Dhruv, It depends, just like beauty lies in the eyes of beholder. There is nothing uncommon or alarming in the instances you have quoted. It is the level of general knowledge of the people/friends you came across. India is a world within world, a world of its own, country of diversities, a country which can not be categorized or compared. Diversities and unsimiliarities do not allow categorization and comparison respectively. Just 500 years ago no one on this planet even knew or heard of Americas, we have historical and documentry evidences of our milleniums old past. I do not argue whether Rama or Krishna existed but Ramayana,Mahabharta,Vedas,Upnishdas existed and were written on that part of planet by writers born in that part of planet known as INDIA.It was India,Columbus was looking for not Americas.Other side of coin is that how old are we as an Independent Nation ? Answer is 60,born as fractured,looted,abandoned on a junction !!!! That hungry boy(without electricity,food and water)sent nuclear weapons to the arsenal of army and satelites in the space in early 70s.Today that boy is grown up to the level that all developed nations want to leave each other behind to join hands with him. If you talk of problems alone then there is no trouble-free spot in the world. THINK POSITIVE AND BE OPTIMISTIC.
