I reached London on the night of 10th June 2024. To my surprise, sunrays enlightened the sphere till 10 in the night. I stayed at the hotel, The Dilly, 21 Picadilly.

On 11th, I visited Theatre Royal Drury Lane. I went on a guided tour of the theatre.

London is specifically important for live theatrical performances, dating back to William Shakespeare and even earlier than that. Royal Drury it is one of the oldest theatres of London. It is majestically preserved. Many great play wrights like Dryden, Sheridan, Congreve and others have had their plays performed in this theatre. The backstage preparations and underground tunnels were of particular interest to me.

In the evening. I watched a live play "The Cherry Orchard" at the theatre called Donmar Warehouse. The natural settings, spontaneity of actors and the live dramatic effects were impressive. The play revolved around the cyclic nature of human experience.

On 12th June, I visited the National Theatre of England established by the British Parliament. Again, the guided tour was an eye opener. The art of theatre is taken with utmost seriousness and respect. Full scale workshops are working for various sets, sounds, furniture, electronics and artifacts needed for theatrical performances. I also watched the play "London Tide" which is based on Charles Dickens' "Our Mutual Friend". The play is about the working-class aspirations, breaking of class barriers and the lives of women in particular.

In the evening of 12th June, I went to Globe Theatre where William Shakespeare worked.  In this theatre, Shakespeare wrote and performed and later in life he even owned this theatre. Even today, Globe Theatre has not changed the setting, the seating arrangement, the costumes and the atmosphere. It feels like Shakespeare is alive. I watched the play "Much Ado About Nothing".  It is a comedy by Shakespeare. The theatre was jam packed and the audience experienced and lived the theatrical extravaganza. The power of art is palpable in the corridors of Globe Theatre.

On 14th June, I visited Oxford University and Bodleian Library. The guided tour was quite informative. Oxford University stands out as the best university in the world. This is the seventh consecutive year in which the university holds its numero uno position. As an academician it was remarkable to note that Oxford University continues to maintain its academic excellence for the past twelve centuries.  History is preserved with utmost honesty. The huge carved panels tell the tale of long lasting academic glory. Academic standards are steadfastly followed. Bodelian library houses almost about fourteen million books. About 1.7 million books have been digitalized. They even rent out their classy location for celebrations at exorbitant process. Those who can afford it, can even hold a private party in Oxford University. The whole system seems to work seamlessly.

On 15th June, I went to Harold Pinter Theatre and I watched the play "The Hills of California". Here I got the taste of contemporary theatre. The play was about four sisters who gather at their home after a lifetime of experience. They gather there as their mother is sick and is about to die. The story is about the hidden lives, the real lives of people. It is about guilt, sin, fighting and blaming. It is a deeply psychological tale of unfulfilled desires of parents, the childhood shaping of human life experience, sibling rivalry and pain. 

On 16th June, I went to the birthplace of William Shakespeare. Stratford-Upon-Avon is about two hours' drive from London. This was an overwhelming experience for me as a student of English literature. The home of William Shakespeare is kept intact. Online and offline commentary and introduction to various aspects of his life, art and legacy are available. Artists perform episodes for the plays of Shakespeare live outside his adobe. The whole town is about Shakespeare. Shops, ice-creams, cruise, lanes and buildings are named as Hamlet, Othello, Falstaff, Rosalind, Macbeth and so on. I saw the resting place of the immortal bard while on a guided cruise on the river Avon. This is one experience I will cherish all my life.

On 17th June, I returned to London. I visited a Gurudwara on my way back to the hotel and tasted the wholesome lungar.

On 18th June before going to the Airport, I visited Southall, Wembly and other localities famous for their Indian origin inhabitants. In these localities, one feels as though one is roaming in India. Even roadside chat, Pan at Pan Shops and Indian grocery are easily available. I went to Swaminarayan Temple and also BAPS temple. It is so heartening to see that Sanatan education and message are spread so dedicatedly by these organizations in London and the whole of the world. 

All these days in England, in between my literary trips, I also saw London eye, Thames River, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, Natural History Museum, Buckingham Palace and other famous spots. London, they say, is good for visits but not so good for permanent stay. The cost of living is very high. Housing, commuting, clothes, food, services- almost everything comes at a very high price. Apparently, it looks like a dream, especially in summer - clean, beautiful and cultured. London and England as a whole have an old-world charm. The old architecture is religiously preserved. Population is less. Automation makes things smooth at every step. As a visitor, I liked the place immensely. 

When we go abroad, we naturally think of our own motherland. Comparisons are bound to appear. Bharat has to go a long way in being developed. Cleanliness, manners, sense of duty, punctuality, honesty – we need to inculcate these traits persistently in our own people.  Our model of growth will be different, no doubt. But basic tenets of re-cyclable goods and plastic, sewer management, waste management, strong work culture and pride in our place have to be imbibed by us all. I came back with a firmer resolve to educate our students and society at large in a more effective and interesting manner.

Of all the persons I met in England, the driver Sandeep Singh was perhaps the most important. A Sikh from India, he did carry mental scars of Operation Blue Star. He did appear disillusioned with the motherland. As an expatriate, his psychology was all around moving to Dubai or to Canada. He was in search of safer and greener pastures. He viewed England as a place of abode, just that. He was a good human being. At the same time, all his moves were around making money; and obviously so. The best part of having him as my driver was my visits to Gurudwaras and receiving Prasad there. It was interesting to see a person, a community, a whole group in its movement across continents. How changing places affects the thinking of a person!

Another thing which struck me was the narrative at the National Theatre. The tour guide unabashedly talked about persecution of Muslims in India. As an Indian, living in India I can vouchsafe the security of Muslims in India. But the anti-India narrative went on and on. I tried to correct as much as I could. However, it seemed to be a determined strategy. The lady guide talked about a play on Savarkar, Gandhi ji and Nathuram Godse. She kept to her one-sided, fake narrative religiously. It felt sad that a country as open as India could be targeted just like that simply because some people do not like the current ruling dispensation. 

The people I met and some good conversations I had, informed me about the other side of London and Britain as a whole. Londoners fear Islamization of the official machinery. Secondly, they told me that the cost of living is so high that London is unlivable for the common man. Housing, commuting, food, daily services, everything is exorbitant. The economy of London depends on black money pouring from other countries. So overall, there are fault lines which a casual tourist may not notice. 

For me, it was a perfect sojourn, a perfect break and a great educational tour. Stratford visit touched the core of my heart. The house of William Shakespeare is kept intact. It feels as though he is still alive, roaming and laughing in the streets of his hometown. I am particularly impressed by the dedication of all the people manning the abode of the bard. They were all deep into Shakespeare.  Shakespeare is to be watched. And that aspect is well taken care of. Live performances enliven the atmosphere.

The feel of England is pleasant during summers. The days are long, and we get plenty of time to do things. Many people told me that during winters, it is quite depressing. Darkness sets in early, as early as 3 pm in the afternoon. So, it is a mixed bag. 

It felt a bit awkward and sad when the driver told me that Wembley, Southall etc are totally Indian localities and even the dirt and unclean surroundings are the same. That my motherland should stand synonymous with garbage and unclean surroundings is a sad thing indeed. Howsoever hard we try, we cannot give very neat and clean, very clear-cut answers to the situations in India. We are working sincerely towards the betterment of our motherland. We should hope that someday, our masses will be sensitive to environment, cleanliness and basic civic sense. We must keep working. Education, awareness and connect are the way forward. The dignity of India must remain intact and at the same time, we must be open enough to see the shortcomings in our society. Sense of self-respect and zeal to improve - both should go hand in hand. 

My literary tour of Britain brought a wealth of experience and wisdom to me. A whole lot of emotions, positive, negative, encouraging, demeaning... all rush through me as I re-live the experience. Just like my motherland, I am resilient too. We will bounce back... always, always...