Another India. Second part
By some incredible miracle, in the first few days, we managed to see almost everything that can repel, disappoint and even frighten us. India. It's probably for the best. Maybe India gave us no chance to be disappointed. Or maybe all her miracles had to be earned. One way or another, over time, I began to understand the reasons for the things that shocked and upset me and see more and more good things, but it all began with the beginning.
Garbage. It's thrown out of train windows, buckets taken out of houses and dumped directly into the ocean, it covers a flat layer of wasteland and roads. Naturally, for us Europeans, it is a cultural shock to see people systematically throw wrappers and cups under their feet, ignoring urns. A nightmare, isn't it?
And the reason for this nightmare is centuries-old ingrained habits. Previously, all “disposable” dishes were made of clay. Mumbai still sells masala tea in clay bowls. They are usually thrown to the ground after use - so the broken clay instantly becomes land again. What can not be said about modern disposable cups. Technology has moved forward, and customs have not changed, and the reason for this is the low level of literacy. Plus, the social stratification in India still retains the caste character, according to which each caste has its own duties and work. Removing garbage is the job of a janitor and it is not good to deprive him of his case. Only garbage recently a lot, and janitors, apparently, not enough.
But the situation is changing, just such changes take time and decisive measures. Railway stations in India are clean, because they have imposed fines for garbage, you can see social advertising everywhere, on television there are videos on the topic of environmental education and, of course, the authorities are pursuing a course to increase the level of literacy of the population because at the moment many people do not even know how to read. You can't follow rules you don't even know about.
By the way, did you hear that Sweden has run out of garbage? They sort it and either recycle it or reuse it so that only 4% of it goes to waste. And any child in Sweden knows which of the five dumpsters to throw a wrapper in. And you? Look at yourself and your country with the eyes of the Swedes. Remember how from year to year driving past the city landfill turn on the internal air circulation in the cabin, so as not to suffocate. Do you still consider India a backward country and condemn its people?
If anyone else can answer yes to the previous question, let’s talk about education. In the holy city of Tiruvannamalai, next to the iconic temple of Arunacheshvara, city authorities installed a new, shiny light tiled toilet. Free, according to the sign in Angi and Hindi at the entrance. Opposite it is an old, dirty, crumbling paid toilet. We walk by and we see people throwing money at the cashier and going into the paid toilet. Why? With this question, I run to everyone I see around me. They don't understand me. Only a man in glasses and a suit gives me the answer: most likely, they just can’t read.
But, you know, I'm sure it's not just that. I think some people still think that these things are just too good for them. It's a psychology that he's implanted since colonial times. When India became a British colony, Indians heard of white people before they saw them. They were taught that they were not worthy of white men, that white men were rulers and they were slaves. And I didn't make up a word -- I'm just passing on a snippet of dialogue with a young Indian who I asked why everyone was always looking at us, shouting "hallow" and asking us to take a picture. He said they intuitively wanted to show that they had the right to stand next to white people and that they were no worse than us. That's a sad story. But, you know, after that, I was no longer annoyed by the screams, from which there is no escape day or night, and the ubiquitous "van selfie". Of course, only uneducated people do this. By the way, I tend to attribute this failure in education to the consequences of colonization. It is not profitable for anyone to have literate slaves, that is logical. But before all this British history, India managed to become the birthplace of almost most of the major world religions: Vedicism, Brahmanism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, become famous for its sages and philosophers and, like, even reveal the art of yoga to the world. So if India is behind, it will catch up.
I'm so confident about this because I've talked to these people. They're incredible. The same young man talked about politics. When we answered his question that we were not interested in politics, he was very surprised. I explained, "You see, as long as I'm not a member of a political party, I can't change anything anyway, so I don't even think about it." He said he agreed with me and that's why he's going to join the youth committee because he, as an Indian citizen, is very concerned about the literacy index in the country and he knows how to change that. He spoke with such confidence and fervor that I was ashamed.
By the way, I have been ashamed quite often. Because on the one hand, India is a country where you are deceived at every turn, and on the other hand, it is a country where you are helped even when you do not ask for help, for nothing. But first, sad.
In cafes, benches and stalls here is not always, but quite often pass change less than necessary. A couple of dishes can be added to the account, chicken can be replaced with more expensive seafood. Little change, it's unpleasant.
In Delhi, in the main bazaar, a grandfather with a cart sells aromatic sticks. I think he's a dandelion, but he's just a crook. He shows good sticks, and sells factory marriage odorless in beautiful packaging. Say hello from me, he is there alone, you will not confuse.
And if you are told that today is the festival of Shiva, so the buses do not run and you need to take a taxi for crazy money or even wait a couple of days and live in that hotel over there – do not believe it. This “holiday” is here every day. There are many such “divorces” in India. I'm not talking about theft and robbery. In tourist areas, eviscerated wallets were repeatedly seen lying on the ground, and in Delhi a thief ran past us, and a foreigner followed him.
Why so much deception and theft? Very simple. Education is not many, traders and taxi drivers so at least plenty, and families in India are large. Because pensions are not provided and parents in old age are fed by children. A barren woman is doomed to starvation, they say. Feeding the family boys begin from childhood. How much can a ten-year-old boy do? It's a pity, but sometimes it is.
And sometimes this boy waves his hand, flashing his genuine disarming smile so that it is impossible not to smile back. Students and high school students came up to us and asked if we needed help. As a result, in one city we were given a tour of the university campus, in another we were helped with Indian SIM cards, on trains we were constantly given places for which we did not pay and let sleep on the best shelves. In Asia, whites are generally regarded as children to be helped, protected and protected. Therefore, the staff at the stations patiently explained to us where the trains we needed departed from and took us almost by the handle to the right platforms. We were warned at every turn that we had to be careful and that it was very dangerous in India. Indians. We always smiled and said that we were lucky and met very kind people. One man who gave us a seat on the night train said, "You are our guests." We are happy if you are happy.” And how genuinely they rejoice when we talk about how much we enjoyed in India and what wonderful people there are. After all, they understand what a shock it is for us and how difficult it is sometimes for tourists, but the kindness and openness of the Indian people compensates for everything. We spent two nights in tents in a vacant lot next to the same house. His master, when he discovered this sudden neighborhood, didn't kick us out. He brought us two cups of tea and did the same thing the next morning. One family bought us lunch. On the train, a man offered me his food. Yes, people in India are discouragingly kind. It's not about education anymore. In the villages there are wonderful people who did not go to school or speak English, but are kind, open-minded and even naive. The girls on the long-distance bus gave me apples and gestures to explain that I had to cover my shoulders because, according to their belief, this is how the feminine energy is preserved. Cared, that is. As in any country, there are crooks and righteous people in India. And, frankly, it seems to me that it depends on you who you will meet more often.
And India is not loved for the noise. I can understand that. It’s really hard when everyone is screaming, bibbing and pushing. Why they shout, you will easily understand yourself - the country is densely populated, otherwise it is very difficult to communicate. But in small towns, on beaches or tea plantations, tranquility reigns. India is a country of contrasts, and if you are tired of something, there is sure to be a saving opposite in it, and every flaw has a positive side.
I wrote about the natural beauty of India in a previous article. I have already said how beautiful these people are internally, but how beautiful they are externally. The thing is, it's customary to dress up here. Women often wear saris embroidered with gold, a variety of jewelry, rings and bracelets. The most interesting thing is that the holidays have nothing to do with it. In this way, the Indians express their sorrow for the time when they were gods. They are a reminder of the lost heavens. Sounds pretty, doesn't it? So are national songs. And, of course, dancing!
Separate cultural value are religious rituals, ranging from ordinary puja to weddings and funerals. There are many gods, languages and religions. And each new state is essentially a separate state, a new fragment of a motley patchwork called India.
From all over the world, people flock here in search of enlightenment, yoga courses or just a good place by the ocean for a budget vacation. But they say India doesn’t give you what you want, only what you need. And I think it's true. There is no other way to explain the phenomenon of Indian enlightenment. It is here, in the “cradle of humanity”, that people come to mind thoughts that have never come anywhere before. Probably because India itself is unlike anything we have seen before. That's why it's so hard to accept her first and so easy to fall in love with her later.