Been in India a week. Visited five locations - Dehli, Jalsamer, Rajastan Desert, Jodhpur and Udaipur. The Indian people are very open and kind. Always ready with a smile, they seem content with whatever path in life they are travelling. Sure there are touts but no worse than anywhere else. People push in, but that's just because if you don't, you don't get anywhere.
It is a very competitive society. You are expected to make something of your life yourself. Waiting for someone to give you a hand up, or expecting something for nothing just isn't going to happen. Begging is illegal and both the locals and we are discouraged from giving them money or food as they believe it encourages them not to find a productive way of survival. You can feed the animals - and everyone is expected to put something out for the cows/dogs/pigs etc but you can't feed the beggars - it is believed they have a choice to rise, where the animals don't...
There is very little crime as the Hindus believe that something that is not yours is of no importance to you and so is 'dust' to be ignored. Eg Vehicles (motor bikes, push bikes, etc) that have been left by their owners are not stolen or taken by anyone. They just stay where they were last parked and gradually disintegrate into the dust.
Anyone can declare themselves to be a tradesman. They get work if they do the work and fail if they make a mess of it. There are no WHS laws or policing of them. Many people are injured or die in industrial accidents but no-one cares as there are plenty lining up to take their place - seems so sad that life holds so little value.
On the other hand all life is seen as sacred and they believe in non-violent responses to threat (this doesn't mean they don't have warriors and enemies - they hate the Pakistanis, and are very proud in Upaipur that they have never accepted the rule of Muslim or British invaders).
There are way too many people for the infrastructure, and it is under incredible pressure. Hot water is what I miss most and a warm room. Everything in the north is built for the summer and so is FREEZING in winter.
It is interesting that in such a crowded place everyone finds privacy by ignoring everything that is not their business. Old ladies have a bath in the river on the steps with the women as they do their washing and no-one notices they are naked; people relieve themselves against walls, in corners of streets (1s & 2s) and on the railway tracks and no-one notices; animals mate, give birth and nurse in the middle of the human mass - and no-one takes any notice... It is impossible to have space for privacy so you create it.
When you come across a quiet street or a small park or there is a gap in the incessant horn honking, I feel my muscles relaxing and stress dissipating for the few moments of peace given to me.
It is a very competitive society. You are expected to make something of your life yourself. Waiting for someone to give you a hand up, or expecting something for nothing just isn't going to happen. Begging is illegal and both the locals and we are discouraged from giving them money or food as they believe it encourages them not to find a productive way of survival. You can feed the animals - and everyone is expected to put something out for the cows/dogs/pigs etc but you can't feed the beggars - it is believed they have a choice to rise, where the animals don't...
There is very little crime as the Hindus believe that something that is not yours is of no importance to you and so is 'dust' to be ignored. Eg Vehicles (motor bikes, push bikes, etc) that have been left by their owners are not stolen or taken by anyone. They just stay where they were last parked and gradually disintegrate into the dust.
Anyone can declare themselves to be a tradesman. They get work if they do the work and fail if they make a mess of it. There are no WHS laws or policing of them. Many people are injured or die in industrial accidents but no-one cares as there are plenty lining up to take their place - seems so sad that life holds so little value.
On the other hand all life is seen as sacred and they believe in non-violent responses to threat (this doesn't mean they don't have warriors and enemies - they hate the Pakistanis, and are very proud in Upaipur that they have never accepted the rule of Muslim or British invaders).
There are way too many people for the infrastructure, and it is under incredible pressure. Hot water is what I miss most and a warm room. Everything in the north is built for the summer and so is FREEZING in winter.
It is interesting that in such a crowded place everyone finds privacy by ignoring everything that is not their business. Old ladies have a bath in the river on the steps with the women as they do their washing and no-one notices they are naked; people relieve themselves against walls, in corners of streets (1s & 2s) and on the railway tracks and no-one notices; animals mate, give birth and nurse in the middle of the human mass - and no-one takes any notice... It is impossible to have space for privacy so you create it.
When you come across a quiet street or a small park or there is a gap in the incessant horn honking, I feel my muscles relaxing and stress dissipating for the few moments of peace given to me.
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