea.
So I was like a groupie when I spotted staff members that the TV show has made famous. The ultra efficient concierge who has served royalty, presidents and superstars was at his desk. I giggled like an excited schoolgirl. The high tea was in the famous sea lounge and more proper than the high tea I have often partaken in at Harrods, Fortnum and Masons and Mayfair. There were fancy foodstuffs and an array of tea and coffee choices to die for.
Decadent high tea.
The next day I suggested a slum tour but was shut down by my family. Instead I finally convinced them to come on the tour of the huge Dhobi Ghat- a massive outdoor manual laundry area where wealthy people send their clothes to be washed. We traveled there by rickshaw.
Ariel view of Asia's biggest outdoor manual laundry.
The giant laundry Dhobi Ghat was mind blowing. Hundreds of people launder over 100,000 garments daily, speedily and never mix them up. We were taken through the intricate maze-like cubicles which washer men hire and wash, steam and press clothes in. Clothes separated by colour, saris refurbished from old to new, contaminated hospital gowns boiled to cleanse in giant vat's, frail men ironing piles of shirts.
Cubicles for hire for washermen at the Dhobi Ghat.
Electricity and wiring that resembled a health and safety nightmare were open and on display. I wont lie, it was devastating viewing with what I imagined sweatshop conditions to look like. But, that issue was just mine, the people there looked happy and grateful to be working and the organisation and efficiency was mind blowing.
MASALA LIBRARY
Course six at Masala Library- Duck and Ribs.
In keeping with our rags and riches experience, the next recommended escapade was a trip to a restaurant called Masala Library by Jiggs Kalra. Its owned and run by Mumbai's Jiggs Kalra , a gastronome, food writer, historian and consultant who has spent the past 40 years in recording and reviving Indian cuisine, who owns multiple restaurants in the city.
Course four- scallops.
He's a celebrated name across India and overseas and not just Mumbai, while being based in Gurgaon. Jiggs says ''we serve memories, not just food'' and he wasn't joking. While reservations are highly recommended, Masala Library keeps a few tables to cater to walk in guests, which are on first come first serve basis, and luckily I got lucky!
Course nine, jellebi caviar with vanilla foam dust.
Frankly readers, it was worth the flight to India alone for this incredible culinary experience. My words can never do it enough justice, the experience was phenomenal. The décor is simple, very sophisticated New York brasserie chic with a touch of Asian waterfall art wall thrown in.
It put our celeb chefs like Gordon Ramsey and Heston Blumenthal in the shade.
It has a reputation of being one of the best Indian gastronomic molecular creative food spots in Mumbai and it didn't disappoint. On arrival the staff were highly accommodating friendly staff and service was unbeatable.
We asked what they'd recommend and at their suggestion went for the 10 - course tasting menu. This would let us sample most of the signature dishes' on the menu in small portions.
We began with the strange sounding burnt curry leaf martini, which was delicious and lethal.
Course three, prawns and fresh banana chips served on a giant shell.
Then a marathon of food platters and plates all more marvelous than the last arrived one by one. One of the first courses looked like a regular cup of tea, but was in fact a mushroom truffle chai- totally delicious`!
By course four we were stuffed but couldn't resist not devouring the creative, arty food creations that kept on coming.
Course nine, coconut ice cream with rose spheres with pistachio pan.
The best part of the dining was Dennis Chelai Wu, Operations Manager of Masala Library, who explained everything about the dish we were about to demolish. How, why, when it was inspired and created. He answered every query with easily understandable knowledge, and made the dining experience a real culinary and intellectual treat.
The style juxtaposed modern day cooking techniques with centuries old traditions. The type of dish you can be sure you've never been served anywhere else. Ever. The presentation, vibrant colours and captivating blend of flavours had us awaiting the next dish like excited kids at Christmas.
Prawns served on sliced tree bark, scallops served in shells, a bubble of almond that pops in your mouth, a mini treasure chest steaming with dramatic dry ice which opens to reveal a palette cleansing lollipop.
Course seven- heavenly honey and maple pepper glazed ribs. Hungry yet?
But our absolute fave was a mouth-watering honey and maple, pepper glazed rib dish that was so scrumptious we are still raving about it (and unsuccessfully attempting to recreate it at home) today!
If you are visiting Mumbai I highly recommend dining at MASALA LIBRARY. At around £30 per head its costly for locals but a miracle for us Brits. Do the streets, trains, hotel suites and banquets- the best of all worlds!
Course ten. White candy floss lollipops.
India is chaotic, noisy, colourful, intense, hectic and sensually rich. If you like your travel destinations as bland as processed cheese, then India's not for you.
On the other hand if you want to experience the kindness of the Indians, the amazing service, excellent food, beautiful hotels which all exceed expectations and a totally different world then book your flights.
World-class hotels and gardens that look like they've been transported straight out of Europe, share space with the slums and their squalor, which is a huge culture shock for many first time visitors to the city, but it's a visit you'll never forget, for all the right reasons.
When I travel around the world, many countries and high streets across Europe and America are exactly the same as the UK. You feel like you're still in the same country.
When you go to India it's a truly once in a lifetime experience and you will make memories that will last forever!
So forget all the media-fed misconceptions you've heard about the country, its very soon to take up its reputed world super power role- get in there first!