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I can see why Buddhism appeals to so many westerners. The Dalai Lama is a superb ambassador; always calm and smiling, he's untained by scandals and bad television shows. HH also practises what he preaches - non-violence, humility and compassion - and he teaches techniques that appeal to western minds. He even demands doubt, questioning and reasoning. It's exciting to hear a preacher say, 'Don't take my word for it, you must question and question.'
This is also a good faith for those of us oriented to individualism, as it offers a spiritual psychology of self-development. And its central tenet is the one thing us rich western kids can't buy - happiness.

By absolving my anger about Christianity I have cleared the last obstacle that stood blocking my readiness for faith. I realise I don't have to be a Christian who follows the church, or a Buddhist nun in robes, or a convert to Judaism or Islam or Sikhism. I can be a believer in something bigger than what I can touch. I can make a leap of faith to a higher power in a way that's appropriate to my culture but not be imprisoned by it.

It seems many Indian men have a chronic urinary tract infection - they piss proudly beside the road, up against buildings and in every park. Those with stronger bladders just seem to love the lingam - there are more hands on dicks here than at a hip-hop gig.

India is a man's world. As a result of female infanticide, where girl babies are aborted, undernourished or murdered, there are fifty-two men for every forty-eight women. In northern India the ratio seems higher - in the streets of Delhi and Mumbai gangs of guys are out in force, strutting and swaggering hand-in-hand, smiling and sneering with bravado. It seems no-one can adore them as much as they adore themselves; one of the most popular t-shirts stretched over scrawny chests and pot-bellies this summer declares 'GOD I'M GOOD'.

While India may well have a soft spiritual centre, it's also got a hard head for cash, and its middle class (the biggest and fastest growing in the world) is energetically embracing the products and symbols of western consumer culture.

India is beyond statement, for anything you say, the opposite is also true. It's rich and poor, spiritual and material, cruel and kind, angry but peaceful, ugly and beautiful, and smart but stupid. It's all the extremes.