The best way to discover the vibe of a new city is to explore it like a local would, and the one thing Indian tour packages almost always never mention is that a large part of the local culture demands for a maddening crowd to be present.
If you are adventurous and do not mind mingling with the masses, here are some experiences that are a guaranteed ice breaker:
A Friendly Match of Cricket
There are far more children born with a bat in hand than a golden spoon in their mouths in India, a capital for cricket fans and enthusiasts. You could be walking on the road to find yourself come across a blocked lane where a group of youngsters partake in a match. The best way to experience the passion is to equip yourself with sunscreen, a hat and water, and head over to the closest stadium for a match of cricket where you can scream your lungs out with the ardent fans.
The Opening of a Rajnikant Movie
Head over to the south Indian influenced parts of any city and you will come across at least one large poster of Rajnikant. An actor who countless people literally look upon as god and pray to, the openings of his movies seem to be as good as the concert of an international legend. With lines of people with a ticket in one hand and a life size poster of him in the other, the levels of excitement can often be too much to handle. As long as you do not say anything negative about him within earshot of the aggressively passionate fans, you can have a wonderful experience.
Ride the Rails of Mumbai
An adventure not marketed with tour packages in India, riding the locals in Mumbai is exciting and thrilling as ever for those that aren’t faint hearted. With countless people hanging almost out of the crowded trains, it can be a daunting experience to go through. However there are a number of short routes such as from Churchgate to Bandra that are scenic as well as safe. It is the fastest way to get around the city. However, you need to brace yourself for some aggressiveness if you wish to board a train soon.
Being the second most populous country, chaos and crazy is a given when you visit the destination. However, if you find yourself feeling the heartbeat of the destination, you will soon learn to embrace the crowd and become a part of the machine as well.
