Si moi Dravidian, tu es Aryan?
So this was once interaction that I was not going to forget in a hurry, he looked gentlemanly enough, if there is such a thing and we were ambling towards a conversation of sorts when he asked me if I wanted some chai or coffee. Not one to dismiss a free coffee, I nodded saying kaapi would be good. He nodded along amicably and then called out to some Venkat, "Arrey do glass paani lana aur ek coffee madam ke liye?" Then as if to explain himself to him on speaking in Hindi he said, not without a lot of pride, "I don't speak any regional language". I wondered if there was anything to boast about that. I of course admittedly in my immodest way am happy to reveal to all and sundry that I have a passing knowledge of Bengali, can follow a smattering of Karnataka, can speak read and write Marathi, can follow and speak Malayalam (quite badly)! When I thought that, that was that, he went on to speak about his thoughts on how Hindi should be enforced onto all the "dravidians" his word not mine, I gawked a little, hoping that the sight of my agape mouth would somehow stem his ranting on "how dare they cloister themselves (me included because of course I am a "dravidian", he must have noticed my dark complexion, my short stature and perhaps my surname) with their language. They are in India, they should speak the national language, which is Hindi".
I argued, despite the greyed cells screaming out that I should let the "aryan man" continue with his tirade". I said well parochialism exists everywhere and Hindi is only spoken in a few states so how can a law that was made decades ago still be relevant and be enforced without taking the mandate of the people on what they would like the official language of the country to be. He snorted and added "There is something like a common identity". But I held on and asked "in a country as diverse as India, can there truly be a common identity? I mean isnt the fact that we are all so diverse that makes our country so interesting.?" He pffed some more. In a self deprecating manner completely belying my growing anger (motherhood has made me quite tolerant of juvenile behavior) I said, that to most people up "north" I am still a Madrasi, when I have nothing to do with Tamil Nadu, I am a Malayali, (a pseudo one...yet a Malayali)." To which he said, "no no such attitudes are changing with people from the north, they know about the 4 southern states and the languages etc." I wanted to ask him if I should be happy with the spread of such General Knowledge finally reaching my northie friends. But said instead, "Well parochialism exists everywhere, doesn't it?"
He went on as if me the petty little "Dravidian" hadn't spoken. I sipped on my kaapi, content in knowing, that at least the kappi, was good. He on the other hand was talking about how "such ghetto-ish sensibilities should be put away with and a national identity should be made. I see similar attitude problem towards the hindi language from some Bengalis also...they want to only talk in Bengali...I also see such problem with Manipali as well". Yes, yes...it is not a typo, he said Manipali..I suppose what he meant to say was Manipuri...but then I suppose it will take time for the "aryan man" to learn about our North Eastern counterparts. I drained my kaapi as fast as I could and bid my happy "Salaam Namastes" to "aryan man". May he find peace and may he understand that there is something to the phrase "Different strokes for different folks"
I argued, despite the greyed cells screaming out that I should let the "aryan man" continue with his tirade". I said well parochialism exists everywhere and Hindi is only spoken in a few states so how can a law that was made decades ago still be relevant and be enforced without taking the mandate of the people on what they would like the official language of the country to be. He snorted and added "There is something like a common identity". But I held on and asked "in a country as diverse as India, can there truly be a common identity? I mean isnt the fact that we are all so diverse that makes our country so interesting.?" He pffed some more. In a self deprecating manner completely belying my growing anger (motherhood has made me quite tolerant of juvenile behavior) I said, that to most people up "north" I am still a Madrasi, when I have nothing to do with Tamil Nadu, I am a Malayali, (a pseudo one...yet a Malayali)." To which he said, "no no such attitudes are changing with people from the north, they know about the 4 southern states and the languages etc." I wanted to ask him if I should be happy with the spread of such General Knowledge finally reaching my northie friends. But said instead, "Well parochialism exists everywhere, doesn't it?"
He went on as if me the petty little "Dravidian" hadn't spoken. I sipped on my kaapi, content in knowing, that at least the kappi, was good. He on the other hand was talking about how "such ghetto-ish sensibilities should be put away with and a national identity should be made. I see similar attitude problem towards the hindi language from some Bengalis also...they want to only talk in Bengali...I also see such problem with Manipali as well". Yes, yes...it is not a typo, he said Manipali..I suppose what he meant to say was Manipuri...but then I suppose it will take time for the "aryan man" to learn about our North Eastern counterparts. I drained my kaapi as fast as I could and bid my happy "Salaam Namastes" to "aryan man". May he find peace and may he understand that there is something to the phrase "Different strokes for different folks"
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