A Kid's Life in India

Did you know that most people in India like spicy foods?

Did you know that the religion Hinduism is a religion that worships all kinds of things including animals, people who are still living and also people who have passed away.

Did you know that instead of going to a museum in India, you might go to a dance?

Have you ever thought that people could be bossed around because of who their parents were? You can in India. You are born into a certain caste and usually cannot escape who you are. Read more about it!!!

Did you know that there are not many cars like there are in the U.S.A? We have things called bullock cars. They carry a certain number of cars.

Did you know that most people in India don't have an education and don't know how to read or write?

Hi! My name is Rajasthan. I am named after a city in India. I am 9 years old. Have you ever been to India? India is a large country in southern Asia. It has the second largest population in the world. The land here has a desert, jungles, plains, and mighty rivers. We also have the tallest mountain system in the world.

From what I know about the U.S.A, it's very different. Did you know that it is one of the world's most ancient civilizations? The other thing you should know about India is that the people here speak 16 different languages. That makes it difficult for travelers. The main language of our country is Hindi.

What kind of food do you eat in the U.S.A? My motto is mostly if it's spicy, it's good. I'm lucky too because here in India we produce LOTS of spices. My favorite food is lamb with bread and extra spice.

India is famous for it's woven fabrics and embroidery. We wear cotton, silk and some special wools. Women wear saris. A sari is a garment that wraps around the body. Men may wear the dhoti. It's white cotton brought to the legs and tucked under the waistband.

For fun, my father says you would go to something called a museum or something like that. Here, you would go to a dance. They are very fun! If you visit India you should see the Taj Mahal. It is considered one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. It is also one of the most expensive tombs ever built, and was made between 1630 and 1650. An Indian ruler named Shah Jahan had it built in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The tomb stands at Agra which is in northern India. It took about 20,000 workers to build it!

India is the birthplace of many religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. If you lived here you would probably follow Hinduism because that's our biggest religion. Here's a little about Hinduism. One interesting thing in Hinduism is the caste system. People believe you are born into a certain caste. The castes consist of 1)Brahmans; The Brahmans are the priests and the scholars. 2)Kshatriyas; The Kshatriyas are the rulers and the warriors. 3)The Vaisyas; The Viasyas are the merchants and the professionals. 4)Sudras; The Sudras are the laborers and the servants. This is the main caste but there are many more in between. There is also a group outside of the caste called the untouchables. They are below Sudra and have jobs like being street sweapers. Today, many Hindus are getting away from the caste system and allowing different castes to meet. The Hindus also believe in reincarnation. Cows Reincarnation is life after death. You could be in one life being a human and die. In your next life you could be a rabbit or a dog. Because of this, Hindus never hurt any animals. This idea is especially true of cows, which Hindus believe are sacred animals.

Sports in the U.S.A are like something called basketball, I think. Here, you might wrestle or play a sport with dice. I, being a boy as you might think, prefer to wrestle.

How do you get around in the U.S.A? There are many ways to get around here. We have bullock carts, cars that carry up to 12 carts, tongae (horse drawn carts,) regular cars to you in the U.S.A my mother says; motor bikes, three-wheeled pedal and even motorized rickshaws, and buses. People also ride camels!

Did you know that only about 1/3 of the people in India know how to read or write? Some parents only send their sons to school. People that live in the city may get a better education, too. There is a lot to say about education. How about where you live? I am very lucky because I am one of the 1/3 of the country that knows how to read and write. I know both! I am also lucky because I live in the city, go to school, and don't have to have my mother teach me to read and write. I'm not even sure if she knows how.