The Top 10 Tourist [Bonus] Questions about India you were afraid to ask…

 Top 10 Tourist Q&A (India Bonus Edition):

1. Q: How many people live in India? A: There are about 1.3 billion people in India. 1 out of every 5 humans is Indian. India is projected to surpass China in population by 2022.
2. Q: How big is the economy? A: The Indian economy is worth $8.7 trillion dollars with a growth rate of 7.6 percent (the fastest growing economy in the world).
3. Q: Wow, there seem to be a lot of Hindu Gods, how many are there? A: There are 330 Million Hindu Gods. Google it.
4. Q: Who is this Modi guy? Should I know him? A: Narendra Modi is India’s Prime Minister. Modi is extremely popular and is the second most popular world leader on Twitter. You should know him.
5. Q: I thought India was one continuous jungle, why is it so hot here? A: India has many regions from the Himalayas to the desert region of Rajasthan.  Many of the most popular tourists cities like Jaipur and Jodhpur are in the Thar Desert.
6. Q: Who were the Mughuls? They seem to have built everything. A: The Mughals were Muslim rulers from Central Asia who claimed to be direct descendants of Genghis Khan and the Mongol Empire. Much of India was conquered by Mughals who built many great sites, including the Taj Mahal.
7. Q: Why are those guys walking down the street completely naked? A: Male Digambara followers of the Jain religion have renounced clothing as part of their faith. Its likely you may see them in your travels to India.
8. Q: Do Indians know that India is so polluted? Why don’t they do anything about it? A: Yes, Indians are aware of the pollution problems, especially the younger generations. But it is complicated.Like China (and the US), economic growth is valued by the government and corporations more than clean water and clean air for the people. Additionally, the population is simply growing much faster than restrooms, public trash cans, and clean fuels and detergents can be provided. As with the US and China, incremental steps are being taken and progress is being made, but corporations often have the most say in regulations.
9. Q: Does India get along with Pakistan and China? A: Its complicated. But there are definitely tensions that exist for a host of reasons including: Border disputes, religion disputes, nuclear weapon disputes, economic disputes, and historic terrorism activities. The maps you find are literally in flux.
   

   Disputed Borders

10. Q: India is great! Can foreigners own property in India? A: Foreigners cannot buy or own property in India; however, they can lease property for up to 5 years.

Cheers!