Not often is a person surprised, proud and ashamed at the same moment. I have found this feeling resurfacing frequently in the recent times. The reason is no less strange. Having traveled to quite a few countries and met people from different parts of the world spanning most of the inhabited earth, I started considering myself as one of those who know something about most of the things. But I have realized how wrong I was. To know something about everything is probably not possible in a life’s time. Well, that is a totally different discussion.
As I was saying that I had the opportunity to talk to people from different nationalities, one observation I made about my conversations with them was that they somehow revolved around India. What was even more surprising was the level of knowledge these people had about India. When I tried to find out what was going on, I came up with the following probable reasons apart from something obvious that I am not very proud of, my poor geography and lack of general knowledge (no wonder I know so less about their home countries).
So, why do people know so much about India? Either its because of the media and the “Emerging Markets - BRIC” thing, or a genuine interest of foren people in India because of its much boasted diversity factor. The word “boasted” used because the very diversity we take pride in is one of the agitating factors causing unrest and loss of peace (again, totally different discussion – probably in of my next posts). I also do not deny the possibility of their acquaintance with facts on major economies of the world, India just being one of them.
Conversing on anyone or anything, from the philosophy and life of Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh (OSHO) to the religious importance of The Ganges, from the notion of arranged marriages in India and parental woes due to the prospect of having a gori (a white skinned girl) daughter-in-law to cows being an integral part of the Indian traffic, people in India eager to have a photograph with a white foreigner to many more, I am often put to a test myself on how much I know about my homeland. I believe that there is so much happening in India everyday with so many “breaking news” from the media, that we cannot get enough of ourselves. It takes an Obama or an Iraqi journalist throwing a shoe at the American President or a Nadal vs. Federer grand slam final to divert our attention. Otherwise, we are happily (or unhappily) busy with our own matters.
There are many aspects to our country that I identified not before I lived in a totally different culture or heard from differently cultured people. Mostly, it is something good, something in praise of India, but not always. There were times when I was offended by a joke on or related to India (even if in a good spirit of humour) but only to realize later that it was indeed true. The whole controversy of “Slumdog Millionaire” presenting India as a poor country, a country that is also registering one of the highest rates of economic growth, is probably the best example here. Is India growing at a very fast rate? Yes. Is India a poor country? I can only say that a major part of the population still lacks the basic necessities of life.
I think I have lost my line of thought here. The more I think on these issues, the more complicated it gets and the more I get carried away with something which is miles and miles from what I started with (or is it?). But in any case, one thing I can surely say is that the respect I have for my country has increased manyfolds after moving out of it. No way I am making a suggestion that one needs to move of the country to find respect for it, but there is definitely a whole new set of ideas with different point of view which questions oneself in a way similar to what you have read above.
As I was saying that I had the opportunity to talk to people from different nationalities, one observation I made about my conversations with them was that they somehow revolved around India. What was even more surprising was the level of knowledge these people had about India. When I tried to find out what was going on, I came up with the following probable reasons apart from something obvious that I am not very proud of, my poor geography and lack of general knowledge (no wonder I know so less about their home countries).
So, why do people know so much about India? Either its because of the media and the “Emerging Markets - BRIC” thing, or a genuine interest of foren people in India because of its much boasted diversity factor. The word “boasted” used because the very diversity we take pride in is one of the agitating factors causing unrest and loss of peace (again, totally different discussion – probably in of my next posts). I also do not deny the possibility of their acquaintance with facts on major economies of the world, India just being one of them.
Conversing on anyone or anything, from the philosophy and life of Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh (OSHO) to the religious importance of The Ganges, from the notion of arranged marriages in India and parental woes due to the prospect of having a gori (a white skinned girl) daughter-in-law to cows being an integral part of the Indian traffic, people in India eager to have a photograph with a white foreigner to many more, I am often put to a test myself on how much I know about my homeland. I believe that there is so much happening in India everyday with so many “breaking news” from the media, that we cannot get enough of ourselves. It takes an Obama or an Iraqi journalist throwing a shoe at the American President or a Nadal vs. Federer grand slam final to divert our attention. Otherwise, we are happily (or unhappily) busy with our own matters.
There are many aspects to our country that I identified not before I lived in a totally different culture or heard from differently cultured people. Mostly, it is something good, something in praise of India, but not always. There were times when I was offended by a joke on or related to India (even if in a good spirit of humour) but only to realize later that it was indeed true. The whole controversy of “Slumdog Millionaire” presenting India as a poor country, a country that is also registering one of the highest rates of economic growth, is probably the best example here. Is India growing at a very fast rate? Yes. Is India a poor country? I can only say that a major part of the population still lacks the basic necessities of life.
I think I have lost my line of thought here. The more I think on these issues, the more complicated it gets and the more I get carried away with something which is miles and miles from what I started with (or is it?). But in any case, one thing I can surely say is that the respect I have for my country has increased manyfolds after moving out of it. No way I am making a suggestion that one needs to move of the country to find respect for it, but there is definitely a whole new set of ideas with different point of view which questions oneself in a way similar to what you have read above.
