#28 Sharing

In India, there’s room for everyone!
Originally uploaded by Dey

Desis take the virtue of sharing very seriously and are adept at applying it in most aspects of their lives. Sharing is fun,yes? But for desis, sharing is also about saving money which adds a whole lot more to the concept of fun. Sharing also allows them to huddle together and is a great way to check out what other desis are upto.

Casual desi sharing is always at display in restaurants with all things liquid (from soup to chai) being split two or even three ways. Then comes the more intimate food sharing process with every desi on the table sticking their forks into the plate of the person sitting farthest from them. This way the food and the plate, both get shared adding that extra something to the whole meal.

Sharing clothes is also a big hit with desis. While women often swap sarees and lehengas for special occasions (since repeating clothes can bring them into disrepute), a desi man’s entire wardrobe (usually under ten clothing items, excluding the essentials) is always up for share and could reach extreme levels of intimacy in certain cases.

Not only is the virtue of sharing used to save money but it is also used to save space. Desis achieve this by making sure that there is at least one more person than twice the number of rooms in a flat, at all times. This tenet , if followed properly, gives them enough reason to share bedrooms. If this condition cannot be met for some reason, then the desis will just move into a smaller flat or split up and help other desis in following this tenet.

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