India is a huge country split into multiple regions, where the food and even culture can vary wildly between areas. My guest today grew up in the northern region of the Punjab, in a placed called Dere Lakhan kalan, Kapurthala. What was life like growing up there? Let's get an inside look and find out... Welcome, Jagjit Singh. Episode highlights: [02:20] - Jagjit from a big family, 10 children in one house[06:05] - Approx 500 in his village, everyone knows everyone. Multiple villages close to each other[07:30] - Sadness when the children leave their small villages? Mixed emotions but mainly celebrated[08:30] - Many children end up settling in U.K. / Europe[09:20] - What is job prospects like for kids growing up in the small villages?[09:58] - Speaks about his own experiences - Farming / Buffalo / Sports / Wrestling[10:32] - Kabaddi wrestling[12:00] - Speaks about diet of fresh milk, yoghurt[13:25] - His parents livelihood, buffalo / dairy farming main source[14:35] - Same case for most families there, most had the same type of agricultural life[15:10] - Wealth distribution between families discussed. Extreme riches vs poor. His village was broadly the same[18:15] - Draws fascinating comparison between Punjab and Portugal / western life. People have own houses, pumps, no water bills or rent unlike in the west[19:45] - Sociodemographic of rich and poor. Speaks of Bombay. His area much more middle class[22:09] - Snakes in India. Snakebite more common here than most places.[27:55] - Air Pollution / AQI in Delhi, compared with his city. Left overs from Agriculture burnt & also causes pollution[30:45] - Farmers strike in India, ever happened?[32:15] - Middle class booming in India, many starting own businesses[33:16] - Indian wedding culture[37:03] - Taj Mahal. Less than half of his village have ever seen it[39:11] - Speaks us through the bartering system in rupees[43:30] - Now in Portugal, what does he miss about life back home?[45:00] - Compares food south to north, also Indian food found in U.K. Fish more common in south! Restaurant food still enjoyed by indians, but home food generally very different and even more enjoyable[47:30] - Food back in Punjab spiced differently. Lots of onion, garlic & ginger as a base.[48:20] - Community social dynamics, often eat and feast together?[49:35] - Languages in India. Goa has portuguese, Punjab? Punjabi mother tongue, Hindi also widely spoken. Share many similarities to Urdu, Bangladeshi etc. [52:40] - Common Religions : Sikhism, Mainstream Christianity, Hinduism [53:58] - Broad comparison of life in Punjab vs life in Portugal[55:17] - large family gatherings more common in India than Portugal. Life and timings in India extremely relaxed compared to Portugal. Have to give specific timings in Europe. Portugal still very laid back and chilled.[58:30] - Jagjit gives his recommendations for visitors to Punjab & also India as a whole[01:00:30] - How visitors are treated and viewed on their visit?Wishing all listeners all the best in your next visit to India! Thanks, Jagjit Singh, for an authentic inside look into life growing up in the Punjab.