Vietnam and Cambodia: Impressions of a reluctant traveller.

Impressions of a reluctant traveller.

Krithika Srinath

War and peace: Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

T.T. Srinath

I have never been comfortable travelling in places that are hot and humid. I therefore set out for Vietnam and Cambodia both with curiosity and hesitancy.

What I discovered in both places was passion and pride in one’s country and culture.

Vietnam boasts a history, strangely, of only 35 years, beginning on April 30, 1975 when she truly attained freedom from western infiltration. In these 35 years she has showcased herself remarkably. Beginning with the Independence Palace, which was stormed on liberation day, to the Cu Chi tunnels which had housed several Vietcong fighters, to the War Remnants Museum displaying atrocities of war, there is only one statement that constantly presents itself: ‘war destroys but also binds’.

The civil war that rocked Vietnam from the 1960s to the mid-1970s destroyed the very fabric of human existence, yet it did not destroy human spirit. While the 14 million tonnes of bombs and shells and 70 million litres of toxic chemicals took life away, it did not take away liberty and the desire for freedom.

Our Vietnamese guide Chong said the tour often left American visitors disturbed. His sensitivity made him aware of their feelings and warn them in advance, but he had no intention to hide or disguise what the Vietnamese had gone through. I have noticed in some parts of the world the people are not proud of the wars their civilisations were part of. But Vietnam is one country where war is worn with pride. The sense of triumph permeates all walks of life and the people are proud that they have achieved so much in so little time. At the lacquer factory run by war-affected and physically challenged people, you can see them working assiduously, mindless of their infirmities.

Vietnam for me and my co-travellers was truly an experience in wakefulness and I recognised lessons for us as Indians. Sadly, often I do not experience passion in the way we deliver our history nor do I encounter pride. Both these were witnessed in abundance in Vietnam.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Cambodia was an experience in religious tolerance. Hinduism and Buddhism have fought each other ceaselessly over hundreds of years, with Buddhism finally triumphing. Yet, in each war, where one faith attempted to supplant another, there was tolerance of one another. When the Hindu kings such as Jayavarman VII or Suryavarman II took control they did not destroy Buddhist idols and instead merely replaced them with Hindu deities. The Buddhists did likewise when they came to power. In India, Hinduism is fractured by factional forces and tussle between Vishnu and Shiva devotees. None of this was present in Cambodia. While 90 per cent of the population is Buddhist there is also acknowledgement of Hindu influence and custom. The lesson here is coexistence. Could we as citizens of India display a similar way of thinking?

The writer, an organisational and behavioural consultant, may be contacted at ttsrinath@vsnl.net