India: an Inside Look at Their Cultural Diversification

India: An inside look at their cultural inequalities

Danielle Livingston

University of Phoenix Online

Abstract

This article summarizes my 6-month expedition in India, where I spent my days learning about the different social classes, and the prejudices and discrimination that affects this Eastern society.

On my way to the airport in the taxi, I roll down my window and take a deep breath of fresh fall air. Today is October 3, 2008 and I am on my way to India for a 6-month long expedition to learn of prejudice and discrimination in their country. I have done my research and have learned many things about the Indian culture; am hoping that I will not be in too much of a shock when I get there.

While checking in my baggage, I also checked to make sure that I had all the proper documentation; my visa, passport, license and air-line tickets. Since arriving at the airport two hours early, I made myself comfortable in the lobby and read more on the Indian culture. After a while I ordered some lunch and observed others coming and going.

Some of the women I noticed were wearing traditional clothing from India called a Sari that they draped around themselves in many different ways. Many of the younger girls by their side wore brightly colored saris. One thing I remembered learning from my research is that Indian women wore silver or gold jewelry, especially earrings and nose rings, if they could afford to. Occasionally they would fashion a red dot on their forehead as decoration. Traditionally Indian men would wear a dhoti (Doe-tee), which was one long piece of cloth that was generally white. They would wrap the dhoti around their legs to make pants like the working women. Indian men would also wear long cotton clothes wrapped around their heads as turbans. However, many of the Indian men of today are seen wearing European style trousers with t-shirts.

The first 3 months of my journey in India were interesting and surprisingly not too...