Diwali Stress

It has now been more than 3 weeks since I entered India. My adaptability and my stomach already make me feel at ‘home’ here. I have gotten very used to the dishes. I will definitely bring some dishes (dal chawal) back to Germany with me. Speaking of Germany, the first thing I am always asked about Germany is (always!!) Oktoberfest. Even an exchange student from Brazil asks me about Oktoberfest.

On Sunday, we went hiking in Pune. Pune is a very hilly region. We hiked up one of these hills and had a beautiful view. The hiking trails are not as good as in Germany, but still solid. Afterwards, I tried fresh coconut water, which tastes really good.

Here in Pune, there are many street vendors selling snacks, fruits, and small items. Pani Puri (see picture) is usually sold there.

On Tuesday, we visited an Indian supermarket. However, shopping is much preferred online. In the supermarket, there was a section full of metal bowls, metal plates, and many more metal items. We were at the supermarket to buy Diwali sweets. The sweets are distributed during Diwali. They are usually chocolate pieces, nuts, dried fruits, or ‘cookie dough’.

India has many wonderful impressions, but you also see children selling flowers on the street, litter lying around, and many dogs, which fortunately are not aggressive.

Pune is one of the most modern cities in India and thus very advanced. Next week, we will head to northern India, and I am already very curious to see the differences.

In the north, we will visit the Taj Mahal, Delhi, and the rural areas.

In South India, the coffee, which is very sweet, is typically drunk from the right vessel and refilled with the left vessel.

This is also a typical South Indian dish. The pancake (Dosa) is made from rice and filled with potatoes. It comes with two dips (Masala). The dish cost 2€ and is one of the most well-known dishes in India.