Lost in Translation?

Although we do have our fair share of confused conversations with locals from rickshaw drivers to waiters, English is widely used throughout India. Although Hindi is the official language, with so many various regional languages, English is commonly used also (although with quite a different accent than ours...thus the confusion!) Between its history as a British colony and the fact that the language changes with every new state you enter, there is a demand for a common language. Often times in the large cities, you hear friends speaking in English to one another. It was explained to us that they likely come from different states, and do not speak the same local language. So, while signs are a mix of the local language and English, we can readily find someone that can point us in the right direction or to the right bus. I find the script of Hindi and the local languages to be so beautiful that I often take pictures of signs....not having a clue what they are advertising!! This aspect makes India quite traveler friendly.