Having been here for several months now, I can confidently say that there are some startling similarities between Indians and Greeks/Cypriots.
We both love our families above all else.
We want all our children to be lawyers, doctors or engineers.
Going to the right schools and universities is all important.
Marrying into the right family is still sadly important.
We love our good food.
We eat way too much of it.
We are not known for our sporting capabilities.
We struggle to put teams together for the Olympic Games and that is unbelievable considering the population differences.
We are both yuppie, fashion, society conscious junkies. Read gross over generalization but for those in the know cringingly true.
The rich of both build oversize show-off houses that need retinues of servants to clean and dust them.
Money matters. Whether it is via the fish and chips shop route, the corner shop, or shark-like practices for property development.
We are proud nations who do not like criticism.
We both have disturbingly dysfunctional relations with the UK which can at the same time but for different reasons be heaven or hell.
Culture and history abound but it is only in the latter years of independence that their true value and significance have been realized.
Generous and hospitable in every respect.
Oh thats information to me. I don't know Greece that well. Never been there you know. Maybe you should write some about life there too. That'll be nice.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I totally agree to all you said about Indians :-) (especially eating too much good food, hehe)
I will delve into my own country from time to time but much more interested in discovering yours. Warmly recommend mine though. Plan the next holiday there Ramit. MM
ReplyDeleteEven before the time of Alexander's invasions into India, the Hindu religion from India had already propagated into ancient Greece. Ancient paintings have been discovered during archaelogical expeditions in Greece, that depict Greek men, wearing the Hindu sacred-thread across their chests, and sporting the sacred "Tilak" on their forehead.
ReplyDeleteAncient Greeks and ancient-and-present-day Hindus both worship a large number of Gods and Goddesses, and build beautiful idols of these Gods and Goddesses in magnificent temples dedicated to these Gods and Goddesses. Moreover, these Gods are also common - for example, the Sun God (Surya), the Wind God (Vaayu), the King of the Gods (Indra), etc. I am not sure about the names of their Greek counterpart-Gods.
Later, during the time of Alexander's invasions of India, many Greeks settled down in India, adopting Hinduism, and in some cases, Buddhism.
There is also a legend that the Indian saree was invented by a Greek princess, who married an Indian king.
So, due to the centuries of cultural exchanges between ancient Greece and ancient India, there is probably a bit of Indian in some Greeks, and perhaps a bit of Greek in some Indians.