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RE: Ordin'ry infinite—(rabbithole factory.)
I am yet to master anything about Malayalam script myself. Interestingly, many young Keralites have similar problems, which is sad, given how rich this script is.
It's quite difficult. I fell in love with it, though, and got to the point where I could read most signs and newspapers very slowly. I always thought the traditional conjunct characters were so cool.
I thought it was quite sad how the youth in Kerala were mostly indifferent toward their beautiful mother tongue (I was teaching Western Music to kids elementary through college age). I was very surprised to see that they often didn't know their own language too well.
Of course, they were more interested in English so they might be able to get high-paying jobs in other countries. It made sense, but was frustrating because I wanted to escape western culture and found that it followed me wherever I went.
Indians are deeply stucked in paradoxes when it comes to broadly defined West. They admire it, and despise it at the very same time. They love English (and many Indians truly mastered English) but equally often they hate the language. They willingly watch European or American movies but are also quite often totally ignorant when it comes to geography. I have dozens and dozens Indian friends, especially Keralites, Tamils, and Telugus. I have read dozens and dozens books about India. I have watched possibly thousands Indian movies. And yet, i often feel i dont understand this magnificent country, really.
And, i am sure, you have noticed it, Keralites are deeply religious, still being significantly influenced by Left leaning politics.
Haha. The religiosity I could handle, but I found their obsession with Marxist ideologies quite bizarre.
So, here we differ. But, lets keep politics out conversation, please ;) .
More than happy to oblige. :-)
Haha. Is it not somehow ironic that we are talking now about travels? I mean, hermetic poetry rarely leads to to memories from far away countries ;) .
LOL... as a matter of fact, I guess it all started when you mentioned you were Polish. Though, my time in Kerala was so overwhelmingly/paradoxically beautifuldisturbing that hermetics might be a good way to process it.
I was completely on my own with no other foreigners so it was total immersion unless I hid in my room and composed music (which I did somewhat often.)
The experience was so outside of anything I was familiar with it almost seemed like a 5-month-long dream when I returned.
Haha. My experience there was also far from being casual. I went there with quite a lot of media coverage. And i was kind of special guest of the hotel belonging to one of the most powerful people in Kerala, which is humbling in itself....