Flashing forward, to today

To Hsuan Tsang, India was not only the birthplace of Lord Buddha, but also a mysterious, exotic land. The same impression can still be experienced in 21st-century India, only that the colors, sounds, and smells have become even more varied through--the thronging crowds, vast multitudes of flies, intensely flavored curries, brightly colored brocades and satins, enchanting music, and trucks packed with people... In India, all things and people exist in ¡§overabundance, and therein lies its special charm.