India is a nation of cultural contrasts. Here are a few I (Nancy) observed:
Monkeys here are nasty, destructive, disease-carrying ,vicious animals, YET I have seen 3 story high monuments honoring the Monkey god. ( go figure?)
Shepherds herd their goats while they talk on cell phones
Cell towers are on mountain tops, adjacent to ancient holy Hindu temples
It is not permissible to have your upper arms or legs showing in clothes, but your abdomen if fine!
Half the year the monsoons flood the country and there is too much water. The other half it is drought.
Every women is shaped differently , but one size sari fits all
All chickens are free range in India.. along with the water buffalo & wild dogs .
Produce markets feature beautifully colored, crisp, fresh vegetables. Till they make it through an Indian kitchen they are indistinguishable.
Restaurants are assumed “veg”. The exception is “non-veg”
There are lush green rice patties, but dry brown dirt everywhere else.
There are more billionaires in Mumbai than Texas and are located right next to slums.
Brown dirt is everywhere, but people are immaculate.. I seriously don’t know how their clothes get clean washing them in the muddy canals, but they always look clean!
Every car has a rear-view mirror but facing the driver so he can comb his hair. No one uses it for anything else.
Water buffalo are comically called “brake testers”
Drivers brake for speed bumps, not people
India gives new meaning to small business – one man only sells air for tires
Wild dogs are acrobatic- I saw one jump lifting all 4 legs together while getting out of the way of a crazed motorist.
2 lane roads function as 4 lane roads. Any lane is north or south, just depending on the direction the driver wants to use it for.
Any tree doubles as a bathroom
Pastor Moses drives for hours on end, with no GPS, very few road signs and no map.. and every town looks like the last…VERY impressive!
Privacy is non-existent.. I will leave it at that and say I am “over myself” now.
Clocks hang centrally in every church in clear view but the hands are always still. It is always 11:45
Cars are turning everywhere in every direction.. but no one ever uses turn signal
Recently we drove inches between an unpredictable water buffalo and an old man teetering on a rickety bicycle. I couldn’t look!
Waiting your turn in line is non-existent
Women are modest, but the idols are NOT !