Whenever India is mentioned on social media, people immediately tend to highlight the worst aspects of a truly diverse culture and country, saying, “Oh, I’m glad I wasn’t born there,” or “I can immediately smell the video.”
Despite being born Indian-American, I kind of believed what social media was saying, since I didn’t believe it applied to me. Growing up in America, surrounded by a blend of cultures, I never felt out of place. I was with Indians, but I was also with my East Asian friends, Hispanic friends, and anyone in between.
At this point, after years of seeing discriminatory comments online, I hadn’t been to India in eight years, so my perspective was heavily distorted. However, at the end of the school year, my family and I had finally gone to India for my grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary.
After over 18 hours of flying, the somewhat underwhelming arrival in Delhi finally occurred. I already expected it to be hot and humid, but more than that, I was just exhausted. Heading outside the airport, I was immediately overwhelmed by the number of people rushing through at an ungodly hour of the night. However, despite being surrounded by people who looked like me, I felt off.
In the United States, I’m always surrounded by a diverse community, yet I’m never overlooked. I know many Asian Americans have experienced not being Asian enough to belong in their motherland, and that’s exactly what I felt. Sure, I could speak my language, but there’s always the American accent indicating that I’m not from here. As the days of the trip went by, there was one location that completely shifted my perspective: the River Ganga.
Known as the holiest river in India, the River Ganga holds deep spiritual and religious significance in Hinduism. The river is believed to wash one’s sins away, offering cleansing and healing properties. The river flows through multiple states. We visited the river in Rishikesh—a city known for its breathtaking views and spiritual atmosphere.
I expected murky water and trash littering the shore. Standing by the riverbank at sunset, I found it peaceful and cleaner than I had ever seen online. While praying to the Ganga and releasing flower offerings into the water a sense of calm washed over me allowing me to truly enjoy the community and tradition that I’d never get from a social media post.
I went to India thinking that it would be just another family trip, but it has changed so much since the last time I visited. The stereotypes presented by the narrow lens of social media are built on unfair judgments, lacking the depth and humanity of real experience. I had to see it for myself to understand and reconnect with a part of who I am.
