Impressions of India, a land of rich and poor
by Irene Ravitz
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India has given me a lot to think about. |
India is a land of rich and poor. There are billionaire princes living in palaces and there are beggars asking for 10 rupees or chapatti. They need money and food. Some people have fancy cars, drivers, cell phones, nice clothes and plenty to eat. Others are barefoot, dirty, and dressed in rags. Their teeth are missing and they're hungry. Some of the beggars are deformed and are unable to work, but it looks like some of them are opportunists who know they can get some money just by asking.
It's hard to know who to give money to. If I have small change I give it to friendly people who respond to my greeting or people who are misshapen who can't work. Rather than money, I prefer to give candy or pencils to begging children. I saw several children trying to taste the pencil I had given them. They didn't even know what a pencil was. That broke my heart. When I saw that, it was clear to me that they had never gone to school or written anything.
I learned from our guide in the city of Jodhpur that the literacy rate (the number of people who can read) in the state of Rajasthan is now 60 percent. It used to be under 50 percent so it's getting better. Children are supposed to go to school, but our guide said that in rural areas some children work instead of going to school. Most kids in India seem to know how to say "Hello" and "How are you" in English. Now I can say that in Kindi too; the words are "Namaste. Kess ah he?" and the answer would be "acha" which means "good" or "boorah" which means "not good."
I want to raise money to help the poor people in India. I am worried about their education, their housing, their clothes and their food. I can see that they are not getting enough comfort and TLC. I hope to achieve my goal someday.
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New Delhi 12-14-05
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