Quick Facts on India
- Population 1.2 billion; 27.8% urban
- Religions: Hindu 82.41%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, others (Buddhist, Jain, & Parsi 2.5%)
- Languages: Hindi, 16 other official languages - over 400 different spoken languages
- Literacy-There is a wide gender disparity in the literacy rate in India: adult (15+ yrs) literacy rates in 2009 were 76.9% for men & 54.5% for women.
- The low literacy rate for women has dramatically had an impact on family planning & population stabilization in India. Studies have shown that female literacy is a strong predictor of the use of contraception among married Indian couples. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literacy_in_India
- Over 70% of the people in India live in over 550,000 villages
- Religion, caste and language are major determinants of social & political organization in India today. http://www.crownrelo.com/relo/in/india.facts.html
I found India more enjoyable, different, exotic, colorful, shocking, and interesting than I ever imagined it would be. It stimulated every sense I had, and some I didn't even know I had. The people were kind, serene, interesting, and exotic. It was religion, spices, history, poverty, extravagance, color, beauty, bizarre, and shocking all rolled together and shaken...not stirred.
One can't visit India and not be awed at their historic architecture. They have perfected the essence of combining Indian, Persian, Asian, and Islamic styles with gardens and fountains. Geometric layouts, and the use of mathematical elegance in their art and buildings, have brought symmetry and balance to a grand level. Their forts, mosques, towers, palaces, temples, and mausoleums of red stone and white marble are pure sites of elegance to be visually enjoyed.
The grand opulence is a stark contrast to the abject poverty, and the strain on a country and its resources overpopulated with 1.2 billion people. They seem locked into the past with ancient traditions that perpetuate social situations of poverty. They lack clean water and an effective mass transit system, and they have a severe litter, pollution and smog situation. The street families, beggars, and ragged children marked with signs of malnutrition are very hard sites to absorb for an American couple who live in the land of plenty. Four & six year old children begging for food or money on a six lane street with cars and scooters whizzing at great speed is heartbreaking.
But we did see a new and emerging middle class, a sense of hope for the future bubbling from the people, and a government encouraging their people to recycle and plant trees. We saw bus loads of girls and boys heading to and from schools, and heard stories of free health care. We wish India the best in their developing future.
So long to India...thank you for your kindness.
Namaste
India, they love their elephants ...
Ganesha is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. Wikipedia source
Melissa Jan. 26, 2011
One can't visit India and not be awed at their historic architecture. They have perfected the essence of combining Indian, Persian, Asian, and Islamic styles with gardens and fountains. Geometric layouts, and the use of mathematical elegance in their art and buildings, have brought symmetry and balance to a grand level. Their forts, mosques, towers, palaces, temples, and mausoleums of red stone and white marble are pure sites of elegance to be visually enjoyed.
The grand opulence is a stark contrast to the abject poverty, and the strain on a country and its resources overpopulated with 1.2 billion people. They seem locked into the past with ancient traditions that perpetuate social situations of poverty. They lack clean water and an effective mass transit system, and they have a severe litter, pollution and smog situation. The street families, beggars, and ragged children marked with signs of malnutrition are very hard sites to absorb for an American couple who live in the land of plenty. Four & six year old children begging for food or money on a six lane street with cars and scooters whizzing at great speed is heartbreaking.
But we did see a new and emerging middle class, a sense of hope for the future bubbling from the people, and a government encouraging their people to recycle and plant trees. We saw bus loads of girls and boys heading to and from schools, and heard stories of free health care. We wish India the best in their developing future.
So long to India...thank you for your kindness.
Namaste
India, they love their elephants ...
Ganesha is one of the deities best-known and most widely worshipped in the Hindu pantheon. Wikipedia source
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| Eye of the beholder |
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| Ganesha statue with garland of marigolds |
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| Greg & Melissa in front of elephant painting in Udaipur |
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| Door with elephant spikes to protect from charging war elephants |
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| Mosaic of Ganesha in Jaipur |
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| Elephant treat |
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| Elephant column at the Capital |
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| Elephant shadow |
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| Elephant shrubbery |
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| Look real hard for the elephant heads & trunks |
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| Elephant cruising |
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| The elephant pooper-scooper guy |
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| Butteautiful |
LOVE IT!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMelissa
ReplyDeleteIt is a damn shame you and Greg did not have a good time on this trip! Cannot wait to hear the full details when you get home!
Jim P
wonderful!!
ReplyDelete