62 year old Irina Alexandrovna from Magnitogorsk says displeasedly to a waiter in India in Hindi: “Be more careful. Why did you bring naan with cheese unbaked? I’m not your tourist!” The waiter turns pale, babbles something and disappears. “That’s the only way with them,” Irina says sternly. “Otherwise they will definitely be deceived.”
She says that she moved to India immediately after college: “I was 25, and in my last year I married Raj. He is 10 years older, he looked after me beautifully, and I was a girl not spoiled by attention. Such love and passion flared up - all my friends were jealous.”
The wedding took place in two countries in turn - both in the USSR and in India. Irina admits that at first she was shocked by the country. “I thought it was like in a movie. Well, beautiful princesses, temples, palaces, elephants, coconut trees, dancing on every corner. And on the first day, a snake crawled into my bedroom - I screamed so hard, I woke up the whole house. Raj calmly crushed it with his foot and said, well, nothing happens. There is a mountain of dirt on the streets, beggars are crawling with scabs, torrential rains for 3 months in a row... The romance has diminished. I really wanted smoked brisket and doctor’s sausage, I just dreamed about them, but you couldn’t buy them anywhere. I’m tired of fighting cockroaches; nothing can poison them: they are healthy, the size of a finger. Raj kept laughing: they say, we shouldn’t fight with our cockroaches, but make friends. But Raj loved me madly, and I loved him, and that’s the most important thing.”
Five years ago, Irina Alexandrovna’s husband died, but she no longer wants to return to Russia. “There’s no point. I chat in Hindi, wear a sari, and with my local girlfriends I go to the market to buy chili peppers for green beans in curry. I watch Indian TV series where good triumphs over evil, and the poor with beautiful souls are better than the disgusting rich. I like it here, in general.”
Photo: / Georgy Zotov
Mother in law and white horse
I was not given the exact number of women from the Russian Federation living in India, but their approximate number is estimated at several tens of thousands: from 30,000 to 70,000. These are mainly our girls who married Indians during the period of great friendship between the USSR and India in the sixties and eighties years of the 20th century, when many Indian students studied in the Soviet Union, and all the Soviet ladies flocked to the cinemas to see “The Disco Dancer”. India seemed mystical and alluring “abroad”. Those who arrived after the nineties did not have much luck with the exotic.
“The climate is terrible, the heat is sticky,” complains the 28-year-old Victoria from Krasnodar, who settled in Kerala with her Tamil husband in 2012. - Always keep the air conditioning on - the electricity bills will be astronomical: so you sit by the fan that circulates hot air. The sun burns my skin: I thought I’d become dark-skinned and everyone’s envy, but I’m always wearing cream. There is nothing to do at all. In India, it is not customary for wives to work: even the poorest husbands have their women at home. At first I said that I wanted to become a tourist guide, my mother-in-law scolded me: are you out of your mind? What will the neighbors say about my son if his wife goes to work for him? And mothers-in-law in India have stronger authority than in Russia; they don’t dare object to them. We had a great wedding: we celebrated for three days, music, dancing, tons of flowers, the groom came for me on a white horse. The main thing in marriage in India is children, they give birth to a lot of them, but I was not ready for this. I thought: well, after thirty years we’ll start one... Scandals began every day: “Why don’t you want to? The purpose of a woman in the world is a child!’ And they definitely expect her to give birth to a boy: the ‘weaker sex’ is not valued. Such cases are not uncommon: if a wife finds out on an ultrasound that she is pregnant with a girl, she has an abortion on family recommendation. We did not officially divorce, although I returned back to Krasnodar. I fly to India only for the winter, then it’s nice here, you can even swim in the sea. The husband sighs, of course, but doesn’t mind. He loves me."
God with a tail and a banana
The main “scarecrow” for our women in India is animals and insects. “Lord, how tired I am of monkeys! — angry Marina, former resident of Veliky Ustyug. “They’re impudent as hell, they can tear an earring out of your ear, if you buy a bag of nuts on the street to eat, they’ll jump on your shoulder and snatch it right out of your hands.” I would have hit the macaque with an umbrella: they are dangerous, they infect you with all sorts of diseases. But you can’t, the monkey is a sacred animal. The Indians swear at them, they can swing a stick at them, but never to hit them. Like, they are divine. Damn, what kind of god can be with a tail and a banana?!”
“My constant companion in life in India is dichlorvos,” says 35-year-old Khabarovsk resident Alexandra, who has been living in Trivandrum for 10 years. “The ants hesitated, spiders, some midges: they’ll bite, then you’ll be itching for a month.” Mosquitoes spread dengue fever and malaria. At first she didn’t leave the house without spraying herself with repellent, then she waved her hand... Well, why not everyone gets sick in a row. We need to be careful, but we shouldn’t panic.”
But everyone has an excellent relationship with elephants.
“My neighbor keeps three elephants,” says Alexandra. - Funny, such a colossus, but calm, like a cow. And when an elephant and its driver walk through the city, it obediently stops at a red light: it’s already accustomed.” Many of our ladies do not have a good relationship with Indian food. Irina Aleksandrovna, who dreamed of the doctor’s sausage, explains: her late husband was a vegetarian, and she had to “reformat” herself.
Photo: / Georgy Zotov
“When he was courting me, I didn’t pay attention: well, he only eats salads, and okay, who doesn’t like cucumbers and tomatoes. And then we came to India, and it turned out that in the family they didn’t eat meat or chicken. What a nightmare! Then I got involved, now I don’t eat meat of my own free will: somehow the feeling is lighter, calmer. Fruits, vegetables, milk, paneer cheese - that's it. The first year of our marriage I tried to accustom my husband to Russian food. I mix Olivier - he won’t eat it, damn it, even vegetarian. But you can’t make herring under a fur coat; there are no such products. There are girls who, even after thirty years, are not accustomed to Indian food: they go to the store at the Russian Embassy in Delhi, where our products are exorbitantly expensive: they are tough, they creak, but they buy them.”
“Fool, ruined karma”
“If you like being a housewife, you live like Christ in your bosom,” says the 57-year-old Lyudmila, who moved to India in 1984 from Saratov. - Just take care of the house, and they shower you with gifts, pamper you, cherish you, carry you in their arms. I gave birth to my first child - my father-in-law and mother-in-law gave me gold; I didn’t know what to do with the bracelets, rings, earrings. They love children, they dote on them... They spoil them so much that you get scared. They don’t drink: Indians, for the most part, rarely drink alcohol; it’s not in their culture. If someone comes home drunk, they gather the advice of relatives and scold them: he is a fool, they say, he has ruined his karma. Morals are strict: if I wear European clothes, the dress must be below the knee, this is not Goa, where everyone walks around half naked. I love Indian sari. Great thing: size doesn’t matter, I bought the material, wrapped it up and went for myself. I was bored at first, of course, I didn’t know what to do. You’re always stuck at home; if you go out for a walk alone, it’s not accepted; you have to be with either your sister or your husband’s mother. I used to think that in India there were whole crowds of people dancing on the sidewalks, like in the movies. Oh, I was wrong."
It is surprising that girls from the regions of Russia, having arrived in India, speak local dialects, wear saris, learned to cook complex Indian dishes and cope with the heat: although, of course, it was very difficult for them. Here's my word of honesty: we don't value our women the way they truly deserve.
Stories about Krasnoyarsk residents who decided to radically change their lives - go to another country, find work and housing there. If 20 years ago 5% of the Russian population thought about emigrating, then in the spring of 2013, according to VTsIOM data, already 13% (and if you believe the Levada Center, then that’s all 22%) . Students and entrepreneurs (almost every second), as well as employees (every third), dream more than others of “getting out.”
Many people know them in Krasnoyarsk. They still have family and friends here. But they chose to leave. Natalya Durbanova. Krasnoyarsk - St. Petersburg - Kuala Lumpur - Mumbai. Online answers to 10 questions.
Do you need to prepare for moving? Or is an impulsive decision the only way to leave with 100% probability?
You need to prepare - try to acquire the maximum number of skills that will be useful to you in the future. Universal skills - profession, knowledge of language (English is a must, another one is better), even a driver's license. In short, everything you can study and master at home, so that after moving you don’t waste time, effort and money on it.
What was it like in your case?
I never set myself the goal of moving abroad. Firstly, I didn’t emigrate, but I’ve been working abroad, just for the sixth year and the third country in a row. Secondly, initially the idea was to work and gain life and professional experience in another country. In 2003, I graduated from the Faculty of Economics of KSU with a degree in world economics (WE). The head of the department suggested trying to enroll in a master's program in St. Petersburg. The decision had to be made in half a day. I tried and got accepted. After a master's degree and three years of work in St. Petersburg at PricewaterhouseCoopers (one of the four largest auditing companies in the world), I unexpectedly received a job offer in Malaysia, in the regional office of a large Australian company. I had 2 days to think about it, and I decided. After three years of working in Malaysia, I went to Mumbai as a tourist and realized that my next country would be India. In terms of professional experience, Peter and Kuala Lumpur gave me enough; it was time for personal growth. In all my moves, I made a decision quickly, perhaps because each time I thought that it would only be for a year, two or three, and I would return. In the end, I move on every time :)
In your case, does moving abroad mean going there? Or leave here?
It would be more correct to say - go there. No, I never left “from here”; I always felt good where I lived. I had a good time in Krasnoyarsk, I love St. Petersburg in my own way, I really liked and like Kuala Lumpur. Just while there is an opportunity, why not use it.
In July I was on vacation in Krasnoyarsk, and I thought, “How lucky I am! I was born in the best city in the world! Honestly! “We have big roads, clean streets, no crowds of people, nature, snow, a lot of culture - there is so much…” But in order to appreciate it, you had to travel halfway around the world :)
Why this country?
There are two main reasons.
- Professional. I am an economist by education, worked as an auditor, accountant, and set up an outsourcing department in Malaysia. India is an IT country, and I decided that if I was looking for a job here, it only made sense in the high-tech sector. Now I work for an online payment processing company, something like Paypal, but only in a special niche - a high-risk business. This area requires a good technology platform that is quite complex from a programming point of view, so the owner and technical team are Indian, but they hire foreigners to handle the clients. The difference in Indian and European mentality has a strong impact. I talk to Europeans in a language they understand; my boss does not complicate his life with the peculiarities of written etiquette. So, foreigners like me have to deal with communicating with European banks and drafting business letters and proposals. In addition, Indians have a very flexible attitude towards time, accordingly, deadlines are a very flexible concept :), but an Indian has, conditionally, 55 reincarnations, while a European has only one. I understand that if a client from England writes that it must be done today, it must be done today! Not tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. However, today the whole world is working with India, and we must learn to understand the Indian mentality.
- Personal reason. At different stages of life you set tasks of different complexity. India is a complex, multifaceted and multi-layered country, but very interesting. Even if you take a 6-month vacation between jobs and travel from north to south, you won’t understand India. Many things in India seem at least incomprehensible to Europeans, and at most absurd. But in India there is a logic to everything, we just don’t know it! This is why I came for a long time, to at least partially understand.
What are the biggest differences between Russia and your new country?
— Standard of living, contrast.
In Russia the average standard of living is much higher. India is a country of contrasts.
There are people so poor that we would never even dream of living 10 people in one room all their lives, and having a cup of rice on the table twice a day. But there are also such rich people that our Abramovichs could not even dream of. In Mumbai there is a house - the largest in the world, worth about 1 billion, 27 floors, its own "" and a helipad - a family of 5 (five!) people lives in the house. (The house, by the way, is not only the most expensive, but also one of the ugliest in the city :))
The middle class is far from being the majority; the poor are much more numerous.
What amazed me when I first arrived in India was that this gap between different segments of the population does not lead to a social explosion and revolutions, as in the 20th century in Russia, say. The reason for this is the caste system. With us, those “at the bottom” are dissatisfied with their position. An Indian who was born in a low caste and worked all his life as a servant does not even think that fate might have something else in store for him. Of course, even in a low caste there is a chance to get an education; there are state quotas in universities for low castes, but these are few.
— Availability of house helpers.
In India, almost everyone has a domestic servant. Here, every middle-income family usually has housekeepers, either living with them or visiting them. A housekeeper can live and sleep in the kitchen all her life, and this is in the order of things. Plus a laundress comes to them (few people have washing machines, everyone was very surprised why I need one, because you can do it for $15 ( ~600 rubles) a month to give everything to a specially trained person, he will also iron the laundry), toilet cleaner, driver, car washer, milkman, florist (like we subscribe to a newspaper - in India you can sign up for the delivery of flowers for religious services) and so on. And this is not even a matter of prestige - it’s just the way it is. According to the law, all these people, of course, do not belong to anyone, but in fact they are very dependent on their owners. The servants receive, on average, from 1 to 5 thousand rubles from our money. The population of India is 1 billion 200 million people, and all these people need work, and that's the whole point. The upper and middle strata of the population believe that the more servants are hired, the more good the work is done - otherwise all these people would live in the village, in much worse conditions.
— Attitude to personal space.
If in Russia things are generally normal with this, personal space is a kilometer long - “mind your own business” (“don’t interfere in other people’s affairs”) is highly valued there, then in India there is no personal space at all. Maria Arbatova wrote it correctly - Indians perceive the whole world as one big family. And when one of the members of this large family does something wrong, he is patiently taught and guided. My Hindi teacher came to me three times a week and during the teaching process she was interested in literally everything - every event in my life, checked all my photos on Facebook, read any comments (she diligently translated Russian-language ones!). I was simply shocked by such “care”. Another amazing example - once I met a young man, we started dating, in general, due to the romantic haze in my head, the work was neglected. Two weeks later, my boss finally calls me in and, without any embarrassment, lays out all the ins and outs about my admirer - his name, where he lives, what car he drives, what family he’s from, that is, he literally opens his file in front of me. This was the first and only time in my life in India when I wanted to take a ticket for the next flight and leave. For the boss, it was an expression of sincere concern. It was such a touching, fatherly approach to solving what was essentially a labor problem, and it is very indicative of India.
— Attitude to family values.
India is a country with a very low divorce rate. And if there are children in the family, it’s almost impossible. The tradition of arranged marriage is very strong here - marriages not of convenience, but rather by agreement. There are now about 70% of them, and in villages it’s 99%. Marriage becomes a kind of transaction for families based on caste. In case of divorce, you are excluded from your family and society, this is the worst thing that can happen in the life of an Indian. Therefore, the attitude towards marriage is very, very serious. And if castes are now practically not taken into account when hiring (and 10 years ago it was much easier for a Brahmin, a representative of the highest caste of priests, to get a job), then when choosing a partner, this is a fundamental factor. Marriages for love are viewed with suspicion here - it is not very reliable, love is like carrots. And this has its own logic, as with everything in India. People get married with the understanding that it is forever, and there is no other option and there will not be, so you need to build a relationship with the one you have.
Do you feel like a stranger in a new country?
I feel like a stranger and one at the same time.
My own - I wear Indian clothes even in the office (it’s much more convenient, by the way, I don’t have to suffer in heels :)), I speak Hindi at the everyday level. Hindi is more difficult than English, but easier than Japanese or Chinese. Some complex sounds (there are three “t” ones), the logic of sentence construction is a little different - we have prepositions, they have postpositions (“I’m from Russia, I live in Mumbai”), and so on. As one of my friends said - living in a foreign country and not speaking its language, it’s like you’re looking at the world through a dark glass - you can live, but the quality of life is different. All professional education above grade 10 in India is conducted in English, and educated Indians speak English well, but in everyday life, Hindi is, of course, necessary. In Hindi, I mostly haggle, swear, and touchingly talk about my mom, dad, and brother. At work only English.
Alien, in a good way - still, the attitude towards a European-looking person in India is different, more privileged, I would say. Indians have a very positive attitude towards Russians, dating back to Soviet times.
Is it difficult to find work/housing?
Housing in Mumbai is the most expensive in India. This is the largest city in the country, 20 million people live here. It stands on a group of islands that were artificially filled in and the city began to be built. Now this is a peninsula and there is nowhere for the city to grow; it goes out to sea. In Delhi, for example, about 13 million people live, but its area is 7 times larger - there are wide avenues, huge streets, practically Moscow. In Mumbai, everyone lives very densely, skyscrapers and then, in general, real estate here is expensive. Prices are somewhere between St. Petersburg and Moscow, and by Indian standards the highest.
India attracts with its unconventional beauty, openness, and friendliness of its people. Whatever aspect of life you look at, everywhere modernity coexists with traditionalism, which is often surprising. Maybe that’s why people evaluate life in India differently.
India is a land of contrasts
The multinationality of the country, the abundance of languages and religions is striking. The “diversity” of the population is explained by the centuries-old mixing of nationalities due to migration processes.
Anyone who has lived in India for a long time is not surprised by the local color, slums next to palaces. At first it is difficult for beginners to take for granted the many cows and dogs on the city streets, the chaos on the roads, the dirt, the variety of smells, and the constant hum. And the fact that the standard of living of Indians varies greatly. There are plenty of millionaires here, but many more beggars.
It is not easy to answer the question: “Is India a poor or rich country?” Some sources write that a third of all poor people live in this state. Moreover, poverty is not considered a vice here. “It’s written in the family” is the main law of karma. Social inequality is off the charts: there is an insurmountable gap between the richest and the poorest.
Ecology
Serious environmental problems are harming the country and threatening the state of the world as a whole. Among the main ones are deforestation, soil depletion, air and water pollution. There is a lot of precipitation, but the water quickly evaporates, and pollution of the remaining water makes it inaccessible to a large number of the population. Smog in cities is a consequence of oversaturation with transport, the use of old cars, and the use of low-quality gasoline.
Environmental problems are also influenced by the fact that India is a country where residents do not care about the cleanliness of the environment even at the everyday level: garbage is thrown right outside the doorstep of homes, even in prosperous neighborhoods.
But man does not harm the flora and fauna - the mentality and beliefs are not the same. There are many nature reserves, numerous projects are being implemented to protect forests, coral reefs, etc.
It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how people live in India. Life depends on wealth. Wealthy city residents have apartments or houses, cars and even servants. But there are many more families struggling to make ends meet.
Life in India is absolutely not organized. People are indifferent to comfort and convenience. Most apartments have not only no hot water supply, but also no toilets.
Cloth
The most popular women's outfit is the sari - a piece of fabric that envelops a woman from head to toe. We also love the shalwar kameez - trousers and tunic that are narrow at the ankles. Brilliant, numerous jewelry is at a premium.
Men (especially in rural areas) also wear cotton cloth with a shirt on top. But there are also jackets that fasten with buttons - sherwanis, sometimes resembling a coat in length. The traditional headdress is a turban, the shape of which depends on the area, faith, and interest.
Given that India is a conservative country, travelers should dress modestly. It is best to wear loose, figure-concealing clothes made from light natural fabrics.
Product prices
Cheapness somewhat brightens up the life of the common people in India. 100 rupees at the beginning of April 2020 corresponded to 88 rubles. Compare. The cost in the markets of vegetables is up to 20 rupees, fruits - from 25 to 100 (mangosteens), fish - 200-250, lobsters - 1200. In stores, chicken can be bought for 100, beef - for 220, a dozen eggs - for 50, milk - for 40 rupees. Food prices in India in 2020 are surprising.
Features of Indian cuisine
For Hindus, food and everything related to its preparation has a sacred meaning associated with family life.
There are many national characteristics. For example, excessive love for hot and spicy dishes. Europeans are not ready for this. Unexpected combinations of products are also appreciated. Fried bananas in tandem with cucumbers and chili peppers are not the most surprising combination on a plate.
The predominant food is rice, peas, vegetables, cheese, tortillas. The preferred meat is lamb, goat, and poultry. Due to beliefs, beef and pork are generally not consumed. Desserts using milk, nuts, rice, honey, fruits, and spices are varied and tasty.
It is important for travelers to remember simple rules:
- wash your hands more often;
- drink only bottled water;
- try national dishes with caution, order them without local spices;
- Do not neglect fennel, which can be found in any catering establishment and will help avoid stomach problems.
Families are large, several generations live in one house. It is allowed to marry only a representative of one’s own caste and religion, by agreement of the parents of the young man and the girl. There are usually a lot of children. There are practically no divorces. The head of the family is the eldest man, he solves all the problems of the household, and the money he earns is given to him.
Many people are interested in how women live in India? Also in different ways. For the poor, already in the womb a girl becomes unwanted, and they try to get rid of her. If born, they can unobtrusively contribute to leaving for another world. This is because the girl will have to be married off. And to do this, pay a kind of dowry. This means that you have to strain all your life to save the required amount. She will not have the right to vote, even when she becomes a wife. She has to work a lot, unless, of course, she is married to a very wealthy man. This one doesn’t work anywhere, she has a lot of beautiful clothes and jewelry, she is not offended, especially if she gives birth to sons. But she is not treated the same as a poor woman.
Violence and discrimination affect women of Indian origin to a greater extent; foreign women feel freer. Russian wives speak good or bad about the country and their life in it, depending on whether they got married successfully. If a man is independent and decides to live outside the clan, or if the parents’ family is educated and not poor and approves of their son’s choice, then life, one might say, is a success. There will be inconveniences related to the climate, food, and utilities, but in general everything is not very different from the existence of the average Russian family.
Housing cost
Real estate in India attracts investors due to its affordability. Housing is purchased mainly in big cities and resort areas, where it can be rented out at a profit. They also buy non-residential premises - for trade or production.
The cost of a small apartment in Goa is about 10 thousand dollars. Far from the coastal zone, you can buy a spacious apartment in good repair for $60,000. In the largest cities the price of 1 sq. m of housing - at least 950 dollars, and often reaches 20 thousand.
You can buy a hut in the countryside. Only the quality of housing is low and there are no amenities. In addition, you will have to always be where the Indians live around. Not everyone likes it.
The purchased property must be declared and the tax on it must be paid on time, the amount of which is approved by each state independently.
Where do they work?
The national unemployment rate is through the roof. In this situation, finding a job for an immigrant from Russia, even a good specialist, is problematic. You can evaluate the opportunities in the article “Working in India”.
The authorities identify illegal labor and expel it from the country.
Salary rates
The average salary of Indians is significantly lower than in other countries. Based on per capita income, the average worker would earn approximately $2,700 per year. But a third of the total cash flow goes to highly paid employees, who make up no more than 10%.
The minimum wage for villages is 4 thousand rupees (60 dollars), more than half of all workers receive it. This is practically a living wage. The hourly average can be only 30-60 cents. Employees of private companies receive more ($120), less - state employees ($75). Salary levels vary by industry.
In order for an immigrant to obtain a work visa, he must find a job that will pay over 2 thousand dollars a month. This is possible if you manage to get a job in a foreign company, for example, in the IT field. They pay based on European values.
Education system in India
The level of general education in the country is low, many illiterate people. But the education system in 2020 includes all traditional stages: preschool, school, vocational, higher and postgraduate.
State and non-state education. The second is intended for both children and adolescents, as well as adults. A 40-year-old schoolboy is not uncommon.
Kindergartens are preparatory groups for schools; here they begin to become acquainted with the English language, which is compulsory for study at school, where children come from the age of 4. For the first 10 years they study for free and according to a single program, then students are divided into those who will master professions and those who will continue their education.
The average private school is paid, but affordable to the average family.
Higher education is represented by more than two hundred universities, mainly focused on European standards. Depending on the length of study and future profession, students receive bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees.
For foreigners, admission to local universities gives the right to obtain a residence permit. Diligent study leads to strong knowledge and guarantees decent employment in the country. Therefore, studying in India is popular among those who would like to stay in the country for a long time.
Education in India is no worse than in Europe, America and China. Universities produce well-trained specialists. Russians have the opportunity to study for free, count on a hostel and a scholarship. The main condition is excellent knowledge of the English language.
Medical level
There is no free healthcare in India. There are many private clinics with a narrow specialization. Their services are cheaper than in public medical centers - most of them are well equipped, with highly qualified doctors who receive good salaries. Their services are used by wealthy locals and foreigners. The so-called medical tourism is the most developed here. This is facilitated by the low cost of services compared to the USA and Israel, for example. As well as adherence to traditional methods of treatment, set out in Ayurveda and which have many followers all over the world, which is used for commercial purposes.
For most local residents, quality healthcare is unaffordable. Hospitals in remote areas serve patients in unsuitable premises, often without electricity, water, or medicine. Theoretically, the help is free, but in reality they charge a fee for the appointment, based on the patient’s income.
Childbirth often takes place at home, under the supervision of a midwife or mother-in-law. If in a clinic, a caesarean section is usually offered. Natural childbirth must be negotiated additionally. The statistics are inexorable: maternal and child mortality in India is perhaps the highest in the world.
Tourists need to purchase medical insurance, which includes a basic insurance option and, if desired, various options.
Russians in India
There are no more than a thousand Russians with Indian citizenship and permanent residence; they mostly settled in Delhi. But many more live unofficially. It is believed that Russians come to India for spirituality, searching for the meaning of life, and improving in yoga. There are also quite a few businessmen, but most of the “Russian Indians” are the wives of local men. To understand how Russians live in India, you need to talk to them. The country is exotic, the natural and living conditions are specific and pose a serious test for Europeans.
Attitude of native residents towards Russian immigrants
The close cooperation between India and the former USSR has influenced the way Russians are viewed today. The memories are pleasant, but they are immediately darkened when immigrants behave inappropriately, not recognizing the traditions, beliefs, and customs of the local residents. For example, ardent Hindus and Muslims treat Christians poorly. There are isolated cases of Russophobia. “Russians” here refer to all immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
Where live
It is easier to meet Russians in large cities and resort areas. In Mumbai, housing is the most expensive, but the city is considered safe to live in. And it’s easier to find a job than, for example, in Delhi, where life is more comfortable and a little cheaper, but unemployment and crime are high. Bangalore is attractive due to its modern infrastructure and reasonable prices for housing, especially rented housing. But the most popular state is Goa, where immigrants mainly flock.
Features of life in Goa
India through the eyes of Russians is, for the most part, “Goa through the eyes of Russians.” And a resort is a resort. The local settlers are happy with life and have no intention of leaving here. Children are sent to English schools, then they pay for education in good universities. The tourism business brings in decent income. Service to compatriots occurs not at local, but at European rates. There are many Russian restaurants and shops, they need labor, the owners prefer to hire “their own”. Some people live on odd jobs. Those who know English have a chance to get a job as a salesperson or a tour guide. Masseurs, dancers, and animators are in demand.
True, foreigners have limited rights. But the Russian consulate, if necessary, helps restore justice.
Comparison of lifestyle in India and Russia
The pros and cons of the life of Russians in an ancient, distinctive country can be imagined in comparison with Russia.
| Russia | India | |
| Standard of living | 37th place in the world | 104th place in the world |
| Culture | Needs improvement | Completely absent, social chaos |
| Accessible to the majority of the population | Inaccessible to most of the population | |
| People | People are sociable and friendly for the most part | Closed and uncommunicative with foreigners |
| Society | People are not indifferent to what is happening, they strive to improve things | Indifference to everything. I'm happy with the life I have. |
| Communication | In Russian or any other language | Exclusively in English or Hindi |
| Education | Constant desire to learn new things and improve | Poorly educated population, inability for the majority of residents to study |
India is an extremely interesting, colorful and attractive country for tourists. Few people think about permanent residence. But if you are drawn here spiritually, it will provide an opportunity for self-improvement.
India seems to us an amazing, almost fabulous country with vibrant exotic nature, ancient culture and unusual traditions. But those who are going on a tourist trip to this country should find out how people live in India. Because if you look away from the glossy brochures of travel companies, then everything turns out to be not so rosy and beautiful.
It would probably be correct to say that people here live the same way as in any other country in the world - in different ways. However, the contrasts between wealth and poverty, prosperity and miserable existence, civilization and barbarity are so great that they will shock any European visiting India. It is enough to cite some statistics.
Before traveling to this amazing country, it is worth finding out how people live in India.
- India is a country with a rapidly developing economy. It ranks 2nd in the world in terms of the number of dollar billionaires. But 65% of its population lives in extreme poverty.
- While some people have huge incomes, the other part of the population has no income at all. 30% of Indians are unemployed or rely on odd jobs.
- One of the richest cities in India is Mumbai, where every fourth resident owns a luxurious mansion. And 42% of Indians live in slums and do not even have the opportunity to use normal drinking water.
- In terms of financial investments in the development of advanced technologies, India ranks 8th in the world. But 30% of the population cannot even write.
These are not all contrasts, and when talking about India, it is difficult to escape the idea that there are two completely different countries. But many tourists returning from there notice first of all the appalling poverty.
Indeed, in our opinion, many people here live in appalling conditions. The caste system, although officially prohibited by the constitution, actually continues to exist. And mostly the population adheres to caste traditions.
The lowest castes, those belonging to the varna of untouchables, live below the poverty line even by the standards of India itself. And if in cities the differentiation is not so noticeable, then in villages untouchables can still do only the dirtiest work.
But they take their position and fate for granted - in history there have never been uprisings and riots of the untouchables. It’s not for nothing that India is called the country of happy poor people.
For thousands of years, the dominant philosophy of Hinduism in society has taught people to calmly endure hardships and accept the world as it is.
We are used to seeing India through fantastic Bollywood films and beautiful nature photographs, but few people remember that India is a third world country. People in Indian slums live in simply appalling conditions, but they are used to it and seem to be happy with everything, or maybe they have simply never seen a better life. We invite you to stroll through the streets of Indian slums, away from the tourist routes, and see the real, harsh other side of India.
Delhi slums:
The most popular garbage dump in Delhi is the river
For obvious reasons, the river smells very bad, even at a decent distance from it
The life of many ordinary Indians is the same as it was a hundred years ago. Cordless charcoal iron
Indian school bus
Outdoor toilet. Indians are not burdened with complexes. Many people generally go to the toilet wherever they have to, without being embarrassed by passers-by
Some men relieve themselves on their haunches, according to some custom
"Internet cafe" and computer club in Delhi
Typical slums in Delhi. India's population is 1.22 billion people. Not everyone has enough decent housing
Some drive cars dating back to British colonialism.
"Cozy" taxi stop
Street hair salon
In addition to people with disabilities, there are firecrackers like these begging on the roads. Seeing tourists, they quickly approach and start patting you on different parts of the body, probably finding out the presence of coins
They immediately began to cleanse the man who died on the street, in front of everyone. They took the money out of their pocket and took off their shoes
A stone was thrown at the photographer and he had to quickly retreat. Maybe this person didn't even die, but simply lost consciousness
Fresh chicken
Horse-drawn transport, 1 ox power
Harsh Indian childhood
You can eat tasty and inexpensive food on the street, but hygiene and sanitation are a problem
Motorcycle traffic jam in Delhi. A great opportunity to find out the latest news and get to know each other
Delhi jungle with wires hanging everywhere
Housing in the city center
As you know, the cow is a sacred animal in Hinduism. Eating beef is taboo. Cow's milk and dairy products play a key role in Hindu rituals. Cows are shown respect everywhere and are allowed to roam freely through city streets. Everywhere in India it is considered a very auspicious sign to give something to a cow to eat before breakfast. In many states in India there is a ban on killing cows; killing or injuring a cow can lead to jail time. Historically, due to the ban on eating cows, a system arose in Indian society in which only pariahs (one of the lower castes) ate the meat of slaughtered cows and used their skins in leather production
Cow slaughter is restricted in all Indian states except West Bengal and Kerala, where there are no restrictions. Cows are systematically transported to these regions for slaughter, despite the fact that transporting cows across state lines is prohibited by Indian laws. In large cities, however, many private slaughterhouses operate. As of 2004, there were approximately 3,600 legal slaughterhouses in India, while the number of illegal slaughterhouses was estimated at 30,000. All attempts to close illegal slaughterhouses have been unsuccessful.
Let's go to another Indian metropolis - Bangalore
On the Delhi-Bangalore train. Indian guides do not have a separate compartment, they sleep on the floor next to the toilet
Bangalore:
Mumbai:
Mumbai (Mumbai, until 1995 - Bombay) is the most populous city in India (15 million people). Center for the entertainment industry. Bollywood film studios are located here, as are the offices of most television and satellite networks in India.
Children's childhood in Mumbai
Washing on the river bank
Another million-plus city in northeast India is Allahabad:
