Start here: "A Virtual Village"
India has nearly 600,000 villages wherein about 623,000,000 of its population lives. This website does not attempt to depict life in "the Indian village" or a "typical village" or, even, an "average village." Arampur, like each village in India, is unique and you must not universalize what you find here as the same as in other villages. However, many facets and dynamics of life in Arampur can be found in many other rural settings, especially in north India. The important variations in conditions of work, play, religion, class, caste, and gender do not entirely eclipse the commonalities. Although we cannot universalize the experience of rural Indians, we can generalize about them.
"A
Virtual Village" does not pretend to offer a "real"
experience of exploring an Indian setting and interacting
with actual Indians. It should be considered a spur, not a
replacement, for your own physical and interpersonal
exploration of the fascinating cultures of South Asia. It
offers a dimly ersatz experience which intends to foster a
deeper understanding of these cultures while promoting
actual interpersonal interactions outside of the user's
familiar surroundings. This project has resulted from the
designers having lived in India and we would consider it a
happy result if it helped inspire you to do the same, if you
haven't already.
Finally, this website must be understood as the result of years of personal experience on the part of the designers in the village which we call Arampur. We do not encourage you to plunge without constraint through the streets, religious places, and homes of another culture. Our access to the places of "Arampur" and interviews with its residents occured only after a long process of forging personal relationships and we are indebted to them for their generosity and openness.
To continue, choose one:
for first time visitors (other than teachers)