India has changed over the past seven years. Technology here is, in some ways, even better than in America. People SMS everything, perhaps even more than Americans text message over their cell phones. The mobile phones in India are even cooler than those in America, with greater features and much more colorful and flashy designs (though people here rarely buy flip phones due to the roughness of Indian daily life and the concern about dirt entering the hinge). Also, on TV, Indian satellite provides a huge variety of channels, and the commercials are REALLY good. I remember when we used to mock the ads, because they all seemed so amateur and pointless (like many local ads back in America). But now they're so good that I wonder why many of them aren't showing in the States.
Cars are different. Before, the most popular car was the Ambassador, a clunky looking car that was unspeakably British. It had the feel of a Royce. Now, cars are hipper and much more varied. And smaller. People here prefer small cars in the same way that Americans want bigger ones. The most popular car makes are: Hyundai (the Getz is big), Maruti Suzuki (it's all about the Santo...the most popular car of them all), Toyota, Honda City (for cars; for motorcycles, it's Hero Honda); and even Ford. Colors now range from black to white, grays, browns, and blues. Before, the choices were black, white, and tan. The streets are definitely much more interesting to look at!
The prudeness of India has decreased slightly. Of course, there's the news about kissing. Not only that, but take a movie like the recently released "Neal N Nikki," which takes place in Vancouver, BC. This movie (which I plan to see once I return home) shows lots of skin (though of course no nudity): women in bikinis getting out of pools provocatively, and such. Large billboards and ads show men in underwear--not just boxers, but tighty whities. I've seen many a woman gawking longingly at the giant mostly naked man looming above them. And then I passed by a shop that openly and publicly (outside) displayed bras and lingerie. In Bangalore and Mysore, more boys and girls openly hold hands, skirts are getting shorter, and jeans are more common than salwaars.
Things have definitely changed...and yet some things simply stay the same. Most of India hasn't changed AT ALL.
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