Although India has advanced a lot, foreigners have certain misconceptions about our country. Well, India is more than what others think; in our country, there’s diversity, which is surely the best thing. We don’t think there would be so much variety in other countries, in terms of traditions, cultures, cuisines etc. Still, the world has notions; we need to highlight the facts so that next time, no one speaks unnecessary things about India.
Given below is a list of 10 misconceptions the world has about India.
Misconception no.1: “Indian is a language”
Fact– No, “Indian” is not our language. In India, there are many languages, but there is no such language called “Indian”. Foreigners will find it difficult to memorize the number of languages and dialects spoken in our country. Lol, guess they are taking an easy way out by terming India’s language as “Indian”.
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Misconception no. 2: India is a hot country
Fact– There’s a common misconception in the minds of foreigners that India is a hot country. Guess we should invite them over in monsoons and winters and show them places like Kashmir, Manali etc. Let us tell them that there are 3 seasons in India, summer, monsoon and winter. So, it’s not hot always!
Misconception no. 3: All Indians have a dark complexion
Fact – Who said that all Indians are dark? When we move towards the North, we’ll see that the skin-tone starts getting lighter. But this mean that South Indians are not fair? NO! We have seen some fair South Indian beauties in movies and foreigners must keep this in mind.
Misconception no. 4: All Indians speak Hindi
Fact– In India, there are around 122 native languages and close to 1600 dialects. The world must understand that “Hindi” is not the only language that Indians speak.
Misconception no. 5: All Indians are vegetarians
Fact– This is again a wrong notion. Not all Indians are vegetarians; in fact, when we go to Bengal, we can see some crazy fish lovers there. It is said that India has world’s largest vegetarian population, but this doesn’t mean that all Indians eat just veg food. In fact, 60 percent of people in India eat meat. Not to forget the chicken Hyderabadi Biryani.
Misconception no. 6: Indian food is very spicy!
Fact- The one who has said this might have not tasted different cuisines of India; our country is known for its vast variety in food; apart from just spicy curries and sabzis, India has a lot to offer. They should probably try that soothing Dahi Chawal or may be some Idlis from the South.
Misconception no.7: Indians drink “Chai”!
Fact– No boss, apart from Chai, there are many other beverages that we like. Go down to the South and you might find some crazy coffee lovers. We love hard drinks too and they better not test our “Patiala peg” skills.
Misconception no.8: India is a poor country!
Fact– After watching the movie “Slumdog Millionaire”, foreigners think that India is a poor country. Should we invite them to India to show how women wear too much gold at weddings or should we show them some luxurious villas of India? May be, we should ask them to meet Mr. Mukesh Ambani! He might change their perception “Indians are poor”.
Misconception no.9: India is an underdeveloped country
Fact– This is another irritating misconception that the western world has; probably, they are not keeping a track of the economical growth of India and still have that “Colonial” images in their minds. As per various surveys, it has been found that India is quite developed as compared to other Asian and European countries. India is not the land of “Sadhus” anymore; science and technology has gripped it.
Misconception no.10: India follows just one religion- Hinduism!
Fact– India is a diverse land and not only Hindus, but even Jains, Christians, Sikhs and Muslims reside here. We all love each other and respect their religions too; the best thing about India is its variety! Yes, but all these religions have one thing in common i.e. “Humanity”. Foreigners must come to India and be a part of different religious traditions and celebrations.
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