Why So Serious!!!

I keep hearing about "people" wondering and often getting offended by the fact that Indians don't respond to their greetings or don't return their smiles. Let me be more specific, when I typed "people", I meant "NRIs" who have spent some 20 odd years in India, been in US for about 5 years or more and have either returned or on a visit. Here is my take on it.

1. When you have spent majority of your life here in India, it shouldn't be a surprise to you that Indians don't respond the way you expect them to respond.

2. Just because you are outside the country for some time and learnt some courtesies and manners, things don't change back here. We are like this only!!!

3.This is same even with the Indians in US too, there have been instances when my existence was not even acknowledged  when I tried to smile or wish them.You can take an Indian out of India but you can't take India out of an Indian.

4.Finally, in those years that you spent in India while you were growing up did you ever respond to strangers smiling at you or wishing you? Really???

Now I am fine with foreigners wondering or getting offended when Indians don't respond to their greetings or smiles and feel obliged to explain couple of things, draw some comparisions and give them a different perspective.

First, some vital statistics...

United States of America

Area : 98,26,675 Square Kilometers

Population : 31,35,94,000

Density : 33 people per Square Kilometer

India

Area : 32,87,263 Square Kilometers

Population : 1,21,01,93,422

Density : 369 people per Square Kilometer

1. If your response to the statistics above is among the lines of "Holy Mary Mother of Jesus!!!", I will assume, I have made a good start.

2. India is one third the size and 4 times more in population in comparision with USA.

3. Effectively, with the density of 33 per square kilometer one would be happy to see another human being in USA, whereas with the density of 369 per square kilometer one would be happy not to see another human being in India.

Example: Eating 2 slices of double cheese, all meat pizza is delightful and satisfies your hunger whereas eating about 10 slices of the same pizza will give you acidity, indigestion and constipation. 

4. In USA, with the kind of unique lifestyle, people are alone most of the time and would want to be greeted or smiled at, whereas in India  Everybody involves in Everybody Else's life all the time, resulting in people getting suffocated and would want to be left alone.

5. It is not entirely true that we don't smile or greet anyone, we do that with our family, friends, relatives, acquaintances, colleagues which will be equivalent to the population of a small town in USA.

So, next time when you visit India, instead of wondering "Why So Serious!!!", please realize the above facts, eat  Biryani, take pictures of Taj Mahal and leave happily ever after.....