"I miss the small things that you detest" : NRIs Open Up on What They Miss the Most About India

As an Indian living here for 23 long years I have obviously developed a passion (mostly habit) of several things exclusive to India. But there are many which I have also developed a deep dislike for. And it is exactly THESE things (ironically) which Indians settled abroad miss the most.

Here are a few rather unconventional and mostly emotional things that NRIs miss about India.

The food, and well, the way of eating it!

"Its definitely home food. You will be dying to eat that rice with a curry with your bare hand. Sure I do!"

The sheer chaos!

"You will remember the once irritating (but now seemingly musical!) calling of the vegetable seller, the occasional trash collector, the numerous vendors (who know perfectly well the time you sink into deep afternoon nap), the maids zooming in and out of the house, vehicles hooting, screeching, stopping on the adjacent street, current popular songs playing on ear deafening loudspeaker-cum-music system in passing cars, the distant and yet so audible temple bells.....yes the sounds of life you once thought was noise."

Source Margie Savage

Most surprising, the TRAFFIC!

"It is annoying for most of the people even If your home is just 5 km from Karol Bagh or from Chandni Chowk you have to be leave at least 30 min before. But you will miss it, when you don't see any traffic on roads."

Source Wikimedia

God sent maids!

"No matter how much your cursed your maid for her uninformed 'chuttis' (holidays) and dirt marks she left uncleansed on the floor, you will miss her dearly now (second only to mom) while you dust, wash, clean, dry, shop, chop, cook all on your own day in and day out everyday....phew!"

Credits Herry Lawford

They even miss public transport! Wha??

"Yes, no matter how much they irritated you back home with their forever broken meters and the extra ten bucks they always demanded above the fixed rate, now you just wish and pray that somehow they would move to your part of the world. For foreign lands, no matter how well connected with their ultra-fast metros and bang-on-time buses, still call for loads of walking and unless you have been a trained runner or sports person, you will end up loathing it."

Credits Saad Akhtar

And power cuts too!

"Daily scheduled mini breaks due to awesome power supply."

Source Prashant Ram

Mothers!

"The one time you miss home (and mom) the most is when you fall sick. Those are the times when you would give just about anything (even your treacherously acquired permanent residence permit) for five minutes in her lap and eating food out of her hand- that always got you better, didn't it ?"

Credits Sundaram Ramaswamy

And people!

"This applies onlee to American cities, but they all feel ... how do I put it ... sterile? Sure, there are parts of town that are full of life, but the residential neighbourhoods are deathly quiet. I miss the constant hum - of traffic, people talking, and children playing in the building compound - that is a staple of Indian city life."

via Bollypop.in

And the sun!!

"You can go weeks in Canada without seeing the sun, especially in the winter when the skies are overcast most of the time. The sun is much fonder of India."

 
Credits Vinoth Chandar

This rare privilege.

"Swearing in Marathi is refreshing, honestly. 'Fu***r' just doesn't carry the same weight as 'Bhadvya'."

via Bollypop.in

Is deeply missed.

"Gaalis."

Like a LOT!

"The generous use of bhen***d, m******h, ch****a etc. Some friends and relatives, festivals (not Ganesh visarjan though, fuck that shit) and food."

 

The only stress worth missing!

"Watching an India-Pakistan Match."

 
Credits India.com

The amount of patriotism during a India vs Pakistan match is TOO DAMN HIGH.

"You don't have to be in the cricket stadium to feel the adrenaline rush of the last nail-biting overs of such a match. It is one of those moments when the entire nation stops to pray for the victory of their country. The moment that instils more patriotism in you than your country's Independence Day. And not to forget the enticing celebrations with crowds dancing on roads, beating drums and sitting on car roof tops and shouting slogans. Any 'matches' (pun unintended!) for this experience outside your own country ... not by any chance!"

via bollypop.in

Absolutely understandable.

"I miss using rupees because I always used to feel like I had more money than I actually did. Who wouldn't with a wallet stuffed with 100 rupee notes? (Even though their equivalent is a toonie in Canadian money!)"

via Bollypop.in

It is already quite painful.

"Dentist.... it so freaking expensive here...."

via Bollypop.in

NOW THIS IS JUST CRUEL.

"I just bought 4 laddus for $5 :("

via Bollypop.in

Jokes aside, being away from home is a terrible feeling. And though we sitting here don't always appreciate the smallest details that make our day or have colored our lives exuberantly, but even the shortest distance away from it can fill up the coldest heart with warmest memories.

And if this song doesn't take you back to some hearty memories of childhood in India, then nothing will. (clickbait YEA!)

All quotes have been collected from Reddit and Quora