most people hate India

being an Indian it is extremely difficult for me to imagine how people from outside find the country. And going by the response it is a very mixed reaction.

India is the opposite world of most countries in the west (in allmost every concept e.g values of hygiene, traffic, environment, mindset). For some this is too much of a difference, some love it!!!!

it hit me on my return after 2 years. the chaos, the noise, the crowd. but made me feel at home. it was something i got to see how the tourists feel as they step out. still did not get used to the amount of honking the taxi driver/ bus drivers did. grated on my nerves!!!

I was born in Bombay, and have been in the US for the last 4 years. When i was in India, I hated the filth, the corruption, the lack of civic sense, venal politicians etc.

Now that I'm in the US, I long to visit home. I miss the chaos, the food, the sheer number of people around me, my friends, the sights and yes, even the smells.

Life here is so sanitised and is overwhelmingly commercialized. I see the same sense of commericialization creeping over India too.

Some people can deal with ambuiguity (they love India)...some can't (they hate India).

I'd say Majnu-Ka-Tilla, New Tibet Colony in the north of the city. It's a bit far from the centre, but I'm guessing that the new Metro has made it easier to travel from there.

I disagree... Not MOST of the people hate India (if it was true, how would IM exist? How many are we joining here to share about this country?mmm??). What is true is that some people do react very strongly to India because it touches them very deeply in a cultural way (we all do have strong convictions deeply inconscient) and it hurts them, us (I did feel hurt sometimes and didn't want to get out of my room wanting to forget about the poverty and hardness sometimes). Some of us may feel overwhelmed with all of those mixted up feelings.They might feel more comfortable (safer?) back home in our occidental and secure way of life....

There's your answer, India is like any other place in the world, it has it's good points and its bad points. I believe just as much depends on the individual personality as the geoigraphy

Feliz

If you hated India that much...why are you still posting!

I think you may be like me. I got giardia and lost 13 kilos in 8 weeks and hated it. Then I loved it.

It takes a while.

Heh. I'm originally from that town originally. Truthfully, it's nicer to fly from Manchester airport anyday over Boston. I live in Boston now, and driving here is not for the weak. I take a cab to the airport typically rather than dealing with the traffic and constant road changes (the big dig) myself. I can understand for outsiders it's even more infuriating with our aggressive driving, near-medieval street system, and traffic. It did take me a while to acclimate to life here, but now I love it.

Speaking of people's perceptions on India, my exercise instructor today was all worried about my trip, saying I shouldn't eat anything (on a three week trip!) and that there will be dead people on the streets. I told her I'd take a picture for her.

Until you try it you may not like it. Applies to everything. How can you hate something you dont even know about.

What is considered to be a cheap option? What will the definition of a cheap accommodation or to put it more gently ... definition of value for money accommodation?

Is it a dormitory? A room with bathroom? etc. etc.

I think India is more misunderstood than hated by the majority of the population. To understand her, it is imperative to have that rare combination of cultural open-mindedness & understanding, focused personality, and of course the ability to eat the occasional morsel that would make a dump-grazing billy goat puke (malaria pills included) .

If you didn't like her it was because one of those three prerequisites was lacking thus quickly seperating the return-ees from the one-timers and potential/wannabee visitors.

I personally find it extremely hard at work, or over beers after hockey to hold court for very long talking shop on anything Indian - no matter how interesting the stories may be - I think most people that we know can't fathom or care to discuss in any depth stories from a land that the average middle class 9-5'er (with an ever restrictive cookie cutter lifestyle) would ever get to. Thus the need and popularity of a cyber indian microphone more commonly known as .......

IndiaMike - an open platform and equal playing field where Indiaphiles can broaden their horizons, hone their travelling skills, and analyze India seven-ways-to-sunday with few , objections, or off topic blocks. One can even show 24hr cyber slideshows without anyone falling asleep (knowingly).

So I ask you is India hated - NO! - just not stomached by the average goat!

If you are a happy person you love India!only one week left in India sob sob

hmmmmmmmm!!!! how many people in your surroundings who haven't been to India have a cloudy vision of India (because of media reports of corruption, media etc.). People on IM are not for nothing on this site, they are supposed to love it and I guess that's a minority.....but that's my opinion....

Cheap option for double-room (with attached bathroom) would be 200 rupees. My question is what a good place would be for a first-time visitor. I think Paharganj for firsttimer is quite hard. I think there are better and probably cleaner places in delhi to get used to the country (lets say for the first two or three days, then move to Paharganj). BUt I think you will be spending lots more for a hotel at Connaught place or am I wrong?