#hinoti

Surprisingly, the Gen y still believes in horoscopes, blessings and even karma!

On one side there is modernity in the way they want to live life but at the same time some things are strongly routed. Sriram believed that “something has been planned for you by God” and “mom’s blessings” are important. Vikram strongly believes that astrology has actually helped him passed an exam. Samir will never get non-veg food at home as his kitchen is covered by God’s pictures. Jigar avoids eating eggs on Tuesday as it is a religious day while Neha makes it a point to visit a temple atleast once a week and even touches her mom’s feet when she is doing something new.

They believe that there is a bigger force at play and then you can activate your destiny by being at the right place at the right time.

India is truly at the crossroads of modernity and tradition but Gen Y is taking tradition along as they march forwards. They spoke about the sacrifices their parents had made for them and whatever happens they will take care of them when their parents get old. They all spoke about how they might want to work abroad for a few years but would eventually want to come back to India to take care of their parents.

Opportunity: Always take tradition along on a journey of modernity

It’s blue for bottoms. One visual symbolic of Gen Y in India is jeans. And everyone is wearing them. They have all kinds of them in their wardrobe and all types – blue jeans, black jeans, studded jeans, torn jeans, jeans with patch pockets, acid wash, stone wash, all kinds of wash..full length, capris, shorts…jeans, jeans, jeans. You even get Levi’s jeans on EMI. Jeans represent the youth. They set them apart from the Gen X. And this is something you see across the length and breadth of India whether it is the big villages, small towns, big cities. While the hoity toity will be in designer jeans….the bourgeois will be wearing fake labels imported from Bangkok or even getting them tailored at a local store. From the student at college, to the executive working in a media company and even banks allow them on Fridays. Even the most conservative political party youth workers who are almost to the point of being regressive seem to be wearing the symbol of youth – jeans. The ‘to be future prime minister’ of India, Rahul Gandhi from the ruling Congress party is also sometimes spotted in jeans to connect to the youth today.  A pair of jeans has become the new symbol of having arrived in modernity, of being that of a different generation, of a style statement announcing who you are.

And then they know how to mix and match it with local stuff. The modernity of jeans with the traditional kurtas! The modernity of jeans with the ethnic silver bangles. The modernity of jeans with sometimes a vegetable dye print kurti and even a dupatta (traditional scarf). People even call themselves as a ‘jeans person’. Vishal says “I live and breathe in my jeans. For a date its jeans and a tee, for a formal dinner its jeans and a jacket…and sometimes I even sleep in my jeans after a night long parting! One of the common images you see in India, is a mom and daughter walking side by side….the mom in her traditional six yard sari…and the daughter in skinny jeans…one covering her modesty while the other showing off every curve of her body…one almost shy and the other one walking tall, head held high. And yet in this contrast of images there is a connection since the daughter’s arm is around her mother.  

Opportunity: Find the next denim!