Travel | Immigrants

What I Found on this Exotic Spanish Island Left me Dumbfounded

And made the whole thing surreal.

Gandhi.

Maharaja.

Taj Mahal.

Kashmir.

Jaipur.

Le Punjab.

This is my 17th year living outside of India. And every time, these kinds of names catch my eyes, I give a smile, knowing that a few people from that region may be around in a foreign place.

And at times they give me a sigh of relief, knowing that in case the local cuisine somehow fails to suit me, I am safe. It’s even a bigger relief when my wife is around, considering that she is a vegetarian.

Such typical Indian restaurants’ names have never failed to catch my eye even in the most unexpected places. Therefore, whenever I and my wife travel, I usually check what Indian restaurants are available near the location where we could be staying.

Well, except for once.

That was in the year 2017.

The year 2016 and 2017 were difficult years for us.

In 2016, we were struggling with our finances and health issues. I was having a tough time handling my career which kind of was going haywire.

And in the next year in 2017, I lost a dear cousin at a very young age.

These two years left us emotionally drained and the need for a change was increasingly being felt.

So, when the Christmas holidays were approaching, me and my wife decided to take a vacation.

On one of my friend’s recommendations, we decided to go to Gran Canaria.

Gran Canaria is one of the seven Canary Islands of Spain, located in the Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of North Africa; about 62 miles west of Morocco.

How good was it?

Well, words would be difficult to explain the peace and serenity out there. I can only say that once we were there we just could not have had enough of the place and did not feel like coming back.

Gran Canaria is also one of the very few European regions that remain comfortably warm throughout the harsh winters.

Now, my friend never mentioned anything about Indian restaurants.

Plus, I learnt that these islands were not very popular with tourists from India.

The Indian resident population in Spain itself was negligible hovering in the 50,000 mark which accounted for less than 1% of the country’s total population.

Combining these with the exotic location of these islands, I subconsciously assumed in my head that my wife would probably have to settle for penne pasta with tomato sauce.

And then I met my uncle! In Gran Canaria!

In the hotel that we checked into, there was a convenience store. I went inside it and the first thing that drew my attention was the television mounted high above a corner of the shop.

I was staring at it with my mouth slightly open with a certain amount of disbelief and confusion.

There he was. In his usual half-clad self. Blabbering something in one of those spiritual Indian TV channels.

Baba Ramdev!

The highly popular spiritual and yoga teacher in India.

Found out that the owner of the shop and his wife immigrated from India to this island 46 years ago.

The feelings were both surreal and pleasant, of meeting someone in such a place with whom I shared my roots.

They felt the same thing.

They gifted us souvenirs and water bottles. And in the typical Indian way, for the next few days, they became our “uncle” and “aunty”.

For the uninitiated, in the Indian culture, if we were to meet someone elderly, we would usually address them as uncle or aunt out of respect.

But the bigger surprise was yet to come.

I saw, in its full glamour and glory, a buzzing bazaar that is typically found in India

When we walked into the central market we could not believe our eyes for some time.

I felt like I was wading through a typical busy market in India with languages like Hindi, Marathi, etc. buzzing around my ears.

Seeing so many people, in this most unexpected place, whose forefathers were from my country, I could not help but smile.

Now, in many countries, there is usually a specific Indian shopping quarter where one can get Indian stuff.

This was not it. This was the main shopping centre of that place targetting tourists from all over the world. See some pictures below.

The soul-stirring vibe of immigrants, their roots and their journeys

In the midst of strolling through these shopping lanes, I stopped and talked at length with some of the shop owners and workers and listened to their stories.

How and from where they came. With dreams and hopes. Made bold bets. Took calculated risks. Sacrificed to extreme extents. Failed. Lived with their insecurities and fears. And dealt with their homesickness with their hearts helplessly aching and crying for their families back home.

But they remained intact and stood tall. They did what they had to. They supported each other. They remained exemplarily focused. They picked up the language and cultural nuances of a strange foreign country, learnt the intricacies of the law and the land, started businesses, sought employment and made a living out of them.

Found out that more than 50% of the local trading businesses like shops and markets were either owned or managed by Indian immigrants.

They came here during the 2nd half of the 19th century and throughout the 20th century — to tap commercial opportunities owing to free trade zones and boosts in mass tourism. The Indian diaspora was not only from India but also from places like Hong Kong, Vietnam, Ghana, Maghreb and the Mediterranean.

The Canary Islands, strangely, has been housing one of the highest numbers of Indian immigrants in Spain. In fact, the first Indian immigrants, who were from the Sindh province of undivided India, settled in the Canary Islands due to trading opportunities in that region.

Gosh! That surreal feeling again. It’s sticky like hell. Just not being able to get rid of it even today when I think about it.

Last but not least, can’t end this without appreciating the foundation itself — the host countries all over the world for their tremendous generosity and helpfulness — without which this great story of immigration would not have been possible.

In this case, 5 stars to Spain!

And finally…

We go back to where we started. I guess now I don’t have to tell you where we had some of our dinners while we were there. :)