What We Have Learned About India

During our human geography class, we have learned a lot about India and what it is like living there.  We have studied the large population, India’s problem with human trafficking, poverty, and the slums.  We have also been watching the movie Slum dog Millionaire.  In this movie we really see what life is like living in the slums of India.  The main characters are Jamal, Salim, and Latika.  They have to run away from their home in the slums because of the Bombay Riots.  The movie shows their story of survival and how they got to where they are now.  I think it really portrays life in India well. 

India’s population is 1,173,108,118.  It is the second largest country in the whole world behind China.  I think this is one reason why India is stricken with such bad poverty.  They have so many people and not enough supplies to support everyone living there.  That is why some people live in slums or shantytowns.   Slums/ Shantytowns are makeshift living arrangements made out of scraps of material.  Life in the slums is very difficult.  In the movie we see what they really look like.  Everything is so crowded and packed together I don’t understand how anyone could live like that.  The “buildings” they make are small and uncomfortable.    There is trash piled up everywhere because there are no garbage trucks to take it away.  People will just throw it where they can’t see it.  Often people go long periods of time without food.

Another result of India’s poverty is human trafficking and child labor.  Human trafficking is basically modern day slavery.  People become desperate for money and put innocent people to work for them.  In the movie, a man makes the children look as if they are desperate and pathetic by making them blind and going on the streets begging for money.  Then, he kept the money for himself.  Isn’t that awful?  That is unfortunately a sad part of India and what actually goes on and it’s not only children.  It can be people of any age.   Another problem similar to this is child labor.  People will put children to dangerous and strenuous work not fit for a small child, for little to no pay.  I think this is completely wrong because children should be getting a good education for the future.  If people want India to thrive they should educate their children.  Instead, they put them to work and don’t teach them anything.    There are about 50 million child laborers in India.

Fortunately, India is not all bad.  They have the largest film industry in the world.  India’s film industry is located in Mumbai and is commonly referred to as “Bollywood”.  The name is derived from Bombay, what is now Mumbai, and Hollywood the center on America’s film industry.  Bollywood consists of mostly musicals.  India makes about a thousand movies a year.  That is twice as many as America.