While we spent much of our time in cities, we did have a chance to drive through some of the countryside and visit a school and village.
Farming remains the major form of sustenance for most Indians. In some areas the soil is good but where it is not there are always livestock (cattle, goats, sheep) grazing.

 We passed through dozens of small villages, usually a small collection of shops and houses and lots of hard-working people.
We saw mostly women working in the fields. That was not unexpected, since it was not planting or harvest time and tending growing crops is usually a woman's job. We passed hundreds of acres of mustard growing; it is a major crop in India, grown for the oil. Unfortunately it is a major invasive weed in California and infests the River Park where Pat volunteers. Every time we passed a field Pat wanted to jump out and start pulling it out. She refrained.
We visited a village school, which met in a very simple building but was full of students. Every classroom has a picture of a Hindu god of education prominently displayed to inspire the students.
The furnishings were simple, to put it mildly: no chairs or desks and only a small blackboard. The children were quite happy to sit on the floor and we willingly got down with them. Even though this is a poor rural school, the students are expected to wear uniforms and are very well-behaved (at least while we were there). One boy got a little loud but one look from the teacher quelled him.
Some students were invited to recite their lessons for us. They would lead and the class would repeat it back. There was a fairly wide range of ages among the students; public education is guaranteed, but not required, through about eighth grade.
Some of the students seemed amazed to see us.

 No babysitter? Bring your little sister to class.
After the school we went to the village where some of the students live. We were greeted with a traditional Hindu ceremonial greeting. Leis were very popular; we received them at most of the hotels, statues were often draped with them, and this little one had one to wear for the occasion of our visit.
The ceremony was conducted by the men; the women gathered in front of another house to watch us. After the ceremony the villagers went back to work and we were invited to wander around. Naturally one of the major tasks was collecting firewood.
It was time to start cooking dinner. Cooking is done on an open stove built out of clay. Fortunately the women do not have to walk a long way for water; the government has built a well in their village.
Education is a priority. This small home had a stack of books on a shelf, topped by the ever-present cell phone. One family's prized possession. Very slowly, modernization is coming.