Things that happen only in India

India, a land of multiple languages and rituals, a home to numerous religions and festivals is where one in true means find unity in diversity; the same for which the nation is also better known as.

However there are innumerable things that one can perhaps only spot in India. The seventh largest nation homes 1.2 billion people and stands tall as the largest democracy on planet earth; which lately is better known for its now ruling Prime Minister- NaMo, a tea-stall vendor of the 80s.

Two things that have gained immense popularity worldwide since our new government are the Prime Minister and the Nation itself. Things, issues and old trends are on a roll towards change, as the new PM focusses on a developed and skilled India in the coming days.

Though in a nation like India, the old saying- "No change is permanent" stands true and has been proved multiple times in history. A lot of good things and approaches ceased to happen with the blink of an eye, however this time the nation doesn't seem to believe that any of these rooting changes will ever stop. Good for the doer then and good for the receiver!

But to whitewash the old stains and the black spots that our nation bears of the past, definitely we have to get down on our knees and wipe the floor clean ourselves. Not only this would serve the cause, we would in turn also have to change our habits and brush up our social etiquette chapter once again, loud and clear.

Coming to the point about things that can only be spotted in India, I would like to begin with a little observance on change. Change is a very interesting element, just like a bucket of paint- ready to cover the stains and old spots, but a little mishandling can again bring in all the spots those were wiped clean.

India, is more of a journey than a country where you see different shades of lifestyle and trends as you move from one end to another. But, there are a few common things that you can spot no matter where you are in the nation.

Love is the most widespread epidemic in the nation, whether you roam around in the temples observing the walls or you commute by a train or bus, you can always see names circled in hearts with an arrow pierced through. Sometimes, there is a message, like, "I love you Sheela," with love spelt as 'lobe' or 'luv'. Uncountable seats are scratched mercilessly, across the year and the back panel of seats acquire new names, phone numbers and love messages every minute, surpassing
the old ones. I often wonder, if the writer's dedicated lover ever gets to read these messages that their lover wrote scratching and breaking their fingernails. Some wise people bring along a permanent marker for the mission.

As you get down from the bus and turn along the lane, you can spot a faded message on the wall in Hindi saying- "Do not spit here." And the message itself fades with tens and tens of pan-stains jetted with a precise aim on the Hindi letters. As you'll pass by, someone will again use the wall to empty his buccal cavity.

Then as you'll pass by a thin lane, probably a gully- beware to cover your nose when you walk by an empty plot between two houses, coz that's a community dustbin. Don't be surprised to see men urinating on the walls adjacent to this plot.

Urination brings us to our next topic- public toilets. Enter a public toilet, whether in a railway station or a bus station. As you slam the door close and sit down you see a list of contact numbers scratched on the door with ugly and pathetic descriptions such as 'whore,' 'jugaad,' and things similar.

Talking about a journey by train, as it halts between stations people rush in and rush out in a haste. Everyone is in a haste to acquire the empty berths and are later seen negotiating amongst other co-travellers to sit in their seat. The person who sacrifices his seat in the first place is seen battering from seat to seat until his journey ends.

To the list there are numerous other things and acts, but however there is one indispensable thing. When we compare sleeper coaches with AC coaches, we find no haste. People come in a steady gait and take the seat that's allotted to them. There is no negotiation and no inconvenience to the other person. Similarly, enter a toilet in a mall or a PVR and you won't find inscriptions and lurking comments. Travel by metro and there are no love hearts with names and arrows. Also, there are no pan stains in the compound.

So what brings in all the difference? How does a nation with the same people travelling in these two different places act differently? The answer to the problem is literacy and infrastructure development. The sooner it will spike up, such acts will fall down.

With the advent of PM NaMo's government, the entire nation is optimistic about a radical change in the coming years. The sound of an approaching hurricane can be heard clearly, that is on its way to carry away the ills from our community. Sooner or later, in these five years, the entire nation believes that a roadmap to development and change will be laid out. It is thereafter our responsibility to step on it and walk the way through. No matter how good or bad the government is, at the end it is us who matter. A better India is our responsibility and our birth right.
To end with a poetic line, it is wise to say-
"Jhadoo bhi chalega aur rupya bhi uthega, Aao milke sath bade, akela Modi kya kya karega!"
Jai hind!

**This article was picked by TOI, read here:
http://m.timesofindia.com/nri/contributors/contributions/udai-narayan-singh-bisht/Things-that-happen-only-in-India/articleshow/45023058.cms