Contrasts of India
We’ve mentioned to a few people that India is unlike anywhere we’ve ever been, and when they ask why it’s a bit tough to explain. We both love it AND hate it , usually within minutes of eachother!
It is completely a land of contrasts, and this is more noticeable up north. In Rajastan, as I had mentioned, women are really just worth about nothing. Due to the social structure there is really very little interraction between the sexes until they are married. There are still many arranged marriages and the caste system still seems very strongly in place, despite comments that it’s changing. However, the men are obsessed with Western women. They have an image that we’re all easy prostitutes , perpetuated by some womens clothing choices, and LOVE to stare. Every time we’d stop during the 2 weeks men would come up to the car and stare or surround me if we got out making odd, slurpy noises. But, they would almost refuse to speak to me, always directing all conversation at Jim. Even our driver Yunis would always direct comments to Jim, although he was always very polite to me.
The filth here is almost unimaginable, there seems to be no such thing as garbage service and it’s generally all open sewers so the stench is quite nasty. With the “holy” cows, camels, goats and dogs wandering freely, as well as men peeing everywhere on the streets it’s essential to watch where you’re walking every second. Plastic bags, something we believe should be banned from existence, are stuck in simply every bush, fench, ditch, etc. and children are playing in all that garbage. And, ironically enough, even though the Hindu’s worship the cow, they allow them to roam freely eating garbage bags, whatever so there are cow hospitals around where they do surgery on approx. 1000 cows a week to remove the plastic bags that are twisted in their stomachs! That is when we hate India!
Then, you’ll come across an amazing fort, with intricate carvings set in marble or red sandstone and be overwhelmed with the artistry, or be driving along and see a herd of camels moving through the desert, or round a corner to a market filled with bright colored saris or eat an amazing curry or fish dish and realize why you love India.
It goes on like this everyday. Even at the Taj Mahal, truly a world wonder, you are so amazed at that tribute to love (even if Shah Jahan was a bit of a loon) and then repulsed while walking back to the car by the garbage along the street and all the local men relieving themselves.
The smaller towns, Pushkar in particular, was a fascinating street scene of men selling everything imaginable, every kid on a cell phone, women carrying baskets on their heads, the smell of spices combined with incense, and the market scene. Then, to interrupt the scene was the funeral procession and a few stray camels and donkeys walking by. It’s certainly the finest people watching anywhere and we are certainly never bored.
We have spent hours discussing things like: Why, if these people have internet and cell phones and t.v. and can travel, why why why do they continue to live in such deplorable conditions. We can understand very poor people who don’t know much better leaving garbage about, but even outside very nice houses in Delhi, the wealthy have to walk over or around piles of crap to get to their houses. What would cause someone to continue to live like that and who wants their children to play in that?
And, why in a society where men & women are not allowed to touch or kiss in public and are so segregated, is it ok for men to have homosexual relationships?? India recently beat out South Africa as having the highest number of aids in the world. Everywhere you see men walking down the street arms around eachother or fingers interlaced as they hold hands, sometimes as friends, but often because that is the only physical contact allowed? And yet, AIDS workers here are having a horrible time spreading the message because they say “We’re not gay, this isn’t sex, it’s just recreation”.
Every newspaper we read had India talking about becoming a world power, but we can’t see that ever happening. The general infrastructure is so badly out of date right now they’re having a tough time even getting atheletes willing to come in 2010 for the Commonwealth games due to the air quality in Delhi. And yet, while they’re redoing the airport, the officials refuse to even discuss working on changing air quality. One paper we read said that 30,000 (not a misprint) new cars and motorcycles are registered EVERY DAY in Delhi. Unbelievable!
We believe India has a lot going for it, it’s producing the finest engineers in the world who, unfortunately, all leave for western countries to work, they have amazing artisans, wonderful food, really friendly people, and a general zest for life that is missing in so many cultures, however, we believe their caste system will never allow them to progress to keep up with the times. Not that we feel they need to become like the US or Europe. But general change in infrastructure will only do good for the health and well being of this country. We have discussed some of these things with different people and the response is pretty much all the same, we know we’re 50 yrs behind the times but we believe we were born into a certain life and that is unchangeable. Even our driver Yunis. He believes he will only ever be a driver so it never crosses his mind to try to improve his lot in life, change to a different status, etc. Nothing is getting done here because the CONCEPT of change is completely foreign to much of the country.
The good news is, we have read newspaper columns, magazines, etc. where some of the younger generation are trying to change. However, the caste system of being born into a certain group is so ingrained we think it will take decades to overcome, if it ever can be.
All in all, India is proving to be just as intriguing, amazing, disgusting and challenging as we’d imagined. We are very glad we came and, in spite of it’s flaws, you really do get drawn in to the vibrancy of life here.
By next blog…who knows? Will it be a love it or hate it day?? Ha Ha. We’ll see.
Cheers, Jim & Rhonda
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Interesting perspective, as I am sure it will continue to evolve. The trash, shit, bags, pollution is pretty much the same for the cities of Africa too, so be prepared. I think much of the filth was similar in the US during the Industrial Revolution in America. It’s just the need for infrastructure, tax base and strong middle class, before it continue to get better. China is no different either.