MY STRUGGLE

UDAIPUR/JAIPUR, 21 MRT. Jai, de aardige eigenaar van de Land Mark Bookstore in Udaipur, heeft me gevraagd of ik een verhaal wil schrijven voor zijn blad 'Udaipur Calling', een toeristisch magazine dat verlangt naar feedback van reizigers. Het moet over Udaipur gaan, uiteraard, en ik kan het verhaal mailen. De volgende editie verschijnt pas in juni. Ik heb, in het Engels natuurlijk, een poging gewaagd. Hieronder het resultaat.

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Please don't ask me why, please don't. Because, well, you know, I just can't explain. I guess, everybody has it's own, how do you call it, little mental disorder? This is mine. For a few days now, I'm carrying it with me, in my bag. And I must admit: it feels a bit awkward. People are staring at me, on the streets, they're watching my bag, whispering, pointing. They know what's in it! Or am I getting a little paranoid now? Could be. I'll try to explain.

I bought this book in Udaipur, a lovely city in India. We've been there for five days and it's like living in a beautiful dream. Lake Pichola is magical, especially at night. Then, the City Palace turns into a yellow coloured building out of a fairytale and the Lake Palace Hotel looks like a huge spaceship, covered by all those lights. Just sit back and relax, with a drink at restaurant Ambrai on the lakefront or have dinner on the rooftop at hotel Udai Kothi. You'll see, sooner or later, your eyes will turn away from your beloved one who's sitting next to you and they'll only pay attention to those beautiful Udaipur-attractions. It's inevitable, it's impossible not to do so. You know, it's paradise out there and everybody, eventually, wants to see paradise.

But oke, about the book. I've seen it before in India, in several bookstores in New Delhi, and it suprised me. This book is on my list for a long, long time. In Holland, where I live, it's almost impossible to buy it. Even in Europe, it's really hard to get, never mind which bookstore you enter. It makes senses though, in a way. Offcourse, because the name of the book is 'Mein Kampf' (My Struggle) by Adolf Hitler.

Not the kind of book you're proud of it's ever been written. Let's make things clear: I'm not proud of if either. Oh no, absolutely not. I told you, don't ask me why, but I guess I want to understand what went wrong in the brain of one of the biggest warcriminals in history. It's only curiosity, I think.

So, for the third day in a row I'm in the Land Mark Bookstore in Udaipur. It's great. You'll find more bookshelves here than cows in the streets and that means a lot, if you know what I mean. This is a perfect place (talking about that: take some time to chill at The Whistling Teal, it has a beautiful garden, or take the winding road up to Monsoon Palace to see the sunset) to spend the hours between 1 and 3 PM, when the heat will kill you outside. I've come to, finally, buy 'Mein Kampf' but it's not there anymore.

The owner, Jai, tells me that yesterday a guy bought twenty books, including 'Mein Kampf'. Again, I'm surprised. So there are more people out there with my kind of little mental disorder! O yeah, Jay says, the book is very popular. Over the years he sold many, many copies. At first, it was displayed in front where everybody could see it. But Jai got comment, especially from Germans. Why are you selling this book, they asked him, mad and sad at the same time. Although, World War II ended more than fifty years ago, in Germany they still wrestle with the pain in so many hearts, caused by Hitler. I know this, I'm their neighbour.

Jai moved the book to the back, where you have to search to find it. I found it, I want it, but it's gone. Wait ten minutes, Jai tells me. His father will bring me new copy that costs 195 rupees (4 euro), a bit more expensive but this one is better too. I'm happy with the book nobody is happy with and that feels strange. But I bought it in Udaipur, that romantic city by the lake in Rajasthan, India. That's the thing I will always remember. I hope, my dear Udaipur, we shall once meet again. But I'll have to struggle with my boss, seriously, to accomplish that. (BE)