Here in Lund, a beautiful university town in Skåne, in the south of Sweden. Lund, in many ways reminds me of State College, big enough, not too big, mix of cultures, and a healthy idea of culture, although you know Europe is Europe. And so the buildings here can be much older than the 'white history' of the US. I was in Budapest two weeks ago and it was the same. Buildings that are 500 years old mixed with those that are oh, just about 200 years old. And then there is New Delhi, 'sort of my home', where in the middle of the city, there is a 5000 year old fort!!
I had come to Lund, three years ago for a one day symposium on 'Film and Film Cultures'. Lund is the oldest university in Sweden, making it the Oxford of Sweden, followed by Uppsala, making it the Cambridge of Sweden! Skåne, the state which Lund is a part of, was ruled by Denmark for nearly a 1000 years, which results in a unique architecture. The low lying houses, which are not always the 'Swedish Red' or more appropriately Falun Röd, a color/paint that originated from many copper mines in Sweden, including the one in a town called Falun.
Somewhere in the 1660s Sweden won it back from Denmark, and since then applied some force in integrating the local population into Swedish culture. Among many actions towards 'Swedishizing' the area was changing its name from Skaane (Danish) to Skåne (Swedish). Debates over whether the local accent should be labelled as Swedish or Danish remain to this day. As an ousider, I am neutral. I just notice the architecture, the beautiful old buildings,
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| Purana Qila (old fort) in New Delhi |
I had come to Lund, three years ago for a one day symposium on 'Film and Film Cultures'. Lund is the oldest university in Sweden, making it the Oxford of Sweden, followed by Uppsala, making it the Cambridge of Sweden! Skåne, the state which Lund is a part of, was ruled by Denmark for nearly a 1000 years, which results in a unique architecture. The low lying houses, which are not always the 'Swedish Red' or more appropriately Falun Röd, a color/paint that originated from many copper mines in Sweden, including the one in a town called Falun.
Somewhere in the 1660s Sweden won it back from Denmark, and since then applied some force in integrating the local population into Swedish culture. Among many actions towards 'Swedishizing' the area was changing its name from Skaane (Danish) to Skåne (Swedish). Debates over whether the local accent should be labelled as Swedish or Danish remain to this day. As an ousider, I am neutral. I just notice the architecture, the beautiful old buildings,
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| A typical Falu Red, Swedish House |
So, there is a workshop of Nordic scholars whose research centres on Asia. Mine is all over the place, but not matter how far I want to go, Asia or related topics never leave my heart. So, here I am.
Remembering my last visit, I knew I wanted to visit the same Indian restaurant I had gone to the last time I was here. I could not remember the name.
I also kept thinking of an Italian/British friend I made in the town. We are still in touch, in fact she visited me and my family in New Delhi, two years ago and we talk often both on Skype and on phone. I thought I would email her to ask her the name of the restaurant, when I passed by the hotel where she had stayed. And just then, I turned right, and there it was!!
When I looked at the restaurant, and read the name---a childish chuckle escaped out of my chest----and I smiled to myself, shaking my head, and muttering to myself, 'How could I forget?'
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| A nice Indian restaurant in lund |
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