Jaya

The dirt and trash out in the open is a longstanding problem in India. The source of the problem is corruption at every level of government. Money is routinely given out to the towns and cities for everything from garbage collection to stopping the open urination to paving the roads.

By the time the various politicians take a cut of the money allotted to a certain activity, there is too little left to to the work. It's an open secret that most people who enter politics in India do so for the money. Not their salary, but the much greater amount to be made through kickbacks and siphoning from funds intended for maintenance and improvements.

It's not a hindu thing, but a government thing.

An example is road paving. The reasons the roads are is such a state on continual disrepair is that poor quality asphalt is used. The money allocated for paving is skimmed off by everyone involved in the project, so there is only enough money left to pay for substandard asphalt.

The reason the animals can roam through the towns is because if the local politicians try to make the farmers contain the animals, then the farmers cry discrimination as well as threaten to not vote for them in the next election, so the animals continue to roam freely.

A lot of private citizens are fed up with the dirt and pollution, but as a large group have not taken up the cause in terms of public demonstrations, etc. It's just become an accepted part of living in India. The typical scenario is, private citizens can keep the inside of their homes clean, but everyone (rich or poor) walks around the same garbage in the streets and breathe the same polluted air.

CaliNurse

It CAN be done!! The town of Ooty used to be a mess, garbage everywhere. As it's in an area of natural beauty (the Nilgiri hills) it stood out like a sore thumb.
About three yrs ago, the local government declared big time"war"on it--fines, etc.

The result? well, at least when i was there two yrs ago, no garbage in the streets!! i can't recall if we saw trash cans (not that it would help if they are overflowing.
I dint' particularly like the town itself (though its surroundings are beautiful) but here is a busy, crowded with people town, and it was litter-free!! I do recall SIGNS in town about it, about not littering, etc. COme to think of it, maybe those signs were on the trash cans.

Lat June in Shimla..no trash on the Mall. Everhwere--sings on trash bins that said "Use me"

Thursdays, you were in Coonor. I dont recall any garbage there, even by the center and the market area.

On the other hand, I was appalled by the mess in Cochin and surrounding suburbs. Plastic bottles and trash littering the little waterways. The drive in from the airport was a vision of hell, not of "God's Own Country." There weren't even neat little mountains of trash--it wsa jsut strewn everywhere.
As for if it is "HIndu"-muhc of that region of Kerala is Catholic.

Thursdays, i dont mean this question with any kind of "attitude"--but what exactly do like about India? I don't get a feeling that you really enjoy yourself there.

thursdaysd

It does seem that change is possible - when I was there in 2001 Bihar was so dangerous my train from Kolkata to Varanasi carried armed guards and I decided not to visit Bodhgaya. In the last five years the Chief Minister of Bihar who was resoundingly reelected the day I arrived in India has completely turned thigs around. However, the people who might have the influence to demand change are moving out of the inner cities to new gated communities, and work in new high tech enclaves (and have the money to make the corruption work for them).

"I don't get a feeling that you really enjoy yourself there."

It's quite true, I didn't enjoy India as much this time as last time, and I've been wondering why. (Not that I don't plan to go back - I still haven't been to Ladakh or Sikkim or Shimla or Dharamsala or....)

I think there are several reasons (quite apart from things like the Savaari-driver-from-hell and getting sick in Coonoor) First, I spent too much time this trip in places like Gorakhpur and Mangalore and not enough in places like Varanasi and Darjeeling and Jaisalmer. Second, I've now spent a lot of time in other parts of Asia, and I know I can get a lot of what I like in India elsewhere with a lot less dirt and aggravation. Third, I'm nine years older, and my tolerance for heat and humidity and honking and hassles has diminished. And fourth, I think I'm just more of east and south-east Asian fan than a south Asian one. Just as I'd take any Asian temple over any South America pyramid, I'd take any Buddhist temple over a Hindu one.

CaliNurse

Thanks for explaining, Thursdaysd..and for answering as I meant it, as an honest and somewhat concerned question.

A friend who has been numerous times to India for decades, and always loved it, returned from her last trip saying she was, for the first time, soooo glad to be back in the USA! A bunch of reasons were the cause, including a first time ever long-lasting bout of stomach problems.

I am same age as you, sw know what you mean about greater sensitivity to noise, dirt, and heat!