The Guest is God: Meet My Indian Family, the Sethis
What’s it like being a guest in an Indian home? Basically, you’re God.
My dear Indian family, the Sethis.
I’m a goddess.
How I came across my Indian family is simply another one of life’s miracles on this journey. I’ll spare you the details and make it short and sweet: I made a dear friend in Ranchi, he insisted I stay with his family when in Delhi, you can’t say no to an Indian (literally, you can’t), and here I am, stuffing my face with freshly made pooris like I grew up on this stuff.
I have no idea what’s going on…Go India?!
The colorful streets of Delhi.
Do I blend in?!
How this American backpacker traveling solo ended up in their home cheering on the national team in the India vs. Pakistan cricket match, again, I know they’re also thinking just another one of life’s miracles. There’s a Sanskrit saying in India:
“Atithi Devo Bhava”
Which means the "Guest is God", and for two blissful weeks I was showered with such divine love from the most angelic souls in India, the Sethis. This loving family has taken me in as one of their own, treating me like daughter, a sister, doing everything they can to make sure I feel right at home.
My first time eating pani puri…my tastebuds will never be the same.
At a metro station in Delhi. Whoever managed to get these lines organized deserves a nobel peace price.
After spending a month in Nepal I was itching to go back to India. Without much of a plan my first stop was the home of my Indian family. A week in and they wouldn’t let me leave, and frankly, I didn’t want to! I was loving life, immersing myself in the most authentic Indian experience, the India you don’t see on TV, the India you can’t buy a tour package for, the India I have fallen absolutely head over heels in love with.
No shortage of ice cream on a scorching summer day.
Really, we ate a lot of ice cream.
A view of Gurgaon from my family’s condo.
The Sethis have shown me what it’s like being a middle class family living in Gurgaon, a financial and technology hub on the outskirts of Delhi. In the world’s fastest growing economy, the middle class of India work extremely hard, live very well, and have beautifully merged the modern ways of the West with the traditional ways of India. I felt like I was back home, but in India.
Meet my Indian family, the Sethis.
How we start our mornings.
Freshly made chai every morning.
A typical morning would start around 7am with freshly made chai and biscuits. We gathered around the coffee table in our pajamas and perused through The Times of India while sipping on the first of many cups of tea. There was never any rush to get the day started. After an hour or so of talking politics, mama begins to prepare a traditional Indian breakfast, which was always savory and scrumptious, with just enough spices to wake you and your sinuses up.
My beautiful Indian mama in pink.
The best food I had in all of India.
I have no idea what I’m doing…just smile Janelle.
Mama is the epitome of karma yoga, dedicating her life to selflessly serving others. A proud traditional Indian homemaker, she would spend hours in the kitchen everyday preparing wholesome, homemade goodness. You can taste the love in each and every bite.
Papa is straight-up an angel.
Practicing morning yoga. I can’t.
Papa’s meditation abode.
But before devouring breakfast I would sneak into papa’s meditation room and together we spent about an hour centering ourselves for the day ahead. Papa is literally a living, breathing, walking angel in this world, but not of this world. A retired English professor, Papa now spends most of his days meditating, chanting, and performing pujas. He has the sweetest, biggest heart and when he looks at you its just pure, unconditional love radiating through his glistening eyes.
He made me eat too much ice cream!
The king of selfies.
Selfies galore.
More selfies…
And another one…
I spent the majority of the days with my Indian brother, Sayyam, who truly has become my brother from another mother. He’s what I always envisioned a big brother to be; hilarious, pushy, loving, always right, never wrong, and will kill anyone who attempts to harm me. We formed such a sisterly brotherly bond as we toured around Delhi, harmlessly bickering, laughing hysterically, snapping selfies galore (Indians LOVE their selfies!), and shamelessly trying every traditional Indian food in sight. My time with Sayyam was a non-stop playdate.
Their first time having REAL homemade pancakes. (McDonald’s does not count. It never does.)
He made me do it #selfie.
As I was getting ready to leave I thought how could I possibly repay my Indian family for their hospitality?! It had to be something memorable, something you can’t buy at a store, something that would remind them of their adopted American daughter.
I decided to prepare an All-American feast of banana pancakes. It was their first time having real pancakes and they absolutely loved them, but wanted to try it with mangoes next time. So, we India-fied the pancakes the next morning and I must say, mango pancakes paired with mango chutney is the new banana pancake! YUM!
5 pounds, 7 kurtis and 2 cricket matches later, the Sethis had me dressing like an Indian, eating like an Indian, head bobbing like an Indian, and I have to say, I'm still wondering how I ended up here!
I guess it's true what they say; follow your Soul, it knows the right way.
Trust me when I say the day you decide to let go, to flow, to trust that voice that doesn't use words, is the day you will start living YOUR Truth. I know, because it happened to me. I couldn't have planned any of this even if I wanted to.
THIS is what happens when you stop over-planning every minute of your life and unwaveringly trust, trust, TRUST the flow. You end up in foreign yet familiar lands. You end up experiencing transformation at the very depth of your heart. You end up meeting your soul family.
"Soul family: those that gather around you in your life, not by blood or race, but by energy and essence. They bring unconditional love and support at the perfect times."
