THE ART OF JUGAAD — THE DAY INDIA TAUGHT ME TO THINK FAST

By Keyaa
India Through the Eyes of an NRI Kid

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I Thought It Was Just Another Road Trip… Until It Wasn’t

I’ve always heard my dad say that India has its own rhythm,

and that it takes time to understand it.
This time, India didn’t just show me the rhythm —

it taught me a whole new way of thinking.
We were driving through Kutch, and everything felt like a movie — empty roads, bright sun, warm wind, and my playlist playing in the background. I wasn’t thinking about anything serious. Just enjoying the ride.
Until the fuel meter dropped. Again. And again.

And then… it blinked red.
I looked at Papa.

Papa looked at me.

We both looked at the empty road.
“Papa… what now?” I asked, fully expecting a complicated answer.
Instead, he smiled and said,

“Don’t worry. This is India. Something will happen.”
I didn’t know what he meant.

But I was about to learn.

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When a Man With a Bucket Became the Hero of My Day

Out of nowhere, a man appeared with:

• a plastic bucket
• a pipe
• a smile
• and the most confident “Ho jayega” I’ve ever heard in my life

I couldn’t help staring.
Back home, everything is planned.

Everything has rules.

Everything has labels and instructions.
But here, this random man stood in the middle of a quiet road holding a bucket like it was the most normal thing in the world.
I whispered to Papa,

“Is this… safe?”
Papa just laughed.

“This is called Jugaad.”

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Jugaad: India’s Magic Trick

I watched as the man used the bucket, the pipe, and gravity to fill our tank.

No machines.

No big tools.

No drama.
Just ideas.

Creativity.

And confidence.
It felt like watching a real-life magic trick — but everyone around here seemed to know how to do it.
“Papa, how does he know this?” I asked, genuinely confused.
“In India, people learn fast,” he said.

“And they make things work even when nothing around them is perfect.”
That’s when I understood something:
Jugaad isn’t just a hack.
It’s how people survive, solve, and succeed.
And honestly… I loved it.

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The Lesson India Didn’t Plan, But Still Taught Me

When the car finally started again, I felt weirdly proud — even though I did absolutely nothing except watch.
It wasn’t the fuel moment that stayed with me.

It was the way people here help without thinking twice.

The way they solve problems with whatever they have.

The way they trust you even if they’ve never met you.
When we started driving again, I told Papa softly,

“India always surprises me.”
He smiled and said,

“That’s why we come back.”
And he’s right.

Every time I visit, India teaches me something new —

about resourcefulness, kindness, and how solutions don’t always need perfect tools…

just the right people.

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How This Fits Into My Journey

India Through the Eyes of an NRI Kid
I didn’t grow up here.

But every year, India feels a little more like mine.
This blog is part of my journey —

my way of understanding India the way only an NRI kid can:
With curiosity.

With confusion.

With excitement.

With wonder.

And with a billion small stories like this one.
Each moment teaches me something —

and this time, India taught me how to think fast, trust strangers, and believe in the most unexpected solutions.

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Do You Have a Jugaad Story Too?

If you’ve ever been to India, or grown up here, I’m sure you’ve seen something like this — a moment where India solved a problem in a way only India can.
I’d love to hear your Jugaad stories.

Tell me in the comments.

Maybe your story will be my next lesson.

 

 

#MeetNRIKeyaa #Jugaad #IndianCreativity #NRIKid #OnlyInIndia #LifeLessons #ThinkDifferent #IndiaThroughMyEyes