A Lithuanian woman living in India has shared five things she believes Europeans can learn from Indians, sparking a discussion on social media. Taking to Instagram, Monika Kunjeswari Dasi posted a video in which she reflected on the cultural values she has observed during her years in the country.
A Lithuanian woman shared five things Europeans could learn from Indians, including warmth and community. (Instagram/monika_kunjeswari)
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In the caption of the clip, she wrote, “Things Europeans should learn from Indians. I know this may be controversial, but after living in India for years, I noticed there are actually quite a few things Western countries could learn from Indian culture. Many people from Europe visit villages or smaller towns in India and think people are ‘simple’. But honestly, some of the values I found here are something we are slowly losing in the West.”
Listing the first quality, she praised India’s tradition of hospitality. “The way guests are treated in India is amazing. If somebody comes to your home, you offer food, tea, make them comfortable. It’s considered basic manners. In Lithuania we also have something similar, but in India it’s really on another level,” she wrote.
She also spoke about India’s strong sense of community, saying people are often willing to help one another. “Friends help friends. Neighbours know each other. If somebody needs something, there is usually someone around willing to help. Nowadays so many people struggle with loneliness and I think losing this sense of community is one of the reasons,” she added.
Monika further said that she admired how food continues to hold emotional and social value in many Indian homes. “Home cooking is normal. Sitting together and eating is normal. Not everything is about convenience and consuming things as fast as possible,” she wrote.
She also mentioned personal hygiene, saying she had noticed people in India taking cleanliness seriously. “Taking a shower, changing clothes, keeping yourself fresh. In India I see people taking personal hygiene seriously and honestly I think it’s a very good habit,” she said.
Calling joy her “favourite” lesson, she wrote, “Festivals, dancing, singing, celebrating together. People don’t need a special reason to enjoy life. There is a lightness to it. Sometimes I feel in Europe we became so serious that we forgot how to simply enjoy things.”
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She concluded by adding, “Of course every country has good and bad sides. These are just some things I personally learned from India.”
Watch the clip here:
The post received several reactions from social media users. One user wrote, “This is such a beautiful observation about India.” Another said, “Atithi Devo Bhava is truly one of the best parts of Indian culture.” A third commented, “Community life is something the whole world needs right now.” Another user wrote, “Glad someone noticed the warmth of Indian families.”
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)