I'm a Master in India

Buying land wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision for Ron.

He had considered business ventures beyond tourism ever since his initial conversation with Hadhad.

The city of Mumbai operates with both light and darkness, and only by delving deep can one uncover its intricate web.

Ron didn't aim for his money to be completely clean; that wouldn't work. However, he consistently strived to make it as transparent as possible.

The land in the city center was a form of preparedness; he had some ideas and wanted to try them out.

However, Kavia couldn't provide him with any definite news in the short term, so his priority now was to take good care of the students.

For the first three days, he arranged a unified itinerary, with Ron primarily taking them to famous attractions like the Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus), Churchgate Station, and the Elephanta Caves.

These locations mostly had a long history, and their architectural styles were very suitable for art students to sketch.

After three days, they would split into different routes to visit Hindu temples, Muslim mosques, Sikh Golden Temples, Catholic cathedrals, Parsi Towers of Silence, and so on.

Interspersed throughout would be various entertainment activities, such as visiting markets, riding auto-rickshaws, enjoying performances at the Royal Opera House, and indulging in a lavish dinner at the five-star Taj Mahal Hotel.

Ahem, all the above activities cost money, including the auto-rickshaws!

What? 10 pounds per person for a ride in a tuk-tuk!

These weren't ordinary tuk-tuks; the dozen or so auto-rickshaws Ron had arranged were uniformly painted in yellow and green.

The group marched grandly through the streets, forming an "S" shape at one moment and a "B" shape the next, looking very impressive!

In short, the routes for the following days all involved spending money; since he had taken on this business, he had to ensure the guests had a great time.

Of course, Ron was clear about the money he charged, and the service he provided was impeccable. Scams and deceptions were absolutely out of the question; the main selling point was peace of mind for your money.

He personally led the unified route for the first three days, and although the students asked many questions, overall, it went smoothly.

By the fifth day, when Anand and the others were responsible for the separate routes, problems started to arise frequently.

Before Ron had even sat down for long, a phone call summoned him again.

When he hurriedly arrived at the Tandoor restaurant, several students were arguing with the manager.

Sanjay, who was supposed to be leading the group, stood outside helplessly, looking anxious.

Upon seeing Ron, he felt both ashamed and angry; even his brown skin couldn't hide the flush on his face.

"Ron Baba..." he mumbled, not daring to meet Ron's eyes.

"I know, it's not your fault," Ron comforted him before pushing his way forward.

"Excuse me, sir, I'm their tour leader," he greeted the restaurant manager before turning to the students. "What happened?"

"They're discriminating against their own people! Oh my god, it's so unfair!"

"That's right, they won't let Sanjay in, saying he's an untouchable. It's a complete insult!"

"It's hard to imagine this kind of thing happening in a democratic country!"

The students complained about the outrageous behavior, but the restaurant manager remained unmoved, his face cold.

"Okay, I think I understand what happened. Now, let's find a delicious restaurant and sit down and talk about it slowly. I guarantee their food is so good you won't want to leave!"

"He hasn't apologized for his behavior yet; we can't just let it go!" "That's right, we should complain about him!"

"Listen to me, lads," Ron had to reassure them. "Since their service is unsatisfactory, why not go somewhere else? We're the customers, and there are plenty of people who are willing to treat us like gods."

The students looked at each other, as if that made sense. Seeing that the other party was unyielding, they figured there wouldn't be any compromise.

It's just that because there were female students present, the leading boys were a bit embarrassed, but now that Ron had said so...

"Alright, come with me, I promise you won't be disappointed," Ron offered a way out, and everyone followed him out of the restaurant.

The situation was simple; even without the students' description, he could guess the reason.

It was simply that the restaurant manager was of a high caste and refused to let Sanjay, a Dalit, enter. Because that would contaminate his restaurant and displease the customers.

And these students, bursting with a sense of justice and claiming to be from a civilized world, naturally had to stand up for Sanjay.

Alas, college students are always so pure and foolish, no matter the era.

If the other party obediently admitted their mistake and corrected it because of your few words, then the Indian authorities wouldn't have a headache over the caste issue.

But Ron didn't blame them; after all, they meant well and were standing up for his employee.

"That manager started out acting like a gentleman, but as soon as he saw Sanjay, he made no attempt to hide his disgust. He's a complete hypocrite!" one student was still indignant.

"That restaurant has insisted on this kind of hierarchy for many years. Middle and lower classes like Vaishyas and Shudras aren't allowed in, let alone the untouchables—Dalits—he mentioned. We usually don't come here."

At this point, Ron suddenly turned to look at Sanjay behind him, whose expression was very helpless. "I suggested other restaurants, but the students wanted to try it."

At this time, many students also explained that it wasn't Sanjay's fault; it was their idea.

Ron waved his hand. "It's okay, the delicious restaurant is here."

The owner of the Coastal Restaurant was also an acquaintance of Ron's. The burly man greeted everyone warmly and told them to sit down. Without Ron's instructions, plates of steaming dishes were quickly brought to the table.

"Sir, tell us about the Indian caste system," one student suggested.

"That can't be explained in a few words."

"Then make it simple," a familiar voice came from outside the door.

Ron turned his head, red hair, a beige knitted jacket, light-colored trousers. "Mary?"

"Am I here at the right time?" She sat down next to him without ceremony.

With the appearance of such a beautiful lady, the male students were excited and eager to try their luck, while a few blonde girls were a little jealous.

"You came at this time, is there something you need?" Ron ordered her a glass of cashew feni.

"Yes," Mary nodded, "but I want to hear you talk about the caste system first. You know, I'm also very curious."

The table of foreigners looked at him with great interest. Even Sanjay held his breath, ready to listen to the story.

"Alright, the caste system originated in the hymns of the Vedas, also known as the Puranas. Basically, it says that the original man's body evolved into the four castes we have today: Brahmins (mouth), Kshatriyas (arms), Vaishyas (thighs), and Shudras (feet).

Beyond that, there are also the untouchables, the Dalits. The hierarchy is from high to low, and the industries they engage in are strictly divided. Later, they began to use 'Varna' to distinguish different castes. Varna means color in Sanskrit.

Brahmins are white, Kshatriyas are red, Vaishyas are yellow, and Shudras are black. In a sense, this also represents skin color. Regarding the strict hierarchy of the caste system," Ron paused, "There are some very bad things. If you want to understand, you can go to the countryside to take a look. Mumbai is already the most open city in India."

In Mumbai, Dalits like Sanjay can become vendors or guides for foreigners. But in the countryside, especially in the north, just surviving is not an easy task.

This is why life in the slums of Mumbai is so difficult, yet still attracts so many people. Compared to the former, one seems to be in the Middle Ages, while the other is a modern civilized society.

"Is the caste system only in Hinduism?" Mary asked.

"It started that way, but the Muslims absorbed too many Dalits, and it slowly became assimilated. Now both Hinduism and Islam have a caste system. The followers of these two religions together make up more than 94% of India's total population, so you understand..."

The whole of India operates under the caste system, and the constitution can't change anything.

"Sir, may I ask, what caste do you belong to?" one student asked boldly.

"According to traditional classifications, I would be considered a Brahmin."

"Then why do you..." The student looked at Sanjay, hesitating to speak.

"Because Ron Baba is different from others," Sanjay shook his neck and replied happily.

"Every country has enlightened people; it's nothing. Okay, after you finish lunch, have Sanjay take you to Marine Drive; the scenery there is beautiful."

After saying this, Ron turned his head again. "What did you come to see me about?"

"Bollywood," Mary said succinctly.

"Bollywood?" This answer was somewhat unexpected.