Also, I'm not sure that suggesting those whose only refuge from the relentless ghastliness of everyday life is a sort of stoic/ascetic mysticism or children consigned to grinding poverty as exemplars of all that's best about India is exactly convincing me of its merits, either.
Its a pretty ****ing horrible place by most measures. Gut wrenching poverty to the point of starvation set against a backdrop of obscene wealth and the veiled notion that it is all our fault.
WES has been to Bangalore which in my experience is about the best place to visit.
Eh? What utter fúcktardery is this now? We're not talking about Croydon now, old chap. India is a more 'exotic' locale. Things are different. That's not to say that there aren't shítholes to be seen; I've been in duty, shítty burgs all over the third world thinking 'what the fúck am I doing here?' but scratching the surface of such environments inevitably (often?) broadens the mind, brings one closer to a true comprehension of the universe and soothes the aching chakras.
That, in fact, is your issue. Your chakras are fúcked.