" The Most weird and interesting things you will only find in India; that are superb"

                                 

India – well if truth be told, I don’t have words to describe what an amazing country it is. I think these wise words of Mark Twain would suffice, “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grandmother of tradition.” You won’t find any other country so diverse and unique. India is the world’s biggest democracy having the longest constitution in the world,  Here is a list of some of the things that make me proud and some that make me sad and yes! these things happen only in India.

##Diverse Culture

                         

India is a land of diverse cultures, religions and communities. There are 28 states and 7 union territories and all of them have a different type of clothing, food and language. There are 22 official languages and more than 1600 dialects are spoken. Even after all the western influences and globalization, it has still managed to keep its cultural diversity intact. India is the only country which is an abode to people following so many religions: Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, etc. This is the only place where the word ‘Ali’ nestles in ‘Diwali’ and ‘Ram’ is present in ‘Ramzan’. Here one doesn’t care whether it is Christmas or Diwali or Eid, but every festival is celebrated with same zeal and excitement

## Indian Cuisine

                           

India is famous all over the world for its mouth-watering cuisine. As soon as one thinks of India one thinks of food, with its thousand colours, aroma and textures at war to win over your taste buds. Indian food is known for its perfect blend and use of spices. Every city is famous for some particular dish for which it is known for, to name a few Rajasthani dal-baati-churma, mumbai’s vadapaav, Idli dosa native to Chennai, kerala porotta, hyderabadi biryani, makke di roti and sarso ka saag and the list goes on and on. One can’t just forget to mention sweets when it comes to Indian cuisine.

##Traditions

                           

India is known for its traditions. Its customs are unique and some may even consider them conservative and orthodox. It is still a place where the daughter-in-law covers her head in front of her elders; kids seek blessings from their parents and grandparents before going for exams. It is a place where people believe in ‘atithi devo bhava’ meaning guest is god.

## “Super” Train Journeys
                                     

The Indian Railways runs the world’s fourth largest rail-road network and is also among the largest employers. I am a frequent traveller in train and every time I see many foreigners travelling in the unreserved second class in spite of having the option of other more comforting classes. The reason is that travelling in an Indian train is an experience of a lifetime. As soon as the train you are wishing to board arrives on the platform, all hell breaks loose. There is an absolute chaos involving people trying to get out and get in at the same time. After getting in you will have to try to get on your seat, even if you do have a reservation given that you were able to get a confirm ticket after long waiting in a line or an hour of trying to access the IRCTC website, because someone will be trying to ask you for adjustment over seats or to move over your luggage.Indian trains also have western toilet (both high & low commot)

## Cricket is a religion

                         

For indians Cricket is a religion and Sachin Tendulkar is the god. Though indians national game is hockey but cricket is above all. Indians bleed “blue”. For Indians, cricket players are indians ideals who motivate to perform better than ever. The starting of IPL has increased the cricket 

##  Open defecation and urination
                       

This is a very common sight every morning in Indian villages: People going to the fields with a water-filled container to answer the nature’s call. Did you know that about 50% of the Indian Population don’t have toilets in their home? And also people spitting after having “paan” wherever they want is also common. Mumbai has actually introduced a “spit inspector” to stop people from spitting in public places.

##Caste system and Reservation

This is one of those things that make me sad. Everything in India is based upon caste. There might not be any other place where there is a reservation based on caste in almost all walks of life whether it be education or getting a job. I am not against any caste system or reservations based on that, because it is indeed beneficial for those who are discriminated society of being a low-caste or untouchable, but it is a shame when a well deserved candidate loses a seat in a college or a job just because of his or her general category.

##.Animals are worshipped

India is a place where cows are considered holy and a snake is considered to be the nag devta. No one in their right mind will ever dare to hurt a cow or a snake, lest the wrath of gods falls upon them. It is a country having the famous Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan where thousands of rats dine with people and scamper over their feet. This may give any elite European a nightmare but for Indians everything is about faith. They say that gods and goddesses can use any form to protect the believers, fish, bird or even a rat.

## It’s a young country

India is a young nation. More than 50% of its 1.2 billion people are aged below 25 and 66% below 35. Many no longer look to the West and they are feeling a sense of self-confidence about their nation. Mumbai has a hipster scene to rival any and home-grown musical talent is flourishing, with many more shunning traditional professions and taking up a career in the arts. A music festival circuit has gigs held in fields and deserts, while major cities such as Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are becoming hubs for live concerts.

##They’re piling on the pounds

“Oh, you’ve put on weight,” said the bank manager with a smile. It’s not rude: adding a few kilogrammes is considered a sign that you’re looking healthy. However, India is on the brink of an obesity epidemic. While large swathes of the country still battle malnourishment, with millions starving every day, there is a general widening of waists in the cities. Queues of Indians gorge on McDonald’s or other processed foods. The older Indian man often sports a fat tummy (known lovingly as a paunch).

9. Don’t wear new clothes on a Saturday

India might be home to some of the world’s best scientists and engineers, but a lot of that rational thinking can go straight out of the window when it comes to observing ancient superstitions. Different people observe different things, such as – don’t wear new clothes on a Saturday, don’t clean the house at night for fear of scaring away the Goddess Lakshmi, it’s bad luck to give or accept anything with your left hand. For so many in India – rich and poor – observing these customs is still part of today’s society. Brand-new cars have a floral garland hanging on the bonnet because it’s considered good luck to get your new vehicle blessed before you drive it. Chili and limes hang in cars or above front doors to ward off evil. Many planes don’t have a row 13.