Comments on The Quaint and Luminous Life of a Cha Lover: Neighbourly love

hey had to comment here for this post ..I am a sou...

2009-11-02T04:14:40.645+05:30

hey had to comment here for this post ..I am a south indian ..ok just for the convenience of it let me say a madrasi..( though i am from hyderabad ) ..I had my first job in Kolkota and was a programmer in IBM in salt lake city . Let me tell you my first experience of 'bong' ness ..

1. I was to travel to saltlake from jadhavpur and had absolutely no knowledge of the way the buses operate there . After a lot of communication i boarded the right bus and smiled at the ladies inside the bus sitting beside me . They smiled back and asked me some thing back in bengali . I said ' Bengali jaani na' and their faces darkened in such manner that i cannot forget . I thought they would throw me out of the bus or some thing like that and did not look at my side again.

2. The TL's PM in the work place were bengalis ( obviously ) and i could never forget the second-class treatment for any thing non-bengali and their arrogant way of mixing their language with english @ work .
3.For them 'being bengali ' was the beginning and end of everything.

This is a very thought provoking post, not a bitte...

2009-09-17T14:05:50.702+05:30

This is a very thought provoking post, not a bitter one at all, because all of us need to step out of our comfort zones and look into the other side of things too. Your post is very relevant to the times we live in because there is so much factional rivalry between people from different states these days.

I am from Kerala and I am settled in Delhi. Most of my friends are Punjabis and Bengalis. I've struggled to make them interact with each other smoothly because they refuse to acknowledge one another.

No offence meant, but my Punju friends say the Bongs are ugly and think the world revolves around them. My Bong friends say that the Punjus have no culture or brains between the years and all they know is to boast, brag and flash money, newfound obviously. It is at this point i realized how far we have to go to really blend in with what India really represents.

The bias against South Indians is apparent in little things such as in school plays where South Indian kids, being dark, are given very sad roles. It's not an offhand thing. Its more like all South Indians are madrasis who are dark. That's racist too, isnt it?

Whenever someone meets me, their first remark is, "Hey, you are kidding me. You can't be from the South. You dont look like one of them."

What the hell's that supposed to mean?

The same bias is there when it comes to girls from the Northeast.

I had some very amazing friends and they told me that guys in Delhi think they are morally loose. In fact, Delhi Police has cautioned students from the Northeast not to hangout after dark because the number of rapes and violent crimes against students from the Northeast is highest in campuses around Delhi. Imagine how cultural biases can turn us against each other so easily and thats what our politicians are thriving on. They will always put salt on our wounds and make these differences more gaping so that we do not ever unite or feel we are one nation, one people.

Its great that you wrote about this. I think we all need to create awareness about it in a positive sense.

Your anger is absolutely justified. We are a very ...

2009-09-16T00:09:52.912+05:30

Your anger is absolutely justified. We are a very pompous lot and I must confess that I myself have often been guilty of cultural snobbery. For that and any other slights 'my people' may have caused you, I would like to apologise...for me and on behalf of my ilk.

But you know something, you gave the world Odissi. You trump us all. Big time.

@starryeyed nut: oodey is like a slang- a derogato...

2009-09-14T17:05:44.987+05:30

@starryeyed nut: oodey is like a slang- a derogatory one. Its not like 'bong' or 'mallu'. neither is said in a derogatory manner. I have no issues with anyone calling me that- but the preconceived notions about our region and the people. :)

@Choco: glad it reminded u of somehting beautiful. I thought the post was all bitter, and after 2 days of writing it, am feelign a trifle bad. But yes, i so agree that is not such a 'bong-bong' thng and that it exists just about everwhere...but this oodey thingy was very bong specific. You'll never hear anyone refer to us with that slang but people from WB. :D.

@Scribbler : u can make me feel better. of course u can. u know how. :D

@IK: Moribo to Moribo, kousala kori moribo :D jayo Jogannatho. :). The first para of your comment is priceless.

@Discovering M: LOL. nice suggestion, mole. oh yeah, as long as one remains in their limits its all cool. but unfortunately its not always like that. :(

@Mimi: i'll be seeing u soon. In nov. so lets tke this head on, face to face. :D.

Tina...just had to comment :-d. You know na...cant...

2009-09-13T19:28:26.548+05:30

Tina...just had to comment :-d. You know na...cant stay away from anything bong :-p

My dad loves your dad, says he is one of the most intelligent and mature guys around in the circle (which is all bong and one oodey :)), loves his writing, the way he thinks...mainly, he really really likes him.

That said....we bongs are simply the best :-p. There are of course hints of brilliance in other communities...:-p

OK..OK..Kidding :-d, before you add me to your hate list :-d.

I love all oodeys (you especially), maroos (my hubby especially) and (fill in the blank).......OK, now I am dead!

everyone is entitled to be proud of their backgrou...

2009-09-12T18:39:24.922+05:30

everyone is entitled to be proud of their background and cultural beliefs - but I do agree some display it to degree that it becomes irritating and offensive to others.. best to learn to ignore it thinking that they do not know any better.

like a tug of war - just let go and watch them crumble and fall over each other :-)

we are bengalis first. no we are not bengalis from...

2009-09-12T17:24:35.074+05:30

we are bengalis first. no we are not bengalis from probaash but bengalis from west bengal. no we are not bengalis from west bengal but from kolkata and not from the god forsaken districts. no we are not bengalis from calcutta but from south kolkata and not north calcutta. no we are not bengalis from south kolkata but north of jodhpur park.

so if we the bongs can create so much of social distinctions in class creed and geographical positionings how can we think of creatures in other geographical land masses. and to make us gloat we never forget to inform allmost all of INDIA based nobel prize winners had done their critical mass of work in kolkata.

please dont waste my time telling me that i am an Indian. RnT wrote "shobar opor monushotyo tahar upor nai" literally translated, above all classifications,we are humans.. ebey zodi moo prosariboo sey manus ta kon achonti ? i am sure we shall say in chorus must be a bong :P :P :P :D :D

Racism within India is really so common that somet...

2009-09-12T16:35:24.585+05:30

Racism within India is really so common that sometimes we do and say horrible things in jest and feel that it is justified. I know what you mean...and I wish I could do something to cheer you up :(

I saw the first few lines and came bounding into t...

2009-09-12T14:27:05.928+05:30

I saw the first few lines and came bounding into this post..Then I sang along with the lines, with great gusto, like I used to do with the original song in School..Thanks for that. :)

As for the obsession with ones culture...It sad but true..I have seen it with South Indians too...Its not just a Bong thing..But yes they are probably more proud of their culture..Which is a good thing till one starts dissing other cultures...

How I wish people would grow..

wohoooo! That's heart-felt KG and v v passiona...

2009-09-12T13:53:58.536+05:30

wohoooo!
That's heart-felt KG and v v passionate...
I don't know what to say except that maybe it's something like sibling rivalry in this case neighbouring state rivalry!
I have stayed across the country (due to dad's job) and have often felt this prejudice against the state closest to you. For example, Maharashtrians & Gujjus, Tamilians & Keralites, Haryanvis & Punjabis. Ofcourse the sample size of my experience is so less that I could be totally wrong :)
Btw wat does oodey mean! I had someone call me that in college and realised only today that it was because of my origin (I know, I know I am a BIT thick)!