The fabric of Indian society is
woven with myriad threads. The result is multi-textured, many layered
and though this diversity has fuelled some dissension, it continues to
be India’s strength. One of the most marked things about Indian society
is the great diversity. This applies to religion, ethnicity and language
as much as to the economic situation. The yawning gap between the rich
and the poor is bridged by a large middle class of small businessmen,
professionals, bureaucrats etc.
Most
Indians actively practice their religion, and despite the creeping
westernisation, most of India is socially orthodox. That means that
caste distinctions have not been forgotten, man-woman interaction may be
frowned upon, and the public display of affection is strictly no-no.
The cow is sacred and ‘all ye who forget that-be doomed’. The left hand,
which is an indispensable tool for Indian ablutions, is considered
impure and isn’t used in passing things around.
On
the whole the people of India are warm and welcoming. The guest is next
only to God and crooks and touts notwithstanding, and curious looks and
probing questions notwithstanding, you’ll find that they are great
hosts. Their idiosyncrasies just make it all the more interesting; be
patient and you will learn to love the complete package.
The
national language of India is Hindi, other than this there are 18
official languages and over a thousand recognised dialects. English is
widely spoken here.
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