Live in India once but leave before it makes you hard

Today I experienced an episode which made me think a lot about myself in Ukraine and myself in India. Am I changing? And if yes, is it a change for better?

So in the morning I went to the market nearby to buy food for next week. On my way there beggar approached me. He was asking for money. I started to ignore him as I usually do here. But he continued to follow me talking something in Hindi and showing with gestures that he wants to eat. The only feeling that I had was irritation getting stronger every second. Finally I understood that ignoring him will not help and I started to shout at him Jao which means Go in Hindi. And he left after some time.

I forgot about this episode immediately – such kind of situations happen every day here. The same evening I met my Indian friend and we started to talk about India and how I like the country. He asked me whether I ever use cycling rickshaw as a transport. Of course I do was my answer. And then he asked me whether I feel sorry when I have to use them. This question made me think. I remembered my feelings when I first took cycling rickshaw. I felt like I am harassing him, like he is my slave. That was really bad feeling. That first time I paid him 3 times more then I should. But after some time I stopped caring. Now cycling rickshaw seems as just one more mean of transport, like bus or tram. When I told this to my friend he told me that I am becoming Indian very fast.

And that’s true. Millions of people are beggars. Very often 4-5 people take one (!!!) rickshaw to go somewhere although it’s allowed for maximum 2 people to seat at one rickshaw. Just imagine 40 degrees heat and this Puller who has to carry 5 people! And nobody seems to care! Once I heard a story from one girl about beggar she saw at the railway station in Delhi. He was lying on the floor, flies were around him and he couldn’t move. One could clearly see that he was dying. And just next to him people were waiting for their trains. They were eating, playing cards, joking just next to him! People are so used to these things that they simply stopped paying attention. And I feel that day by day I also stop paying attention. From one side it’s natural, it’s just the way you protect yourself. From other side, I was for 5 years in organization which has a mission of ‘piece and fulfillment of humankind’s potential’, I came here to work on the company which does micro financing for Rickshaw pullers, I can’t even count how many sessions about state of the world I’ve held. And now I am shouting “Jao” to beggars, bargaining with Rickshaw pullers about paying 10 rupees more or less… I am not trying to say that everyone should give all those people money, because it might make the situation even worse. At the same time there should be basic respect and support from side of people who can provide this support.

I told already – I love Indians, but I really don’t want to become Indian in that way. I guess if Indians would be a bit more ‘European’ with their unprivileged this country would become a bit better.