Merchandising

It's curious how being in Mahatma Gandhi's home state, you get to see more of his ideals. Nevertheless, I must state that I have only been in Diu, which was before part of Goa. So probably this statement is not entirely true, but for sure I'll find out later on.

Diu is just a little island, former Portuguese colony, south of the state of Gujarat. The feeling I have from this place differs totally from that of the rest of India. It's like if had left the country for a while. You do not get harassed, nor you get the feeling of bargaining.

But to keep on with this post, some previous facts are necessary. Since I got to India I wasn't intentioned to trust anyone. And my first experience proved me right. I haven't been able to entirely remove that feeling, and so I get the sensation I'm missing a lot of experiences from those truth hearted.

Gandhi says in his Autobiography: "I went fairly prepared with my subject, which was about observing truthfulness in business. I had always heard the merchants say that truth was not possible in business. I did not think so then, nor do I now. Even today there are merchant friends who contend that truth is inconsistent with business. Business, they say, is a very practical affair, and truth a matter of religion; and they argue that practical affairs are one thing, while religion is quiet another. Pure truth, they hold, is out of question in business, one can speak it only so far as is suitable. I strongly contested the position in my speech and awakened the merchants to a sense of their duty, which was two-fold. Their responsibility to be truthful was all the greater in a foreign land, because the conduct of a few Indians was the measure of that of the millions of their fellow-country men."

From the moment Indians see me as a walking Euro, as a possible business, I'm to take notice of Gandhi's words and trust no local. As long as I'm not able to discern who is just curious from those with dollar signs in their eyes, I won't be able to travel free around India. And even in such a peaceful place like Diu where curiosity overtakes business, I can't feel free, but it is obviously an Oasis from untruth.