Part 4 White people of India. After the birth of their daughter, the Ganatra family decided not to have any more children. They believed that white skin was a sign of a serious illness and expensive treatment would be needed. Perhaps the reason for the unusual appearance was a "genetic leap into the past"

• Puja Ganatra (24 years old) was born in Mumbai into a typical Indian family, but looks like “ ugly duckling"With light brown hair, freckles and white skin among their dark-haired and dark-skinned relatives
• In her childhood, she was repeatedly sent for a medical examination with suspicion of a skin disease.
• In her own country, a girl feels like a foreigner
• Strangers are often confused when she speaks Hindi

Puja Ganatra, a white-skinned girl, was born into an ordinary Indian family in Mumbai. Her appearance is absolutely typical of Scotland, but in hometown she endured the ridicule of others, who mistake freckles for a skin disease. How many times, as a teenager, she tried to bring her appearance to the "unattainable" for her standards of Indian beauty!

In the country of his birth, Puja lives like a foreigner: locals asked to be photographed with her, taxi drivers strike up a conversation in English, traders try to sell goods at tourist prices and are shocked to hear her bargaining with them in Hindi.

How can you explain her unusual appearance? Perhaps this is a kind of evolutionary shift, an atavism that slept in the genes of her parents for many years and manifested itself at the birth of Punji?

Ganatra dreams of a DNA test to finally find out her genetic history.

Puja Ganatra, 24 years old in traditional Indian dress. She was born in Mumbai with red hair, emerald eyes and freckled white skin - typically Scottish in appearance.

The family feared that Puja's freckles were a strange congenital skin disease. Hemaxi's mom (46) and Rajesh's dad (51) have no explanation mysterious appearance daughter.

The adventurous Puja has his own clothing factory. A young business lady says: “When I was born, my family looked at me like a curiosity, because they all have dark brown eyes, black hair and dark skin like most Indians.

When freckles began to appear on my skin at the age of 3, my parents took me to the doctors, fearing that this was a serious disease. They've never seen anything like it! At school, I also received a lot of ridicule due to unusual appearance.

Strangers came up and asked: "What are these spots on your face?" What could I answer them?

Even in my first year at university, I had special requirements. I was not allowed, like everyone else, to wear short sleeves because my fair skin attracted too much attention. ”

Calm down, I'm Indian too

“Indians love to be photographed with foreigners with unusual appearances.

The locals asked me to take pictures hundreds of times. I had to tell them, "Relax, I'm Indian too." The funniest thing is when museums try to sell her a ticket at tourist prices, and Pooja has to show her documents.

“Even when I was traveling to America, the border guard double-checked my passport and asked if I was really from India?”

Parents were immediately taken to show their daughter to doctors when freckles appeared on her skin at the age of 3.

Ganatra suggests that her white-skinned foreign appearance in India is a manifestation of her ancestral genes.

Neither brother nor sister

After the birth of Poonja, the parents decided not to have children anymore, fearing that their daughter had a serious illness and they would have to spend a lot of money on her treatment in the future.

The girl's father, Rajesh (51), is a typical Indian man with dark skin. Mom Hemaxi (46) has a slightly lighter skin than most local women and has a few freckles on her skin. True, not on the face.

But for the whole family, the daughter's appearance is a big mystery.

The legacy of ancestors?

Knowing that India was once a colony for several countries and was ruled by Great Britain for 100 years it is quite possible that British genes appeared in the appearance of Ganathra.

Perhaps the fault of the unusual appearance was a "genetic leap into the past"?

A foreigner in her home country.

As a teenager, Poonja tried very hard to look "like everyone else."

“When I was born, the family was very concerned about my appearance, they had never seen anything like it”

Hemaxi's mom differs from most Indian women in slightly lighter skin.

“My grandmother died when I was still very young. I would love to ask her about my ancestors!

In India, women are obsessed with clean skin, there should be no blemishes on the face. My freckles were perceived as a big flaw and ugliness. "

Freckles under the mumbai sun

Poonja continued her story of her life: “Freckles get brighter in the sun. In hot Mumbai, they appeared more and more. What kind of creams I have not tried to fight with them, but nothing helped.

I was offered laser therapy and cosmetic surgery to remove my freckles. But as I grew up, I decided to give up any “treatment”.

After the birth of their daughter, the Ganatra family decided not to have any more children. They believed that white skin was a sign of a serious illness and expensive treatment would be needed.

Poonja's physical appearance is a big mystery to the Ganatra family.

Natural beauty delights!

“Once I got tired of all the advice to hide freckles under the powder and I gave up trying to change myself.

A woman's natural beauty is magnificent. I am no longer confused by the puzzled looks of others and what they think of me. I love and respect myself and dress the way I like, and send onlookers my most supportive smile. "

With mom Hemaxi.

Once she worried that she would never find a groom because of her “ugly” appearance.

In her native India, she felt like an “ugly duckling” until she traveled to Europe and America. There, Poonja saw many people who look exactly like herself and for the first time felt “normal” (photo with a former school friend).

If there were a rating of countries that are most unlike other countries in the world, then surely India would occupy the first place in such a rating. This state, located in southern Asia, in all centuries amazed and surprised travelers from both Europe and Asia, because the traditions, customs and way of life of Indians have always been original and radically different from the way of life of other peoples. And even several centuries of life under the rule of Great Britain did not change the Indian nation, and in the 21st century, like centuries ago, the inhabitants of India also surprise Europeans with their national characteristics of character and way of life... What is the peculiarity of the worldview and psychology of the Indians, due to which the mystery of the souls of this nation for centuries could not be understood the best minds Europe and Asia?

National characteristics of the Indians

All travelers visiting modern India agree that this state is a country of contrasts, in which seemingly incompatible things are brought together: in Indian cities luxury mansions dollar millionaires coexist with slums, and modern factories and offices are next to ancient temples of Hindu gods. And the Indians themselves, like their country, are full of contrasts: these people use modern technologies, but still in their society there is an unofficial division into castes; they watch movies about, but create families by agreement; they love everything beautiful and bright, but do not really care about the cleanliness of their cities and the surrounding nature.

There are few mediocre personalities among Indians, because artistry, sociability and curiosity are the national character traits of this nation ... It is these character traits of the inhabitants of India that are most noticeable to foreigners, because Indians can easily approach a traveler on the street to get to know him and inquire about his country, and in Indian markets and shops, local sellers will show tremendous courtesy and wonders of ingenuity to convince the tourist buy something from them. However, the psychology of Indians is much deeper, and national characteristics this nation is not limited to sociability and artistry. And others, no less striking features national character the inhabitants of India are:

1. The spirit of collectivism. Indians have long been accustomed to living in large families and deciding everything important questions the whole community, and even now, in the era of individualism, the concept of personal space is alien to most of the inhabitants of India and. For Indians, there are no forbidden and too personal topics - they can feel free to ask an unfamiliar interlocutor intimate questions and tell very personal things about themselves. The same attitude in India to personal space in everyday life - an Indian will feel quite comfortable if he has to spend the night in the same room with distant relatives or even strangers.
2. 
   Goodwill. It is difficult to find more benevolent and caring people than Indians, because the kindness and courtesy of these people is manifested in everything. Residents of India will always readily come to the aid of both a fellow citizen and a foreigner who finds himself in difficult situation: for example, a tourist who is lost in the city can be taken to a hotel at his own expense, and a person who asked for a glass of water on a hot day can be seated at a table with his family and fed with dinner. The benevolence of Indians is also visible in simple communication with representatives of this nation - they will listen with great interest to the interlocutor and will gladly answer all his questions.
3. Peacefulness. Most tourists who have visited India agree that it was on the streets of Indian cities, surrounded by hundreds of people, that they felt the most safe. And this is not surprising, because Indians do not like conflict and violence very much, therefore they always try to avoid disputes and behave in a friendly and peaceful manner.
4. Carelessness. Indians are a very light-hearted nation, and most of this people have an easy attitude towards life. A resident of India, unlike a pedantic one, will not worry about formalities and trifles and build detailed plans for the future. It is thanks to the carelessness of the Indians only in India that you can see dentists, hairdressers and cooks working right on the street. And another striking sign of Indian carelessness is the fact that on the roads of this country almost no one observes the traffic rules, and motorists and motorcyclists drive as they please. But despite the fact that there is often complete confusion on the roadways of the streets of Indian cities, the number of accidents in this country is not higher than in other countries.
5. 
   Love for beauty and art. Indians like luxury beautiful clothes, jewelry made of gold and stones, as well as beautiful art objects. The elegant and luxurious-looking traditional Indian women's sari dress, the Indian tradition of decorating their bodies with drawings on holidays, and the breathtaking architecture of Hindu temples testify to the craving of the people of India for beauty. And Bollywood films are not as rich in special effects as Hollywood films, but their decorations are mesmerizing with their beauty, and the plot - with the intensity of passions, sincerity and special Indian flavor.
6. Religiosity. There are practically no unbelievers in India, but despite the fact that adepts live here different religions(Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists and Christians), there are no conflicts on religious grounds. There are prayer rooms in almost every Indian home, and even in modern offices it is considered the norm to put figurines of gods on the desk, view a horoscope or recite mantras before starting an important task. And religious Hindu holidays in India are celebrated throughout the country, and on a much larger scale than in Russia, Europe, and they celebrate Christmas or Easter.
7. Conservativeness. Indian society is quite conservative, therefore, even despite the fact that the Constitution of this state declares universal equality, caste system exists in India to this day, and it is very difficult to move to a higher caste. Also, Indians sacredly honor their religious, folk and family traditions, but at the same time they respect other people's morals and other people's gods.

Psychology of Indians in personal life and in everyday life

Because indian society conservatively, strong here patriarchal traditions, and it is still not uncommon for young people to create families not out of love, but as a result of the agreement of their parents... However, Indians, when for a son or daughter, pay attention not only to financial condition future son-in-law / daughter-in-law, but also on a number of factors - appearance, character, habits, and even on the sign of the zodiac. Couples are selected very harmoniously, therefore, in such contractual marriages, love and mutual understanding appear over time.

Divorces are rare in India as Indians are from the very beginning focused on traditional family values and we are sure that marriage is for life. Unlike Indian youth, the bulk of them do not seek to acquire their own housing, but prefer to live with their parents. And if in large cities the situation is gradually changing, then in the provinces most people live in large families - often three or four generations of the same family live under the same roof. Such large families the patriarchal order is preserved, in which all decisions are made by the older men of the family.

The Indians, like the British, are convinced of the truth of the saying "my home is my fortress", therefore they prefer to live in large and cozy houses, where they can find everything they need for the comfort of each family member. A must-see for every Indian private home is one or more patios, which are always cool thanks to the shade of the house and the trees growing here. If the house has several floors, then the first floor is almost always occupied by utility rooms, and the bedrooms are located on the second floor and above. Because of the hot climate, Indians prefer to spend their free time in cool rooms at home or in courtyard... Since in India neighbors and relatives regularly communicate with each other, often Indian families either receive guests at home in the evenings, or they themselves go to visit neighbors or relatives to communicate.

"All men are the same," you say. And it is true. But there are still national characteristics. For example, Indian men are like elephants. No, not fat, it's just that sometimes it is impossible not to notice them. Sometimes pompous, like peacocks. Sometimes as brave as mongooses. Friendly like Labradors. Naive as children. Because they…

... very dark

Blondes in India are considered almost divine beings, like cows. Moreover, it does not matter whether your artificial blonde or your own. They will turn around, clatter their tongues with delight ... They can even skip out of line! Many will want to touch you. There is a sign in India: if you touch white man, your skin will become a little lighter.

For the average Indian, a white woman is like a white Mercedes: impractical, but prestigious. Expensive, of course, but everyone is jealous!

... infantile

Sometimes they act like children regardless of age ... It touches. Sometimes - like stupid fools. Rather, like 12-year-olds.

The fact is that even in the 21st century, India remains a country of draconian moral principles and… marriages of convenience. The overwhelming majority of unions are not made in heaven, but by prior agreement of parents, who themselves are looking for a couple for their children.

According to a recent survey, 75% of young people believe that an arranged marriage will be a happy one. In the north of the country, there are even more supporters of this approach - 82%. A wedding resembles a solemn conclusion of a contract in the face of hundreds of witnesses, one of the important points of which is the production of offspring.

Of course, they have mothers who are constantly busy. They grow up surrounded by little sisters, elderly relatives and ... female secrets, which there is no way to guess. Once the girls reach dangerous age, their contacts with men are strictly controlled. Separate training, special seats or whole "ladies only" carriages are common in India.

... superstitious

Don't be surprised if you are asked for your date of birth when you first meet. Indians trust astrology, almost everyone has personal horoscope drawn up at birth. They also believe in a happy fate, just like in the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" and, in general, are quite superstitious. There are also many fatalists among our compatriots - nothing has changed since the time of Lermontov. But, you see, the macho concerned about the incompatibility of the zodiac signs in our time is not a hero at all.

As a result of one event, my post matured. About the Indians. We then discuss them every day, there is no one else. And you are probably wondering. After all, India is primarily Hindus. And the Indians ... and the Indians are a separate issue.

It is impossible to say unequivocally what they are - Indians, but I can try to state some facts. The order will not know what, but rather from bad to good, because it has accumulated !!!
Hindus are curious and very sociable people. Sometimes it pleases, it is easy to make contact with them, and sometimes it is annoying to such an extent that there is no more strength. I am learning patience. I already wrote that 2 favorite questions - what is the name and where they came from. If you decide to visit India, be prepared to answer them a hundred times a day in tourist places. And not in tourist ones - two hundred each, since they cannot ask other questions in English. They save only those places where they do not know English at all, but there will be an incessant "Hello"!

Often on the streets there are dodgers, as we call them, who are trying with all their might to drag them into the store or sell something right on the spot. Getting rid of them sometimes takes a few minutes and a lot of energy.
Also rickshaws are nicknamed slickers, because, in addition to their direct duties, they want to bring you to the hotel where it is profitable for them, to the store from which they receive commissions, to sell drugs, and in Mysore they offered girls.

We should not forget about the beggars, of whom there are many in some places, and who can follow you endlessly. The method of struggle has not yet been worked out. If there are many of them, then giving to one means not getting rid of the crowd of such beggars. We serve to some, but impossible to all. Over time, we understand more - who really needs help, and who should not be given, so as not to encourage begging.
This is actually the main contingent that meets on the street every day. But this is not all of India.

People who speak on the street do not always want to sell or deceive you. Many people just want to talk. Many people know English better than we do, some know it poorly, but this does not interfere with communication. Many girls approached me - to communicate, more often when I am alone, they are usually shy about boys.

If you sit down at the same table with Indians, you cannot avoid conversation, but often it is fascinating.

Recently, a grandmother approached us in Mysore, who knows 14 languages, has 5 educations and 9 children. We drank tea, talked, and did not understand what she really wanted from us. And such people meet.

Sometimes a decent citizen, educated and decent, can strike up a conversation with you, and after an hour of conversation it turns out that his goal is to sell you a smoke.

It may be otherwise, in especially tourist places they offer immediately and continuously, when I am alone - less often, but in the company of two rastamans ... Moreover, Paul is trying to explain to everyone that he does not smoke.
Hindus are curious people, they can already look at us for hours, surrounded by a tight circle (no one told them in childhood that it was indecent to look like that), but if they notice something more curious, they do not hesitate to come up and ask. For example, Paul once smoked tobacco and had a machine for rolling cigarettes, was an object of general attention and often did curling for an encore. Both adults and children and even policemen approached him.

Hindus are not averse to taking pictures, no one will refuse, children run from all over the yard, and adults too.

Many people ask to be photographed, you will not get rid of some of them, and some want to be photographed with us. can queue up. the record was in Goa, where 30 people were photographed with Zuma in turn.
This aunt froze in this position, seeing that she was being photographed, we felt sorry for her, she stood for about 5 minutes and we stopped. We all waited for her to start working to take pictures at work.

In general, the Indians are hospitable and cheerful people.
They can easily help you find housing and tell you about the city (absolutely disinterestedly),

Do not take money for tea if they liked you, give flowers, fruits and other pleasant trifles, invite you into the house and feed you lunch,

Take to all the temples of the city,

You can go for a massage

and go out with friends

And there are many, many pleasant surprises you may have when meeting Indians.

As a Hindu told us the other day, I don’t like anything in India, but I love India.

At this point I finish the post, they are different Indians, they are not like we are used to, they sometimes please, and sometimes enrage, and there are also a lot of them !!!

The eyes are often compared to the sun and moon. Other symbolic meaning- the fire. Two eyes are able to see only the past and the present; the third eye is empowered to see the future. 2). CINDUR - red mark in the parting. Applied with blood red powder. This jewelry is used exclusively by married women. Sindur is an important component in Hindu deity worship (puja). Red is a symbol of fertility and restoration of power, the feminine energy of Sati and Parvati. Sati is the ideal wife in Hinduism because of the sacrifices she makes to protect her husband's honor. 3). TIKA - the harness must hit exactly the center of the forehead. This place is considered the home of the ajna chakra. Thus, the woman repeats her status as married. 4). KOLYA - a wide black line around the eyes, where the arrows connect, giving special sharpness to the look: “My eyes, not eyes, beloved, but arrows of light. My eyebrows, not eyebrows, but swords of destruction. ”Each feeling of the heart is transmitted through the eyes. They can express awe, empathy, love, lust. Indian poets usually want to drown "in the depths of the eyes of their beloved." Most of the poetic comparisons about the eyes are taken from nature. Eyes like a daffodil, almond, lily, like a “fish sparkling in glide”, like seas and oceans, abysses, fire, etc. 5). NAT - Nose ring or other piece of jewelry, Nat is considered the most seductive piece of jewelry. Nose earrings accept the most various forms ranging from precious hairpins to large gold hoops all over the cheek. 6). HAARA - choker, beads, necklace. The neck is one of the important mystical centers. Therefore, it is believed that the necklace attracts and retains love, brings good luck, and protects from the evil eye. Among other types of jewelry, necklaces have always had a maximum of magical enchantments. Probably, the bright and rich necklace distracted the ill-wisher from the face of the owner and thus protected from the danger of the evil eye, hypnotic influence. Most likely, an ordinary flower garland was the predecessor of beads. But the aroma of many flowers, for example, jasmine, rose has a clear erotic overtones ... 7). KARN PHUL - literally, a flower in the ear. Since ancient times, the earlobe has been considered as a sign of spiritual development and high social status... According to legend, earrings are a consolation in pain and suffering. The more decorative and expensive the earrings are, the more people gets consolation. The most popular from ancient times to the present day are earrings in the form of flowers and fruits. They reflect tenderness, youth, spiritual perfection, ingenuity, innocence - the main attributes female character... eight). MANDY - henna drawing. Unlike a tattoo, it is a temporary body decoration and lasts for about three weeks. Most common in Arab countries, India, North Africa and Indonesia. Mehndi appeared about 5000 years ago. Also in Ancient egypt noble ladies decorated their bodies and nails with patterns. In the XII century, it took root in India, becoming not only a decoration. For example, many arab women They believe that mehndi brings happiness and protects from failure. So the day before the wedding (bachelorette party), the bride is painted with a picture, and the remaining henna is buried in the ground to protect the marriage and avoid her husband's infidelity. Mendi means the power of love in marriage. The darker the mehndi, the stronger love, red is the color of fertility, power. Only floral ornaments, they symbolically connect a woman with nature, the concepts of birth, nutrition, growth, regeneration. Mehendi protects from evil spirits, misfortune, disease and even death. 9). BRACELETS. Poets call them shining tokens of radiant life, circles of light for a happy daughter and happy wife... The bracelets symbolize the powerful energy of the sun. They are made of any material that can be processed: terracotta, stone, shells, copper, bronze, gold, silver, etc. Bracelets are a sign of a married woman. They have many romantic and amorous allusions. The ringing sound of the bracelet signals the presence of a woman, that she needs attention, that she is angry or wants to exchange glances. A married woman will never allow herself to appear in society without bracelets. Typically 8, 12 or 24 bracelets are worn on each wrist. 10). BAADJUBAND - a bandage, bracelet or thread with an amulet on the forearm. Depending on the traditions adopted in the community and on the status of the woman in marriage, the baadzhuband can cover the entire upper part of the arm from elbow to shoulder. Baadjuband must sit firmly on the arm. Executed from various materials, richly decorated with ornaments. Serves as kavach - protection from bad looks and is considered a symbol of impeccable beauty. eleven). ARSI - a ring with a mirror, worn on the thumb. According to legend, the first thing a woman should see when she wakes up is her face. To do this, you always need a mirror at hand ... Gold rings are put on other fingers, or jewelry consisting of a central medallion, to which 8 chains are attached - three of them are attached to a bracelet, five - to rings worn on fingers. 12). KESAPACARACNA - hair decoration. Hair is referred to the element of earth as something solid and material; to the element of water, since they are free, flowing; to the element of fire, because they come from the furnace of the brain to the element of air, since they are light and can be carried away by the wind. Hair has its own own life... They grow faster than all other parts of the body. They represent the connection between this world and the future. Hair is the source of vitality and magical power. They form a crown around the head - the holiest part of man. Braided hair is considered the most auspicious symbol... According to mythology. Three lashes of hair in a braid represent the three most revered Indian rivers - Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, as well as the trinity of gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. thirteen). KAMARBAND is a waist belt that holds and decorates the sari and protects the manipura chakra. Holds a bunch of keys, which means a symbolic transfer of government from mother-in-law to daughter-in-law, new powers and responsibilities.