Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure

While living in USA, I continuously miss my home country India; thus, I thought of reading a book based on India expecting it to refresh my memories. I opted for “A Holy Cow”, but soon I realized I have made a wrong choice. Her description of India is as if someone is visiting a poor’s house and making a mockery of his poverty. Since I’m an Indian my review might be considered a biased one, but my intention is just to be logical. After reading the initial few pages it appeared as if the writer is accusing Indians for our poor infrastructure and poverty, and being poor is some kind of a sin. Few instances in the book I couldn’t find any logic in: 1. The airhostess not taking ANY action against the sexual assault: I could have accepted a leniency toward the accused but no action at all is bit too much to digest. This airline operates throughout the globe, flying international passengers. Had they been so lenient to such a crime, I’m sure they must have faced some serious consequences. 2. Airhostesses coming from very rich families through bribes, so that they can fly and stay in five star hotels: I couldn’t understand if they are really rich wouldn’t they be able to afford flights and hotels with their own money? Why would rich people allow their girls to do the kind of job that involves waitering? In fact, in India, an airhostess’s job is still considered a sort of demeaning work even by middle class genera, forget about the riches. 3. People farting in the evenings: is it only the Indians who do so? Please! It’s a god’s mercy that he made all humans the same, otherwise farting could have been another sin on top of being poor. 4. The Driver Kuntee, asking the author to wait for one hour and not showing up until she herself looked out for him after 2-3 hours - I couldn’t understand the driver’s incentive behind it, he didn’t take the money in advance which could have left the passengers stuck to him alone. She could have easily taken another taxi instead of waiting for him. Well! Reading all these illogical instances, I couldn’t force myself to read any further. There are books like SHANTARAM where author saw the beauty even in filthy Indian slums. Every country gives its traveler a cocktail of experiences, if you are determined to see only the bad nothing can please you ever.

A delightful account of an Aussie woman's adventures living in India - traveling the country, submerging in vast cultures, & searching for God within many faiths. An insightful and entertaining read.

This is the kind of travel book I love to read. One of exploration and journeys both outside and inside yourself. The ending was just as perfect as the beginning. My only 2 complaints: the fleeting way she glanced at some religions while deeply exploring others and the frequent zingers which accompany her descriptions about Americans. As a writer seeking to understand another culture, she glibly and in stereotypical terms describes Americans in a way I can't imagine her doing to Indians or Pakistanis.