JOIN USLife as it used to be: Scot writer reminisces about India of her girlhood
You can take the Scotswoman out of India, but you can't take India out of the Scotswoman.
Aline Dobbie, 75, author, lived in India for the first 16 years of her life; however, her deep connection with the land of her birth has led her to write five books about it. Last month, the Indophile was in Delhi to launch her fifth one, India-ji The Land of My Birth.
The book is a travel guide and a personal diary about her journeys across 20 states of India during the last twelve years, laden with memories and personal anecdotes of her life and travels in her second home.
"In January 1961, I was returning to boarding school in England on an Air India flight with fellow pupils from my school," said Dobbie speaking to DH. "Rajiv (Gandhi) and his brother (Sanjay) joined the flight in Mumbai, where I changed planes. Rajiv, polite and reserved, was sitting behind me. We were all teenagers then, chatting and joking. Rajiv and I got along well—he was two years older than me, whereas Sanjay was my age. These were long flights, and the mood music was "O' Sole Mio" and "Three Coins in the Fountain." Whenever I hear those tunes even today, I think of that youthful episode with two boys now long gone from this world."
Another strong childhood memory harks back to her childhood in Bengaluru.
"One of my fondest memories is from Bangalore," said Dobbie. "In March 1952, when I was just five, I fell from the first floor of a private home and cracked my head from ear to ear (we still have the x-ray). The medics told my parents that I must not run, hop, skip or jump for six months to allow the skull to heal. My parents hired a lovely old nurse called Sister Hogg, who looked after me throughout the day and taught me to garden, embroider, read and colour to keep me amused. The skull healed, but that sweet lady from Bangalore has remained in my memory."
Born in Bareilly to a Lieutenant Colonel of the Jat Regiment, Dobbie's family had been living in India for generations.
"Unlike most westerners who write about India, I didn't parachute into this incredible country," said Dobbie. "I am lucky to have the dichotomy of being born and brought up in India. There is a certain degree of authenticity to my observations. I am not here to knock down but to give back."
"There are things about this country I deeply appreciate; for instance, most Indians have a sense of spirituality (and by that, I don't mean religion) that is very soul-sustaining. There are also some things I don't like. I worry about wildlife conservation because once it's gone, it's gone. Development and change should not come at the cost of the environment, flora and fauna. I feel shocked at the damage caused to India's wildlife by excessive industrial activity and irresponsible tourism."
With the pandemic crisis somewhat diminished, Dobbie is sure travellers will be eager to return to India. "The tourist from the West who wants a richer, more unique experience will always return to India."
Watch the latest DH Videos here: