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2. India is people. In a space roughly one third the size of Canada (with 26 million people), live almost 900 million people.
3. India has many poor people and many rich people. The government states that about one-third of the people live below the poverty line. In Calcutta, about 300,000 live permanently on the streets.
4. India lives in villages. In spite of its large cities, (Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Madras) more than three out of four people live in villages. Gandhi's belief was that the future of India lies in its villages.
5. India has many languages. Hindi is the national language. However, there are many primary languages, so English is frequently the language that links them.
6. India is geographically diverse. Sea level river deltas, the world's highest mountains, the expansive rocky Deccan plateau, fertile plains, the massive desert in the Northwest, drought and rain forest are all part of the varied topography.
7. India is religiously and culturally diverse. About 80-85% of the population is Hindu; 12% is Muslim. The remainder include Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain.
8. India is a hierarchical culture. Hinduism with its caste system has established and maintained a widely accepted pecking order. Westerners like to think that all people are equal; Indians (including Christians) tend to think hierarchically.
9. India is family. The majority of Indians continue to live in extended families. At marriage a woman usually goes to live with her husband's family where other married sons also live with their wives. A father's highest duty is to find a good husband of proper status for his daughter. Christians often consult the church as well as the extended family in such arranged marriages.
10. India is women and children. A woman in India can become the prime minister, fly an airplane, become a doctor or lawyer while deferring to her husband in ways that might seem strange to others. Sons are highly valued; daughters may be less valued, even among Christians.
11. India values education. They pursue education with fervour. They are incurably entrepreneurial with shops and services everywhere. Some people take advantage of any reasonable opportunity to gain patronage from a foreign visitor.
12. India is Asian. Approaches to reality are different in Asia. What at first may seem wrong may turn out only to be different. Values which are important to North Americans and Europeans may matter little. Learn to withhold judgement until you have listened some more.
13. India is warm. January will be comfortable. You will also notice that the people are warm and courteous. Most will treat you with high respect and be helpful, often far beyond the call of duty. Learn to know them and you will gain new friends.
Preparing yourself for Calcutta 97 may well repay you with wonderful, life-transforming surprises. India is not the land of poverty. Mennonite World Conference release
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