- A Lithuanian woman praised Indian hospitality as a superior cultural value to the West
- She highlighted India's strong community bonds that counter Western loneliness issues
- Indian homes prioritize fresh cooking and shared meals as daily family rituals
A Lithuanian woman recently shared her observations on the cultural values she experienced while visiting towns and villages in India. While some Westerners call rural life "simple," she argues that India preserves vital human connections that the West is rapidly losing. In an Instagram post, she shared all the things Europeans can 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," she wrote as the caption of the post.
"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."
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Here are the five values she believes the West should adopt:
Hospitality: She said that in India, treating a guest like God (Atithi Devo Bhava) isn't just a saying; it's a basic standard of manners. While hospitality exists in Europe, the Indian warmth is on an entirely different level. "If somebody comes to your home, you offer food, tea, and 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.
Community: She said that people in the West often struggle with loneliness, but India offers genuine community. Neighbours know each other, friends actively support friends, and a helping hand is always nearby. "Nowadays so many people struggle with loneliness and I think losing this sense of community is one of the reasons," she noted.
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See the post here:
Food and cooking: According to her, Indian households respect meals, unlike the food culture of the West. Fresh home cooking is the norm, and sitting down together to eat remains a daily ritual.
Cleanliness: She said, contrary to common Western stereotypes, personal cleanliness is part of daily Indian life. People is Indian bathe regularly, and wearing fresh clothes is not just about hygiene; it is a form of self-respect and respect for others. "In India, I see people taking personal hygiene seriously, and honestly, I think it's a very good habit. It makes you feel better and shows respect to people around you, too," she wrote.
Joy: She said that Western societies have become serious, but India retains a unique lightness of spirit. Through festivals, music, and dance, people don't wait for a special reason to enjoy life; they celebrate simply because they are together. "People don't need a special reason to enjoy life. There is a lightness to it. Sometimes I feel in Europe we have become so serious that we forgot how to simply enjoy things," she noted.
"Of course, every country has good and bad sides. These are just some things I personally learned from India." she said.
Social media reaction
With over 600,000 views and more than 11,000 likes, the video went viral. Social media users took to the comment section to share their views. "Most important things... sharing is caring," one wrote.
"We are not losing these values slowly, we are losing them fast," one user from the West stated.
"You are beautiful... Thanks for highlighting what is second nature to us, but often fail to notice," a third user noted.
