India and Hinduism

Poverty is horrible there. A friend of mine was just there, and she said that people are still eating out of dumpsters and begging for money from everyone. The history is great, but apparently it's a horrible place. Also, you can only really do anything outside for a few months because it's either really hot or monsoon season for most of the year.

As far as tradition goes, it is huge, even to people who have moved abroad. The Ramayana--a very important Indian myth--is still performed yearly there, and in some places in America. Actually, Shiva is the most commonly worshipped in India right now. It is their religion. It's like asking do Jews still worship God?

Poverty in India is bad. Over 40% of its people live below the poverty line. (This is an improvement from 60% about 25 years ago.) Web-search "poverty in India" and you should get a lot of stuff, including video and photos.

Watch "Slumdog Millionaire" for images of slums.

On the other hand, it's getting better. There's a lot of wealth as well, and a middle class gaining money and confidence. Think Mexico.

Some people find India horrible; others find it enthralling; and about a billion people consider it home.

What's the context? And where in India do you want to know about? Saying "India" is a bit like saying "Europe" - there's a certain commonality of culture, but also a lot of differences.

And yes, Shiva is still worshipped, as are other Gods. And Goddesses.

Ah. India is tricky. The character's name might reveal not just his linguistic group, but his caste. (Some do, some don't.) In some cases, the worshippers of Shiva have different names than the worshippers of Vishnu.

(Websearch Shaivite and Vaishnavite.)

SilverPhoenix said:

Firstly, what's poverty like nowadays in India? I hear it's still around but I'm not sure about what kind of conditions some people live in. Any articles about India that aren't about 'rising economy' would be helpful too if someone can direct me to one...I couldn't find any.

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Just go see Slumdog Millionaire. It contains everything you need to know--your entire question is answered in graphic detail--and it's a really fantastic movie, too.

SilverPhoenix said:

Secondly, is Shiva still commonly worshipped? How important do Hindus still hold tradition, especially in other countries?

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Um, yes, and very--and it varies; if you're talking about immigrant families from India in the US or Britain, it varies a lot, but there are plenty of articles, books and movies on the topic for you to learn from. Bend it Like Beckham (movie) dramatizes some of the conflicts that arise. The Indian family depicted in that movie is Sikh, not Hindu, but the same culture/tradition stuff applies.

If you want to get a hang of modern urban Indian culture and life, spend some time reading Indian websites. Here's one to start with: http://www.indiatimes.com/default1.cms

In some cases, who you'd worship depends on what part of India you're from. Calcutta is named after the most important Goddess there, Kali.

There's a lot on the internet on Hindu festivals where millions come to celebrate. Dawali is one (festival of lights, late fall or early winter) and there are many others.

I am Padma Narayanaswamy an Indian . i personally feel that westerners give lot of importance to poverty and that is why i dont prefer to watch slum dog millionaire . i prefer to say that India has a soul and it is a wonderful country.
We are poor no doubt and we do have beggars but still it is wonderful . About God Shiva people do worship him in the form of lingam . Hinduism is just not idol worshipping , We believe that the atma has to join the parmatma the supreme . We commit sins . According to our sins we are born rich or poor or weak or healthy. A man when he is suffering he says he is suffering because of his sins in previous life. One thing i can say we are not fanatics and people celebrate the funcions at their own convenience.
Padma

Which god or goddess you primarily worship (there's no requirement for exclusiveness) depends on a lot of factors, including family preferences. Stephanie is right, Kali is more commonly worshipped as the primary goddess in the East.

What do you want your character to do?

I have another question, along the same lines. Not to brag but it's probably going to be the stupidest query on here all month.

Since many Hindus believe in reincarnation, do Indian men try to pick up Hindu women with the line "Wow - I think we knew each other in a past life" or some variation? Is this something they've heard at least once in their lives?

The context here would be the reunion of an extended, transatlantic family with Indian immigrants and their offspring living in both London and New York. They're extremely well-educated and work in academia (basically could step out of a Jhumpa Lahiri story) and we're talking about two college students/distant cousins meeting up.

Since you're supposed to forget all your past lives, this kind of a pickup line isn't much used in India.

However, I could see an Anglicised youngster who was born overseas and has learned about Hinduism mainly from older relatives and popular books using such a line. It would probably be treated as silly. Like a guy looking deeply into the eyes of some girl he's just met and saying Wow, I think we're soulmates.

If a couple has known each other for a while, and are on the verge of getting married, I can imagine either of them telling their best friend that the relationship is so deep, they feel they must have been married before, in a past life.

In fact, in Hinduism, this is considered unknowable, and wouldn't be taken seriously unless it came from a seer of some sort, who claimed inside knowledge, so to speak.