THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
India! One incident or accident and there are hundreds of different versions people cook up and tell. These are versions, let us not even talk about the point of view of those ‘n’ number of people. To add to that there are versions-with ‘n’ number of people with ‘n+n’ number of viewpoints which in turn has (n+n)^n number of interpretations! Phew!
One country where people establish relations with others ( total strangers)even faster than the speed of light. Where people in other countries refer to one another as Sir or Ma’am, in India everyone is very keen to call the other as Uncle, Bhaiya (brother), Didi (sister) … the never ending list of the number of relations people have here. How can we neglect the way people address the male from the auto rickshaws (usually. the driver) to the vegetable vendor as bhaiya. To take it in a positive way, I believe it’s because we like to accept and love everyone we come across not realizing what the other person may turn out to be. We believe in the concept of loving and sharing because for us it keeps on multiplying.
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
A country where one definitely stands for the national anthem which plays on radio or television in some movie or serial but not in some queue. A lot believe it to be a waste of time because for them the shortcut is always right. I have actually experienced this while standing in the post office to send a speed post to my parents. Imagine that it took me two hours to be done with the work when there were only 4 people ahead of me in the line. The others just came from somewhere and then vanished into the thin air.
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
This is something we all learn to do at some point of time in life. We all believe in the concept of ‘Jugaad’ (everything possible done to achieve something usually using one’s sources and contacts) and hence always stay active. After all, who doesn’t like getting the work done on time and without even working hard for it? People are more active under the table than they are on it or above it.
Anything for free is always welcome. Be it a biscuit with a cup of tea or a single green chilly along with some vegetables.
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
Here in India, blackmailing someone emotionally always helps. Mothers blackmail their sons and daughters into doing the household work and stand by them (in some cases accompany them to some function the kids have no interest in) saying, “Meri jaan loge kya?”(Do you want to take away my life?).
Fathers do that to get some other work done.
Where parents do that to get their children married by mentioning how much they want to see their grandchildren before they die, children do that to get their demands fulfilled. It’s a circular process which eventually forms the mantra of a happy family.
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
The most awaited time of everyone’s life is supposedly getting married and have a happily ever after. Had it been a happily ever after for everyone I would have been on cloud nine but that’s not the case because we are all imperfect and in trying to be perfect we lose out on a lot in life. Well, if you belong to the ‘ready to get married’ group then as people say it in India, get ready to become a SCAPEGOAT! If some typical Aunty (Aunt) finds you roaming around with a male friend or even gazing at the hot guys in some function, she is going to make sure that the next wedding she attends is yours. She will do everything possible and impossible to get you married. In fact introduce to boys ranging from a group of typical wannabees- stalkers-hunks-macho men to the mamma’s boy type! Sorry aunties for defaming you, but you can end up being a pain in the a**!
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
You know you’re in India when you don’t have to make an effort to get down from the buses, metros or the local trains. You get a push from somewhere and there you are, on the platform or the road waiting for some other mode of transportation.
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
For all of us here, any festival also means good food. No matter what caste or religion one belongs to, all the best dishes are shared among friends, neighbours and colleagues. For all the big foodies, all the festival celebrations only add to their calorie chart but this doesn’t bother us because we all love eating.
THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
The religious feelings are so intense that one can here afford to donate a large amount of money for different religious institutions but not for the sick and dying. People can construct numerous of places for worship but still in a lot of areas people don’t have a roof of their own. This is not to offend anyone because I just stated a fact here.
There are so many jokes about the Police system in India and how it never arrives on the crime scene on time but things are changing for good now. The police force has become more friendly and deals with the case, looking at all the possibilities.
Like nothing is perfect, no country is.
There is no perfect picture of a perfect India. All the religions are equally respected here but I wish people understood how they were being played on by people. I just wish that people used their idea of patriotism or religion or ethnicity in a positive way and not play around with the psychology and emotions of the mob.
After all it is the people collectively who make a country and not some individual in power. Class differences and caste-ism still prevail because it is the people who have allowed their minds to be colonized. We are still dealing with post colonial issues and are still struggling for an identity. Gender differences are deeply rooted in the patriarchal setup and this is not just about India. Women are slowly taking charge of every possible thing a man can do also taking control of their bodies. They are slowly developing a voice of their own to fight these stupid norms. Even the very mention of rape cases sends a chill down the spine. The question of morality varies for every individual is different because it is basically the mindset and upbringing of the person it depends on.
There is no perfect picture of a perfect India.
We’re still growing and developing as a nation giving equal respect to everyone and taking the traditions and culture ahead keeping in mind how they change according to the context and the time period we live in.
BECAUSE… THIS HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA!
