Hdespite the impressive growth of the Indian economy, about 22% its population lives below the extreme poverty line. Every fifth person in India has a daily budget of less than $1.9 per day. Therefore, beggars and beggars who beg for alms are an integral part of the life of modern India. If you don't trust statistics, go to India and check for yourself, but be prepared for the fact that mean numbers will begin to come to life before your eyes in the form of pictures that are not always pleasing to the eye.
India is distant, exciting and unexpected...
Before I started traveling, I liked to watch programs about other countries on TV. At different times, Yuri Senkevich and Mikhail Kozhukhov, respected by me, told and showed the world on TV so colorfully and interestingly that I was afraid to even imagine how this world would turn out in reality.
But I was especially interested in programs about an unknown and distant country under the wonderful name of India. I was shackled by the magic of the colors of this country, fascinated by the diversity of the faces of the locals, drawn to me by the cultural and historical heritage of India.
Before traveling to India It seemed to me that a person more prepared for her than me does not exist. Who, if not me, who passed the test of fried cockroaches in the Thai market, the attack of dirty beggars on the Cambodian border, who returned alive and not even robbed from walking along the night streets of criminal Manila, who was not afraid of the sight of moldy slops in small rivers in Bali and the smell of smoldering fires human corpses in Nepal, who better than me to break into India and immediately understand and fall in love with it?!
It wasn't there, friends. Despite the fact that I considered myself to have gone through fire, water and copper pipes, India has been a real challenge for me.. Maybe because before the first trip there, I did not pay attention to what you will partially learn from this article.
About the most serious problem of the country - rubbish, dirt, unsanitary conditions and some related strange habits of Indians you can read in the article "Why is India so dirty: garbage, dirt, stink and animals."
But this is far from the only problem of the ancient country. Whole armies of beggars people living below the poverty line, begging in various forms and types is another serious reason why many tourists limit themselves to one study trip to this country.
Residents of the "Pearl of the English Crown", simple and not very
The “Pearl of the English Crown”, this is how the country was called from the middle of the 19th century after its colonization by Great Britain. Now India is a republic, but the essence of this does not change. Imagine, The country's population is approaching 1 billion 372 millions people and is almost 18% of the population of the entire planet!
In one word in India a lot of people, and in some regions it objectively seems that their TOO MUCH. And this is felt not only because you have nowhere to step on the streets, but also because the Indians are curious, absolutely shameless and they completely lack the concept of personal space.
That is, if you stop on the street to look at something on your smartphone, then know that before you have time to look around, a whole delegation of staring Indians will gather around you. Usually you should not be afraid, rarely someone will come up with the idea to steal something from you in the middle of a broad day, but there will be more than enough people who want to stare.
Depending on the region of the country, people can simply come up and, for example, speak to you, both in English and in their own language :). Most often you will be asked about where you are from, what is your name and how old are you.
If your interlocutor turns out to be “on you” with English, and there are enough such people in India, then the conversation will definitely touch on your education, profession, marital status and number of children.
In some areas that are not particularly popular among tourists, the Indians, at the sight of you, may drop everything they are doing and just stare until you are out of sight. It even happened that older people came up, bowed their heads and tried to kiss our hands ...
On the streets, you will often be addressed respectfully as sir or madam. Many strangers will greet you and will be completely delighted if you return their greeting. In many non-tourist places, you will be treated with emphatic politeness and courtesy.
However, in most cases don't be fooled and perceive increased attention as simple disinterested interest. This statement especially applies to the capital New Delhi, major cities and tourist areas. It is highly recommended to read the article in detail about the situation. “How are Russians treated in India?” (in fact, to all white-skinned foreigners in general).
Poor India: they live below the poverty line
Well, we've moved on to very poor people in Indiato beggars and beggars. How many beggars are there in India? According to information contained in the latest World Bank report extreme poverty refers to the situation of people with a living wage below the level of 1.9 USD per day.
So here it is over 21% citizens of India are classified as living below the poverty line. For comparison: in neighboring China, this figure is close to 0.7%. But let's get away from dry statistics. What do these numbers mean in reality?
I don’t know how it is for you, friends, but for me to be in the congestion zone hungry people is a real test. I've read quite a few horror stories about someone doing business on people's charity. I convinced myself that any person who has a head, arms and legs, or at least one of the above, is able to feed himself and his children without resorting to begging ...
But at the sight of dirty barefoot children and crippled old people, my heart shrinks from pity, moreover, I begin to feel guilty.
I feel guilty for the fact that I feel hungry in the desire to throw off a couple of kilograms from my moderately well-fed bodies, and I do this exclusively voluntarily. Blame for the fact that in my closet there are a lot of beautiful, but essentially unnecessary things, for a dozen pairs of shoes that never saw the light of day, for a pile of gadgets, the cost of which could provide a satisfactory existence for one or two people in need for some period time.
Internal divisions in this moral issue make me feel disgusting, especially when you see people like them or people like them on the way, as in the photo below.
Arrival at India will certainly put you in situations in which women in shabby clothes will stretch their hands towards you and incite their many naked-assed children to do the same. Dirty teenagers will look into your eyes and follow you around until you pay attention to them, and frail old people will silently sit on the ground in some incredibly awkward pose and present a heartbreaking picture with their appearance.
Therefore, if you are already going to visit mother India, then train your nerves, friends, and if it doesn’t work out, then feel free to change your dollars for ringing Indian coins for local beggars.
Many of the beggars do not sit and wait for you to come up and give them, no ... Since you have fair skin, the beggars will quickly find you and ask for help, and sometimes they will literally demand help.
In my opinion, the most striking example the development of this craft and the gradual transformation into art, Indian men serve. They work out their skills in especially crowded places in India, for example, on trains.
Having changed clothes and made up according to all local canons, put on a pile of decorations that the New Year tree will envy, creative geisha walk around the train cars and pester men in the most impudent way.
They touch them, pat them on the head and take them out until they get their coveted "golden one". Moreover, they do not care about the presence of a wife or relatives next to the object of adoration. It should be noted that in India, an open manifestation of feelings is generally not accepted, even holding hands is indecent, but here it is.
Top Tip for a Tourist in India
In India, professional beggars are an old and integral part of history and this occupation is a craft for many thousands of Hindus. And since this is their job, they are convinced that you should help them. Moreover, they consider it your duty and sometimes sincerely do not understand why they are denied.
Therefore, be vigilant and careful do not engage in dialogue with beggars And don't show weaknessgiving a coin to someone from the crowd of children. Do not make such a mistake, unless you decide to give a coin to all the children around you.
Look how do beggars live in india on the Travel Guide website. Video about calm and, as a rule, not violent beggars. About those who usually do not move quickly due to severe injuries of the lower extremities, as well as sedentary mothers with children.
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