India is most definitely booming nowadays. Not only has it got a wonderful tourism campaign these days (?Incredible India? ring a bell?) it is also put in the spotlight with much thanks to the critical success of the film ?Slumdog Millionaire? (dubbed as ?the little movie with the big heart? at the Oscars). Of course, however, India has always been special even before those things happened. India is the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism after all, and it is the home of the Ramayana and the Kama Sutra. India has more exoticism in its very bones and its very soul than most other places out there. And, as my mother says, this is probably because of the skies of India.

If you have the time and the resources, go look for a photograph of the Indian skies and you will understand what she meant. The colors up there are as vibrant as the food in that country is spicy. It is not surprising that religions and philosophies were born in that place. And it is no surprise that there is so much color in the culture of . The clothing you see there alone is most definitely reflective of the sky, and the beauty of the clothes styles and the fabrics have generated a demand from travelers. This is why the fabrics and apparel industry of India has been booming ? and this is also why it has become important for many young Indians to learn not only how to weave, but how to sew (so they would have a livelihood that will keep them out of the slums). Sewing machines are not uncommon in an Indian household, as it is not only used to mend or modify clothes, but also to create clothes for the family and for a livelihood. To me, nothing is more made of pure color than the industry of India.