It Seems Unbelievable, But This Happens In India Every Day

India's culture is perhaps one of the most diverse and rich in the world, and it is full of vibrant traditions and rituals. While many of these Indian customs are unquestionably lovely, there are some that, to put it mildly, seem fairly odd to outsiders. Let's explore some of the incredible things that happen in India, from frog weddings to highly unusual treatments!

Holy cow, there is at least one type of cattle on every continent except Antarctica, making cows one of the most common creatures on the planet. With 305 million of them wandering about India, there are almost as many cows there as there are Americans. In fact, there are an estimated five million stray cows in India, so finding a stray heifer or two on the streets of Indian towns is not difficult at all!

What gives, then? I guess religion You see, since 80% of Indians practice Hinduism, which holds cows in high regard, slaughtering cattle is outlawed in many places. While slaughtering is generally forbidden, dairy products are allowed. However, when a cow can no longer produce milk, a farmer usually has no choice but to release it into the wild because maintaining it would be too costly.

The reason there are so many stray animals roaming free is due to this as well as the irregular legal regulation of cow breeding. There are cow shelters, of course, but with only 1,800 in all of India, there isn't enough capacity for the five million stray animals. They are permitted to wander the area and frequently find themselves ambling past people.

And on the odd occasion, you could even get a glimpse of one getting on a bus downtown. It's unfortunate that that specific bovine bus rider was sent away right away. He might have been heading to the movies.

I apologize; let's continue. Cash for 'Tache, it's very common for most workplaces to have a uniform or dress code, and it's the same in India, with the exception of cops, who have one peculiar uniform requirement. Particularly in the state of Madhya Pradesh, mustaches are preferred on police officials. Why, because, in the words of one district police chief, mustaches have a certain "je ne sais quoi" that asserts masculinity and demands respect. In fact, some departments pay handsome bonuses of 30 rupees per month for those who sport a furry upper lip, which, for your information, is only about 66 cents, but since living expenses are lower in India, the money goes a little further. The chief outlined how he was persuaded to start this effort after noticing how people appeared to be more polite and appreciative to cops who have facial hair. But is this lunacy intentional? Evidently yeah. Numerous studies have revealed that people view males with more facial hair as being more manly, authoritative, powerful, and even violent, traits that can occasionally be useful in a police officer.

So there you have it, growing a mustache can actually increase your income and respect. Make sure your mother receives the message! Marriage, usually speaking, is reserved for us humans, unlike frogs, dogs, and union. However, there are some compelling reasons why people in some parts of India appear to extend holy matrimony to the animal realm as well. Locals in the village of Bhopal firmly hold the belief that marrying frogs—yes, frogs—in a traditional Hindu ceremony will please Indra, the Hindu god of rain. After being united in holy matrimony, it is believed that the rite will end the dry season and cause the skies to open, bringing floods of water to the earth.

However, the flame of amphibian romance can occasionally burn a little too brightly, as evidenced by the 2019 forced divorce of a frog couple when it was believed that their union had contributed to significant floods. The little Romeo and his Juliette were torn apart because the locals claimed that separating the frogs was the only workable way to halt the rain. There has never been a tale of greater misery than that of Juliette and her Rom-e-toad.

But other creatures are getting married as well, not only frogs. A person born under the influence of Mars, or Mangala in Hindu astrology, is considered to have Mangala Dosha by the locals in some isolated districts of Eastern India. In essence, this is a curse that is claimed to have disastrous effects on the person's future marriage; therefore, there is only one way to break the curse: get married to a dog. Strange as it may sound, the locals think that if a person with Mangala Dosha marries a stray dog, the curse will be placed on the dog rather than any future human bride, allowing the person to later enter into a true marriage. What ever did the poor puppy do wrong, I wonder?Regardless, although the marriage is not legally binding, it is believed that the ritual alone will help ward off negative karma.

The Butt Gun, pardon me for lowering the tone, but cleaning our behinds with dry toilet paper isn't as hygienically optimal for us Westerners as we typically think it is. In essence, we're rubbing some human feces onto our skin to dry before subsequently showering it off. Therefore, it makes sense why people from India and many other Asian cultures have adopted a different strategy.

95% of Indians, according to Wikipedia, utilize some kind of water washing technique after using the restroom. Although this can occasionally be as easy as using a pail of water and a rag, many Indians have something a little more sophisticated: a handheld bidet that is conveniently situated next to the toilet. With this, they can just shower away any debris, which has the potential to be a much cleaner solution, however I get the feeling that if I tried to use it, I would unavoidably spray myself in the face at least once. Indian throne rooms differ from those in the West in a number of other ways as well. Yes, in India, bathrooms are frequently merely holes in the ground for people to crouch over. While this may seem uncomfortable and unnecessarily basic, there are allegedly health benefits to the traditional "squat and poop."

According to several Indian medical journals, the placement allows the waste to leave the body more quickly. efficiently, as the squat straightens out your colon and further relaxes your puborectalis muscle.

This is said to aid in your complete elimination and shield you against conditions like constipation and colon cancer. Why not give this squat-theory a shot before you dismiss it out of hand? It might be difficult to believe.

Fortunately, Fish Outta Water, modern technology has provided us with treatments for the majority of diseases. Antacids for heartburn. headache: divorce. While recognized scientists typically advise using medications and inhalers to treat asthma, some Indian traditionalists have other, shall we say, fascinating suggestions.

The Goud family has been designing and carrying out healing rituals in the city of Hyderabad for five generations, one of which is Fish Prasadam. Everything begins quite normally as the Goud family prepares their renowned herbal paste, which is a closely-kept family secret. The situation changes, though, when they force a live Murrel fish down an asthmatic's throat after stuffing the substance into its mouth.

The Gouds assert, however strange it may sound, that the movement of the writhing fish through the body helps to eliminate phlegm congestion and soothe asthma. Additionally, it supposedly stimulates some digestive enzymes that have therapeutic properties. But is there any proof to back this up?

Dr. Vyakarnam Nageshwar, a respiratory expert, says this is rubbish because asthma has nothing to do with the lining of the esophagus, the stomach, or the release of enzymes. What about the thousands of individuals receiving the treatment, though?

One patient claimed that although not curing him, the medication has helped him feel better for up to a year at a time over the course of eight years of taking it annually. However, I'll let you decide whether or not that witness's testimony was sufficient to be persuasive enough to trial. Hmmm, using an inhaler or gulping down a live fish?

This is a difficult choice. If you're a parent, Bumpy travel, you're undoubtedly accustomed to hearing your kids complain during any car travel. Are we there yet? He's prodding me. She's invading my personal space. However, family car excursions might appear very different in some parts of India.

A recent national rule has to officially outlaw it, according to Indian news outlets like OneIndia, because it's pretty much a cultural standard for Indian relatives and friends to crowd into cars wherever there is room and frequently results in people recklessly teetering on top of cars. The law, which was passed in 2019, forbids motorcycle riders from carrying two or more passengers. Violators will be subject to a fine of about 2,000 rupees, or about $25, albeit given India's lower cost of living and average pay, this is still a sizable punishment. Nevertheless, it appears to have worked, as statistics reveal a sharp decline in the number of traffic accidents between 2019 and 2020, down from 151,000 to 131,000, the lowest number since 2009. Do you think it's true?

Accidents reduce as a result of people not balancing precariously on moving automobiles. This is a breakthrough! India is one of the world's top producers of coconuts, producing more than 11 million tons of coconuts annually. With these qualifications, it is not surprising that the coconut is a key component of the Indian economy. In addition to being widely used in food, some people also think that because it is a celestial fruit of the Gods and a significant element of many Hindu traditions and practices, it has spiritual benefits.

The coconut has grown to be a prosperous industry because of all the attention it receives. Daily coconut harvesters will scale trees to get their catch, which they will then transport to markets.

Furthermore, the leftover husks are sold so that their fiber can be extracted and utilized to manufacture mats, brushes, and mattresses. Nevertheless, in the spirit just observe this coconut husk collector, who appeared to get a little carried away, to get an idea of how frequently Indians overburden their trucks.

To western eyes, this might sound insane, but given what we've already witnessed on Indian roads and the fact that coconut husks must be produced in extremely vast amounts to be even remotely lucrative, I'm sure this is just another typical occurrence. Kesh Lochan, while there are frequently laws and regulations associated with religion, I'd say that Jainism, an ancient Indian faith, has one of the most unusual rituals. Jain Dharma adherents firmly believe in reincarnation, which means that their souls are imprisoned in endless cycles of being reborn into various living bodies, and that the only way to escape this is to attain enlightenment, usually after receiving monastic or nunnic training.

The path to becoming a nun isn't always straightforward, despite what Whoopi Goldberg's "Sister Act" might lead you to believe. A Jain nun's first step is preparation. She will be sent away to live with other nuns, completely cut off from her family, perhaps for years at a time, in order to prepare. The initiation tests will then start. The aspiring nun will be welcomed back home by her family and enticed by the conveniences of home. She needs to be able to separate from her family because, after becoming a nun, she will no longer be spiritually related to her biological family.

The next step is for her to symbolically wed her faith. She gets honored with a grand ceremony. This is the final occasion for her family to treat her as one of their own while also being showered with presents and praise. The next phase of initiation, however, is the actual test and maybe the most mysterious. Phase Kesh Lochan should now begin. "What is Kesh Lochan," you question, I hear. The Jain must cut off their hair in order to demonstrate their commitment and disregard for worldly gratification and suffering. Oh, but no, not with razors. It needs to be removed one by one. The Jain will be initiated then and only then.

enters the nunnery, or for the men, the monastery. You won't catch me turning into a Jain monk, I guess. I stand to lose much too much. Strangely, despite the fact that many Indians view cattle as sacred animals and that eating beef is discouraged in several places, bull surfing is something that some Indians appear to have no problem with. This occurs during a celebration known as Maramadi, or more colloquially, bull surfing.

Locals used to congregate to see the spectacle in several Keralan villages every August until recently. A field, or arena as you would call it, is prepared for this activity by being freshly plowed and submerged in about a foot of water to produce a sloppy, muddy surface. Then a wooden beam-attached harness with a pair of bulls is fastened.

The racer then climbs on board and commands the bulls to run around the sluggish ring while clinging to the device by their tails.

And although this has been a custom in Kerala for many generations, animal rights groups have recently criticized the celebration, to the point where the activity was outlawed nationwide in May 2014.

Because they have an, quote, "emotional bond" with the bulls, sportsmen argue that this is unfair and have urged with the government to lift the restriction. I do, however, share some of the Indian government's concerns about how reciprocal this sporting enthusiasm really is.

Shoe Stealers, we all know that the typical Indian wedding differs significantly from what most westerners are used to, but in addition to the extravagant attire, dancing, and decorations, there are some rituals and traditions that take place during an Indian wedding that may seem particularly unusual to westerners.

Take Joota Chupai, Joota Chup, for instance. While marriage is frequently serious and important, Joota Chupai is a southeast Asian wedding tradition that is typically done at Hindu and Muslim wedding rituals. It is meant to be just a little bit of fun.

The bridegroom will put on a pair of distinctive, embroidered shoes called Joota. The groom is expected to take off his shoes before entering the mandap, or altar, if you will. However, danger is on the way as the women from the bride's family will slip over and cunningly conceal the groom's shoes. The bridegroom and his family then look for the shoes, but their efforts are typically in vain. The fun ritual is thus put to an end when the groom is forced to pay a ransom in order to get his shoes back.

But what's the point of all of this? In addition to being entertaining, it's also meant to demonstrate acceptance between the two joining families, denoting a lifetime of enjoyment and happiness shared and sealed with a small financial arrangement. That sounds beautiful and all, but what about in-laws getting along and having fun? I don't think so! Cultural norms, the British habit of chugging tea, and the underpayment of hotel employees in the United States.India is no exception to the fun cultural idiosyncrasies that exist in every nation. Indians adhere to a number of fairly strict hand and gesture conventions. First off, why should you never point in India?

Well, pointing is only used by animals and lowly humans. According to the Indian caste system, you are obliged to make a respectful gesture with your chin or a flat palm facing the sky while among individuals who are regarded as being of a higher class. Additionally, Indians are supposed to always use their right hands when handling objects and meals.

Why is that? The left hand typically has, shall we say, unsanitary implications due to India's customary toilet habits, which we've already addressed. I forgot to clarify that occasionally the wiping is done totally with water and the left hand, always the left hand. So you can understand why, even after being fully washed, using this with food would seem a little gross. This leads me to my next point. The majority of Indians seldom ever use cutlery. Most people merely use their hands instead.According to this theory, eating should be a pleasurable activity that involves as many senses as feasible.scent, taste, and even touch are senses.

For instance, rice and curry are typically combined, scooped up with the fingers, and shoved into the mouth. Which, while being rude to Westerners, is totally typical to Indian people.

Additionally, food is usually prepared in bite-sized portions, rendering knives at the dinner table virtually redundant. The next custom is possibly the most interesting of the lot.

Given that intimate relationships between same-sex couples were only made legal in 2018, it is no secret that India hasn't always been as accepting of homosexual partnerships. Physical affection isn't exactly viewed in the same manner as it usually is in Western nations like the USA, although this attitude toward same-sex affection isn't entirely consistent.

According to reports, it's common for two men—good friends, mind you—to go around the city holding hands without being seen as romantically linked. Contrarily, hetero or not, public displays of affection between a couple are prohibited and often regarded as undesirable.

It seems that only best friends should engage in PDA. Please share your ideas about this seemingly antithetical practice to Western culture in the comments section; I'd love to hear them. Strange Laws, as we've already mentioned, some Indian police officers receive extra pay for sporting mustaches.Motor vehicle inspectors, who are employed for the purpose of approving the safety of vehicles and giving drivers licenses, are also subject to a similar concept. tax refunds.

According to the 1914 Motor Vehicle Act, these authorities were supposedly required by law to have healthy teeth. Until 2017, Indian law still applied to this peculiar, antiquated item.Online news sources claimed that the law required motor vehicle inspectors to wash their teeth twice daily to avoid decay or risk being fired. Although the origin of this regulation is unknown, it probably has to do with the association of respectability with cleanliness and good hygiene.

Another peculiar law is concealed somewhere else in the Indian judicial system. Why is it against the law to fly a kite without a permit? It seems that a kite is an aircraft under the 1934 Aircraft Act, therefore flying one without a permit is strictly prohibited. And it's entirely true.Who knows what horrors might occur if a kite flier without permission gets behind the string?

Crazy India's railway network, which carries more than 23 million passengers each day, is a popular option for commuters. But in India, the trip to work may mean the difference between life and death. individuals often lose their lives while traveling, with 27,000 train-related deaths in 2014 alone. People routinely lose their lives en route as a result of individuals falling out of absurdly overcrowded trains. Why, then, are the trains so crowded?

The popularity of the train is mostly due to its low cost. The government strictly regulates the fares to keep them low, making it the most accessible mode of transportation for the vast majority of people who don't just sneak on for free. awesome, right? Not quite. Because of this, the railway experiences little profit and is unable to maintain safe railway facilities or add more train services to meet demand. This implies that problems like derailments happen frequently, which is obviously far riskier when there are hundreds of people playing bucking bronco on top of the train.

Add to that the fact that there aren't many secure overpasses and bridges for the railroad,

India's railways are clear death traps, as is evident. And you thought your commute was bad with Lord Crunch-a-lot and Sweaty-McSweatyson around! If you're anything like me, Looking Hot to Trot, your most recent trip to the barber likely involved an awkward welcome, awkward small conversation, and a mirror held to the back of your head while you fought back tears and said they did a terrific job. Oh, and did you notice how they lit your hair on fire with a lighter while holding it to your head?

Wow, hold on, what? Yes, barber Nazim Ali provides a distinctive service in the capital of India, New Delhi. where he lights his clients' hair on fire to trim their hair!

Nazim chose to experiment by figuratively playing with fire after 27 years of hair cutting experience. His method comprises pouring a top-secret liquid and incendiary powder onto the client's hair. The hair then catches on fire, but Nazim expertly extinguishes the flame while still leaving the ideal amount of hair length. He does this by carefully combing through the hair and shaping it into a freshly baked trim.

Now, you might be saying, "Gee, Be Amazed, "lighting people's hair on fire "sure sounds dangerous and painful." And although you may presume that, Nazim and his clients insist differently, to the point where it's apparently becoming more and more commonplace throughout the region and beyond.

It even came from one of Nazim's clients: "It appears dangerous, but it's not.The scorching sensation was absent. Given that hair doesn't normally burn all that successfully without some chemical assistance, it makes some sense; hence, the likelihood of things going out of control once the powder has burned off is relatively minimal.

However, until I get to India, I guess I'll stick to a short back and sides with scissors, thank you very much. Because, as the saying goes, "When in India, get your hair burnt off by Nazim Ali." I appreciate you coming along on this bizarre tour of some of India's peculiarities.

Do you know of any more Indian customs that foreigners find odd? Tell me in the comments section below.