Get up on a Monday morning and grind through the hustle and bustle of work life — take uncountable client calls, stare at your laptop screen all week, post work reminders on your phone and the vicious cycle continues. In India, there is this unsaid convention laid out by most of our parents, that if you are not a doctor, engineer, or lawyer, you have most certainly failed at life. And if by any chance, you are inclined towards the arts, and the moment you decide to take it up for your higher studies, most Indian parents are completely heartbroken at that point. However, not everyone wants to follow the road well traveled. For some, conventionality can be stifling. It is for those folks, we have listed a few unconventional jobs that you can do in India today — ranging from jobs that are part of a waning tradition to work that is viewed by normative society as downright bizarre.
I. Water Slide and Rides Tester
Everyone loves going to amusement parks. Be it the adrenaline rush as the roller coaster swoops down or the splash of water on your face as you slide down a long tunnel in your favorite aqua park, amusement parks are always exciting. Well, there’s a person who tries and inspects each and every water slide and amusement park ride before it’s opened for the public. Yes, that’s the job description. It sounds fun but although adequate precautions are taken, it is quite risky. All the daring and adventurous ones — this job is tailor-made for you.
II. Ball Inspector
In our country, half the population is crazy about cricket and wants to become a cricketer. Names Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar spark the patriot in almost all Indians, both young and veteran fans of the game. In such a country, there have to be ball inspectors. The job involves inspecting each and every ball that is being used in international cricket matches. It involves knowing the right weight of a cricket ball, the difference between and red and pink ball, and many such intricate details. If you’re a cricket fan, this job is right off the bat for you.
III. Professional Mourners
Yes, you heard it right. There are actually people who are paid to cry at a funeral. If you are not one of the popular ones in your lifetime or have your fair share of haters, do not worry about a sparsely populated funeral ceremony. There are people who can be hired to mourn you sincerely at your funeral. They are also known as Rudalis and are mostly found in Rajasthan. It’s an old yet odd custom that has been followed in India for ages now. The workplace attire of a professional mourner is the color, black which is associated with the God of death, Yama.
IV. Roadside Dentists
In a country like India where every parent wants their child to become a doctor, competition can be really fierce. Not everybody has the opportunity to get through medical school. Worry not! You can always become a dentist and not disappoint your parents — a roadside dentist, to be precise. Imagine being on the move and you feel a sharp pang in your tooth — who’ll come to your aid? A roadside dentist, of course. These ancient orthodontists are often spotted in the bylanes of India. From fillings to clean-ups, they do it all but, there’s a catch. There’s no anesthesia. Your patients will already know that and do not forget to salute their bravery when they come for your services.
V. Corpse Photographers
Lovers of horror and the macabre unite! corpse photography is quite a thriving profession. In the holy city of Varanasi, where people go to perform the last rites, clicking a picture of the deceased at the Ganges is now a profession. At the burning Ghats, a photographer earns somewhere between ₹1,500 and ₹2,500 per day. The best part about this job is although your subjects will be able to execute only one pose, they will always be very cooperative to be captured.
VI. Genealogists
This is a profession going back centuries and has a rich tradition. In India, there has existed a group of professionals whose job is to excavate history about your ancestors dating back at least ten generations. They are also known as pandas and are mostly found in Haridwar. They keep genealogy records for certain Hindu families. It is said that Hindu families used to visit these genealogists to update their family trees and ask about marriages, births, and deaths. A genealogist of fair repute earns a good amount of money, even today.
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