India has something to offer to all kinds of tourists. Be it an adventure enthusiast, a foodie, a pilgrim or so on, everyone gets an apt destination to enjoy the vacation here. But despite so many options at hand, the question is where can one get the true essence of the real India.
You might feel like the villages in India have a long way to go before they have proper sanitation facilities or rather, a more liberal mindset. But the truth is, what you see in these rural villages in the past of India. A simple and primitive past that these villagers have still maintained.
Lifestyle
Usually, the houses in Indian villages are made of clay and mud. Most of these households have cows and hens to get fresh milk and eggs. They also have domestic animals. They usually grow their own vegetables and have a common well to collect water. The best thing about these villages is that they are very environment-friendly.
They collect forest produces and most of the villagers are farmers. Other jobs usually include blacksmiths, carpenters or potters. Their houses don’t have many rooms. In fact, they wouldn’t even have doors most of the time.
Although some villages are getting electricity now, most of them are still devoid of it, so forget about internet connectivity or proper cell reception.
There is not much traffic near villages so it’s very calm and peaceful. Festival seasons are celebrated with lots of fervor here. Everyone plays an equal part in decoration and arrangement during such occasions. A collective, family-like feeling is common among the villagers unlike in a city where everyone prefers to mind their own business. They lead a very simple lifestyle and naturally, they feel content with it.
Food
Just as Indian states are diverse, the food is too. A village near Mangalore will offer you different dishes as compared to a village near Chennai even though they both coastal areas.
Villages in India are the major agricultural hotspots of the country. Therefore, the cuisine of each state depends largely on the crops that are grown there. For example, rice is grown in abundance in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it’s a staple meal here. Ragi is plenty in Karnataka, therefore you can expect to have Ragi balls, Ragi malts and other dishes made with Ragi.
In the South India states, idli, dosa, and sambar are the major local dishes prepared for breakfasts and rice favored during lunch and sometimes dinner as well. Lemon rice, ragi balls are crowd favorites in Karnataka.
Whereas in northern states, it’s generally Roti made up of wheat and sabzi( vegetable curry).
Clothing
Well, again, this differs. States like Kashmir, Bengal, North-Eastern states, etc have their own particular dressing style which usually differs from Central India and South India.
To generalize, women in India wear saree and salwar-kameez which is considered to be traditional. Men in village wear dhoti (a loose garment just like a salwar) and a loose kameez on top. They also generally wear a turban on their head in northern states like Punjab.
Atmosphere and People
Villages in India have boundless beauty surrounding them. Usually, these villages are tucked away in deserts, hilly areas, near forests or near some rivers. This gives them a natural appeal. They are away from the pollution of the city life. You will have a relaxing time in the villages, left to your own thoughts.
The people are friendly people who live in harmony with the whole village as if it is one large family. The main occupation is farming among men and women usually take care of the house. The houses are built using bricks and stones and have thatched roofs. Villagers are very traditional compared to people from cities and they celebrate festivals quite religiously. Bullock carts, cycles and rickshaws are popular here.
To conclude, people in villages are much more religious and generally are from a farmer background. They live a very healthy lifestyle and are self-sustained with basic necessities that are more than enough to survive a simple lifestyle.
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