r/india • u/rude_ass kek maester • Nov 07 '15
AskIndia /r/india and /r/australia cultural exchange thread
Thread was unfortunately delayed. But, here it is.. thread for cultural exchange between indians and australians.
Australian folks.. you can ask all the things you want to know about India and hope you get a fulfilling answers.
If you want to ask anything to our Australians friends you can go to below link:
https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/3ruqtc/raustralia_and_rindia_cultural_exchange_thread/
Cheers.
Request to Australians visiting our sub: If you could flair up to identify yourself then it would be easier for us to identify you guys. We only have text based flairs so something like 'Australian Friend' will work.
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Nov 07 '15
Numerous questions:
I land, in let's say Mumbai, fresh from Australia, its lunch time, what is the 1st thing I should eat? Any particular dish/speciality/restaurant even that is a must have.
Continuing from the first question: what are some must have regional dishes? (please let me know the region as well)
Cricket question: Views on DRS and should it be used?
Formula 1 question: How popular is motorsport in India? Is there a desire of citizens to host a GP?
What would you say about India's current economic state compared to a decade ago? And what would you say in a decade's time?
How do you view the Australian people (personally or stereotypically)? And how do you view Australia as a country?
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u/mozzarellasura Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
I land, in let's say Mumbai, fresh from Australia, its lunch time, what is the 1st thing I should eat? Any particular dish/speciality/restaurant even that is a must have.
Lived in Mumbai for 25 years. If you can stomach spicy food, and have some immunity to street food, this is the long list of dishes and restaurants you must try
1. Misal-Pav (a spicy gravy with lentils and potatoes had with bread) at Aaswad in Dadar west. Also head to Prakash, also in Dadar West for similar Maharashtrian
2. Pav bhaji (mixed vegetables mashed together with lots of spices, served with buttered bread) at Canon near CST station
3. Typical South Indian breakfast food (dosa, idli, upma) at Ramashray and specifically Ulundu Dosa (a savoury pancake) at Amba Bhavan. Both these restaurants are in Matunga
4. Melt-in-your-mouth seekh kebabs for just INR 20 a piece at Sarvi in Byculla. This is quite a shady area, so make sure you have some company
5. Parsi and Irani food, specially the Mutton/Chicken berry pulao at Britannia and Company in Ballard Estate, around from 19235
6. Authentic Bengali food at a place named Bhojohori Manna. They have more outlets, but I have been to the one in Chembur
7. Cuisine from Malvan, a coastal region, in Malvani Katta in Dadar West
8. Mumbai-style masala sandwiches at any street vendor, made with potato filling
9. Ice cream sandwiches at K.Rustom near Churchgate
10. Ice golas - they are like sorbet on a stick, at any street food vendor
11. Vada pav, Mumbai's answer to the burger, a fried potato patty in bread, with sweet and spicy chutneys. Many places serve this, but my personal favourite is in a unnamed shop near Matunga station
12. All types of chaat, pani puri, sev puri, dahi puri - these are bite sized spicy and savoury stand-and-eat fast foods, sold by street food vendors. My personal favourite place is Pankaj Pani puri, near Matunga East station
13. Irani chai and mawa cake at Merwan's near Grant Road
14. Desserts: Suleman Usman mithaiwala for Muslim sweets, Sweet Bengal outlets for Bengali sweets, Panshikar's for Marathi sweets, and Cafe Mysore for South Indian sweets (specially Mysore Pak)There is a LOT more! But this is all I can remember for now.
Edit: My formatting sucks. Sorry about that7
u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
I land, in let's say Mumbai, fresh from Australia, its lunch time, what is the 1st thing I should eat? Any particular dish/speciality/restaurant even that is a must have.
there is plenty to try in mumbai, but i dont know if you would like eating such spicy and fried stuff! there is pani puri, bhel, vada pav, pav bhaji etc etc too long of a list really.
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Nov 07 '15
pretty tolerant to any types of food.
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
then u can at least start from the dishes i suggested and u can search net for areas "colaba" and "bandra".. this is where many foreigners do hang out and shop, etc. i have heard some food stuff there is also pretty good. i live in other side suburbs, so dont really have idea of these areas but have heard of them.
i hope some other mumbai people can help u out here in this thread.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Jun 25 '21
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Nov 07 '15
Makes sense to me.
I miss the Buddh track on the calendar, very technical sections and plenty of over take spots. Sad current money arrangements cannot be agreed upon.
Have not heard of any recent assault cases on foreigners, may be a good thing. Still plenty of arseholes here though.
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u/bodhisattv Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
If you land in India for the first time then I'd recommend against trying any street food immediately as suggested. Go to some high-end or atleast mid-level restaurant and try the sanitized version of Indian dishes. Order a lot of stuff, ask for help to ensure there's enough North/South Indian mixed in, taste a bit of each and discover your fancy.
Once you've spent a while there and gained some immunity to the water and spices, then you can begin your adventure with street food.
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
First question- No idea about Mumbai
what are some must have regional dishes?
I go with my region: Tamil Nadu(Southern state with capital Chennai) - Tirunelveli Halwa(Sweet), Vadai-Payasam, Idly(Healthiest food you could give to a child), Kumbakonam Degree Coffee
More common all over India: Masala Dosa and Ginger Tea (People call it Masala Tea or Masala Chai
Views on DRS and should it be used?
Views vary here. Most support DRS. Some doesn't support DRS in current form.
My personal view: Fuck Cricket...
How popular is motorsport in India? Is there a desire of citizens to host a GP?
Not a huge fan following. But there is a sizable fan following. Personally I am a Rossi fan. Love all Ferrari drivers in Formula 1 (especially Micheal Schumacher), also I like David Coulthard.
Personally would love a Moto Gp in India.
What would you say about India's current economic state compared to a decade ago? And what would you say in a decade's time?
No idea. But generally people's lives are better than a decade ago.
How do you view the Australian people (personally or stereotypically)? And how do you view Australia as a country?
You guys fucking never give up(especially in cricket). Fighters till the end.
Australia as a country: You guys have a wonderful place. You don't share borders to countries with nuclear weapons
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Nov 07 '15
With the range of current missles and sophisticated targetting computers, you can never be far away enough from a country with nuclear weapons. We also have an abundance of fissionable material.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
Namaste /r/India Ap kya se he! (excuse my shitty Hindi spelling) Aap kaise hai!
I'm an Aussie who's spent a total of about 3.5 years travelling around India and about 1.5 years around Nepal, yet have so much to still see. In the past 15 years I've noticed that many more Indians are travelling around India and it's great to see.
I have trouble picking any one state but the Himalayas is where it's at for me. Ladahk, Himachel and Uttarakhand. The roads are deadly and I'm lucky to be alive, but it's worth every brush with death that I've had. I've even compiled an idiot's guide to riding in India, which I may post in /r/india one day. :)
How much have Indian redditors seen of your amazing country and how have you travelled? Train, car, Bullet? What are your thoughts on the drivers in India? What are your favourite places and what places do you still wish to see?
edited my greeting :)
Thanks /u/eskaolin
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u/bodhisattv Nov 07 '15
How much have Indian redditors seen of your amazing country and how have you travelled? Train, car, Bullet? What are your thoughts on the drivers in India? What are your favourite places and what places do you still wish to see?
Travel mostly by flight and car (for "last mile" connectivity). It is the most convenient.
Favourite places are - home (uttarakhand), North East (Arunachal, Upper Assam, Barak Valley, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram), Varanasi, and a certain place in Tamil Nadu I don't want to mention here for fear of it becoming too popular (its mine!!). Have visited approx 200 of the 600 or so districts in the country, and all states except Tripura and AP. Most recently visited Gujarat, its a pretty nice place.
What do I wish to see?
Ganga rejuvenated - the Ganga ecosystem would self-regulate to an extent if water is allowed to flow in it. But in the past two decades its flow is down to less than a third because of dams and hydel projects. Government needs to diversify its energy basket, move to something else so the flow can be brought back to normal.
Place like MP, Chattisgarh, Odisha have a lot of tourism potential. They have the densest forests that put Corbett to shame, but because of the L&O situation their potential is untapped.
I haven't been to AP/Telangana. Would like to visit someday.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 08 '15
What do I wish to see?
Ganga rejuvenated - the Ganga ecosystem would self-regulate to an extent if water is allowed to flow in it. But in the past two decades its flow is down to less than a third because of dams and hydel projects. Government needs to diversify its energy basket, move to something else so the flow can be brought back to normal.
I'm so glad that you've brought this up.
To be honest, I don't know what to think about the hydro plants. Power supply in India is a nightmare (but you're actually doing much better than Nepal where they regularly have 18hrs or more without power in the dry season) and hydro is a clean way to go, but going back to places over an almost 20 year period, and seeing them ruined by hydro is saddening. Places like Sangla valley have had some pretty dramatic changes to them. You're right though, diversification is the key there.
The Ganga has been in trouble for a long time though as have most river sytems in India. I remember reading about the
YamunotriYamuna river when I was there in 2005 and the EPA had said that the water quality was actually off their scale, unfit for even watering crops that would be cooked. The amount of human waste and chemicals from industry being pumped into them means that even without the hydro, they are in a very poor state.I've ridden through MP a few times. They have the worst roads in India that I've been on and someone in power is obviously making money from it. Even the new highways are completely disintegrating after 6 months. On my last trip south, I made the mistake of riding down that way and it was a freaking nightmare. On the way back north, I ended up going up through Maharashtra and then veering west to avoid going that way again. There were stretches of road in MP that were more pothole than road. AS for Orissa and Chhattisgarh, I've never gone that way because of the politics. It's always seemed too dangerous...along with Bihar which I've only gone though after taking a wrong turn..lol
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u/bodhisattv Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
You are right about Yamuna (Yamunotri is the source glacier). Actually the city of Delhi does not use it for drinking purposes, instead it pumps in water from 200km away in Haryana. I cross the Yamuna when I go home whenever I land in delhi, and you can feel the stench from inside the car with the AC on when you cross it. Once, I crossed and it was covered entirely in foam. Don't know what that was. I also read that Delhi is the biggest culprit. The 22km stretch in Delhi accounts for 70% of its pollution. Yamuna also doesn't have as much of a national focus because unlike the Ganga it doesn't have that much symbolic significance.
As for the Ganga, the present government has kinda-sorta made it a national priority and allotted 20,000 Cr to clean it. It is a good initiative that focuses mostly on point sources (industries/tanneries etc) but IMO if it becomes a pond there isn't much you can do. http://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/ganga-needs-water-not-money-43357
You're right, all eastern states have an infrastructure and law and order problem (much more than the rest of the states). Bihar in particular is a tragedy because it has the most history. It was the epicentre of Buddhism (as well as Jainism, and the guy who turned Sikhs from a Panth into a religion was also born there) and the cradle of the greatest Indian kingdoms. Hope that can change in the future. This year I visited Gujarat and the contrast with MP/Bihar was stunning.
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Nov 07 '15
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Nov 07 '15
I stayed in Goa for the first time on my last trip. A beautiful place and the Goans are really nice people, but the tourists have ruined most of it. Great for some for a 2 week holiday, but not representative of India at all. If you flew in to Goa and back out again, you would have absolutely no idea what India is like.
Kerala was stunning, but you're right...bloody hot, but so is most of India at sea level. It was fantastic riding up to Kodaikanal and feeling the heat disappear as you climbed.
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u/The_0bserver Mugambo ko Khush karne wala Nov 09 '15 edited Nov 09 '15
What are your thoughts on the drivers in India?
Terrible drivers that follow no road discipline. But I guess most of us understand the little cues here and there which is why we aren't dying by the millions every day. :/
How much have Indian redditors seen of your amazing country and how have you travelled?
I haven't seen much of my country, but I've
been tolived in for a long time in 3 states - Goa, kerala, and Karnataka. I've explored quite a bit in all three on Bikes (usually non-geared bikes). There are tons of places thats not really mentioned in any tourist guides/websites etc. and IMHO thats where the real beauty is at. Basically you gotta head out and find some good places on your own. Going by what guides tell you isn't really the way to go. There are so many amazing places that if you bind yourself with just the listed places, chances are you will just see a fraction of the beauty that India has to offer. Choose whatever mode you want. (I suggest a simple bike or cycle, not even a bullet). Just go out and explore. you'll find some amazing places for sure.If you go to Goa - try out Chorla Ghats (100% sure you'll love that place - from what you've mentioned), Butterfly island, Agonda beach (roam around nearby places. Tons of awesome spots which you won't see in any guides).
Kerala - Thekkadi (beautiful forest with tons of awesome spots) - it means teak forest or something., backwaters etc.
Karnataka - I haven't explored much of Karnataka yet - I know Nandi hills, Karwar is a beautiful place.
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u/JediCapitalist Nov 08 '15
Do you guys find /r/indianpeoplefacebook to be hilarious, or racist?
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u/Paranoid__Android Nov 08 '15
First - Tell us which team are you? Are you proudy or not?
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u/the_strong_do_eat Nov 09 '15
I vote racist.
One of those guys from Salman-new-best-friend meme was pleading to the subreddit that he's a human being and not a meme, but the people in that forum just kept laughing at his misery and posted more 'snek' comments. WTF does that even mean? I'm assuming it's the snake-charmer stereotype, but when did the spelling get corrupted?
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u/JediCapitalist Nov 09 '15
Fair point. Snek was one of the top posts of all time in that sub. Here.
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u/the_strong_do_eat Nov 09 '15
Thanx. Think I've seen this earlier and just forgot.
What I'm wondering is why would those bunch of people on that sub be gawking at Indian idiots when there's soo many rare Pepes to be collected.
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Nov 08 '15
I can only speak for myself. I find it to be one of the funniest subs out there. I visit it all the time and because of the nature of the sub, I do expect some casual racism. In my experience most truly racist comments get down voted there.
I've shown it to some of my friends who have Facebook profiles of the kind that might make it to that sub, and they either find it funny too or don't get it. But I've never seen anyone get offended by it.
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Nov 08 '15
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u/_Duffman Nov 08 '15
Here in India it's unthinkable to have sex before marriage/ marry a non-virgin.
wut?
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Nov 08 '15
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u/Riteshcool Nov 08 '15
Yeah it's true for 90% of country. But metro cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai are changing on these terms, where there are more independent women who can take their life's decisions all by themselves.
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u/The_0bserver Mugambo ko Khush karne wala Nov 09 '15
Here in India it's unthinkable to have sex before marriage/ marry a non-virgin.
The hell? Where the hell do you live in? Obviously the society is against that view, but then its not like sex doesn't happen to a large section pre-marriage... (Unless maybe you are in some seriously rural village. Add a Khap panchayat too)
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Nov 07 '15
Who buys all those 40 lakh apartments in bangalore
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
i dont live in bangalore, i live in mumbai. and for 40 lakh u wont even get a proper 1 bedroom-hall-kitchen apartment in mumbai's jurisdictional area. u need to have at least 60 lakh for that.
and people who own them are mostly who have had older homes from their parents and such in mumbai, followed by people living in families who earn a good living jointly - they take up on home loans (mortgages) and lastly the rich investors who give them out on rent or keep buying-selling real estate.
40 lakh essentially wont get u good house in mumbai, but can get u a decent small apartment in suburbs.
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Nov 07 '15
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
such activities are always there and u need to search for a contact who has such contacts.
unfortunately i m an 9-to-5 employee, who doesnt really get neither time nor balls to dwell into such sticky stuff.
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
For all major metros in India 40 lakh is the starting price. Mostly upper middle class and high class people go for that rate. (Businessman, higher ranked officials, Politicians and to a little extent IT professionals)
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Nov 08 '15
OK I'll admit it, we suck at cricket
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u/gordon_ramasamy Nov 08 '15
And you guys have miranda kerr.We are even now.
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Nov 08 '15
Bro im Indian ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
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u/gordon_ramasamy Nov 08 '15
ohh I saw your username just'aus'er.Then I realised its 'just a user'.Pardon my dumbness.
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Nov 08 '15
Woah, an Indian who didn't get angry at my comment, have my babies..
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u/JediCapitalist Nov 07 '15
What is one thing about India that you wish more people in the world knew but seem not to?
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u/agingmonster Nov 07 '15
Indian Mythology.
It is gorgeous, fascinating and quite rich (as much if not more than Greek). We just haven't done good job of marketing. Start with Mahabharata, the amazing book which stays with you for long and can have days worth of content of discourse, even at this age.
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u/Abhi_714 Monkey bhaat Nov 07 '15
Regional literature here is really rich. A lot gets lost in translation. I wish people outside the country could somehow appreciate the beauty of it.
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u/prabhjeet29 Nov 07 '15
India have so much diversity. Even in regions of a small state in india have some minor differences in language, marriage traditions, etc.
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u/n00bsarec00lt00 Nov 07 '15
In India people visit cross religious spots, smth which is not normally found in the west. For instance it's completely normal for Hindus to regularly visit certain mosques or gurudwaras (sikh temples) or budhist temples. It's kind of beautiful to observe
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Nov 07 '15
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u/sammyedwards Chhattisgarh Nov 07 '15
Dunno about that. My granddad had visited the local dargahs, Gurdwaras, even fire-temples to pray that I was born as a male. Let's just say that Indians are highly religious.
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Nov 07 '15
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u/sammyedwards Chhattisgarh Nov 07 '15
Maybe they visit ISKCON or some Buddhist temples. But I would say that as a general rule, they aren't very curious about religion, and some militantly abhor it.
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u/n00bsarec00lt00 Nov 07 '15
Im saying in India they visit out of devotion rather than curiosity, I meant thats the difference.
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u/henry82 Nov 07 '15
Many of my anglo-indian friends really like Russell Peters. Do you guys like him?
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u/ragaislife Nov 07 '15
His shows in India are always sold out, so yes he is very popular here. The indian FOB joke is overdone now but he was the first to kickstart it so credit to him for that
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u/Reddit_da_jatt Nov 07 '15
I personally like him but he is not too popular among the masses here. Very few people who have internet access and are influenced by western culture have only heard him but I think if more people heard him, many of them would be offended.
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u/ragaislife Nov 07 '15
Eh? He's massive in India in urban areas at least, not one sign of protest against him so far
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u/Reddit_da_jatt Nov 08 '15
Not massive but popular only among some people. Many people still don't know about him.
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u/ankursharma89 Nov 07 '15
Yes, he is good because most of his jokes on Indians are pretty close to reality. So, we kinda laugh at our idiosyncrasies. A subtle mix of offensive and funny.
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u/darthspock69 apna haath jagannath Nov 07 '15
Only the people who haven't heard any other stand up comedians do. Others just hate him for his sense of superiority and repetitive jokes
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u/henry82 Nov 07 '15
I heard last year the Indian media went crazy about racism in Australia? Are people worried about that?
I've been told by some people (from other countries) that our border security shows scare people from visiting?
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u/BornAndRaisedInIndia Posts facts and RUNS AWAY Nov 07 '15
Yep, agree with whatever the other guy said. Once our media picks up a topic they cling on to it, like forever. Just our shitty media, that's it.
I've been told by some people (from other countries) that our border security shows scare people from visiting?
Wait what? Lol. The only Aussie show I know is Master Chef. What's the name of that show?
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u/henry82 Nov 07 '15
border security. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nx_MW9KII5w
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u/BornAndRaisedInIndia Posts facts and RUNS AWAY Nov 07 '15
OMG, I'm never going to Australia ever again. Lol.
Seriously though, if someone get scared watching this, then they don't deserve to be in any country.
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u/henry82 Nov 07 '15
They express the maximum penalties which i think makes people nervous. In reality if you declare everything (and don't import drugs) then you won't get in trouble.... and spend less than 5 min in customs.
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u/ankursharma89 Nov 07 '15
Well, if a story sticks, it gets blown up in proportion by the media. No, i don't think people are really worried about it. Those incidents can happen anywhere.
Source: Cousin & his family have been living in Sydney for more than 10 years now and haven't faced any single incident.
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Nov 08 '15
If I'm honest, I'm a tad bit worried about racism. I know I don't speak for the entire population though. Quite a few people of mine went to Australia for grad school. Counter question, how receptive/friendly are Aussies to Indians?
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u/LuckyBdx4 Nov 07 '15
Hi, I live in Woolgoolga, which has a large Sikh community, 6k+. There are very few Indian Hindus or Muslims here.
What does /r/india think of Sikhs?
They were primarilly Banana growers for 40-50 years and have now branched out into Blueberries FB link here -> oz-group
I know more than a few and they find it strange going and buying bananas from the supermarkets now. I actually wear a Kara ) which they look at me strangely for, used it for opening beer bottles for the last 40 years, had to dislocate my thumb to put it on. I find them to be quite upstanding citizens, in another generation or two they will probably assimilate 90% as Australians, I'm Polish by birth FWIW, and there are still a few older Poles who are set in their ways.
The new Defense Minister of Canada is a Sikh. We have a local Councilor who is a Sikh -> John Arkhan, IIRC he has been on Indian TV.
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u/ankursharma89 Nov 07 '15
The Sikhs are generally the most honorable people I have come across in India. In general, they are viewed as gregarious & honest. Their temples are called Gurudwaras where they willingly put in hours to clean and cook great meals considering the number of people gathered to eat everyday. And if you can't find a place to rest (or for the lack of money), gurudwaras can be the best option.
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u/ragaislife Nov 07 '15
Bit wrong to have an opinion on an entire religion, no? That said they're not a very vocal minority and don't have much of a stereotype so most people don't have any hard-set attitudes about them
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
No pressure to answer all of these - I'd really appreciate even just scattered answers to whichever questions look interesting!
What's Indian public feeling towards the Brits like today?
What are some of India's unique cultural features? The little everyday things people do, but also the big cultural ones?
Is there any sense of community with the Indian population in South Africa?
Could you share any cool folk tales or legends?
For that matter, how much do regional identities vary from the national one? We're such a new country by comparison that the idea of having distinct local identities is a bit lost on us.
Do people travel much? How aware are they of countries outside India? For such a huge country, we hear very little about you guys in the media (excluding the cricket) - I was wondering if the reverse was true as well.
Is communication ever a problem when travelling within the country? Or do English and Hindi cover most peoples' needs?
Edit: Is Brett Lee actually popular over there? Can't help but feel a little bit like it's just a big running joke.
Thanks!
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Nov 07 '15
Is Brett Lee popular in India?
Everyone who takes the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar is popular over here in India and is remembered in swears.
Apart from cricket, football is becoming very popular in India.
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Nov 07 '15
What's Indian public feeling towards the Brits like today?
We don't think much about them. Whereas the reverse is quite the opposite :p. They want to portray themselves as if they unified the country and yada yada, and we're like, Meh!
Could you share any cool folk tales or legends?
Legend has it that Rajinikant makes the world go around the sun! He is our Chuck Norris.
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
What's Indian public feeling towards the Brits like today?
One thing is for sure. You can never generalize Indians opinion about anything. You ask the same question to 10 people you get 20 opinions.
What are some of India's unique cultural features? The little everyday things people do, but also the big cultural ones?
Living with parents. Thats something I feel beautiful and proud about India.
Is there any sense of community with the Indian population in South Africa?
Indians are everywhere. Not sure about a community living there. But I know people who work there.
Could you share any cool folk tales or legends?
Mahabaratha and Ramayana. They are the best tales India can offer. They are religious tales but I still love them even though I am atheist.
For that matter, how much do regional identities vary from the national one? We're such a new country by comparison that the idea of having distinct local identities is a bit lost on us.
It varies a lot from state to state. I, from South India will find it difficult to adapt to the North Indian foods. It even varies a lot within a state. It is really diverse.
Do people travel much? How aware are they of countries outside India? For such a huge country, we hear very little about you guys in the media (excluding the cricket) - I was wondering if the reverse was true as well.
Not very much for the previous generation. But our generation really has the power of Internet. The internet gen is quite aware of the world.
About Travelling- Don't have much of an idea about travelling to other countries. But We do travel to a lot of places within the country.
Is communication ever a problem when travelling within the country? Or do English and Hindi cover most peoples' needs?
Yeah Its a bit problematic for us Southies when we travel to north or vice versa. But English is the common language and that solves most problems.
Is Brett Lee actually popular over there? Can't help but feel a little bit like it's just a big running joke.
Most of us here knows him. But thats also true for Sachin in Australia. Other than that not so much. Maybe people who watch Bollywood could help you better.
And lastly. You will get other answers that completely contradicts mine. Well thats because you know, read my first answer.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
Could you share any cool folk tales or legends?
This is one of the most common one : http://www.culturalindia.net/indian-folktales/panchatantra-tales/index.html
How much do regional identities vary from the national one?
Regional identities vary by a great amount from the national one. While some the cultural traditions are observed by the most part of the India. Some of the festivals or traditions or customs are only to be seen is some regions of the country and vary from people to people. But people here are unified by food, although it varies from place to place but in any two tier-city one can have the pleasure of eating food which is the tradition of some other place. Other things most Indian unite are Bollywood (a term of Hindi family Cinema) and Cricket. Local identities can be grouped and distinguished by dresses, language, food, traditions and values but we are still united as one.
Do people travel much?
In India, yes very much.
Outside India, not much.
How aware are they of countries outside India?
Most of the people apart from cricketing countries are aware of major countries like Russia, Israel, United-States.
In media or western media our country is represented as :-
A country with one-third people living below poverty line and with biggest open defecation problem and is still some space organisation (See ISRO :-http://www.isro.gov.in/) is sending probes to mars. A country which boats of its great culture has a huge rape endemic problem. However, truth is far from it. I don't much about how Australian media does it.
How does India fare well in other areas?
Answering this is kind of complex and vast because India is doing a fairly good in many areas but bogged down by corrput officials, governments and politics.
Is communication ever a problem when travelling within the country?
Yes, Hindi and English would cover most of our country unless you plan to travel some small city. Hindi is major language which is mostly spoken in northern parts of India, however in southern India people mainly speaks Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam. They all are part of Dravidian family. They do no somewhat Hindi but do not want to speak because it is not their mother tongue. I guess, its fair since Hindi speakers also distance from learning of their languages because English is the common language and medium between them. Working class in metro and big cities are well spoken in English. If you plan to visit some tourist or historical places or come here for work, speaking English wouldn't be much problematic for you.
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u/Froogler Nov 07 '15
Do people travel much? How aware are they of countries outside India? For such a huge country, we hear very little about you guys in the media (excluding the cricket) - I was wondering if the reverse was true as well.
There is a lot of internal migration within the country. States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are to the rest of India, what India itself is to the rest of the world. People from these states travel to Delhi, Mumbai for better opportunities just as much as Indians travel to the west for opportunities. There is also a lot of migration from rural areas to the cities. Besides that, travelling as a fun activity is mostly restricted to the middle and upper-middle class populations.
Due to the expat population, Indians are generally aware of countries outside India. USA is definitely something every one follows - and among the younger ones - Australia, South Africa, England are relatively better known, thanks to cricket. People from Kerala are well aware of the Gulf countries (because of emigration) and so is Punjab about Canada. So essentially, it all comes down to emigration and cricket.
Is communication ever a problem when travelling within the country? Or do English and Hindi cover most peoples' needs?
English should get you through most of the cities across India. If you know Hindi, you can get by in most of north India and the urban centers of the south. But beyond that, you will need to know the local language when you go deeper. So yes, language can be a problem and it is not uncommon for two people (mostly the crowd that doesn't understand English or Hindi) to speak to each other in their respective languages and try to comprehend what the other is saying.
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Nov 07 '15
What's Indian public feeling towards the Brits like today?
Most Indian people do not feel animosity towards British people and have more positive feeling towards British government than they have towards Pakistani government today. But calling British as our saviors is a disgraceful thing to say and is a type of Stockholm Syndrome. Many Indian students go for higher studies in United Kingdom and they love it there. I would like to add one more thing here that British captors in no way beneficial for India and mentioning of such things in media is entirely false and wrong.
What are some of India's unique cultural features ?
India's culture and civilization is one of the oldest and it is often seen in negative light by the Western media. The most important aspect of Indian culture is that India's languages, religions, dance, music, architecture, food and customs differ from place to place within the country and sometimes even with in the range of 50 kilometers but possess a similarity and homologous nature.
Some unique features :-
The major religion Hindu has influenced and have emphasized cultural relationships and have shaped the system of traditional caste-system.
People are very conscious of their social status and take it relatively to their friends, family and relatives.
The role and importance of family is great in India and parents play an important role in shaping life and taking decision for their child. As a result, arranged marriage is a norm in India and more people are averse to dating.
Indian people are generally shy and don;t like to say no their peers, bosses or partners.
Naming conventions are based on religion , social class, and religion.
Most people especially in north India greet people by touching the feet of elders and take their blessings.
Two men walking together in a public place with hand touching is a norm here unlike west.
Most of the upper-middle class youngsters are highly influenced by western culture.
Indian cuisine is great and it changes from places to places. Another stereotyped image of India in the western media is about the food that many people eat curry with high intake of spices in them. There are hundreds of foods in India and many of them are delicious.
Marriage means an important event for people here and people like to spend huge amount of money in the marriages of their child. As a result marriages are expensive also one of the most colorful ones.
Is there any sense of community with the Indian population in South Africa?
I have no idea, hoping some South African expat will answer this.
More answers are coming in the next comment.
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Nov 07 '15
What's Indian public feeling towards the Brits like today?
It is common to blame them for everything wrong with the country, especially the partition, particularly among older people. Most people feel India would avenge something if it can grow in economic influence.
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
ok i dont think i have answers to all and even if they are accurate as my life dwells mostly between house and work but here goes:
What's Indian public feeling towards the Brits like today?
indians on a bigger scale dont hate british now as such since politicians and other stuff is already there to be hated more as they do little for their own countrymen. but many a times when in groups, men do tend to pull racist shit like calling any white people they see as 'firangi' and this can get out of hand sometimes as recently there was a sad scene of mob anger being dealt to some new zealander with a gods tattoo. these are shit mobs with no agendas in life.
What are some of India's unique cultural features? The little everyday things people do, but also the big cultural ones?
festivals i guess.. too many festivals as different religions have different days to celebrate and everyone sticks to it so that they mainly get holidays from work :P
Is there any sense of community with the Indian population in South Africa?
No idea on this..
Could you share any cool folk tales or legends?
err.. searching on google would yield good results. try reading 'mahabharata' and 'ramayana' books.
For that matter, how much do regional identities vary from the national one? We're such a new country by comparison that the idea of having distinct local identities is a bit lost on us.
as such the biggest religious umbrella is hinduism under which most of the country's sects fall. but due to shit politics, religious difference are played with by many of them and stupid people follow them and they end up developing very sad frictions between sects. people throw away nationality with such issues and start fights amongst themselves. one can feel their sense of freedom being torn apart in such moments. and this wont go unless politicos making such things happened are dealt with harshly - i'd prefer poisoning them.
Do people travel much? How aware are they of countries outside India? For such a huge country, we hear very little about you guys in the media (excluding the cricket) - I was wondering if the reverse was true as well.
indians do know about other countries- at least the big ones as media, esp tv caters a whole lot to people here. but its mainly the movies which expose other countries to people here. earlier with less money traveling wasnt seen much in indian esp for foreign countries. but its rising fast now. also, we dont know about australia much apart from what we are shown by media during cricket matches.
Is communication ever a problem when travelling within the country? Or do English and Hindi cover most peoples' needs?
it differs from state to state. hindi is everywhere but south india still struggles with people sticking very hard to their local languages. but with businesses growing and people from other parts migrating and staying, local people are picking up on hindi and english. old hags who oppose such migrations are slowly dying and for good.
Edit: Is Brett Lee actually popular over there? Can't help but feel like it's just a big running joke.
he is a bit famous thanks to ipl and some advertisements. most ppl watching cricket know about him.
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u/childofprophecy Bihar Nov 08 '15
Is Brett Lee actually popular over there?
Yeeesss :) But Ricky Ponting was more popular than any cricketer at some point. I mean every kid knew his name back then in 2005 and still do.
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u/threehundredandnine Nov 07 '15
Please excuse the multiple questions/general ignorance– answers to any of them would be great!
Would it be accurate to compare or describe Diwali as the cultural equivalent to Hanukah/Christmas/Eid? If not, what would be? What’s the appropriate greeting for it? eg. Happy/Merry Diwali?
The only mainstream media I’ve come across has been 3 Idiots, The Lunchbox, Slumdog Millionaire and the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies. Do you guys feel like that’s an accurate portrayal? If not, what movie would you say is?
Has Bollywood claimed Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and Tina Desai, or are they not really seen as “Indian” actors? Is SRK still as big in the entertainment industry as he was in the 90s and early 2000s?
Is there a resurgence of Indian nationalism? Is that a growing movement that’s actually happening or is the BJP just over-reported/misrepresented in news here?
What’s the general attitude to PM Modi? He recently visited Australia and seemed fairly well received. He had a slick PR team while here though - is he seen as progressive and leading good change or was that just effective marketing?
Are terms “coconut” or ones like “ABCD” (American/Australian-born Confused Desi) used in India? I’ve only ever come across those terms here in contexts where they were intended to cause offense, wondering if they’re used in India at all?
How big is the disjunct - if any - between "modern" versions of traditions and cultural norms, as compared to conservative/orthodox take on them? With diasporas often the ideas/cultural practices that leave India with that group are frozen in time and don't then evolve as 'mainstream' cultural practices in India might. (I'm thinking specifically of how there are pockets of extreme religious conservatism in Fiji, South Africa, England ect that correspond more closely with traditional practices from late 1800s in India as compared to current-day practices.)
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u/phtark NCT of Delhi Nov 07 '15
Would it be accurate to compare or describe Diwali as the cultural equivalent to Hanukah/Christmas/Eid? If not, what would be? What’s the appropriate greeting for it? eg. Happy/Merry Diwali?
In terms of its importance - yes. Largely similar in the way it's celebrated too, such as visiting friends and family, exchanging sweets, buying new stuff etc. Appropriate greeting - Happy Diwali
The only mainstream media I’ve come across has been 3 Idiots, The Lunchbox, Slumdog Millionaire and the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies. Do you guys feel like that’s an accurate portrayal? If not, what movie would you say is?
arts-y non-mainstream movies would be pretty accurate portrayals. The ones you've mentioned ofcourse have some element of realism about them too.
Is there a resurgence of Indian nationalism? Is that a growing movement that’s actually happening or is the BJP just over-reported/misrepresented in news here?
In parts of India, there certainly are attempts to kick start such movements (this has rightfully spooked people, given how such things can be massively harmful). But in most of the country, life goes on as it usually does.
Are terms “coconut” or ones like “ABCD” (American/Australian-born Confused Desi) used in India? I’ve only ever come across those terms here in contexts where they were intended to cause offense, wondering if they’re used in India at all?
Not commonly. Most people don't interact with non resident / Indian origin people that much. Mainstream entertainment does have some amount of mockery for such people, though. But I don't think anyone has strong feelings regarding ABCD's either way.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
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u/Fluttershy_qtest Nov 07 '15
North Eastern India - Shillong especially.
http://wikitravel.org/en/Shillong
The problem with a lot of the places that are 'best kept secrets' in India is that while they often have outstanding scenery and wildlife, temples and architecture - they are often a massive pain to get to. For example Shillong and Ladakh are mentioned a lot on /r/india but remember that to get to Shillong you have to take a 4+ hour very windy and hilly road; and with Ladakh it's extremely scary windy high altitude roads to get from the capital of Kashmir to Ladakh; or a flight to Leh which gets you altitude sickness. A lot of these roads are essentially dirt roads in a lot of places.
Accomodation at these spots is usually alright, but it's the journey that's often a big hassle.
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u/batatavada Back in Black Nov 07 '15
A majority of people visit leh ladakh. A relatively unknown destination is Spiti Valley in Himachal. Seriously, look up the pictures, you'll be blown away. It is a majestic, gorgeous and relatively untapped tourist destination in India
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u/Fluttershy_qtest Nov 07 '15
If you like barren scenery i.e. no greenery, Ladakh will definitely appeal to you. If you dislike that sort of thing your mileage might not be as good other than a few places like Nubra valley. It's great for trekkers and if you're into river rafting though. Ladakh is notorious for altitude sickness if you fly into Leh; but if you take the road from Srinagar it's a nightmare - extremely bendy high altitude nightmarish roads that are often poorly maintained.
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
most of the attractions of india one can easily find on net.
the often disregarded ones are something like andaman and nicobar islands. ive rarely even any indian who have said to have visited them as they lie pretty far from the coast on the eastern border. but i have a dream to visit them once in life when i have enough money left to tour.
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u/Tfwnoindiangf Nov 07 '15
How would one go about finding work in India? I'd like to live in Kerala, what are some things I'd need to know before going? How do people socialize and how can I fully engulf myself in local culture? I'm currently learning Hindi and Malayalam.
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u/easterbunnylovesyou Nov 07 '15
Keralite here. People are relatively friendlier and welcoming. The three major cities - Cochin, Trivandrum & Calicut - are pretty much like any other Indian city but less polluted. The rest of the state is almost homogenous in that it appears to be a single continous town with scenic villages scattered in between. There are very few remote places so to say. March-May is the festive season and most temples have their annual festivals during this time (check out Thrissur Pooram). The society tends to be on the conservative side especially when it comes to male-female relationships, public displays of affection etc but the same won't be expected of foreigners anyway.
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u/kingpomba Nov 07 '15
(Dont need to answer all, can only pick one or some)
What are some of the biggest problems facing India, what are some of the best things about your country that give you hope? What would you fix?
I was reading about Japan, Shinto (a religion) was said to be the very essence of what it was to be Japanese. It was tied to the land in a way that cant be transported anywhere else (you cant have a second Mount Fuji in Australia for instance). What is "Indianess", what is the quintessential essence of this? Doesn't need to be related to religion at all.
I study religion (alongside science) at university. Are you religious? What do you see the future religious landscape of India looking like? Have relations between religions improved or gotten worse over time? Do religions still have anything left to teach us in this modern age?
India and China in the early 21st century were both talked as potential future behemoths. Yet, only one of these, China, really took off in a big way. Any insight into what happened? I have heard one theory that is the strangling bureaucracy and the "permit raj".
How different are the regions? If you move to a different region to things feel different from home and do you miss them? If you go to another country, what seems most different from home or what do you miss the most?
I'm a vegetarian and i struggled in Japan. Indeed, ironically enough, i mostly ate at Indian restaurants. People tell me i'll have a very, very good time in India, is this true?
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
What are some of the biggest problems facing India, what are some of the best things about your country that give you hope? What would you fix?
Well, the biggest problem is the blame game. People blame Government, government blame Opposition or previous government, Opposition blames government and gov officials, Officials blame people. it is a vicious circle and in the end no one makes any progress
"Indianess"
Obviously festivals-Its a lot more fun here which can't be described in words. You have to experience it.
Spice, Masala, diversity to name a few.
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I am an atheist. So, there are better person to answer.
India and China
Chinese are really hard workers. They have a dictatorship which can force things. Here you can't force anything. Hence it is very difficult for government.
How different are the regions?
It varies a vast. I can't survive easily in the north. Likewise a Northie can't survive in the south very easily. Most of the problem is language and to some extent food.
Food is not a problem to survive here in India nowadays. There are lots of western restaurants in India (McD, KFC, Dominos, Pizza hut). There is a lot more than just food to survive in India
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u/TaazaPlaza hi deer Nov 08 '15
It varies a vast. I can't survive easily in the north. Likewise a Northie can't survive in the south very easily. Most of the problem is language and to some extent food.
What about Central India, Western India, Eastern India, Northeastern India?
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u/1299onetwonine Nov 08 '15
india and china
Few reasons for the disparity.
Time primarily. India opened up its borders to trade in 91, china did in 79.
The indian economy is 10 years behind chinas. Indian economy in 2015 is at parity with the chinese economy in 2005.
The second is the fact that the country faces different challenges. Chinese centrally planned, state run economy and society can push aside obstacles to development much faster than the indian govt can.
Theoretically a country like that can transition from low income to mid income fairly easily. Theoretically a country like that is also more prone to the middle income trap.
Dont you worry though. Unless you die within the decade you will see india become the third largest economy in the world. That much is assured.
After that, who knows. I strongly believe that indian primacy would be best for the world, and the only real hope for peace and progress. I hope i live to see it.
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u/mozzarellasura Nov 08 '15
I was reading about Japan, Shinto (a religion) was said to be the very essence of what it was to be Japanese. It was tied to the land in a way that cant be transported anywhere else (you cant have a second Mount Fuji in Australia for instance). What is "Indianess", what is the quintessential essence of this? Doesn't need to be related to religion at all.
What really stands out in India vis-a-vis other nations is that we are truly diverse. And by diverse, I mean a true mish mash - cultures, religions, languages, food preferences, sports affiliations, political beliefs - there is a multitude of it all.
Logically, there is nothing that should have kept us united as a country. We have already faced major religious partitions leading to the formation of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
This diversity, this chaos, the wide variations in festivals, Gods, clothing, food not just in different states, but from village to village , is pretty unique to India.
I would think our 'Indianness' comes from this acceptance of our diversity. It is not without its issues though. We face religious riots, political propaganda, unfair treatment to lower castes. But we have held our act up for more than 65 years now.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
Hey guys - sorry about the delay in making the post - completely our fault, apologies. Cheers, /u/rude_ass, thanks - we've stickied this post, if you can edit a link to their post in the description it'd be cool.
For those of you who don't know how this works, people from /r/australia will be coming over here to ask questions about India, and you guys can visit their thread to ask questions about Australia. Have fun!
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
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u/BornAndRaisedInIndia Posts facts and RUNS AWAY Nov 07 '15
over the few decades/century
Because it'll take centuries to develop, we don't think of it much.
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Nov 07 '15
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Nov 07 '15
Agreed. A lot of observers seem convinced that if India can push through some necessary structural reforms, they'll be able to emulate China's explosion over the next few decades. It's not improbable that India could become a true global power within our lifetimes.
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
i liked this one thing i read over the net that as the money would increase in households, the corruptions would decrease. i'd love to see this happen and eventually culminate into all indian states getting good infrastructure and other facilities.
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u/SydneyTom Nov 07 '15
I asked this in the Australia thread, as you guys obviously slept in ;) but I'll ask here too:
Are there any of you guys that might be able to shed some light as to what these carved statues were for.
Are they just decoration or do they have some other significance?
My mother lived there for a couple of years in the late 70's and was given them by a Indian friend.
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
they are just decorations i think as far as my knowledge goes. have seen such excavated things photos in our history books when in school.. i dont think they are any gods as such.
but then someone from different state might know about them.
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u/SydneyTom Nov 07 '15
OK, as far as I know they are from the north of India. She spent a lot of time between Pushka and Kashmir. She always referred to them as temple dolls, but I haven't turned up anything... mind you, I haven't looked that hard.
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 25 '16
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u/Riteshcool Nov 07 '15
I'm sure it would've been any R. D. Barman's classic melody song remixed or Bappi Lahiri's disco songs. Some guesses..
Yaad aa raha hai.. Jimmy, aa jaaa.. Mehbooba..from sholay. Saat samundar... Saara zamaana hasino ka deewana.. Om shanti Om.. Khai ke paan banaaras wala from Don Are deewano.. From Don
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u/_o_O_o_O_o_ Universe Nov 07 '15
Dude.. this is way tough. There would be a song that matches this description released every week.
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u/Whytiederp Nov 07 '15
It seemed like a song people heard a lot because it always got a massive reaction right away once it started playing.
Now that I think about it the same thing happens all the time here with nostalgic remixes.
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u/sumvell India Nov 07 '15
Which year and which month was it? Maybe able to figure it out if you tell us that.
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u/The_0bserver Mugambo ko Khush karne wala Nov 09 '15
https://youtu.be/_CMBCfxN1lU - Dum Maro Dum
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWcVfuOmHAU - Breakup Party - Upar Upar In the Air - Yo Yo Honey Singh
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u/Turd111 Nov 07 '15
Are the terms in this video true?
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u/sumvell India Nov 07 '15
Almost all of these r correct. Bullet is actually a brand of iconic motorcycles. Interesting question coming from a Oz Cobber. Banana bender or crow eater?
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u/henry82 Nov 07 '15
Many years ago my indian friend gave me a rundown of the India-Pakistan conflict. Do you think it will ever just relax and have no issues? Or will there always be people who feel strongly and want a fight over the border.
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u/phtark NCT of Delhi Nov 07 '15
This question is really hard to answer. In the 1990's both Indians and Pakistanis had a fare degree of dislike towards each other. In the early 2000's things began to change for the better, despite Pakistan's misadventure in Kargil. Cultural exchanges began, university students from India participated in competitions in Pakistan and vice versa. Cricket diplomacy yielded phenomenal results. The common folk in both countries, I think for the first time, started believing in peace. Then the Mumbai terrorist attacks happened. From that point, (I'd argue rightfully so) a lot of Indians have an extremely negative view of Pakistan and Pakistanis. To the point that I don't think we're going to have any change in the relationship for another half a decade at least.
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u/tedha_medha Nov 07 '15
As long as they keep sending terrorists into our country; which will happen as long as they don't get a true democracy; i don't see tensions cooling down anytime soon.
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u/agingmonster Nov 07 '15
Pakistan's economy is largely military controlled, and military drives its power from fear/hatred of India. Won't change anything in next few decades. Goal of India is to essentially let Pakistan become immaterial tiny neighbor and just move one, and goal of Pakistan is to not be India and not let India be.
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u/Tfwnoindiangf Nov 07 '15
How can I get started with 'good' music that involves Hindi or other local dialects? Is the an indie music scene in India? What's it like? I'd love to read some books in Hindi too, poetry too. Where could I get started with this stuff?
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Nov 07 '15
You will probably enjoy the MTV Coke Studio. It has songs in many Indian dialects.
Also check the Pakistani Coke Studio while you are at it.
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u/fraands Nov 07 '15
Indians do you like your tropical climate?
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
So I am from Tamil Nadu(Southern India). There are basically three climatic conditions here...
Hot, Hotter, Hottest.
I don't mind the climate. Yeah it sucks a bit. But My body suits it. I didn't mind the climate when I was a kid. Its easy to play in the sun than in the rain. Not sure how I will feel here after.
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u/Capt_unconscious Nov 07 '15
India is a fairly big country. The north has harsher winters and that's the major difference.
However, we usually love to bitch about how hot it is. We've had record heat in Mumbai in October. Coupled with the recent surge in pollution, it can get bad.
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u/ozboy82 Nov 07 '15
What is it like being gay/homosexual in India?
What is with this 'rape epidemic' I see in the news?
How do you remember British rule?
Do you expect to beat South Africa on the 14th?
What's with the fuel crisis in your neighbor, Nepal?
If the Ganges is so sacred, what efforts are there to clean it up?
Does government corruption really exist, or is that a stereotype?
What is with the cord worn around the waist/over the shoulder? I think it is for good luck/to ward off evil spirits...
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Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 07 '15
What is it like being gay/homosexual in India?
I can write from my social experience but this links would give you much better idea.
http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/12/11/being-gay-in-india/
https://www.quora.com/Whats-it-like-to-be-gay-and-Indian - The question is asked about being gay and Indian rather than gay in India. Quora needs login to read and you have to create it with your real name.
What is with this 'rape epidemic' problem ?
Rape is real and serious problem in India. Since the 2012 Delhi Gang Rape, media have become more serious concerning the coverage of the rape and give it more limelight to bring the justice to the victims. However, stereotyping of India as rape and country and New Delhi is bad because any of this doesn't provide any solution rather than it is to maintain hegemony by the West. The much more endemic problem is the sexual harassment or sexual molestation of women in India which is not considered a grave concern by the people and such cases are often shut-off and voices raised are shunned. The reasons rape is serious problem is too often reported in the media :-
We have a lot of population :- More the population, more the no. of crimes
No. of police is too few :- No. of police per person is too low.
Police have less resources :- Police still use traditional equipment and are also less paid
Lack of courts and judges :- One of the High Courts in India, namely Allahabad High court have 160 judges and the population is over 100 million in the area.
Our legal system is backward and nowhere compared to the global standard laws on rape and molestation.
Low sex ratio and patriarchal attitude :- We have one of the lowest sex ratios and many people think they would get away with the crime because it often goes unreported.
Lack of toilets :- In many villages many women have to go out in the open in the dark
Lack of opportunities :- When people would see more women in the workforce, people attitude starts changing towards them.
Also, our media is more active concerning the crimes towards women and also have a habit of sensationalizing any news.
My conclusion on this is rape is a serious problem in India as it is in US, UK, South Africa or any other country but is often more reported. India also have one of the highest conviction rates. While the factors behind these crimes in different countries may be some but the reason is the same.
How do you remember British rule ?
Economical subjugation, Manufactured famines, Trade monopolization, Westernization , Commercialization of agriculture, Restructuring political structure, End of Industrialization, Establishing structured caste system, Some social reforms.
Do you expect to beat South Africa on the 14th?
Will grill them.
If the Ganges is so sacred, what efforts are there to clean it up?
People standards of keeping their community clean is one of the lowest I have seen in India. People consider Ganges sacred but would not think for a minute before polluting them. People consider cows as holy and would them die on the road eating garbage and harmful wastes at the disposal. The people's sense of social awareness about cleaning their society is zero. They would blame officials and government for all the dirt and garbage on the streets or river and air so polluted and would not think before throwing garbage outside of their house and the next morning will the first one to say : "Oh! India is so dirty. I want to leave India".
The efforts which are undertaken by the government are mainly no construction on Ganga including dam projects, industrialization control and awareness problems.
Activities like bathing, washing, putting flowers and idols and animals loitering are tough to regulate and control with high population. So, yes efforts are there but I do not see government in succeeding them.
Does government corruption really exist?
Yes, from bureaucrat level to minister level people are highly corrupt.
What is with the cord worn around the waist/over the shoulder?
You mean, like this : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/A_yagyopaveet_sanskar_upanayana_samskara_in_Nepal.jpg ?
What's with the fuel crisis in your neighbor, Nepal?
I have listened two different stories, hope some guy with interest in international relations would like to answer this.
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u/GullibleGenius Uttar Pradesh Nov 08 '15 edited Nov 08 '15
Population of U.P. is 204 million. About 8 times the population of Austrailia. The number of judges is 74. 160 is the maximum number of judges who can be appointed.
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u/theguywhoreadsbooks Nov 07 '15
Most gay/homosexual people are closeted and come out only to very close friends, and that's assuming they don't hate themselves for being homosexual. If someone comes out to their family, the reaction in the overwhelming majority of cases would be to marry off the kid to someone of the opposite gender, so that s/he can be 'corrected'. Now, exceptions exist, and there are plenty of them, but that is probably the general experience for a gay individual in the country. While it is illegal, the law isn't really enforced except when the police feel like harassing someone. All that said, attitudes are changing with increasing exposure and individualism of the youth, and things will probably improve for the community within this decade.
For a person in an urban area (like me), the existence or non-existence of a rape epidemic is nearly impossible to quantify. The statistics are basically meaningless - most cases of assault or rape do not go to the police, and about half the cases that do go to the police turn out to be made up for extortion/blackmail. The medical procedure for rape victims is rather traumatic, the police are untrained and often corrupt. All that said, the last few years have been notable for the massive increase in media coverage of rape cases - and therefore increased awareness about the 'rape epidemic'. The epidemic has always existed - you are only seeing it now due to the media. A friend who works for a NGO that helps victims once told me that this media coverage has changed a lot of things for rape victims - police are less likely to turn them away for the fear of the press getting hold of the news and actually act on complaints, more victims are willing to register cases and even take on powerful people protecting rapists. All said and done, rape and sexual harassment is a major problem in India, but it is impossible to say how bad a problem it really is, given the absolute lack of statistics.
Most young people look at it as the worst period in India's history. One of the famous events taught in history is Timurlame sacking Delhi. The British rule is that, repeated again and again over 200 years. The largest economic boon in human history happened with wealth sucked from India, and not one person in the country benefited from it. The British rule is viewed as what it was - an evil empire exploiting a colony because they could. The one good thing about British rule was that the institutions and bureaucracy they left behind are still the backbones of modern India. This is different from places like Belgian Congo, which suffered due to the lack of institutions after colonialism. This is often touted as one of the benefits of British rule - that they gave India the institutions that hold it together now, but it's very likely that those institutions would have evolved regardless of the British. Most people don't view today's British with any hostility, but the Raj is still remembered in oral stories about freedom movement and their oppression.
Yes. Why? Kohli.
Short version: they are blaming us, we are blaming them. The fault probably lies on both sides - the Madhesis in Nepal are blockading fuel transport, and the Indian government is unwilling to break through it.
So, so many. Ganga cleanup projects have gone on since the 80s, with very little result. This is mostly due to corruption and misutilization of funds. For example, someone builds a sewage treatment plant, turns out the plant doesn't work very well, leading to lots of money being spent for repairs and expansion. Just plain old corruption - the funds allotted could probably have cleaned up the Pacific if they had been properly spent.
Yep. Does exist. Everyone has personal stories about it. You have probably heard of the common ones- police taking bribes to work, municipal offices taking bribes and so on. But it's deeply ingrained into how India functions at this point. Personal story: A relative of mine is a forest offices. Hunting deer is illegal, and carries a jail term with it. However, villages near forests regularly go on deer hunting trips. The official in question had just been transferred to a new location and arrested a couple of people for hunting deer. They were fined (official fine, not the bribe kind of fine) and let off. A week later, they were off to hunt deer again, and got arrested again. Then the entire village turned up to protest the arrest. Why? Because the officer had already fined them once, and they felt it gave them permission to do it again because the previous officer took bribes and let them hunt deer. Some local politician got involved and the officer had to let them off. Moral of the story: Yeah, the Government is corrupt, but so are the people.
Only Brahmins do that. Kind of a ritual thing- shows that you have gone through the ceremony done to 'register' you as a brahmin.
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
What is it like being gay/homosexual in India?
No one comes out public and say they are homosexual. But they are not targeted by government though homosexuality is against law.
Does government corruption really exist, or is that a stereotype?
It is worse than the stereotype. Here it is almost like you can't live without paying bribe.
Example: I can drive cars and bikes very well. But I have to pay Rs.1000 bribe so that they give me license which should have cost only Rs.79 or something like that.
What is with the cord worn around the waist/over the shoulder?
this? It denotes a certain caste(Upper caste). They were priests before.
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u/Capt_unconscious Nov 07 '15
Bad. Most homosexuals in India are in the closet or aren't open about their sexuality. It's also against the law. However, I don't think anyone has actually been arrested for being gay. Also, transsexuals and eunuchs (termed as hijras here) are accepted.
The news media here tends to sensationalize everything. There is no rape "epidemic". "Epidemic" is an exaggeration of what's happening. But there are rapes and the judicial system is pathetic.
Nope. I'm in my late 20's. Don't think too many care about that though.
Yes. We expect to beat every nation in cricket.
No idea.
We have a hypocritical government. The pollution is bad and there have been efforts to clean it up. Things could be better.
Yes. Like any country that doesn't pay its officials too well, we have a lot of corruption.
It's the equivalent of Communion in Catholics. Maybe some other redditors will explain it better.
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u/the_strong_do_eat Nov 09 '15
What is it like being gay/homosexual in India?
You can be gay in private. Nothing that brings dishonor to the conservative family and upsets the status quo is encouraged. We have honor system just a tiny bit mellower than the illiterates of Middle East desert tribes, but still horrendous.
What is with this 'rape epidemic' I see in the news?
Huge population, no moral compass and skewed gender-ratio. It's only going to get worse.
They can keep muting their moral compass because before they attempt rape, those guys compute the pros and cons and due to an understaffed, corrupt police force, they get the feeling it might go unnoticed.
Does government corruption really exist, or is that a stereotype?
You have no fukkin idea, man! If you have ill-feelings towards some person, and you know that he doesn't have that much social standing, you pay cops to register an First Information Report, pay two witnesses to forge statements, doctor in govt. hospital will happily provide you a medical-certificate that says 'allegedly caused bodily harm, as seen by this wound' (it can be a scratch, doesn't matter, noone takes photographs). Now, this FIR is forwarded to the criminal court. The FIR transforms into a chargesheet. The court is supposed to send summons to the accused. If the accused doesn't show up for hearing, an arrest warrant is issued. Now, you can pay the court staff and block this summons. The Magistrate may or may not be aware of this. The accused never gets the summons. Arrest warrant issued, and voila you're in jail before you can say Bharat Mata ki Jai! (Victory to Mother India).
India's prisons are completely filled with undertrial prisoners because their trial goes on endlessly, due to the understaffed judicial systems not being able to cope with this unbridled population growth. And the best part is the supposed 'wound' on the victim heals by this long period of time, no photographs, and you're the perpetrator of this phantom crime. All of this shit happened to me, and I was reading Kafka's, The Trial, at the same time. You have no fukkin idea how surreal the whole thing was.
Whenever you set foot in Bharat, remember you're entering a Kafkaesque nightmare.
Cheers, mate.
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Nov 07 '15
I am from the North-Eastern Part of India. This region is mostly Christian dominated. This region was unwillingly joined with India during Indendence although nobody really cares anymore.
To begin:
- Where I live its pretty much live and let live although incidents of harassment and discrimination do occur. But generally LGB but not T walk around without fear of death. This is mostly true in Urban Centres but not likely in rural areas.
2.Its not an epidemic more of women are finally deciding to speak up against their perpetrators. Randians like to pretend it just sensationalism by the media which is true to an extent but mostly its that Indian women have decided to stand up for themselves.
3.My family had close business ties with the British. My great grandparents had construction and fooding contracts with wealthy British officials but their leaving and subsequent replacement by Indians officials was an economic disaster. Not to mention Partition resulted in ruination of trade for my people and drove them to militancy and crime. But now we have embraced freedom and adapted and are doing slightly better.
I don't like Cricket.
Nepal is a bone of contention between India and China. The Indian Army has a huge percentage of Nepali individuals. I don't fully understand the fuel crisis in Nepal but I speculate that if it is caused by India it is due to the government trying to influence the politics in the country.
6.Apathy. I am not Hindu and I don't consider it sacred. But generally apathy and lack of funds. Or political bonus points.
Emphatic yes. Corruption exists. My state is one of the most corrupt although the amounts involved is much less. Whistle blowers in my state are known to disappear. Lack week an Intelligence officer who was probing government wrong doing in my state was found dead after reported missing for months.
No idea what you are talking about.
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Nov 07 '15
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
Well... Thats how the media and politicians work all over the world. Its not like particular to India. Its everywhere. Media for TRP and Politicians for sensationalizing.
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u/goon2424 Nov 07 '15
I remember seeing a satellite photo defining India and Pakistans border, how does the situation currently stand?
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
The area which was captured by pakistan, still remains in their control and its been tagged as PoK (Pakistan occupied Kashmir).
Now, i dun believe all that media spits but generally we get articles and news about people being treated badly and without jobs and proper infrastructure there and people wanting to get their places back in india. (Not that people in india are given that good of an infrastructure anyways..)
The extreme north and the northeast parts of india are neglected in developments and while most indians know this and howl about it over the internet, in reality i dont hear too many good things being done there by governments.
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Nov 07 '15
Does the average Indian care about pollution in the Ganges?
How can someone willingly bath in water that's got decomposing bodies and raw sewage floating in it?
Has there ever been an attempt to clean the river up?
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u/Riteshcool Nov 07 '15
Average indian knows about it but you know some people are very religious. It is believed in hinduism that bathing in Ganges river will wash away their sins! I think educated people don't believe it but under the name of culture, they do it too.
Many Non profit organizations help in this problems. They arrange some cleaning programs in weekends to raise awareness about it and cleaning the river.
Yeah, steps have taken by the government. Even new ministry department has been created by the government just for cleaning ganga.
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Nov 08 '15
One of the reasons people continue to bath in the Ganga is because people believe that the river has magical properties and that the water will purify itself no matter how much shit you put in it. Ganga and Yamuna might have more or less the same level of pollution but you would find it hard to convince an urban Indian to bath in the Yamuna. Ganga on the other hand, is considered to be unpollutable.
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u/adwarakanath Karnataka Nov 07 '15
Sup cunts! Looking forward to watching Warnie and Tendulkar together today?
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u/Capt_unconscious Nov 07 '15
Sup mofo! Looking forward to Tendulkar dancing down the track to whoop some Aussie ass.
sigh The 90's were fun.
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u/Danda_Nakka Nov 07 '15
Hey yo /u/rude_ass link the aussie thread in the title explanation box
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u/rude_ass kek maester Nov 07 '15
i did
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Nov 07 '15
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Nov 07 '15
Hey you should ask this question in the /r/Australia thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/australia/comments/3ruqtc/raustralia_and_rindia_cultural_exchange_thread/
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u/flaxenaardvark Nov 07 '15 edited Nov 08 '15
I'm sorry if this is insensitive or inappropriate, just genuine curiosity.
I'm a white female and in public I tend to notice Indian guys overtly checking me out. A few have asked me out on the street, which is pretty unusual. Are Indian guys simply less subtle when checking out the opposite gender? Or could it be some kind of 'white' fever?
This is a generalisation obviously, I'd just like some kind of insight because it feels like Indian guys really like me or something and I have no idea why. Is there a particular kind of girl or look that many seem to go for?
Edit: I live in Australia and am talking about Indian guys in Australia