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Sold by Patricia McCormick. Unit Intro. Map of the World. Map of the World. Nepal – where the story begins. At the beginning of the novel, Lakshmi lives in rural, mountainous Nepal, which is a small country north of India. Himalayan Mountains.
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Sold by Patricia McCormick Unit Intro
Nepal – where the story begins • At the beginning of the novel, Lakshmi lives in rural, mountainous Nepal, which is a small country north of India.
India – where Lakshmi goes when she is SOLD • Population = 1.2 billion • That’s almost 4 times the size of the United States!
Monsoons and Dr0ught for India and Nepal • Monsoons = seasonal winds and heavy rainfall • Drought = period of severe dryness and lack of rain
Food in India Lassi = yogurt smoothie Why do you think McDonald’s in India doesn’t serve any beef products?
Hinduism and Lakshmi • In Hinduism, the cow is considered sacred, so many Hindis do not consume beef. • Lakshmi, the main character, is named after the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi is the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity (both material and spiritual), light, wisdom, fortune, fertility, generosity and courage; and the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm.
Indian Social Customs • Why do you often see an Indian woman with a red dot on her forehead? • The “dot” is called a bindi. • In older times, the red dot was a symbol of a woman’s marriage. • Bindis today are worn throughout South Asia by women and girls and no longer signify age, marital status, religious background or ethnic affiliation. • The bindi has become a decorative item and is no longer restricted in color or shape.
Gender in India What does this sign tell us about gender in India? Which gender is preferred? Answer: Men are preferred over women, even though there is a current female president. Indira Gandhi (left) was one of the first female leaders of a country.
Economics in India • India is defined by a caste system in which social hierarchy is very important . • How does this differ from the American dream?
Marriage in India • Traditionally, Indian parents look for a prospective match for their son/daughter from their own community also known as arranged marriage. • Failure to arrange a match for a daughter is a source of stress and sometimes shame for the family. • An unarranged marriage would be called a “love marriage.” Typically, families do not approve of these marriages, and sometimes they can cause splits in the family that last for future decades.
Arranged Marriages and Finances • In certain parts of India, the bride’s family is expected to pay a dowry to the husband’s family. • Dowry = money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her husband in marriage. • A dowry is intended to be way of protecting the wife against the possibility of ill treatment by her husband and his family. • If a woman’s family cannot provide a dowry, their daughter may not be able to marry, causing shame to the family.
Clothing in India • Men wear the sherwani, which is a knee-length garment similar to a coat. • Women wear saris , an article of clothing that is draped around the body. • Women also wear a salvarkameez, which is a long tunic worn over a pair of trousers.