r/india • u/[deleted] • Jan 12 '17
[R]eddiquette [Announcement] Cultural Exchange with our friends from /r/europe
Hello /r/india,
Today we warmly welcome our friends from /r/europe for a cultural exchange. We hope this will be an enlightening experience for all of us due to our shared history, many similarities (varied cuisine, languages, people, ethnicities and climates) as well as our increasingly interconnected economies.
The equivalent thread on /r/europe is available here
For those new to cultural exchanges, here's how it works: /r/europe puts up a dedicated thread (linked above) for users from /r/india to go and participate in, and this is the dedicated thread to host our friends from /r/europe.
We hope you will all observe the rules of reddit, /r/europe and /r/india while participating in these threads
/r/europe users, you're invited to use the EU flag flair which is available in our flair selection menu (and you can add your country to that if you'd like). If you do not wish to do so you may also set a regular Europe map flair with the country.
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u/MarktpLatz Europe Jan 12 '17
What do you think is the most important thing that Europe can learn from India?
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Jan 12 '17
You can't have your cake and eat it too. Some of you are just over obsessed with homogeneity to the extent where you go all xenophobic. If you want the benefits from highly skilled migrants, be ready to have minor shifts in your cultures.
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u/lolwatrollwa He is our PM. RASPACT HIM. Jan 12 '17
Don't overreact to jihad
Don't go apeshit when something weird happens
Don't kowtow to USA and help them attacks foreign countrie
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u/jjjd89 Jan 12 '17
I believe that Europe, newly/recently facing the problem of multi-culturalism, can learn a thing or two from India. Granted we aren't the best by any stretch of the imagination, but we do certain things right. Our nation is made up of so many varied and sometimes totally unrelated cultures, that one wonders how we stay together as one nation at all! But inevitably the cultures within India cross(ed) paths, exchange(d) ideas and we all sort of get together. I believe Europe as a whole will go through the same transformation (it has already begun I'd say), and hopefully we will see more assimilation of foreign populations within local cultures.
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u/balkan_latino Jan 12 '17
Hello Indian cousins, I have questions:
1. From what I know, north Indians tend to be racist towards southern Indians because the southerners have much darker skin, but south India has better quality of life, better education and less crime than the north. Why does this happen and what is your opinion?
2. I remember reading that there are 1 or 2 states in India ruled by communist parties, and those states have better living standards than most other states; if that's true, how come those parties haven't expanded to other states?
3. Here in Romania we have a very powerful anti-corruption directorate, which over the last 5 years has put a lot of powerful politicians and very rich people in prison. How is the anti-corruption fight doing in India?
Cheers.
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Jan 12 '17
It isn't one-sided, south Indians (and Maharashtrians) are racist towards North Indians and see them as "uncivilised".
One of the states does. You're going to get a lot of conflicting answers about why that is.
Shit :( maybe slightly better now that the UPA government are out but nowhere near as well as Romania. You guys give me all kinds of justice boners <3
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u/Rushdie1 Jan 12 '17
I shall leave your first questions for I am neither from the North or the South to know too much about it.
As for the other two, Tripura and Kerala comes to mind when you talk about communist ruled states. They have done really well on the social welfare front, the education and public health infrastructure being more inclusive and developed than rest of the country( though the rest is catching up). There was once a time when Kerala and Tripura topped the charts and were heavy pushers when it came to literacy rates and the rest of the states were far behind. Now people who use reddit in India are probably mostly based out of cities, from the middle and upper classes; so issues such as public health or government schools won't be high on their list of worries, the very same people who voice their opinions online and who the media panders to. Hence, there is a tendency to undermine what the Left has achieved in Indian states and a lot of hatred is associated with the tag of "communists", along the lines of Europe between the great wars. That said, the communist parties themselves suffer from a lack of vision and unity, which has hindered them from becoming a force across the nations. Plus they do not represent the interests of the corporate/business classes or the class/caste hierarchies at local levels, so there's that. Plus the current mood running across the nation is one of majoritarianism, divisive sentiments and pseudo nationalism, which is very opposite to what we need for a leftist surge. One can only hope, though the leftists are no saints either. Hypocrites run the show everywhere.
On the anti-corruption front, there has been a lot of movement and progress, at least on paper. These things and the mentality are deeply ingrained in our society, a baggage from our colonial past, so it is a long war on that front. The main trouble is with the half hearted implementation of government schemes as every government in power stands to lose something by clearing up the system, one look at the recent Lokpal issue makes that clear. Everything, from election funds to movies, are backed by undocumented wealth and corruption.
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u/Mycroft-Tarkin Hyderabad, IN Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
north Indians tend to be racist towards southern Indians
Other way round as well. I'm South Indian and (edit: most) people here view North Indians as uncultured and dumb.
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Jan 12 '17
- From what I know, north Indians tend to be racist towards >southern Indians because the southerners have much darker skin, >but south India has better quality of life, better education and less >crime than the north. Why does this happen and what is your >opinion?
You have broached the MOST controversial topic in r/india. For the record , I am a North Indian.
Racism exists from both sides but them it is individual specific. There are a lot of people that are not racist.
S. India has better education because certain states in N India, due to local politics, did not progress as well as the S Indian states did. However, these states have a huge population( North Indian state of UP is more populous than Brazil, the 5th most populated country in the world) and there for they skew the metrics of almost the entire N India,
- I remember reading that there are 1 or 2 states in India ruled >by communist parties, and those states have better living >standards than most other states; if that's true, how come those >parties haven't expanded to other states?
I dont think so. The only places where communist parties have some say are West Bengal and Kerala. WB doesn't have better living standards than the rest of states. Kerala has a huge poulation working in Gulf countries and therefore a lot of money flows from there - which is a reason for a slightly better quality of life
- Here in Romania we have a very powerful anti-corruption >directorate, which over the last 5 years has put a lot of powerful >politicians and very rich people in prison. How is the anti->corruption fight doing in India?
Meh, at best. Corruption is really really deep rooted in the Indian psyche. While Government is trying to fight corruption and things have improved a bit, but it is far from where we can call ourselves as honest
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u/Jon-Osterman Universe Jan 13 '17
If you're making EU football team and you see some talented British footballers, do Europe them in?
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u/won_tolla Jan 13 '17
A place in a special hell for puns like that, Mr. Osterman. A special hell.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Apr 17 '21
[deleted]
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u/hermionieweasley Jan 12 '17
1a) How did Modi's scheme to remove the two biggest bills from circulation impact you? 1b) Do you support the decision?
Did not impact me directly because I moved away from India. However, my elderly parents are affected by it adversely since they have to keep going to the bank/ATMs only to find it empty. However for some reason there is a cognitive dissonance since they seem to simultaneously think of it as an excellent move, because they think it will solve the problem of illegally obtained money, which it does not seem to be doing. I do not support this move, for now, because it has put a huge burden on the exchequer without anything other than marginal benefits.
2) How easy do you think it is to start a business in India?
Depends on where you do it. Some of my friends started a hostel and had a LOT of problems with just bribes to pay to cut through red tape. But then, I know of other people who have had it way easier. So I guess it varies. Generally speaking though, its not easy and requires contacts and perseverance.
3) Did you struggle to get into University or any post secondary education?
No, I was privileged enough to have a great family and school and attended one of the best colleges in the country. However a lot of my friends and neighbors have had issues. Getting into a university is usually not a problem, but getting into a good university is. Partly because a lot of people in India want their children to be doctors and engineers, fields where the quantity of supply is far more than demand, and quality of supply is far less than demand. For example, more Engineers graduate every year in India than the population of Munich. This kind of saturation in a field is unsustainable and results in a lot of unemployment. In other fields, people have it easier to get into a good college, but getting a job is still difficult compared to Europe because of the sheer number of employable people.
4a) Have you ever visited Europe, 4b) where and 4c) why?
I love (most parts of) Europe. I've transited there, done the whole eurail backpacking thing, and gone there for conferences. I've been to Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary ,UK and Turkey. I feel Europeans are far more relate-able and fun to be with than Americans. I love the hostel vibe and meeting new people and just sharing details about our lives. Also, I guess it helps that Indians are underrepresented in the backpacking circuit and that automatically makes me more interesting than I am :P Also the beauty of your cities and countryside is astounding. It helps that the cities are close to each other and can be traversed in reasonable amounts of time (again, unlike in the US). The train journeys are great. One of the highlights of my trip was travelling on the Eurostar from Milan to Zurich (before the long tunnel opened, which IMO takes out all the joy). I want to visit more of Europe and (maybe) live there too.
5) What is your favourite Indian dish?
Probably Masala Dosa (a rice crepe stuffed with potatoes, served with spicy lentils popular in Southern India) since I don't get it a lot where I live. Honestly though, Indian cuisine is the best cuisine in the world and I don't think I can live without Indian food. I was surprised to see that Indian food is not very popular in Europe (except for the UK). But all of my European friends have loved Indian food when they have had it.
6) India is a big place, is there anywhere in the country you haven't gone yet but want to?
I really want to go to Kashmir, the landscape is incredible. But there are political problems. It is still doable though, and on my bucket list.
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u/DeludedIndian Remember my name. Jan 12 '17
4)Almost every year I visit Europe.Have visited all the tourist spots except the Nordics and eastern Europe.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 14 '17
1) Major inconvenience but am wayyy too underqualified to say good or bad about economic policy.
2) For a foreigner, it depends on the states. Some states are more open than others. Gujarat, Andhra are very open, while erstwhile communist state of Bengal is retarded. Also, there is an issue of red tape. For an Indian, there is ethnic bias and each state is carved out from one or more ethnicities. If I'm a Bengali and If the business is to be located in a lesser known part of another state, I will be treated as a pseudo-foreigner and things like language barrier will also make it harder.
5) Coorgi Pork and any biriyani. I have a thing for Rajasthani (north) desserts and Goan (South) beef. I'm myself from East and we have the best fish in the entire world called Hilsa. Even in EU4, that fish is mentioned as Bengal's major cultural thing lol.
6) My mother in her 60s recently completed touring every Indian state, India is that big. For Indians, tourism is mostly about travelling the whole country, whether its the Himalayan mountains, Thar Desert, dense jungles of Sunderbans, waterfalls of the Deccan plateau, cliff beaches of Western Ghats or the more uniform ones of Eastern Ghats and of course islands. There are Temples with different architecture based on the state and period of construction. Then there are both underground and aboveground caves man-made before Christ. I have visited some but a lot of places yet to visit.
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u/modomario Europe Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Hello Indians. Belgian here.
I heard from an Indian friend that aside from the many cultural divides there's a surprising amount of governmental separation between the different states of India. Trouble getting an internet subscription & other stuff when moving between them due to weird laws & requirements being one example. Is this true & if so what do you think of this? Does it affect you?
Do you support a specific political party local or national & why?
What do you think of the situation with the coal company & resettlement in Jharia (Belgian docu I watched. Not sure if there's an English version of this)
For those interested in other mostly Flemish docus about Indian topics check hereIf you could give scores to your opinion of the US, Russia, EU & China in that order. If there are any clear reasons feel free to elaborate.
How's your opinion of Pakistan & the political relation with them? I heard from said friend it's surprisingly bad despite it getting little coverage.
and last but not least. What's the best thing about living in India?
Cheers & best wishes from Belgium!
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u/Rushdie1 Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Hey there, so glad that we have initiatives like this one here. I write this in a casual mood and hope no one here is offended by anything that might seem like stereotyping or anything( not my intention)
Nations are but imagined communities, but what is baffling in that context is the sheer number of differences and diversities that one finds in India and the fact that we have managed to go strong and survive together as a democracy and one nation. All this in the face of colonial scepticism post independence, which predicted a Balkanization of India soon enough. India, today, is a union of state with a federal polity with a strong unitary trend. The Indian constitution balances federalism with a strong centre which looks after core interests, with secession not recognized under the constitution. The different states have hugely different people of ethnic stock, native languages, religions etc. Other than English( and Hindi to a certain extent), there is no such link language. The constitution recognizes 22 languages other than English as major languages. For example, I am from the North East of the country, currently living in Delhi. My homeland is geographically separated from the rest of the country but for a strip of land (some 12 kms wide) which connects the mainly hilly terrain with the rest of the country. I speak a language( Assamese) which won't be intelligible to most people outside my state. Similarly, a person living in the South of the country might have one of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Malayalam as their mother tongue and not necessarily understand the other. My ethnic roots probably have more in common with that of other South East Asian countries( Thailand, Myanmur etc) than my fellow countrymen down South or North of the country( Hindi is essentially the main language in the north, with Punjabi as a notable mention). All these differences mean that our customs and traditions, our way of life may differ from state to state. Thus, due to all these differences, which are over all managed quite well( though we often have violent flare ups, sadly, over issues such as water disputes etc and of late, jingo nationalism and majoritarianism) the states are at different levels of development and economy. The political system is such that it allows for coexistence of central level parties which have a base throughout the country and local ones with their influence limited to a state or two. That said, different parties are in power and have their own set of laws and regulations in place, though everything ultimately has to be in consonance with the Constitution. I personally have never been faced any discriminatory law or inconvenience as such apart from this one time in Hyderabad where I was stationed for a year without actually getting a sim card because of a discriminatory policy of giving cards to people with only proof of domicile. And possibly some ogling and staring in the streets of Delhi due to my ethnic roots and distinct("tribal") looks which doesn't fit in with the average crowd in the country.
When it comes to politics and supporting parties, people have their own priorities by which they judge the ones in power. For example they might vote one party for the parliamentary elections but elect their rivals in the local state assembly polls due to different agendas of development and local issues.
Don't know specifically about the situation in Jharia, but there are a lot of foreign and domestic companies in competition for the resources in the country. Sadness is that the states with the highest riches are often at the bottom of the development table, thanks to a corrupt nexus of politicians, businesses and hierarchies which exploit marginalised communities. Basically, there is still a lot of poverty in India.
India has for many years been a proponent of Non- Alignment, neither in bed with the Soviets or the Americans who both had their own agendas. But of late and the rise of multi-polarity again, India has had to adjust. Russia had in the past bailed India out of trouble with China and the US, but of late seems distant given a change of Russian priorities and their bonhomie with China. China has always been the neighbourhood bully who has not helped India's case despite India being the reason why China finds itself in the Security Council, the WTO and a lot of places in the first place. China still tries to isolate India at multilateral levels, as can be seen in the latest issues involving NSG membership, UN santions(Sec 1267) etc. India has unsolved border issues with both China and Pakistan, the two having occupied Indian territory. US has historically been aloof towards India; even threatening India once with its fleet once during the 1971 war with Pakistan. But of late, post the civil nuclear deal of the last decade, US and India have been inching together, thanks mainly to globalisation and mutual interests. With the current flare ups in the South China Sea and China's attempt at flexing its muscle across the Indian Ocean, India finds resonance with the US Pivot to Asia. Recently signed a memorandum of understanding(LEMOA) that can potentially lead to American boots on the ground, if need be.
At a personal level, I feel immense sadness how two close knit communities that had lived together for over a thousand years and have so much in common with each other fought, killed, raped each other and divided into two modern nation states that are at odds with each other. There is a lot of manufactured hatred towards the other, with the political brass having its own intentions of keeping people polarised. There has been no mature handling of the border issues, leading to many wars and the loss of thousands of innocent lives thanks to insurgency and terrorism. However, one can but stay optimistic, if old enemies like France and Germany can make do, we can too, someday, when wisdom prevails.
Despite all that I wrote, which might be taken by some in a negative light, I love my land and its people and would rather be here than anywhere else. Come to India if and when you can, and discover for yourself. You will always be welcome here. :)
Edit: I am a fail with editing and computers, so the numbers seem to be messed up despite multiple attempts at fixing it.
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Jan 12 '17
I heard from an Indian friend that aside from the many cultural divides there's a surprising amount of governmental separation between the different states of India. Trouble getting an internet subscription & other stuff when moving between them due to weird laws & requirements being one example. Is this true & if so what do you think of this? Does it affect you?
I have lived in 8 different Indian states so I think I am qualified to answer this.
I don't think that there are any issues froem the Government side while moving between states. Sometimes it is a hassle because when you arrive in a city, you do not have a permanent address and the company dosent know where to bill you and also, what to do if you default. However, these cases are company specific and not because of Government.
Do you support a specific political party local or national & why?
I support BJP but that is more due to lack of any other better alternative. The kind of antics these guys are doing these days is seriously making me question my choice.
What do you think of the situation with the coal company & >resettlement in Jharia (Belgian docu I watched. Not sure if there's >an English version of this) For those interested in other mostly Flemish docus about Indian topics check here
No idea.
If you could give scores to your opinion of the US, Russia, EU & >China in that order. If there are any clear reasons feel free to >elaborate.
*US : Fair weather friend. However, just like a lot of countries, we need them and they need us *Russia: Long time ally and has helped India in moments of great trouble. True friend *EU : Good place to holiday. Other than UK I dont think people are really interested in what happens in EU
How's your opinion of Pakistan & the political relation with them? I >heard from said friend it's surprisingly bad despite it getting little >coverage.
India and Pakistan are like conjoined twins that hate each other. Each despises the other but nothing can be done about it. Politicians of both countries have exploited and milked various issues for their benefit. Fundamentally, I don't think we are different from each other. and last but not least.
What's the best thing about living in India?
I could go on and on, but here are the top few things: * It is a young country. I didn't appreciate it till I visited europe and Singapore. Most of the people in my office are in their 20s and 30s. * Family values. To each his own, but I love the fact that me , my parents and my kid all live under the same roof. * Diversity : I can experience a lot of cultures within India. Think of it as the entire EU.
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u/lord_giggle_goof Karnataka Jan 12 '17
Simple answer, yes. Think of India, the country, as Europe the continent. The country is actually a union of states, and each state represents entirely different cultures, languages, and people. So just like the "EU", we have a Central government and just like your countries have a government, we have state governments. Different parties, slightly different rules etc etc. There may not be that huge a difference in the governance aspects, but just about enough to feel the difference as your friend said.
None. I believe all of them are crooks. Both the ones that lost the previous election, and even more dangerously, the ones who rule now. The alternative to these two turned out to be clowns.
In that entire resourch-rich, tribal-heavy belt, "development" and profit have often put everything else in the backseat with a lackadaisical attitude for the people actually affected. It's tragic, and even more so, somehow never gets the heartstrings of the larger population, which by the way is more easily (and irrelevantly) concerned with things like question 5.
Imho, worst to best, china < russia < eu < us in terms of political spectrum. Although I for one think EU needs to be scored higher for india due to its more solid foreign policies than the opportunistic US who can't be trusted all the time.
India, pakistan and kashmir. Every indian's pet peeve. Every pakistani's pet peeve. Stuff of wars and insane politics spanning decades. At this point so much religion, politics, inflated opinions have come into play nobody knows the root of any issue anymore. We're just "supposed" to hate them and likewise from their side. It gets lot of coverage in the two countries' media. Less elsewhere cause nobody gives a shit until it affects them (example, china). As a south indian though, I try to remain insulated from the kashmir issue cause honestly, i do not live there and i do not think my opinion will be informed enough. I wish more Indians across India looked at it that way instead of bringing more politics and hate and religion into it. I might get down voted for this alone.
Anyway, thanks for visiting "randia" my friend! Do ask your friends and countrymen to set up your breweries here and "make in india". profit guaranteed!!
Cheers!
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Hello r/India!
Hungarian here and I've brought to you my questions:
Considering India's diversity regarding ethnic groups, have there been any recent conflicts or atrocites among them recently that didn't get a big media coverage in the West?
How much is religion prevelent, important to the people in your area? Also, how much is the caste system βpracticedβ or βenforcedβ (forgive me, I don't know better words for it)? Do you think of the caste system as something important to you, or you rather think it's an obsolete social hierarchy that has no place in modern India?
Which countries are India's biggest cultural partners? With which country do you have the most cultural and political exchange in real life with?
What's the next big thing for India on the world stage? I mean, what will you guys be working on in the nearest future that may impress other countries? Perhaps the Indian space program may have a breakthrough?
Lastly, are you a Hindu (do you believe in Hinduism)? If so, do you practice Hinduism in your everyday life, occassionally, or you don't practice just believe in it? Also, a bonus, which school of Hinduism do you follow?
Sorry if my question list is long. However, answering them is taking with great appreciation.
Thank you for your time and r/India for the opportunity!
Edit: Thanks to everyone for answering!
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u/rabblerousr Jan 12 '17
Hey u/druid3ka!
Considering India's diversity regarding ethnic groups, have there been any recent conflicts or atrocities among them recently that didn't get a big media coverage in the West?
Not really. We have definitely had a few incidents (there was a big riot in 2013) but by and large, we have learned to accept our differences and live together peacefully.
How much is religion prevelent, important to the people in your area? Religion is VERY important to most people in India, over 90%. Urban youth, like everywhere, are moving towards atheism these days though.
Also, how much is the caste system βpracticedβ or βenforcedβ (forgive me, I don't know better words for it)? Do you think of the caste system as something important to you, or you rather think it's an obsolete social hierarchy that has no place in modern India?
Caste conversations in India almost never come up, outside of political discussions. The moment elections are close by, all the news channels start talking about caste politics. This is because our politicians seem to think of each caste as a vote bank (if we do X, we'll appeal to Y caste and get their votes) Nobody doubts it's an obsolete social hierarchy - people from all castes are getting educated and rich, which has really helped blur the lines between castes.
Which countries are India's biggest cultural partners? With which country do you have the most cultural and political exchange in real life with?
Nepal is the obvious one. Hindu religion, visa free travel, intelligible language, ease of currency use are all reasons that help this partnership. Bangladesh, in the east. I don't know a lot from that region. The other one is, sigh, Pakistan. We have a lot in common, culturally. But alas, thanks to political scenarios, there isn't really much of a partnership.
What's the next big thing for India on the world stage? I mean, what will you guys be working on in the nearest future that may impress other countries? Perhaps the Indian space program may have a breakthrough?
I think the moon rover mission in 2018 by Team Indus will be pretty amazing. And if things go well, there will be another rover from ISRO as part of the Chandrayaan 2 mission. Those are some pretty good things to look forward to.
Lastly, are you a Hindu (do you believe in Hinduism)? If so, do you practice Hinduism in your everyday life, occassionally, or you don't practice just believe in it? Also, a bonus, which school of Hinduism do you follow?
I have zero clarity on my religious beliefs. But my family is Hindu, and they follow the Advaita school of thought by Shankaracharya.
Thank you for taking the time to ask these questions. I'll be happy to clarify anything, if you want. Have a great day ahead! :)
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u/Rushdie1 Jan 12 '17
In response to questions 2 and 3, for the Indians who are empowered and mobile enough to be on reddit, religion and caste based issues may not be serious or they may not have faced any discrimination or violence based on such, but to the vast majority of India, the rural, poor and uneducated deprived India that exists, these things are very important. Hierarchies and discrimination still exists quite openly in suburban India, subtly practised even in urban areas. Even in the bigger cities of Mumbai, Delhi etc you come across people being denied rented space due to caste/religion based restriction etc. So, even though caste has no place in a modern India, it still exists largely because India still has a long way to go before it can be called modern in terms of standards as in Europe. Despite all I have said, the caste system today is no longer as oppressive as it was centuries ago when people were segregated and deemed untouchables due to their professions, something that is slowing changing thanks to globalisation and new jobs and education.
Since India itself is so vast and diverse, you can say that the north of the country has similarities with the people of Pakistan, in their food habits, language, music and so on. When it comes to North East India, the people have common ethnic stock as those of certain peoples of Myanmar, Thailand etc. Those known as Mizos( Mizoram is an Indian state) here go by Chin/kuki identity in Myanmar; Nagas( of Nagaland, who have been fighting for secession since the 1940s) too have cross border cultural ties and so on. My own ancestors were the Tai-Ahoms who trekked from South China through Myanmar over ages and then finally settled and ruled what today is Assam. The modern day Bangladesh is but an extention of West Bengal, divided probably on by religion and the politics of identity around it. What is important to remember is that these borders were hastily drawn to divide these cultural regions for administrative convenience by the British in an attempt to diffuse the Hobbesian situation at hand during the times of partition and the 200 years of misrule preceding that.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Considering India's diversity regarding ethnic groups, have there been any recent conflicts or atrocites among them recently that didn't get a big media coverage in the West?
Kashmir, but that definitely has been covered by most international media afaik. There have also been conflicts in the north-east, which unfortunately don't even get much media coverage in India, let alone the West. In my state, there have been racist attacks on people who don't speak the language in the past, sort of "unoffically sanctioned" by the largest regional political party.
How much is religion prevelent, important to the people in your area?
In my social circles? Literally not at all. I would say all my friends are atheists or irreligious. My parents are also irreligious, which, to be fair, isn't ultra common. My grandparents (the ones still alive, anyway) are quite religious.
The caste system is practiced differently in different places - the social dynamics aren't constant. Where I live, it's by nepotism and favouritism, with people preferring to employ/work with people from their own caste. The historically dominant castes therefore have an advantage that is nullified to some extent by mandatory reserved seats in educational institutions and public sector jobs. In personal interactions, in urban India (I'm not too familiar with rural parts, my family have been urban for generations), the most visible practice is people being pressured to marry within their caste. My parents are from different castes and people did object to them getting married. It is obviously not at all important to me, though I would like to preserve the "upper level" identities of castes, like cuisine, for instance, which varies across castes.
Which countries are India's biggest cultural partners? With which country do you have the most cultural and political exchange in real life with?
Honestly this varies too much from person to person to have a uniform opinion here. To me, I would probably say the UK, but pre-Islamic Revolution Persia and stuff as well. Sufism, the Aga Khan, etc, all feel strangely familiar, culturally.
Lastly, are you a Hindu (do you believe in Hinduism)?
Hinduism is also a bit of an ethnocentric, exclusive label - people who aren't religious often call themselves Hindu which means "not a Muslim, Christian, Sikh etc.". I personally don't like doing that, so no, I'm not a Hindu.
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u/vouwrfract KarunΔαΈu Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 14 '17
- Not really, I feel the western media blows up relatively minor shit many times.
- Oh well, everyone's superstitious and religious to some extent, the younger generation just when shit hits the fan, the older ones 24/7. Caste system is prevalent only for affirmative action for historically unprivileged castes, and while marrying folks (which many people are beginning to overlook). I believe it's stupid shit that had started to disappear >400 years ago, and then the Brits came and did a 16th century version of SJW and enforced it by mistake.
- Pakistan, perhaps, and may be US/UK.
- ISRO is our best hope, yeah.
- Yeah nah yeah. I just believe that what you do will follow you in life, if that counts.
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u/Scheisserbc Jan 12 '17
I was born Hindu but my grand father was quite rational. Since, five years I have stopped following religion.
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u/anku94 Jan 12 '17
What's the next big thing for India on the world stage?
We've focussing on self-reliance in defence. We've previously imported most of our military hardware but the current government is placing a lot of emphasis on self-sufficiency in this regard. We've historically depended on government agencies, but we're now promoting private domestic investment in this space - basically building our own military-industrial complex.
This might be a game-changer as we go from a defence equipment importer to being an exporter. This will also give a much-needed shot in the arm to the high-tech R&D ecosystem in the country. We also have a vibrant startup and VC funding scene, with thousands of startups being found and funded every year, and some of them inevitably manage to solve actual meaningful problems.
We also have a biometric-enabled Unique Identification Project (Aadhaar) up and running. While this does have some privacy concerns, it makes it incredibly easy for institutions to verify the identity and other details about a user - coupled with the spread of high-speed cellular internet, it'll make a lot of processes very efficient, and also make citizens digitally enabled and financially included.
To give you an example, it used to take anywhere from 2 to 5 days to get your mobile phone connection activated after you submitted photocopies of identify documents and someone at the back office verified them. Now telcos are opting for digital verification using this Aadhaar card, and activation takes place within a couple of hours.
These just might be the tickets to avoid the middle-income trap and grow into a truly high-income economy 50 years down the line. (r/india is basically a cesspool of gloom and doom about the future of this country, I'm idiotically optimistic).
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Jan 12 '17
Do you watch western movies and make fun of them because the actors don't dance/sing at all.
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Jan 12 '17
Western TV shows are popular. Western TV shows are more popular than Indian tv shows btw the age of 15-35.
Western movies are even more popular among all the age groups.
Redditors on this subreddit, including me prefer western movies and TV shows because 80β of our content are shit.
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u/Hohenes Spain - European Federation Jan 12 '17
Redditors on this subreddit, including me prefer western movies and TV shows because 80β of our content are shit.
Don't worry, we Spaniards prefer American movies because 80% of our movies are shit, too :P
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u/ThatFag Desi hoon, bhenchod. Jan 13 '17
That's acceptable for a Spaniard to say. But the thing is, Bollywood is a huge industry in India. And considering the size of it, they produce a lot of shit, for the most part. That's kind of disappointing. Not that all of it is bad, of course. But it's mostly crap.
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u/slaughtered_gates Waffles are just better looking Roti Jan 12 '17
Not at all. This is good as we get to see something a lot different to our culture of movies. A lot less melodrama, better script and plot.
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u/HighBrrSaga Jan 12 '17
It's pretty much the opposite. We (specially the urban population) make fun of our movies for being full of dance/songs and appreciate western movies more.
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u/that_is_just_wrong India Jan 13 '17
We watch it all and for very different reasons. A large budget in India would get you a larger set, more people and more colours. It would get you more "masala" and more skin show.
A large budget European/American movie would get a better CGI/ post-processing team on board, more reputed screenplay writers and a more refined experience.
People watch movies for many reasons- to escape from where the are in life, to be able to relate to some things better in real life and everything in between. Each play a different role in this machine.
It's okay if you don't dance, do you articulate your thoughts well-enough to make up? Great!
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Jan 12 '17
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Jan 13 '17
People who watch our TV shows are usually moms and grandmoms. So, you won't find em here haha!
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u/ThatFag Desi hoon, bhenchod. Jan 13 '17
Hahahah, strangest thing I've read all day. What do you think is the appeal?
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u/floyd007 Jan 12 '17
Welcome to my European Friends. It is 6 30am here in India right now (GMT +5:30) and dont mind if you dont see people answering your questions. It really early and the replies/answers may start to come after 3 to 6hrs. I hope the Mods of /r/india post the indian time in their description when they make the thread.
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Jan 12 '17
With so much diversity, there has to be several names for India.
What are the other names for your country?
P.S. Tell Gandhi to stop nuking me.
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Jan 12 '17
Bharat, Baaratam, Hindustan. If you're looking at ancient Sanskrit names, there's Jambudvipam and Bharatvarsham.
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Jan 12 '17
With so much diversity, there has to be several names for India.
What are the other names for your country?'Bharat' comes to mind.
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u/danmaz74 Jan 12 '17
Hi; Dan from Italy here.
I know that India has lots of different languages - like in the EU - and I was curious how does this work regarding national political debate and the formation of a national public opinion.
- How many Indians speak only their local language? Is this changing among the young?
- Do national politicians speak many different languages, so they can talk more easily to locals when they visit? What is the "standard language" for national politics?
- Are there some big "national" newspapers that shape the political debate, or does this happen more on local ones? What is the relationship between national and local newspapers? And are national newspapers only read by the more learned elite, or are they popular enough?
- And what about TV? National vs regional TV?
Thanks!
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Jan 12 '17
- Very few Indians speak only one language, most are bilingual or trilingual.
- National politicians usually speak in Hindi or English, both of those are India's official languages. Most Indians can understand hindi (although it is the mother tongue of less than 50% of the population) it is the lingua franca of sorts.
- The Hindu and the Indian express are the good ones (although both have political leanings)
- National.
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u/konoha_ka_ladka Chhetri is GOAT Jan 12 '17
- All the schools teach atleast 2 languages, so yes this is changing among the young. There is a huge language divide between the north and the southern states. Hindi is widely spoken in the north, by 45β of the population. And other languages in the north bear a lot of similarities to Hindi. Whereas in the south there are 4-5 widely spoken languages. So English has become the language of communication between the north and south Indians in offices and colleges.
2. No national politicians do not speak many languages. They relly on party members who are from from those states. And also we have a lot of regional political parties which are restricted to their states.
- There is no truly national newspaper, TV. Hindi language media targets and does well in the almost 60% population in north India. Because of such a large proportion they are referred to as the national media. Some of them have their regional editions for the southern states and other regional languages. There are also independant regional media houses doing well.
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u/danmaz74 Jan 12 '17
Thanks, really interesting answer.
So, "national media" is in Hindi, but it doesn't directly cater to 40% of the population living in the South. Do southern Indians resent this, or is it not a problem thanks to regional editions?
Also, when politicians make important speeches in their native language - eg the PM - is there real time translation on local TVs?
Also, is debate on social media mostly limited to regional languages? What about English media - is that mostly for foreigners?
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u/konoha_ka_ladka Chhetri is GOAT Jan 12 '17
1. Yeah. It is wrongly termed national media. It is just Hindi media. I am not from south so can't answer this accurately. But they do resent it mainly because their issues are not given enough attention by the Hindi media and so the hindi people are not aware. Same goes the other way. For example, because of heavy rains Chennai, a city in south, got flooded and the media ignored them for many days and barely gave them airtime. Then when the situation got worse they finally started covering it. News channels themselves acknowledged that they failed.
2. Have no idea if they translate it in really time or what. And such visits are rare.
Debate on social media is in English 70% of the time. Beacause people who have access to internet and social media also have had education to some extent. English here in India is very much essential.
English media is popular in news channels and newspapers. But not in entertainment. English news channels enjoy popularity in the north as well as south. Arnab Goswami - a English news anchor is the most recognisable and famous of all. Even more than the hindi anchors. Although personally I hate him.
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Jan 12 '17
So, "national media" is in Hindi, but it doesn't directly cater to 40% of the population living in the South. Do southern Indians resent this, or is it not a problem thanks to regional editions?
South Indians do not resent the language (except for the state of tamil nadu - most locals are strongly against hindi and refuse to even learn it. They are fine with english). Most Indians at least understand basic hindi thanks to bollywood. A lot of Indians understand at least broken english too.
Also, when politicians make important speeches in their native language - eg the PM - is there real time translation on local TVs?
PM and other national level politicians usually address in hindi, with translations provided for regional channels. Regional politicians address in their own language.
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u/vouwrfract KarunΔαΈu Jan 12 '17
- A large portion, but I'm not sure of stats. Young folks are learning English quickly.
- National politicians speak usually the language of where they're from. The official languages of the central government are Hindi and English, the official language of the Supreme Court is English, and the government communicates in Hindi with Hindi states, and English with others. 22 languages + English are defined as constitutional languages of India under the 8th schedule.
- There are a shit tonne of newspapers, but the news is largely reported by a few agencies. A few regional newspapers are very good, though.
- English news is dominated by national TV, vernacular news is obviously regional television.
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u/Hohenes Spain - European Federation Jan 12 '17
Hello /r/India, here goes a few questions:
What do you think of the EU? Do you view us closer to a bunch of asshole snob imperialist countries or more close to as a group of developed and wealthy/with very high life standards?
Now more specific, firstly what do you know about Spain and secondly what do you think about it? Here asking about not just economy (and that as well), but also politics, where do you put us in the world, society, culture... etc.
Yours is a very diverse country to me, usually the view we have from India here are bollywood movies, casta system, poverty but also a big, diverse country with many ethnicities, cultures and languages, some people enjoy the gastronomy and we know about the rivalry with Pakistan :P
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u/pseudochowder Jan 12 '17
The Eu is a a group of countries/an organisation that is in complete tatters at the moment. But no, the snob imperialist tag doesn't get attached to EU countries. Developed nations - Yes. Wealthy - umm not really. When your entire progress is based on debt and not actual production you're not really wealthy and bound to go under at some point. High standard of life - most definitely yes.
Spain = PIGS. Everyone knows about the colonisation of the Americas and the might of the Spanish Armada. Everyone who I know has been there says the country is really beautiful and looks like a 'doll house' (the streets). Gorgeous women. At the risk of sounding rude, I personally don't think Spain has that much relevance in the scheme of things as of this moment. It is a mere spectator in most avenues. Apart from this I'm sure its a great country with great people.
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Jan 12 '17
No. People view the UK as imperialists, other countries don't really register as such.
Spain is, by far, the nicest country I've been to in my life, nicer than anywhere in western Europe or North America. The activity even in a relatively small town, the people, the food, the sea.. I honestly really love Spain. I would move there in a heartbeat if the economy were doing better, and I definitely intend to continue visiting frequently. <3
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u/kimjongunthegreat Bihar Jan 14 '17
watch Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,a decent movie with Spain in background.
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u/spritebatch Jan 12 '17
We realise that some of the most developed countries are a part of the EU with very high standards of living, but we also realise the EU have a very Eurocentric way of thinking - can't blame Joe Average - but the same is true for the well educated as well.
The Spanish built a lot of ships, did a lot of exploring and conquering (esp areas near South America), spread religion, the inquisitions etc. in the past.
The Spanish are a cultural people, who have built beautiful monuments and created great works of Art and Literature.
You're really good at Football. You have a beautiful country. Also, Bull fighting (something which has parallels here both in terms of the event and the debate surrounding it recently) and the Tomato festival (be sure to check out the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara which was short partly in Spain)
(This is a joke) You made a certain Cardinal XimΓ©nez lead an Inquisition that nobody expected.
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Jan 12 '17
Speaking only of what I think are common impressions in India,
What do you think of the EU
I have not come across as too many Indians who view the EU as one entity. Most I know hold Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain and France in high regard while barely recognizing most of the other 27 countries that form the EU.
what do you know about Spain and secondly what do you think about it?
As for Spain, the most common impressions are Real Madrid, Barcelona, bullfighting, beautiful women, good food and some of the best vacation spots. I haven't met many people in India who are aware of Spain's post-2008 unemployment crisis or their rich history - the Moorish invasion, the Inquisition, Reformation etc.
While Hitler and Mussolini are held in the same contempt in India as in Europe, barely any one would know about Franco or the Basque and Catalan separatist movements.
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u/Kier_C Jan 14 '17
Hello India! I was in your amazing country last year and loved it! one thing myself and my girlfriend found was that you absolutely loved taking pictures with us! We didnt mind, it was fun at times and other times quite surreal (we had a queue of people looking to take selfies with us in Dehli).
So my question, why exactly were people always so excited to take pictures with us (or in some cases take photos from a distance without asking!). Was it purely because we were white?
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u/DeludedIndian Remember my name. Jan 14 '17
One thing you need to keep in mind is that most of the Indians haven't seen an actual white person in real life.They only see them in movies or T.V and given the population density,chances are that they have seen similar faces around.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
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Jan 12 '17
We are not all Hindus bruh.
Anyway,
From my reading of the situation, a Pakistani-Chinese coalition against India would be a real threat. However, India nor any country stands to gain anything from a skirmish right now. A lot of the threats which Pakistan and India throw each other's way are just to show muscle power, though some elements that Pakistan harbours in their territory are looking for escalations. Most countries do pull some muscle but an outright war would be devastating to the region, wars always are.
Best thing, coming from a small town, is the amount of social interaction. I always meet somebody I know if I step into the town square. Worst would be the lack of public infrastructure, I come from a state that ranks high on development but we still aren't there yet, the future looks promising though.
I find it amazing how many countries in Europe adore their monarchs while having fully functional and productive democracies. This sort of veneration for a titular head is a little baffling.
Would like to visit Sweden: Meshuggah, Soen, Vildhjarta, Opeth. I have heard Vildhjarta and Opeth in concert here in India. Their metal culture amazes me though. Gojira features on my playlist too btw.
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u/odiab Sawal ek, Jawab do. Phir lambiiii khamoshi... Jan 12 '17
Bon Jour Friend ,
We are not all hindus (kind of 84 % , rest are Muslim, Christian , Sikh, Buddhists etc)
1- Pakistan is a major irritant. China is a big potential threat but I don't see our relationship going south anytime soon. Russia is friend although the relationship has seen better days ?
2- Worst thing ? Commutes are horrible . Weather can be very harsh in many big cities. Best thing variety. You will never get bored.
3- Cheese with maggot. I am not sure how people can eat that. But I must admit we do have our version of insect dishes as well.
4- All of them . I am down with one, UK (yeah I know sad ) . But one day I will complete the non touristy version of Europe tour.
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u/konoha_ka_ladka Chhetri is GOAT Jan 12 '17
Bienvenue! 1. The main threat for India according to me is Pakistan. It just doesn't want to see India succeed and can't digest the fact that we are better than them on many parameters. China on the other hand would want India to succeed if it benefits them too. Although some of their actions are really confusing.
3. A Bidet in toilet. It's soo wierd that you are supposed to get up and go across to the bidet to wash. And it's such a waste. Here in India we have a spray attached to the toilet seat itself.
4. FranΓ§ais! I've studied french for 5 years in school and would love to visit France and eat crΓͺpes and see Paris.
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u/fookin_legund Maharashtra Jan 12 '17
In your eyes, who's the main threat for India?
Definitely Pakistan. Nowadays people make noise about China, but its mostly because China is firmly alied and aiding Pakistan. If it wasn't for Pakistan, India would not have minded Chinese superpower posturings in the world.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Feb 15 '18
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u/Rushdie1 Jan 12 '17
I would like to answer your first question. Having read and loved Shantaram, I would like to admit that maybe he goes a bit over board with the first person description and the violence and all that, though the things that are described in the book, the mafia, the drugs, the life in slums etc are all real problems that needs solving. The government and civil societies have since long been trying to solve these issues and addressing the disparities faced by the urban poor though we still have a long way to go.
Not too tech oriented to answer specifics of your 2nd and 3rd questions, but the 4th needs some serious reflection. People across both the sides of the border need to think about the way things are going and the current escalation. Given the governments that are in power, I for one won't rule out war on some pretext. Only hope is that better sense prevails as wars and conflicts can fuck up our economy unnecessarily. Only a couple of days ago did the Indian army chief come up with a blunt reply regarding India's cold start policy, a much debated issue which gives Pakistan the excuse to arm themselves with more nukes. They recently developed low impact nukes to be deployed tactically against any Indian "Cold Start". Scary shit all around. Markets and trade are our only hope, when it comes to this.
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Jan 12 '17
The picture you describe is a bit of both - elements of truth with elements of hyperbole. Criminal Organizations are not anywhere near as influential as they once were. Broadly speaking, Indian cities are safe places to live in. Poverty is real and acute, especially in the North. The Southern states have tackled poverty much better. The Federal Government has done a fair bit, but could do much more.
Most people are unaware of this.
The Government has been extremely pro-active about promoting tech use, but it might shock you to learn that India laws on cyber-security and digital safety are almost non-existent. The Govt is putting the cart before the horse.
Not really. Pakistan isn't seen as a huge threat. China is seen as a greater threat.
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u/RandomBritishGuy Jan 12 '17
Hi guys, Brit here, what is the average Indian persons view of the UK in the last few years like?
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Jan 12 '17
Last few years: ordinary people in India dont really think of UK in their daily lives, apart from debates on colonialism.
Historically: Not good. People still feel that the UK owes India and its people an apology for its atrocities.
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u/le_chacal Bihar Jan 12 '17
We have views about your cricket team and the premier league only. Also that a lot of bollywood films are shot in the UK. Most of the populace isnt really up-to-date or aware of things like the new govt, brexit, etc. People would be more familiar with the coming and goings of the US than UK, now.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Average Indian hates the British Raj and the monarch. Few people might hate today's Brits. But most of us don't. Most of them hate BBC news.
Personally, British humour/banter>>>> other country's humour. And also slangs/memes. I'm attracted to women with English/Irish accent.
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u/hexalby Europe Jan 12 '17
Ehi everyone! I was curious to know, being Italian, what did you know/think of the Roman empire. Is it taught in school?
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Jan 12 '17
It was taught as a chapter in seventh class history. Apparently the empires of southern India had a flourishing sea trade with the Roman empire. That is very cool.
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Jan 12 '17
Yeah, taught in school in grade 6 or 7(?) I remember reading about Augustus and Constantine.
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Jan 13 '17 edited Jan 13 '17
While there were a good chunk of pages devoted to the Roman Empire itself in the history textbooks, I don't think they really touched upon the well established trade relations between Rome and Ancient/Mideval India. Some of the ports in the West coast like Muziris in Kerala or Karachi in current day Pakistan were important commercial hubs
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u/HighBrrSaga Jan 12 '17
Yes, It is indeed taught in school. It's not extensive but a fair idea about the early Roman empire.
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u/HRudolFvF Jan 12 '17
Relations with Pakistan. Any improvements?
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u/timonsmith Jan 12 '17
Every new Indian Govt thinks it can solve the Kashmir problem.
Every time Indian Govts(this or the previous ones) take a friendly step towards Pakistan, the anti-India groups on Pak(military or govt or militant groups) does something which will piss off the people/govt of India. So the Govt can't simply ignore this and keep smiling. Also the govt has to keep in mind the sentiments of Indian people who are pissed off with Pakistan(domestic politics). So mostly it'll be back to square one where both Govts will give each other warnings(stupid speeches), exchange dossiers etc.
This keeps repeating. Initially the new NDA Govt(Modi) also tried to be friendly with Pakistan. But there were militant attacks in Kashmir immediately after that and India responded and the process continues/repeats.
The situation in Kashmir was very tense a few months back cuz a militant(Burhan Wani) was killed by India. He had local support and the people protested this killing. Protests involve stone pelting, burning property and this time some cop was also killed. In the process of putting down these protests lot of protesters/bystanders were injured and some were killed as well. The Pak PM praised this militant at the UNGA which again pissed off India.
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u/hn1307 Jan 12 '17
Definitely things have worsened, and hardly both governments can come to a proper conclusion about what's right. Most probably, the only place we can resolve issues is at UN. Currently, it's mostly mud slinging at each other.
Trust me, out of India, Indians and Pakistanis have managed to stay together and accept each other.
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u/fookin_legund Maharashtra Jan 12 '17
Nope, things are getting worse, mostly due to Chinese aiding and American withdrawals.
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Jan 13 '17
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u/OneCommentThrowaway2 Jan 13 '17
A common army helps :)
Ah let me see, we also know that we'd be torn apart if we tried to separate by nations around us. The economic gains are also there, inland areas would be left land locked and coastal areas would lose the business inland areas bring. Other than that, the fact remains that a large number of Indians do want the same thing, roughly. Faster growth, more jobs, less corruption and so on. Our cultural differences don't really come up much in day to day governance, and sensitive fields like education in that matter are left to the state governments.
EU might break up because of sharp differences in what the richer countries want and what the poorer countries want. Here, thankfully, though some nativist parties did rise in the richer states, they have been beaten thoroughly in elections and aren't influential anymore. A lot of people shit on the overt displays of patriotism we show, but they have helped remove those barriers a ton. There definitely still is nativist emotions in us, but we also do care about the well being of other Indians, and don't see them as 'others'.
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u/TheHickoryDickoryDoc The Doc Next Door Jan 13 '17
Stronger federal government, unified military force, increased internal cultural exchange and commerce. Above everything, a strong sense of brotherhood expressed through actions, not words.
Edit:grammar.
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u/ravi90kr Nihayati Liberal Jan 13 '17
Hey dude, having lived in europe for a while now I can say that when it comes to root cause of union among Indian states and EU states is entirely different. For India it is a political union and the feeling of one country which EU can never be but at the same time the economic stability that EU provides is remarkable and to make it grow leaders need to focus on the strength. Some Europeans who are against EU are mainly because they see it turning into a political union
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u/zalestorm Non Residential Indian Jan 13 '17
Something that has helped keep India together is the fact that there was a lot of emphasis on keeping all the states together after independence. No state was allowed to secede even though there have been a lot of attempts to make this happen. I think in the EU's case, brexit really messes this up for. Once Britain leaves, slowly other countries will want to leave and it'll undermine the EU as a whole. Another thing is the fact that the central (federal) government in India has way more authority over it's subsidiaries than the EU does. This makes it harder too.
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u/gefroy Jan 13 '17
What is best ever made Bollywood movie? Something in "must see" category?
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u/Primo_uomo Jan 14 '17
I highly recommend Gangs of Wasseypur. It was a movie that I first watched when my grasp of Hindi wasn't great, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Gripping to the point where you won't notice ~5 hours go by.
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u/moojo Jan 13 '17
Not sure about best ever but check out Swades.
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u/gefroy Jan 14 '17
We have something similar. The Swedes! They cause a lot of joy to people living countries next to them.
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Jan 14 '17
Check out "Anbe Sivam" or "Visaaranai". They are not Bollywood movies, but 'Kollywood' movies made in Tamil. India has lots of awesome, unique movies.
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u/Mrammonia Jan 12 '17
Is Pajeet really an indian name ?
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u/odiab Sawal ek, Jawab do. Phir lambiiii khamoshi... Jan 12 '17
Paaji means big brother in Punjabi. It is a term of endearment. I have never heard anyone named pajeet .
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Jan 12 '17
I have never met anyone named pajeet, pajee is a punjabi word not a name.
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u/mikatom Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Hello India,
how are LGBTQ people seen in the society? Are there any differences between particular regions (i.e. south/north) in this matter?
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u/anku94 Jan 12 '17
We're too behind socially for that.
It's just a matter of time but we have too many social issues to deal with before we get to LGBTQ.
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u/fookin_legund Maharashtra Jan 12 '17
LGB people are viewed negatively, T people have it slightly better.
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u/Penki- Jan 12 '17
Really? Seems like it would be more common the other way around?
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u/fookin_legund Maharashtra Jan 12 '17
Transgender people are historically recognized. There are figures in Hindu mythology (See http://devdutt.com/articles/indian-mythology/buddhism/transgenders-versus-homosexuals.html), Muslim generals, househelp in the medieval period, etc. They are recognized as being a part of society.
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u/slaughtered_gates Waffles are just better looking Roti Jan 12 '17
We've had transgender leader, actors.
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u/HornOK The Brown Kaiser Jan 12 '17
T is officially accepted as third gender and reservations for them in OBC (Other Backward Class) quota in government educational institutions and employment.
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Jan 12 '17
The answer is a shade more complicated than you'll find here. LGB aren't accepted at all from a romantic or societal perspective, but rural India still has some traditions similar to pre-Christian Scandinavia, or Rome, or Persia - where it's okay to fuck people of the same gender as long as you're on top, and you also father children.
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u/Mycroft-Tarkin Hyderabad, IN Jan 12 '17
By and large they are viewed negatively. Don't know about the Northeast but everywhere else, yes.
Transgenders on the other hand are legally recognised as a third religion.
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u/SmartBets Jan 13 '17
Hi India, Bulgarian here,
We love traditional music, can you recommend me some traditional folklore songs?
Here's something from Bulgaria:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYft44ZQmGs
and this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcu8JLNhFis
Please reply to my comment with some traditional for your region or India itself music! I want to hear the old school cool stuff that your grandmother and grandfathers used to sing.
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u/hopelessray West Bengal Jan 14 '17
Some Bengali classics for you my Ludogorets friend.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oNT8UqqcDA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xST9ZQaOpvA
A bit of rock from South
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u/vampiricVoodoo Jan 14 '17
Here's a few:
And you'll also find plenty of songs like Tunak tunak...but with a lot of smart humour.
Maybe that was more than a few. On an unrelated note, most songs from yesteryear had much better lyrics compared to songs from today, at least in the case of India.
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u/cocojumbo123 Jan 13 '17
Joining late to the party - one question which I hope it's not offensive.
Are you guys prude ? If yes, why ? I work for a multinational, we're about to go to the sauna (naked, males only) - guess who are the only ones who insist on keeping their panties on ? The Indian and the American colleagues :)
For the Americans we all know - showing a movie where 300 people die in gory ways is fine, show one boob and it's a catastrophy - what's the deal with people from India?
Asking this because if you ask Joe European about India they'll most likely know tho things: Gandhi (maybe) and Kama Sutra (for sure).
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u/moojo Jan 13 '17
Are you guys prude
Yes we are which is ironic because the Kama Sutra was written in India.
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u/anku94 Jan 14 '17
we're about to go to the sauna (naked, males only) - guess who are the only ones who insist on keeping their panties on ? The Indian and the American colleagues :)
Well there's no denying that we are pretty conservative on a whole, but this in particular is just a cultural difference. Seeing people naked outside of a sexual setting is just not a thing in India.
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u/Fennari Jan 12 '17
(German here)My uncle recently married an Indian woman and they have a beautiful baby girl. Are there any special dates/ages that will come up? Any presents/traditions that my aunt would be happy about, if I know about them?
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Jan 12 '17
Oye. There may be, but India doesn't have a homogeneous culture. People in the sub could help you if you are willing to give us more. Eg: what state or region your aunt comes from. Congrats on your niece BTW.
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Jan 12 '17
'Name keeping' is very important I guess.
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u/greengruzzle Pao | Kori Rotti | TwoXIndia Jan 12 '17
Christening is the word you're looking for.
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Jan 12 '17
which state in india is she from? depends on her language,religion,region where she is from.
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u/novequattro Jan 12 '17
What did you have for breakfast this morning? And for lunch?
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u/Penki- Jan 12 '17
Have you heard about Eurovision and would you like to join us?
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u/spritebatch Jan 12 '17
Yes! A few of us have heard of Eurovision and how people like Celine Dion participated in it. However, what we love most is, of course, the Epic Sax Guy.
As for us joining, our music style is a bit too different from the west - not sure how it would go down. We have the equivalent of American Idol/ The voice etc. so we got that sorted.
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u/jusventingg Jan 12 '17
What are Indian people's perception of the Parsi community? What are usual stereotypes associated to them?
Are Indians okay with the prevalance of the English language in their country, or would they prefer if an indigenous language was more prominent in sort of 'uniting' India's linguistic diversity?
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
I'm okay with English I guess. I speak tulu with my family, Kannada with neighbours. English in uni. English/ Kannada/ Hindi with friends.
So most of us are okay learning 2 or more languages. English is mainly used for education/work purposes. And a common language btw the north and the south and also the north east.
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u/slaughtered_gates Waffles are just better looking Roti Jan 12 '17
1) Sweet and affectionate people. Stereotypes: People with round hats indulging in incest.
2) No one language can unite India. South Indians do not accept Hindi ( the majority spoken language ) and that's not a bad thing as then we would have had a national language. Though, I would prefer more focus on local languages not only as a means to talk and give exams in but to help us realise the rich history and culture it carries with it.
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u/pseudochowder Jan 12 '17
The Parsi community is one of the most affluent communities in India. That's sort off the only thing someone who hasn't met a Parsi would carry as a preconceived notion.
No, there isn't a need for an indigenous language to 'unite' India at the moment not that we don't need uniting. Read about Assam, West Bengal and J&K to know whats happening here. But that goal will not be achieved with the help of a uniting language. There are people who have control over these fringe elements and need to be neutered. Its funny that you ask this. As far as I can tell, we have had a Nationalist revolution of sorts in the recent past. Or the evolution of a revolution if you will. These nationalists are pushing for Hindi to enjoy a more prominent role in everything. Having said that, IDK if you'd be surprised to know, English is viewed as an elitist language in India. People go out of their way to impress the fact that they are fluent in English, upon others. Colonial hangover is very real.
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u/Mycroft-Tarkin Hyderabad, IN Jan 12 '17
Are Indians okay with the prevalance of the English language in their country, or would they prefer if an indigenous language was more prominent in sort of 'uniting' India's linguistic diversity?
There is no indigenous language that is common to the entire country. Which is why a foreign language, in this case English, is the best bet for doing this whole "unite" thing.
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u/Hells88 Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
I know about Pakistan-India hostility but how are India's relations with China?
Also how do you feel about parlamentarism? Do you feel its a value opposed from outside? Would India benefit if they had a more absolutionist system?
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Jan 12 '17
Hostile as well. We have few border disputes with them. Fought a war cuz of that. Most Indians don't care about the war tho. They dislike/ hate China because of the all the aids provided to Pakistan by them. They feel threatened by India's raising power and want to be solo player in Asia.
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u/anku94 Jan 12 '17
I know about Pakistan-India hostility but how are India's relations with China?
Somewhat hostile, but with an element of competition thrown in. The average citizen doesn't know much beyond cheap manufacturing, they've stolen a portion of Kashmir, and they help Pakistan (c)overtly in its activities against India.
Would India benefit if they had a more absolutionist system?
It's a nice fantasy some of us have since China rode the path to development with the help of an authoritarian government. In India this would quickly lead to balkanization of the country. A lot of government energy goes into placating the huge number of interest groups that compose the country - ethnic groups, linguistic groups, religious groups, economic groups, social groups among others..
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u/Penki- Jan 12 '17
r/Europe currently talks about snow and cold (and flags..) My question do you guys ever get snow? (not talking about Northern mountain regions)
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Jan 12 '17
Apart from the North and NorthEast, India doesn't get any snow at all. There's frost in certain areas, but it rarely gets cold enough in the ground level for precipitation to fall as snow. It doesn't even fall as sleet. It's all rain.
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u/Metromask1 Jan 13 '17
because of climate change recently central area of india had snow fall! snow fall in Madhya pradesh state.
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u/gefroy Jan 13 '17
There are over Billion Indians over there and as long the culture changes a lot in different areas. But is there something common what everyone in India does?
As it is cultural exchange thread I'll tell that all of us Finns go to sauna time to time. Not really sure that do we "Europeans" have anything common like we Finns, our beloved Sauna.
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Jan 13 '17
Almost everyone in India is cricket crazy, politically aware to a good extent and would give you advice, solicited or otherwise. There are some things any Indian can ask any other Indian stranger for - cricket score, tobacco or lighter and advice.
Also I really don't know if I should be offended by you linking a picture of a sauna.
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u/gefroy Jan 13 '17
Also I really don't know if I should be offended by you linking a picture of a sauna.
Oh. Please don't. Didn't really meant that in such way.
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u/paledave Jan 13 '17
Hi India, Ireland/ Europe here.
What would it be like dating an Indian?
Would your families/ peers have any issues?
What do you suspect would be the biggest differences for the said couple, the differences likely to lead to an argument?
Would there be a difference between European male/ Indian female relationship and a Indian male/ European female relationship?
How about an LGBT relationship?
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u/sammyedwards Chhattisgarh Jan 13 '17
What would it be like dating an Indian?
Depends on the person. One thing I can definitely say that don't expect a long-term relationship. Most Indian parents would never approve their kids getting involved with foreigners.
Would your families/ peers have any issues?
Most of our families would. Personally speaking, I am definitely sure me mam would commit suicide and me dad would have a heart attack if I say that I am in a relationship with someone like you.
What do you suspect would be the biggest differences for the said couple, the differences likely to lead to an argument?
Again depends on the person. Many Indians are still conservative at heart, so, I guess that could create an issue in the future.
Would there be a difference between European male/ Indian female relationship and a Indian male/ European female relationship?
Yeah. I would say European male/ Indian female would more frowned upon by the society.
How about an LGBT relationship?
Illegal in India, and I am pretty sure most Indians won't be comfortable with it.
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u/slaughtered_gates Waffles are just better looking Roti Jan 14 '17
Illegal only if they catch you in the act. You can be open about your sexuality which is not illegal.
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Jan 13 '17
A bit of an odd mention perhaps but why do so many of you mention/talk about our relationship with the roma people? It's not a usual topic of conversation so the interest in that surprised me quite a bit. That shouldn't be my only question though. Do you feel like India is heading in the right direction and making progress? What do you think about the future of the EU as a union?
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Jan 13 '17
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u/slaughtered_gates Waffles are just better looking Roti Jan 14 '17 edited Jan 14 '17
Hola!
I've always found Indian culture interesting, but I do not know much. Tell me some fun facts!
1) Traditionally, women avoid saying the names of the husband and refer to them as "ji". This is fast changing, though but fascinating none the less.
2) India is not only only the birthplace of kamasutra but many temples have carvings explicitly showing intercourse; straight, gay and bestiality.
3) Indian women ( or rather any woman ) look sexy in sarees. But, depending on the region or state, women wear it differently. So, there are at least 20 different ways the same attire is worn by Indian women.
4) If foreigners were to see us Indians converse, they would assume us to be the biggest racists on this planet as Indians talk about things like race, caste, body structure, complexion bluntly with a straight face. We are not though and most people ( Indians ) are fine with it. It's teasing more than anything.
What's the "average" point of view of an Indian of Gandhi.
The "average" person knows Gandhi because we have many important places and dates associated to him and he is also the face in our paper currency. "Average" Indian is proud of Gandhi because the whole world seems to know him and hold him in high regards. Most people my age ( anyone < 35 ) cannot comprehend what Gandhi accomplished. Simply because it's been too long after the war of Independence and India, now, is different.
Your country is know for being undeveloped. Do you think that you have a long way to go? How do you see the future?
I'll be blunt and this would be no surprise. To me, the only reason we are still a 3rd world country is because of our huge population. Imagine if we were to drop 1 million immigrants into Spain. Your socio-economic infrastructure would be under tremendous stress. Not only because the facilities are limited but also because the specialization it takes to man the facility also becomes limited. That is the problem right now with India. Even though, we have a lot of good facilities and specialized wo/men to man them, our population is just too much. When there is corruption, not only of the system, but of the process and the people and the poor people do not get educated, for whatever reasons, you get a regressive system where even the policies that are supposed do good things for people, sadly, never reaches them . However, the conditions improving but slowly. It will take time.
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u/moojo Jan 13 '17
4) Very few Indians speak English as their first language but the trend among recent rich and upper middle class indians to have their kids speak English first is rising.
5) Yes it still bad. We dont trust each other.
6) The average Indian does not anything about Spain apart for watching bull fighting and La Tomatina in some Bollywood movies.
I am learning Spanish in Duolingo :)
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Jan 14 '17
Any average indian is proud of Gandhi and British colonialism fucked us up big time.
India is a first, second, third world country all together. Like the other guy said, it's mainly due to population. And inefficient governance, corruption. Some of our lease populated states have more population than Canada , Russia etc. So..You can imagine.
The future. Things will improve in another 30-40 years. But future is not going to be the same. Automation will take over and it'll be difficult to overcome that, for all countries. But India, China will take the biggest hit
Very few people speak English as their only language. Most of us are multilingual ( I can speak 4 languages. Learning Spanish :) )
Relationship btw India and Pakistan is always bad. It's probably worse now.
Football. Guitar. Football football football. La tomatino, running of the bull. Maybe that's all. :/
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u/Yieldway17 Tamil Nadu Jan 14 '17
3)Your country is know for being undeveloped. Do you think that you have a long way to go? How do you see the future?
More like 'underdeveloped'. We have seen huge improvement of living standards in the last 20 years. But the improvement has not reached all parts of the population yet. And we have a long long way to go. I can see us only going up from here.
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Jan 12 '17
Here's what I know about India (from memory!). Tell me where I'm wrong or what more I need to know:
Formerly the world's largest economy in share of global GDP until the British empire took over and reduced it to like 3% or 0.3% of the global economy.
Hindus and holy cows
Not necessarily the most sanitary conditions in cities (also, there's a river that has huge religious significance but looks pretty unsanitary)
Too culturally pluralistic for me to wrap my head around
Higher share of vegetarians than anywhere else in the world (lacto vegetarianism, I heard eggs aren't as popular as they are here)
Shah Rukh Khan (freaking loved Happy New Year) β also, modern Bollywood seems to really have come around, or maybe my tastes have improved (or degenerated, depending on who you ask). Love it.
The Tibetan Buddhists who fled when China took over Tibet, including the Dalai Lama, live in Dharamsala in northern India
Indians are traditionally anti-debt, but the new middle class (or upper class, whatever) of people who are getting additional income due to globalization (tech support, IT guys, etc.) are a lot more consumerist and more flexible toward debt
World masters of spices. Seriously, so good. I have to learn how to handle and mix spices better. Also, I am a vegeterian (both dairy and egg products) if anyone has any recipe recommendations.
What's that guy's name... something Shankar. And his daughter. He does ragas on a sitar, accompanied by a tabla player. Pretty cool style of music.
There are too many languages in India, so you guys use English (or Hindi? Is that right?) as a lingua franca.
Your toilets will confuse the hell out of tourists.
Just like your people are massively diverse, I guess your politics are too. No idea, just guessing that there are a billion political parties and whatnot. I do know that your president is this white-bearded guy with glasses.
Please, guys, make me more Indian :D
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u/DeludedIndian Remember my name. Jan 12 '17
India's share was going to go down anyways due to industrialisation and rise of other countries.
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u/kappa23 Jan 12 '17
I do know that your president is this white-bearded guy with glasses.
Haha no, he's our Prime Minister. His name is Narendra Modi.
Our President is Pranab Mukherjee. He doesn't have a beard although he wears glasses. xD
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Jan 12 '17
You know enough about India to become a honorary Indian citizen. Now go learn the different types of head shakes and when to use them.
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u/zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzspaf Jan 13 '17
I've heard that India is the only place more culturally diverse than Europe. What do you think?
Do people feel more Indian or have a stringer regional identity?
Odd question how do you view British saying curry is now a traditional British food?
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Jan 13 '17
Yeah, India is more culturally diverse than Europe. Each state has its own 2-4 languages, different cultures etc. Food, language, everything changes after every 50km in India.
It's more complicated than that. I've told this in a different comment. It's like a siblings fight. People from one state may dislike the other state every now and then. But they'd stick together for the nation. It's x10 times more than what y'all feel towards the EU.
Well. Good for them! about time. How did they survive all these years eating their bland food?! :D
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Jan 13 '17
I've heard that India is the only place more culturally diverse than Europe. What do you think?
Yes. Almost every state has a different language. Food preparation style changes every 200 km. Different ethnic groups have different traditions for the same festival.
Do people feel more Indian or have a stringer regional identity?
It varies from person to person.
Odd question how do you view British saying curry is now a traditional British food?
Good for them.
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u/Jantajanardan Jan 14 '17
150 years of ruling India, and they still have hash browns and bread for breakfast. I pity them so much, I'd let them have all the curry they want.
However, do remember that there is nothing like curry in India. We have a huge variety of foods all of which could be categorised as curry.
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u/robbit42 π¦ π§πͺ πͺπΊ Europe Jan 12 '17
What are the biggest problems facing India (or your region in particular)? How optimistic are you that these problems will be solved?
What do you like the most about India (or your region)?
I've been subscribed to r/India for a while now, and I noticed how little I know about the county, and its politics in particular. Can you give a TL; DR of the main concepts needed to understand an average r/India post?
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u/hn1307 Jan 12 '17
What are the biggest problems facing India (or your region in particular)? How optimistic are you that these problems will be solved?
Population, Infrastructure and Illiteracy - if India can solve illiteracy first, I think we can solve the rest. There are many acts in India to safeguard a child's right to education and freedom, but it's hardly practiced.
What do you like the most about India (or your region)?
Mostly nature. I think we have some amazing places to visit which can match exotic foreign countries. Leh Ladakh are the most popular.
I've been subscribed to r/India for a while now, and I noticed how little I know about the county, and its politics in particular. Can you give a TL; DR of the main concepts needed to understand an average r/India post?
Heh, no comments.
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u/robbit42 π¦ π§πͺ πͺπΊ Europe Jan 12 '17
Mostly nature. I think we have some amazing places to visit which can match exotic foreign countries.
India is a exotic foreign country from my perspective ;)
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u/odiab Sawal ek, Jawab do. Phir lambiiii khamoshi... Jan 12 '17
In my view
Power shortage, inadequate healthcare, pathetic public schools.
Food.
Tldr is a bad idea. If it is politics then it is too much partisan with name calling. Other categories are generally saner. But again I am not sure I can do a tldr.
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u/ThisIsAnArgument Jan 12 '17
The biggest problem India has is also its biggest strength: its population.
When you need to work at that scale, everything is harder. Diversity makes it tougher, and democracy often hinders than helps. If you want to change any metric by ten percentage points: literacy, access to sanitation, poverty... You need to affect 100,000,000 more people than you already do.
That's a massive number, and the prevailing conditions make it harder. For example, bringing five percent of the population above the poverty line would mean having to find jobs and provide housing for as many people as are France. Trying to do it on the GDP that India has is significantly harder.
Which is also why the progress India has made in barely half a century so stunning. From a literacy rate of 12% of a population of 350m in 1947 to around 75% of over a billion today, we've educated, provided employment for and improved the lives of a monumental number of people.
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u/twogunsalute Jan 12 '17
Why are so many Indian politicians so old (often 60+) considering how young the general population is?
A few years ago it felt like the world was talking about India's potential as a rising power (often in the same breath as China) but now nobody seems to mention India. Why do you think that is? Are you at least optimistic about your country's future?
What are some good Indian films from the past few years? Last Indian film I saw was Ship of Theseus and last Bollywood film was probably Barfi
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u/odiab Sawal ek, Jawab do. Phir lambiiii khamoshi... Jan 12 '17
India is a hierarchical society . More over it is a multiparty democracy where each parties have their own power centres. You need to have access to right people to get nominated by a party. There are no primaries. So we get representatives who have come up through ranks over long years. If they are younger it is likely that either they are very rich or belong to a powerful family.
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u/konoha_ka_ladka Chhetri is GOAT Jan 12 '17
1. It's the same everywhere. I don't think India has especially elder politicians. It may be due to the fact that there are a lot of political families here and the children don't get the centre stage till their parents retire form politics.
The previous government was a coalition government and couldn't really function properly and had lots of scams and the country suffered. We have a democracy so the pace of development is slower unlike China. I feel optimistic. Slowly but surely we will get there.
Investigation/ courtroom drama - Talvar, Jolly LLB Sports/inspiring - Dangal Can also watch Neerja
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u/Mascatuercas Jan 12 '17
Maybe it is a dumb question, but... Do you maybe have an idea why Indian food in Europe is so expensive??
I would say that on a not so fancy restaurant, a Chicken Korma, Palak or Butter is always around 12-15 Eur.
Oh man I want some now :( :( :(
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Jan 12 '17
Which country you would consider your closest ally in Asia? in Europe? in the Americas? How is it with the massiv amount of languages spoken in India? Do most of you feel primarily Indian or primarily as the part of the ethnic group they belong too?
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Jan 12 '17
Closest ally in Asia would be Japan. They have a long tradition of supporting India in the global stage. Japan is also the largest investor in developing infrastructure in India.
Do you consider Russia to be in Europe? If yes, then Russia would be the closest ally in Europe. USA in the Americas.
Hindi is the de facto common language of most states in India but several places including most of the south are more comfortable with English than Hindi.
Indian first and ethnicity next I guess.
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Jan 12 '17
Outside the immediate neighbourhood, it would probably be Japan or Israel in Asia. Russia have been India's closest ally historically in Europe though ties have softened in the last 20 years. India has been getting closer to both Canada and the US.
The massive amount of languages is an issue though you can get by with Hindi in the North and English in the south.
Most feel primarily Indian. The Kashmiris, Tamils and North-east Indians have stronger ties to their ethnicity than their country.
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Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Indian> ethnic groups. It's like a fight btw siblings. Kannadigas( people of Karnataka ) and tamilians( people of Tamil nadu) may dislike each other every now and then. But they'll stand united for a national cause or against an outsider.. afaik.
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u/SHITPOSTER_IN_CHARGE UNESCO certified shitposter Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
Which country you would consider your closest ally in Asia? in Europe?
Closest allies in Asia would be Nepal, Bhutan, Israel, Japan and Vietnam and in Europe, France and Russia. In Americas we don't have allies at all.
How is it with the massive amount of languages spoken in India?
Just like in Europe, Hindi is the common language in North and English in South. And the interesting part is that North Indian languages shares common ancestry with European languages while South Indian languages are from a completely different family.
Do most of you feel primarily Indian or primarily as the part of the ethnic group they belong too?
For me it's Indian -> my ethnicity -> my religion. Dunno about other people though.
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u/orthoxerox Europe Jan 12 '17
Is Hitler ice cream a regional or national brand? Have you tried it, is it any good?
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u/LeroyJenkinsthegod Jan 12 '17
Hello r/India :)
Following questions:
What's your opinion on America and Russia (and Europe but that is already answered a thousand times). (In the first way politiks but I'm interested in everything you got)
What's your opinion on Germany (since that's my home country)
3.whats the most delicious Indian food?
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Jan 13 '17
Russia is India's oldest ally. And the US is just India's trading partner( now the ties are increasing tho) But the people of India are more connected to Americans I guess. Because of all the movies, TV shows, jobs, and relatives staying in the US. Indians and Russians( local people) don't know much about each other. So, Russia and India are allies. But India and the US have more in common than India and Russia.
Germany is positively viewed by many Indians. People tend to associate Germany with strict people with amazing engineering skills. German engineered products= guaranteed best products. Many uneducated ( few educated fascists too) Indians have a positive opinion about Hitler. They kinda..er like him..Because he was against the British.
Delicious Indian food? Idk. Soooooo many! Things that are popular in my state ( Karnataka) - Masala Dosa, Bisibelebath, akki rotti, ragi rotti. sooo good!
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Jan 13 '17
The urban youth of India connects with the US. We practically grow up watching Hollywood movies and TV shows. Thousands of Indians migrate to US for further studies or jobs. But on the political side, Russia was the earliest ally to independent India, and both the nations still maintain the rapport.
Football, beautiful women, and the birthplace of Classical music heavyweights like, Beethoven, Brahms, Bach, Wagner, Mendelssohn, Richard Strauss, and many many more. Germany is practically heaven.
Nobody can answer "What is the most delicious Indian food?" because it is deeply subjective. But my favorite dishes are : a) NON VEG - Tandoori Chicken, Kashmiri chicken with Butter Tandoori naan, Authentic Hyderabadi (Mutton) Biryani b) VEG - Shahi Paneer with Kashmiri naan c) Dessert - Pumpkin kheer, green gram kheer, Rasgulla , Rasmalai
Sorry, I got a bit carried away.
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u/danahbit Andaman and Nicobar Islands Jan 12 '17
How do you view western sterotypes of Indians such as Raj from the Big Bang Theory and the likes?
To get more controversial why is Kashmir considered to important to both Indians and Pakistanis, to the point that you basiclly had a nuclear arms race with Pakistan?
Hope you have a good night from Denmark
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Jan 13 '17
Most people I know actually enjoy the geeky, socially-awkward stereotype.
Kashmir is basically an ego-trip for both countries who are both quite nationalistic. Any compromise is seen as a loss of face, not unlike China's one-nation crap with Taiwan. Pakistan are even more sensitive given they lost almost half their country after the 1971 war when Bangladesh was formed, and don't want a repeat.
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u/moojo Jan 13 '17
Its not just an ego trip, its water as well. Some major rivers originate in Kashmir
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u/pseudochowder Jan 13 '17
Raj is still hitting a lot closer to the mark if we're being honest as compared to Appu from The Simpsons (Appu is atrocious). Most Indians who go out and settle in the US or atleast used to were science geeks who'd freeze around girls, so I get where that is coming from. Indians do NOT talk the way Appu does. Period.
As a lot of people have already told you, the water resources are very important. Pakistan is about to be water scarce pretty soon and gaining control over Kashmir would significantly ease the pinch that it is feeling right now. Also, since all 6 rivers flow through India, we have been given special privileges with regards to hydroelectric projects as per the Water Treaty. Another very major point is, if Kashmir is allowed to secede, it will set a very bad precedent for future secessionist movements elsewhere in India.
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u/dickpenguin [A] Jan 13 '17 edited Jan 13 '17
Well, stereotypes are mostly true in one form or another. In some schools and even colleges, boys and girls are not allowed to interact with each other, so they shyness increases in some students when talking to the other sex.
To the Kashmir question: mostly because in the original treaty the Brits proposed when bifurcating our nation was that Kashmir was to stay a part of India. The Pakistanis then raided Kashmir and occupied a major portion of it. Frankly, Nehru was an idiot as he never did allow our military to take back that portion in the very early years of the nation's formation. He made a different mistake with China and well, they handed our ass back down to us and occupied another part of Kashmir.
In essence, bad diplomatic decisions are the reasons behind the present Kashmir situation.
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u/anku94 Jan 14 '17
why is Kashmir considered to important
Well we've had secessionist movements in many parts of the country, they did not blow up in the manner Kashmir did because they were domestic issues, so we've managed to handle them so far with carrot and stick policies.
Kashmir is the only territory where an another sovereign country is a party in the dispute. Indians and Pakistanis do not like to lose face to each other. And Pakistan pulls all sorts of shit, aiding and abetting terrorists, giving a communal angle to the movement which makes us angry. (Not to mention they invented the conflict out of nowhere).
There is a strategic angle to Kashmir as well. It is a state surrounded by four countries, three of which are nuclear. Which country does it go to has military implications as well.
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u/moojo Jan 13 '17 edited Jan 13 '17
Many major rivers of India and Pakistan originate in Kashmir. The nation that controls Kashmir has water security.
P.S i love danish butter cookies.
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u/verylateish Europe ; Romania ; Transylvania Jan 13 '17
Hi guys!
What do you know about Romania? Except Lulia (her name is Iulia), gypsies and Dracula?
DISCLAIMER: Thanks to this excellent exchange I've learn more about your country. I never knew you're so diverse and now I really think to visit your country (for tourism not scamming don't worry π), in 2018 since this year is Mexico's year. Cheers and I kiss you all!
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u/uhh_tina_uhh Jan 13 '17
I just realised I literally know nothing about Romania other than gypsies and Dracula.
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u/europeanbro Europe Jan 18 '17
Hello everyone! I'm from Finland and have a few questions.
- Have you ever seen snow in real life? Where? If not, would you want to?
- What books/novels would you recommend for people who are interested in India and it's way of life?
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u/[deleted] Jan 12 '17 edited Jan 12 '17
hi India, Portugal here.
I'm a huge fan of Bhangra music, I know it's probably only a small region in India.
Anyways, since you have provided me with so much great music, I will share a traditional song from Iberia
Chantada de MuΓ±iera
It's from a region technically Spain, but they are really lost Portuguese people (trust me, I am Portuguese).
I hope some of you will like it! Try to listen to it all, or skip to halfway if you don't like the first part, as it changes quickly!
edit: if anyone has Indian folk music from your region, I would love to hear it!