Mike Ghouse
For many people writing about India, the common cliches of
Delhi belly, lengthy traffic jams, bureaucracy, corruption and yoga retreats are
the subjects that fill the column inches.
Here are 10 other observations.Only 3% of Indians pay income tax, in a population of 1.2bn. One explanation for this is that agriculture is exempt and two-thirds of Indians live in rural areas. A large chunk of the economy is also informal, unorganised labour, for which it's harder to collect taxes. Many argue that some of the country's financial problems would be solved in one fell swoop, if this massive tax hole could be filled.
A friend of mine told me that, before his arranged marriage, he had a hunch his prospective in-laws had hired a private detective to check whether he'd had a girlfriend in the past. The answer was that he had, but the snoop (thankfully for my friend) failed to find out, and the wedding went ahead. The growth in companies offering the service is huge, with 15,000 operating. "It's not spying," says one woman who'd used the service to check out a prospective bridegroom for her sister. "He told us he was from a good family, but we needed to ensure he was telling the truth."
5. It's a young country
India is a young nation. More than half of its 1.2 billion people is aged below 25, and two-thirds below 35. Many young Indians are feeling a sense of self confidence about their nation, no longer looking to the West. Mumbai has a hipster scene to rival Brooklyn's and home grown musical talent is flourishing, with many more shunning traditional professions and taking up a career in the arts. A music festival circuit has gigs held in fields and deserts, while major cities such as Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are becoming hubs for live concerts.
6. Everywhere you go, you see plastic chairs
7. They're piling on the pounds
"Oh you've put on weight," said my bank manager with a smile on her face. Initially aghast, I eventually got used to the fact that gaining a few pounds is considered a compliment, a sign that you're looking healthy. But what surprised me was that India is now on the brink of an obesity epidemic, (not just with humans but animals too). Stop at any service station and you'll see queues of Indians gorging on McDonalds or other processed foods. It's always been usual to see the older Indian man sporting a fat tummy (known lovingly as a paunch), and while large swathes of India still battle malnourishment, with millions starving every day, there is a general widening of waists in the cities.
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Revert - to get back to someone
Only - added to the end of sentences
Out of station - Out of town
You've pulled down - You've lost weight
I'll do the needful - I'll do what's required
They expired - They died
I'm going to office - articles routinely dropped
Some Indianisms
Prepone - To bring an event or meeting forwardRevert - to get back to someone
Only - added to the end of sentences
Out of station - Out of town
You've pulled down - You've lost weight
I'll do the needful - I'll do what's required
They expired - They died
I'm going to office - articles routinely dropped
8. The scourge
of spit
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“Start Quote
End Quote Justice PB Majmudar High Court judge, MumbaiWe cannot believe that people don't spit. It (spitting) is an inherent character of our people. ”
Mumbai has introduced a "spit
inspector" to fine those who share their saliva in public. Many people spit
after they've had paan (a mix of betel nut and areca, and sometimes tobacco -
which is chewed but not swallowed). This produces a reddish stain which can be
seen on the side of many white walls. It's common to see "do not spit" signs in
taxis, on the back of rickshaws and on the front of buildings. But there's
concern the falling phlegm is responsible for the spread of tuberculosis.
There's even an anti spit campaign in the country.
9. Roadside ear cleanersAnyone who has been to India, even for a few days, will be well acquainted with the street-side economy which is a dominant part of life the country. The inventiveness and resourcefulness of people in the country is like no other - there are people who will sell or serve you in all kinds of ways. Broken an umbrella? There's a man who'll fix it. Need your shoes re-heeled? There's a man who will come to your house to do it. How about a haircut from a kerbside cutter? Then there's the serious stuff - the roadside bone setters, who will repair fractures, plus the ear cleaners and the corn and bunion removal men. What's remarkable is how these centuries old traditions are still going strong. Some fear these traditions are under threat, with future generations choosing to pursue an education and a different path rather than follow the family business, and because some authorities are trying to move them off the pavements.
10. Don't wear new clothes on a Saturday
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