"You start from scratch every time you arrive," says poet and author Dorothee Lang.
Bringing us to the station as we enter the pages of Lang's latest book, Masala Moments — a travel novel from India, we arrive with the pure pleasure of just being there. Published by CautionaryTalePress, Masala Moments follows our traveling hero, June, through a collage of colorful cities that make up India. Through Mumbai, Goa, Hampi, Bangalore, Mysore, and Cochin. Through Indian dinners of spiced Masala Dosa, Chicken Tikka, and Stuffed Paranthas. We follow Lang as travel host and take her up on her offer for us to come on, jump in, and join the ride.
Starting from Milan on our landing in India, we are quietly shown the back streets of the famous town of Bombay, now known to the modern world as Mumbai. It's fantastic. Here we see the gentle side of India. The polite side. Not the money-grabbing, hectic, taxi drivers' side. Not the scamming marketeers. Masala Moments shows us the spacious manners and forgiveness of cultural exchange. A journey that smacks of the sweet innocence of traveling alone without schedules or appointment book to bind. Masala Moments gives us a true look at the people of India. Living together in a world of ordered harmony among the narrow curved roads, palm trees, and chai tea.
"You need not leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen." says Franz Kafka in the beginning pages of the book.
Our hero, June, dots the landscape with a spaciousness of purpose as she finds her hotel room, her food and bedding, her company and photographs. Each city is a painting waiting to paint itself before her eyes. Each moment a gift that is remembered and cherished as though it belongs to some forgotten memory.
Is it true what they say about India? Is there a spirit there among the people? A magic that can only be felt when you walk the streets, meet the faces, and sit by the shores of the Ganges River? As we watch the soul of a people left to find themselves on the altars of Ganesh and Krishna, we understand how stories can be used to keep humanity and each other alive. Yes. Life is dependent on each and every silent story and silent hero.
Graciousness cannot be described in only a few words. Dorothee Lang brings such graciousness to our minds and hearts as we travel with June that the room where we sit reading her book becomes bigger on its own. The window seems to open a little bit wider as we watch as June watches the parade of life inside today's India. We lie down softly in June's good trust of the world. Sure of the fact that all will eventually work out in the end. We watch as we drink hot chai made by little boys who gather water from the banks of the Ganges River, the most holy "polluted" waters in the world. And somehow a miracle happens. We are safe. We do not get sick in the drinking.
This is the magic of India and the magic of Masala Moments.
"But isn't that the purpose of traveling . . . to give the unbelievable a chance to happen?" says Lang. "All these roads," our narrator, June, adds. "All those people. All those different ways of life."
June moves quietly and softly as observer to a large, unfolding world in the never-ending, honking stream of rickshaws, cars, cabs, trucks, and bicycles. It's the colors of the clothing she remembers. The bright quince, red, pink of the women's shining saris. The smell of incense that takes you to another time.
When June enters a shop of artwork and traditional craft in Bangalore she talks with the shopkeeper and comes upon a wonderful discovery:
"You know, when I came here, I thought India would be more difficult, with everyone trying to scam you. That's at least some of the stories that some travelers tell, that it's the toughest country you can choose to visit. And now I am here, and it's beautiful." says June.
"It's because of yourself . . . You are smiling and so I am smiling. India is only reflecting your heart." says the shopkeeper in return.
For all of you who want to visit India, Masala Moments comes with a decent guide and travel tips for the journey. "The thing about India is that it is another world altogether . . . Always look like you know where you are going," Lang suggests.
Dorothee goes on to share that travelers should always carry a backpack instead of a suitcase to help as there may be a need to step into a boat at times or to throw belongings quickly into the compartment on a train. Try not to travel alone at night. Take a taxi. Take a B-1 tablet daily to help keep the mosquitoes and malaria away. Wear a money belt, but keep a little money on you for out-of-pocket purchases. Start slow and easy at the beginning of the journey, and on the train always travel 2nd class AC (air conditioned) so you can find some comfort. And most important of all, don't forget to bargain. Never take a price at first quote. Offer half and let the seller offer another price again. Always ask the price of a rickshaw or a taxi before you hop on. And remember, always keep your sense of humor wherever you go.
Masala Moments proves to those of us who are beginning to forget about any good in the world that the borders that separate us from each other are not solid. Separations between all of us are often only made of liquid or air. As Lang tells it, "They aren't fixed. They only exist in our minds. All it takes to move them is one weightless move through the shadows of our thoughts, just like the wings of the night bird that cuts through the lamp light."
I can tell a poet wrote this book. Each word has been chosen for its sound and clarity. All it takes is trust and a smile and the rest will follow. Masala Moments gives us the space to see our future. To see the world, unhampered by problems through all the acceptance and discovery we need.
Lys Anzia, is assistant book reviews editor for Moondance magazine and is currently writing news articles through affiliations with WUNRN - Women's UN Report Network. Three of her news articles about women have recently been placed in the archive of the library at the United Nations through UN-INSTRAW. As an American historical playwright, Lys has recently received an honorarium for theatre from AAUW - American Assoc. of University Women. She is also currently a radio producer for international syndicate WINGS - Women's International News Gathering Service out of Vancouver, BC, Canada.