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Newbie at large!

Hi all. This is my first post here in the India forum, I hope to add many more in future.When I get some time I will give some of my impressions of India since retiring here, it's a country that begs to be written about and if I were to spend the remainder of my life writing, I would not even scratch the surface.

Anyway, I love India and the Indian people, I am trying to learn the Devanagari script and will try the language later.

By for now, regard to all.

Barry

By BaJaHa on Jul 31, 2007, 08:44 in India Talkzone.

Peter (Moderator) says on Aug 1, 2007, 01:29:

Hi Barry,
welcome to the site. I love India too, it's incredible.

How's the Devanagari script - is it hard to learn? Where are you studying it?

I agree with the 'scratch the surface' comment. India is just endless, and I'm looking forward to your writings!

Poor but snappy

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BaJaHa says on Aug 3, 2007, 08:36:

Hi, Peter.
Devanagari script is the easier part, pronouncing the letters/words is a trial. I downloaded some BBC programmes (Free) for the study and purchased various books on the subject.

If anyone is interested there is a program on BBC Radio 4 next Friday at 1100 entitled Gandhi's Dream.

Basically the advert statement made the following points:

Gandhi was a villager, he disliked towns, his idea of the future India was that there would be a village type system in which each village would run it's own affairs, social and political. The idea of mutual benefit and tolerance amongst all people.

It was of course a utopian dream, and was doomed from the start. The program then states:

83% of Indians live in villages, the current boom in the country has benefited a large number of people and has made an even larger number of souls even poorer.

I can see this everywhere around me. Anyone who had any skill at all left the village and moved to the towns, some made it others beg. The villages have become virtually bankrupt as a result.

Corruption in India is a way of life, everyone and I mean everyone, who has any kind of social standing got there by corruption and remains there by the same means. It is not looked upon as corruption by those who freely practice it, it is an acceptable manner of behaviour. When I first got ripped off it was at the Customs control. I sent six cases by air freight and went to collect them. My relation there had words with the official and his exact words were
"He will have to learn the way things happen here"I learned to the tune of £130:00 (Exactly RS10790)

An American president (Johnston I think)stated:
"corruption in all walks of life is what keeps corrupt people corrupt. rich people richer and poor people even poorer".

"Indians are indeed corrupt, but they are nice about it and they smile"
~ Me~

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