Myths and reality of life in India

India has successfully become part of a multinational global space. In reality, like centuries ago, life in India abides strictly by a regulation called castes.

It is officially no more Indians who will pay attention to the caste affiliation of their colleague or interlocutor. From the point of view of official rules, even the legendary untouchable caste is vested with rights. The ranking is preserved. It is all the more noticeable as the one with whom you will need to communicate belongs to a higher caste.

Marriages are contracted almost always only by senior family members. People in India do not have the right to choose their partner for further family life. Wedding celebrations are paid for by the bride’s family. This is one of the reasons for waiting for the birth of a son, not a daughter. Young people should belong to a universal religion. Most of the population is wary of long-term partnerships, especially marriage to a foreigner. A person here cannot and usually does not want to belong to himself, preferring family, and national traditions.

This will need to be taken into account when dealing with the local population. It is especially not recommended to show a negative attitude to accepted standards here.

The beauty of Indian women

Indian women are very beautiful, but not from a European perspective. Indian film actresses only are relatively close to the standards used for appearance. In reality, local beauty tends to obesity. There are no habits of rationing food. Most of the girls from early youth are quite fat. Even the most slender of them quickly gain weight with age.

European ideas about female age are unusual here. Like years ago, marriages are contracted at an early age. The genetic tendency to premature ageing turns the former beauty by the age of forty into an old-fashioned older woman who has long had grandchildren.

Dirt on the streets of India

The unique dirt on the streets of almost any settlement of this country has already become a legend. In the country’s tradition, there is no practice of the institution of professional cleaners. It is impossible to hear slow sweeping up in the early morning on local streets. Moreover, professional and regular cleaning is not carried out even in wealthy neighbourhoods.

In many areas of slums of this country, real unsanitary conditions reign. This is important to consider even with a regular tourist trip. Although in areas where they lay the “trail of travellers,” they try to maintain relative cleanliness. But go to the next street to face debris and dirt again.

Poverty

It is worth considering the presence on the streets, even in Delhi, of a large number of beggars. Prices in India are too high for most of the population, which pushes a large number of residents to this, and poverty is widespread. An essential difference from the beggars usual in our cities is a polite attitude towards a person passing by, and they will not beg in India.

Separately, pay attention to the sannyasi. They are visible in bright orange clothes. These are those who consciously chose the path of renunciation of worldly life and its blessings. These wandering monks do not ask for money. They are given food. In this country, meeting a sannyasi and helping him is considered a good deed. Most of them are continually living in ashrams.

Despite the large number of beggars, theft does not exist here. Even children are not keen on petty theft among Europeans. Thefts are very rare, and minimum measures of respect for their things are enough. All these factors, especially the poverty level in India, should be taken into account when planning to move for permanent or temporary residence in this country. Or even in the case of a tourist trip.

The role of religion in life

The inhabitants of India are not as religious as it is generously thought. Most of them believe in karma and reincarnation.

But it is essential to pay attention to the lack of tolerance between representatives of different religions, often described as “friendship” between representatives of different faiths. Most of the repatriates to this country are more likely to see a negative attitude between followers of different religions. Most of the population, about 80% are Hindus. About 13% of the inhabitants are Muslims. There are Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches. The local people are wary of those who decide to accept Hinduism by moving to India.

By the way, do not assume that every resident is actively and continuously engaged in yoga. The followers are Hindu temple monks and professional instructors. Separately, it is worth evaluating India as a place of permanent residence.

Emigration to India

Having planned to choose this country as the place of your permanent residence, you will need to evaluate your opportunity to survive in this territory successfully clearly.

Here, despite the low standard of living, a large Russian diaspora has long been living. Including children and grandchildren of those who left Russia searching for a better life in the first emigration waves after the October Revolution and the years of the formation of Soviet power. Residents of our country stand out in different years, contrary to the customs country, who created families with Indians.

Most often, a resident of Russia marries a Hindu. This is due to demographic imbalance. Official statistics prove that there are more men in the country when they start families than women. The growth in the number of such unions is also facilitated by the tough qualification of choosing a bride from compatriots. A potential husband must meet strict caste and financial requirements. As a result, it becomes more comfortable and more profitable for many Indians to find a spouse abroad. The policy of official Delhi significantly constrains the number of potential migrants to India.

Authorities willingly accept temporary practitioners of spiritual practices. They are sympathetic to the long-term residents on their territory of holders of free professions who earn their livelihood through remote employment. Such guests can even get a residence permit. Becoming a citizen of India is much more difficult. Applicants have a large number of requirements. Besides, for an immigrant, life in India is incredibly complicated. The reason for this is immediately a large number of factors.

Congestion of the labour market. This country, in terms of population, is in second place on the planet. Moreover, most of the community is young. Working-age in 2019 reaches more than 140 million residents. For this reason, trying to repatriate to break into the labour market is quite tricky. Today, unemployment in India, even among the local population, is very high.

This is further exacerbated by a significant percentage of applicants who have completed higher education and apply for highly paid positions. More than 500 applicants with appropriate experience in teaching and work aspire to one place in an international corporation. As a result, more than 80% of working citizens of the country are employed in the shadow sector of the economy. Unemployment in India is incredibly high.

Positions that emigrants can claim

The lack of demand for emigrants is a disadvantage, even in low-paid related activities. They will not be allowed at the state level to occupy a position for which an indigenous person can be employed. No more than 1% of jobs are allocated to the share foreigners in the state of companies, which, as a rule, goes to invite highly qualified specialists especially, their salary exceeds $ 26,000 a year.

Strict punitive actions apply to foreigners who decide to find work in the illegal sector. Since as a result, there is no opportunity to legally confirm your income, the prospect of obtaining even a permanent residence permit, not to mention permanent residence, often become mythical.

How Russians live in India

Nevertheless, a large number of Russian citizens live in India on an almost permanent basis. As a rule, they live in the status of “delayed” tourists in the country. For those who can receive a steady income for living, this is a blessed country. Prices in India are amazing for their affordability. You can bring the cost of products in terms of rubles: Bread costs a maximum of 25 rubles. Milk will cost a maximum of 41 rubles. The cost of chicken breasts does not exceed 230 rubles.

The price of cheese is a maximum of 265 rubles. For drinking water will have to pay a maximum of 27 rubles. Most of the population lives on an amount equal to not more than 2 dollars a day. A significant portion of the population exists per day at 50 cents. At the same time, the country is fifth in the world in the number of billionaires. The middle class does not exceed 20% of the Indians and is approximately 200 million out of 1 billion 300 million inhabitants. As stated above, real poverty often reigns in the streets.

Most of the “Russian Indians,” to obtain a permanent residence permit or permanent residence, have either married locals or received an education in India. The advantage of getting an education in this country is the prospect of graduating from a prestigious university under international cooperation programs between Russia and India.

Free training is provided under the Indian ITEC Technical and Economic Cooperation Program. Some immigrants find work in this country. To do this, they will need to apply for a work visa. The one whose monthly income is at least 2100 dollars, can get it. Most often, Russians in India are employed by international companies.

Features of transport in India

Russia in India will also need to get used to the activities of the transport sector, although transport in India is one of the priority areas for the development of the country. It is difficult for a European to navigate the tracks of this beautiful exotic country. Let alone get used to a large number of motorized vehicles and bicycle rickshaws on the roads.

The most profitable and natural means of transportation between cities and states are buses. The network of automobile routes along the length is in fifth place in the world, and the affordable price makes the trip profitable. The bus fleets are owned by state authorities, which ensures a relatively high quality of buses used on routes — a well-developed network of railways and air services.

Can I receive a pension in India?

Citizens who have worked for more than 40 years in the public sector or have given years of military service can receive a pension here. But the size of this social allowance is so meagre that retirement in India takes the recipient to the brink of poverty. A significant part of the population does not receive a pension.

All these factors make India a great place to live with either passive income outside this country or, if possible, finding a job in an international company or corporation. Most of the inhabitants live in India for years, not receiving or not having the opportunity to obtain an entry and stay and permanent residence.

About the author

Melisa Marzett was born into a family of Russians who moved to America when she was five years old, and back in those times, she already knew that she would want to become a writer. She was reading books every day. She has grown into a person with a curious mind and adventurous nature.

Reading and travelling were things she had a passion for, and she began travelling as soon as she could. Currently writing for http://essay-editor.net, she writes about every little thing and keeps on reading. A book is the best gift for her, even though she prefers to give gifts and enjoys the process of shopping itself.