Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure

[Guest guest]

I just finished reading "Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure," a memoir by

Sarah Macdonald. I have to say I wholeheartedly recommend the book

to Indiophiles everywhere. I suspect that we all could write our own

book on what this amazing country and its plethora of religions has

taught us. (In fact, most of us will have learned these lessons, just

from reading, before we ever set foot on the subcontinent.) It's

very light reading-- you'll get hooked and finish it in a week-- not

like a heavy philosophical text, not even an "Autobiography of a

Yogi." The book is basically a soap opera that unfolds as Sarah

talks about her friends and adventures with skepticism and spiritual

longing. She starts the book as a confirmed young atheist on a trip

around the world, leaving India in an exasperated huff and determined

never to return, when an airport fortune teller gives her a reading

that turns out to be frighteningly true-- she would return to India

for love. Her Australian boyfriend, a journalist, ends up being

stationed in Delhi.

Stationed and without work in India, she just seems to

naturally fall into informally studying its religions. She learns

from her myriad of (mostly failed) attempts at finding a spiritual

path, but nonetheless is able to grasp something of value from all

the religions she encounters. Her critical thinking skills are

excellent as she navigates the liberal and conservative wings of each

faith and the politics of the countries in which they reside. For

example, her reaction to the psychosis of 9-11 terrorism (which she

hears about from a Hindu serving her pastries in a French restaurant

in India) is a desire to understand Sufism. Her more mundane

descriptions are vivid and will bring back memories to all who have

battled the elements in India as they trudged to their next

pilgrimage site.

I think what rings the most true in her writing is how those of us

from the West confront and reject the conservatism of traditional

views, of patriarchal ways, of quiet, resigned acceptance. If we had

wanted that, we just would have become Southern Baptists. The head-

on collision of Western liberalism confronting Indian traditionalism

is not a pretty sight, but is one of the most identifiable aspects of

the book. Sarah is giving voice to a thousand instances that I

encountered in India that I dared never mention to anyone their. Yet

she wouldn't trade the spiritual lessons she learns for anything.

Her parting from India is bittersweet, and gives the book real

closure. There's enough drama in the book-- the strained relationship

with her constantly traveling boyfriend, his decision to cover the

war in Afghanistan, her colorful array of Indian friends and servants

(a word she can barely bring herself to say), her stabs at

meditation, prayer, and ritual-- to make a fine film. In fact, I

can't believe someone isn't adapting this for the screen as we

speak. --=--=-= om-=-=-=-= Nick

Amazon.com: Books: Holy Cow: An Indian Adventure