Skip to main content

Primer on India

Recently we were made aware of some changes to Indian tax laws that came as a surprise given that people in the know were not fully aware of the letter of said law.  That prompts me to write the below thoughts on working, living or surviving in India.

The below applies to the chunky part of the bell curve where most of the billion reside.  So here is some wisdom freely shared -


  • Anything can happen anytime.
  • Always expect the unexpected.
  • No power, no water, no autos, everything closed? No problem.  Go back to sleep.
  • If you are a customer you are screwed.  Try not to be.  A customer I mean.  Very monastic.
  • Jugaad.  We can try to find a way to solve any problem.  If you assume that the outcome is acceptable.  Otherwise go back to sleep.
  • Do not ask any questions.   Most likely you will get -
    • An unrelated answer
    • A wrong answer
    • A stare
    • Another question
  • Scratching of male genitalia standing at street corner is permissible for males so equipped - this is India's equivalent of Daily Scratchers
  • Holding hands while walking when the holders are both (or more) males is also acceptable form of social behavior
  • Any fluid can make an appearance from anywhere at anytime.  Sort of a corollary of the first bullet listed.
  • If all this bothers you go back to sleep.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Charges attract

It is said that opposites attract meaning people with contrary viewpoint sometimes find chemistry to be together.  But I'm referring to a modern twist where people are merely attracted towards a common place because their uber communication device aka smart phone is about to die.  The charging station. From airports to hotel lobbies or even bathrooms, when in need they are attracted to this power outlet like moths to a flame or a junkie to a needle. A whole new business of supplying these hyper connected folks is now born whose lifesaver product is a backup charge. Asian tourists perpetually carry a phone sized battery pack stuck to their latest Apple phone updating their status to folks in Hong Kong or Shanghai or Bangalore as they pose for selfies with weird facial expressions and fingers pointed out in a letter V. Vain? PS:  I dis'charged' my blogger duties making this insightful observation as my phone is about to breathe it's last and my flight gets call...

Costa Rica

 Our first foray into Central America. That elongated isthmus that forms the geographic boundary between two vast continents of North and South America. Specifically landing for NYE 2026 in San Jose, Costa Rica. Capital city for this region that does not have its own army, instead relying on its big bro the Estados Unidos to the north is a metropolis of approx. 500K people. Largely wilderness and with both a Pacific and Carribean/Atlantic coast the country is rich in bio diversity. In Spanish it means the rich coast so named by Columbus landing in early 16th century and being mesmerized by the local tribes sporting gold jewelry.   Our stay included visiting the foothills of a large strato volcano called Arenal and enjoying the naturally heated thermal baths for a while.  Lunching amidst lush forest and watching indigenous species of avian noise makers fly overhead. Toucans, some sort of pea hens, multiple song bird species completed the spectacle. Iguanas and a lonel...

Its all over!

Well now let's not be fatalistic. Didn't someone say its not over till its over?  Okay so we are past the milestone of the American electorate voting for a new leader.  CEO of the USA or the newest POTUS. It was a time for many firsts.  In some ways it could be summarized as Slovenia 1 - Pundits 0.  As in the newest FLOTUS is from a foreign country that many on the planet may not have heard of.   Slovenia.  A dot in the south of Europe.   Maybe Trump had not either till he met her at a Fashion Show.  Having Mr. and Mrs. Trump be the First People was not what the pundits thought.   All the pundits that forecast the future were wrong. More analysis reveals that it would be the first prez that has no political background.  First prez who had multiple marriages before he was elected to office.  I have not researched this but likely the first prez who has a wife 25 years younger than him.  Fast forward to the end of his term an...