India, A Rural lifestyle, An Urban world

By Alishah C. and Thomas B.

 

 

 

Like many countries, India is a developing country that is growing quickly, and, similarly to other countries, growth is primarily found in the urban areas of the country. That is why the development of India’s urban locations is such a good sign for the economic future of the country. In 1980, with a GDP of 271.217 billion dollars (PPP), the urban population of India was 23.1%. Now, with a GDP of 3.289781 trillion dollars (PPP), the urban population of India is 28.7%, one is able to see the correlation between urban population and economic growth. However, although the GPD is this high, many Indians, especially those in rural India, live in deep poverty with 27.8% of the population below the poverty line, and 80% of people living on less than $2 (PPP) per day. In rural I

 

ndia, many of the people cling to tradition, with old farming methods and family structure. However, in urban India, due to the contact with modern technology and ways of life, the people are more likely to embrace modern life. This topic was chosen because the differences between poor, traditional, rural India and wealthy, modern, urban India are so glaring that they are impossible to ignore.

 

 

 

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/06/0601_india_middleclass/source/11.htm

 

 

This photograph shows an Indian farmer working in rural India. While modernization has spread to the newly developed urban areas, much of rural India remains rooted deeply in tradition and poverty. While urban India’s economy changes to resemble the United States’, with hi-tech, modern jobs in the service industry, rural India’s people continue with traditional agriculture.

 

                 

             http://www.gobartimes.org/20050731/62.jpg

                    This photo shows a classic example of the urban life of India. In contrast to the rural areas of India, everything is close together and the cities are very crowded and bursting with traffic. Also it shows how far many Indians have traveled since leaving their simplistic farming lifestyle for the complicated, busy and rushed lifestyle of city-slickers.

 

The Case of the rural vs. the urban.

Cast:

Karim Kapoor-Judge

Lakshman Prasad Sharma-Rural Farmer

Deepak Chopra-Urban businessman at Dell

Bailiff

Food guy.

 

     Judge- O.k. the trial of Lakshman Prasad Sharma, representing rural India, suing Deepak Chopra, representing urban India, for an account of destroying the Indian way of life. Mr. Sharma, your opening stement.

     Lakshman- Its their fault.

     Judge- yes, but whats your arguement.

     Lakshman- Ohh o.k., our country and culture was flourishing and perfect until this man came with his hustle and his bustle and changed our peaceful community into wastelands of concrete where man may have two coin to rub together, but not the space to do so, and where our culture and tradition means like to the people of these places nor can they fit their tradition and culture into their timetables.

     Judge- Your response?

     Deepak- I first would like to sa--

     Lakshman- THATS A LIE.

     Judge- He did not say anything yet, please continue

     Deepak- as i was saying first of all the urban world is the world of all other countries and it is important to embrace it and also since we have embraced it our economy has grown tenfold. This is leading us to a close reach of being a world power.

     Lakshman- yes but the influences of the west have tainted our people and corrupted our belief system. They do not have the same character and virtues they would have if the worked in the fields.

     Deepak- it is much more difficult and makes people more responsible to have a real job.

     Lakshman- Now my job is not real. How is it difficult to sit in a cozy office in a cushioned chair and say" Dell customer service, how may i help you"

     Deepak- I AM A SOFTWARE ENGINEER.

     Lakshman- Pardon me Mr. Masters Degree.

     Deepak- what do you have.

     Lakshman Prasad Sharma- i have the sweat on my back and the knowledge that i still respect the beliefs of my ancestors.

     Deepak- well while you do that i have to work so our country actually makes progress and we don't all end up in the slums. besides i still respect my ancestors but i have no time to fit in because i am busy sustaining this nation while you prance on the farm. Also if you pay attention to the west, you would realize that many of our ancestors beliefs are outdated or incorrect.

     Lakshman Prasad Sharma- the west ,the west, do you not see they are the whole problem, the poisoned your minds with their culture and made you lose sight of

true values of life.

     Judge- as were not going to get anywhere right now how about some food. Bailiff get us all some samosas.     

As so differences they ate happily ate together, lost in the beauty which is Indian food.

 

 

 

Works Cited

"Globalis - an interactive world map - India - Urban Population." 03 May 2009 <http://globalis.gvu.unu.edu/indicator_detail.cfm?country=IN&indicatorid=30>.

"India GDP (purchasing power parity) - Economy." Index Mundi - Country Facts. 03 May 2009 <http://indexmundi.com/india/gdp_(purchasing_power_parity).html>.