15/3/08 Munnar, India
I love that simple Indian expression: ‘Very Costly!’
It means also: I can not afford it!
I am not an Historian, nor a proffesional traveller (…Marco Pola 馃槈 ) but it’s interesting to see the changes of places according to the rulers.
The Portuguese on concering India around 1500, left a lot of impressive Churches on the most remarkable & noticable places, and did a lot of missionary work – converting Indus to Christians. On the west cost, where I am visiting now, in Kerala district – there are 20% Christians. Next to my bed the Holy Bible is proudly placed.
The Dutch appeared on 1661, ‘reordered’ a lot of the Churches from Catholic to Protestant, and even destroyed some, but they were tolerant in general.
The English concered Cochin on 1795 and ruled until 1947, some 150 years.
The British enjoyed India, they had lots of English Garden Tea Parties, but mainly they enjoyed the cheep labour and used their goods & treasures.
In India there are 26 counties with some hundred spoken languages, so the English language units the country!!
It gives them a bigger opportunity over others in the joined global market.
The British left a ‘Very Costly’ treasure in India – the English language.