India is an experience. It's an unforgettable experience and it is impossible to describe adequately. 
I took some video clips during my time there in 2013, most were of the traffic but I hope that if you watch them, it might give you a better sense of the vibrancy and energy of this amazing country.

 As a solo traveler I decided for my trip to India to join a tour. It was the best decision I ever made and since then I have taken many tours with Intrepid Travel.  The company was recommended to me by Trailfinders who were my booking agent for that trip.  I liked the fact that I could choose a "Basic" tour which would use local/public transport and stay in basic accommodations. The transport element of the trip really gave a sense of India and of course our guide Monty Bhatt was the reason it was all so easy. As soon as we were off the train or bus he had the rickshaws or tuk tuks lined up ready for us to transport us to our hotel. In this clip there are some hairy moments. Unfortunately I didnt record the time the car taxi bashed into another taxi and kept going, or the tuk tuk driver who had pop music blaring to impress us tourists or the time the bus went half a mile down the wrong side of the (3 laned) motorway to stop at a service station on the other side of the road....or maybe that was in Sri Lanka.....Enjoy!

The number one historical site in India did not disappoint. 

With its colonial architecture, mouth-watering cuisine and celebrated intellectual and arts scene,  Kolkata confronts in so many ways but surprises in just as many. (Trip Notes)
When we arrived in Kolkata we were struck by all the beautiful buildings and the fabulous roads. While some areas of the city are as organised and clean as cities in Europe, when we delved deeper we met many more scenes of what we were used to in other Indian cities. Class and caste are very evident in Kolkata with luxury car dealerships, exclusive shopping malls and restaurants alongside slums and street dwellers. Our tour ended in Kolkata and I stayed on myself for an extra 5 days. I spent 3 of those days in the Loreto School Sealdah. 

As I had nearly a week in Kolkata I decided to visit a school. I was lucky to have a contact in the Loreto School Sealdah and was warmly welcomed for 3 days. I sat in on different classes and gave a few maths lessons myself.
A Sr Cyril Mooney from Ireland had just retired as principal. She had left a lasting legacy in this private, fee paying girls school. Now almost half the pupils have their fees sponsored by donors. She set up the Rainbow Project which involves the pupils in Rainbow Teaching.  Saddened by the sight of street children every day while she drove her scooter, Sr Cyril decided that the school building should be used at night as well. The rainbow children stay overnight and are fed. Some are educated in the school and others who have started late or have difficulty learning English, attend the Bengali school. There was stigma attached to certain children due to their parents profession/background.  The Loreto school sends a bus to these areas each morning, brings these children to the school (if they're not boarders) and they go from there to the Bengali school or the Loreto school. They are known as the Rainbow children and nobody knows they're background. 
There is a huge emphasis in the school on social awareness. Some year groups tutor the rainbow children, another year group travels to rural public schools once a week to provide tutoring and the teachers train teachers in public schools. The amount of programmes and initiatives Sr Cyril put in place as principal are too numerous to mention. She is still in India helping to develop the intiatives she started to a national level. 
Loreto nun brings education to girls living on the streets of Kolkata Nov 2015
Irish Loreto nun champions ‘inclusive schools’ in India July 2015 
​Farewell to a favourite teacher Dec 2011
Sister Cyril Mooney's work has brought education to 450,000 street children Bray's own Mother Theresa' makes trip home from India Oct 2007