India Vs Canada – Which is better? Two homes – one heart !
So if you’re wondering which country is “better,” let me take you on a ride through both worlds. My Canadian friend Julie visited India for the first time, she thought she had entered an epic movie set. She landed in Delhi to ancient forts and modern malls, zipped through Jaipur where camels compete with BMWs, and by the time she reached Kerala, she asked, “Wait…is this still the same country?”
I laughed. “Yes, Julie. Welcome to India—where every 100 miles, language, food, clothes, and even the idea of time can change.”
A Billion People, A Billion Indias
India isn’t a country. It’s a continent disguised as a country.
In the North, men wear turbans and women carry pots of water on their heads with the grace of ballerinas. Come South, you’ll be surrounded by coconut trees, silk sarees, and dosas the size of a laptop. In the East, fish and rice are soul food, and in the West, you’ll find deserts and dhoklas and dances that go on till dawn.
We have 22 official languages and hundreds of dialects, and no, we don’t all speak Hindi. Our festivals? We’ve got more of them than Netflix has romcoms. Holi, Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Navratri, Pongal, Onam, Bihu…every month brings new decorations and excuses for sweets.
Temples, Mosques, Churches, and Gurdwaras—All on One Street
One of India’s greatest miracles is this: different religions actually live side by side. In most cities, it’s not uncommon to see a mosque’s minaret beside a temple’s spire, with a church bell ringing somewhere nearby.
You’ll hear a Sikh hymn in the morning, temple bells at noon, and the evening azaan from a nearby mosque—all coexisting in a single neighborhood.
India has over two million temples, many of them centuries old and carved with exquisite precision. Pilgrims walk for miles barefoot to pray. Monks meditate silently next to bustling families. The spiritual energy is real, raw, and magnetic.
And yet, alongside this ancient devotion, kids are coding in JavaScript, parents are ordering groceries on an app, and the local chaiwala is probably on Instagram.
Yet, Somehow, It Works
Despite all the differences, India moves forward—often with the chaos of a wedding procession and the rhythm of a dhol.
We’re not perfect, but we’ve been functioning under a relatively stable government led by Prime Minister Modi for over a decade now. Like every democracy, opinions differ, tempers flare on social media, and dinner table debates can get louder than our honking traffic. But there’s also progress—digital infrastructure, better roads, bullet trains, and a pride in our culture that’s seeing a strong resurgence.
But Let’s Talk About the “Other India” Too
Now, let me be honest. Not everything is incredible!
Safety for Women? Still a long way to go. A solo female traveler still has to be cautious, especially after dark. There are places that are safer, yes, but it’s inconsistent.
Toxic Work Culture? Oh, you bet. Let’s say you start working at 9 AM. You might not be home until 9 PM—and even then, there’s that client WhatsApp group that never sleeps. You know those serene yoga memes? Most Indian professionals just repost them at 2 AM and cry internally.
Systems? We Prefer Chaos with a Sprinkle of Jugaad
What is “jugaad”? It’s our word for creative problem-solving, and we use it like duct tape. Broken chair at work? Tie a rope. Short-staffed? Cousin’s cousin will fill in. Need a document? Know someone who knows someone.
This inventiveness is endearing—but it also means we lack systems. HR policies are often just theoretical. Hierarchies still matter. Sometimes, you’ll miss a promotion because you didn’t attend your boss’s niece’s wedding.
Family: Blessing or Boundary?
We are very family-oriented. Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, second cousins, neighbour’s dog—everyone’s got a say in your life. It’s cozy, sometimes suffocating. Ever missed a major work project to attend your fourth cousin’s wedding? Welcome to India.But also—when you’re sick, when your kid needs help, when you’re broke or just need a hug—your family shows up, unannounced, with food and unsolicited advice
The Western Way: Order, Freedom, and Weekends
Let’s flip the coin.
When I visited Canada , I was amazed. Roads so clean you could eat off them. Work ends at 5 PM sharp. People actually say “Sorry” when they bump into you (in India, we just give you the look). Weekends? They’re sacred. You hike, bake banana bread, go to family cottage or just relax. No boss expects you to be online. It’s like a silent, universal agreement.
In our first two years in Canada, with just a modest average family income, we were able to secure a home loan at age 28—how amazing is that? It gave us the gift of stability early in life, something that’s almost unimaginable in India. There, no bank would hand a home loan to a young couple with limited income, especially when the gap between salaries and real estate prices is so wide, it’s laughable. Sadly, big Canadian cities like Toronto are have similar income and home affordability—with sky-high housing costs and rising interest rates making it nearly impossible for today’s youth to do the same.
And the biggest mind-blower? Healthcare and pensions.
Work 30-40 years, and even if you never become Elon Musk, you’ll have decent healthcare and a pension plan to support you. You may not retire in a castle, but you won’t be living in your van either.
In India, Retirement Is Like a DIY Project
There’s no social safety net for most Indians. You save, invest, insure, and pray. Because if you didn’t plan it right, you’re either dependent on your kids (remember those strong family ties?) or working into your 70s.
Healthcare? The private sector is fantastic—if you can afford it. Otherwise, you hope you never need surgery.
Yet, India Has Its Own Sparkling Perks
Let me not leave you with gloom. India is not trying to be the West. And maybe that’s the magic.
Here are 5 things India does better than most of the world:
- Affordability
A full-time house help, a chauffeur, a cook, and a tuition teacher for your kid—all under what you’d pay for one dog-sitter in Toronto. The middle class here often lives like royalty. - Food Variety
You could eat a different breakfast every day for a month and still not repeat. From fluffy idlis in Chennai to spicy chole bhature in Delhi, your taste buds are on a permanent joyride. - Spiritual Infrastructure
Want to do yoga at sunrise? Visit temples, mosques, churches, or meditation centers? You don’t need to Google retreats—spirituality is a lifestyle here, not a subscription. - Entrepreneurial Spirit
India has one of the world’s largest youth populations, and the start-up boom is real. From chai startups to unicorn tech firms, people are creating businesses from scratch—with passion and jugaad. - Celebrations
Weddings last a week. Holi is a national excuse to throw colors at strangers. Diwali lights up the country. Even political wins are celebrated with sweets. In India, you don’t need a reason to dance—you just need a drum.
India is a paradox wrapped in a curry leaf. She’ll frustrate you, fascinate you, overwhelm you, and eventually—win you over. Yes, we still have miles to go in safety, equality, and infrastructure. But the soul of India is alive, beating in a billion hearts that somehow coexist despite the differences. As I always say—India doesn’t just grow on you. It bursts into you like a Holi color bomb. And when you leave, you’ll carry her with you—stuck to your soul like turmeric on your fingers. And Julie? She came for 10 days. She stayed for 3 months. She’s now learning to cook dosa and planning a Diwali party in Toronto.
So, Which Is Better?
Honestly? Neither. And both.
India teaches you to share, adjust, juggle, hustle, and thrive in organized chaos. Canada teaches you to plan, save, rest, reflect, and appreciate the value of silence.
One gives you roots. The other gives you wings.
Sometimes, I look at my kids cycling in a Canadian suburb, and I’m grateful for safety and space. Other times, I watch a Bollywood movie and cry over the wedding scenes and wearing those beautiful lehangas – because I remember how every wedding in India feels like a movie.
Two Homes, One Heart
I live in Canada. I love it here. But India? It lives in me.
And so, like many NRIs, I straddle two worlds – adjusting the thermostat in winter while planning a spring trip to India, hoping my kids will not get sick after drinking even bottled water.
One home gave me values.
The other gave me voice.
And in between, I find myself – sometimes overdressed for a Canadian party, sometimes underprepared for an Indian gathering, but always grateful for both.
Because really…
“Two homes, one heart” isn’t just a slogan.
It’s a lived experience.
Namaste, y’all.