Today is the day to finally say it...Say, that I am an Indian but I cannot associate or comply with views from certain fellowmen (my brothers and sisters, as the popular pledge procliams). For instance I find it very very and I stress very hard to understand, adjust or align with words and thoughts of the Indian Malyalis.
Well, it's not like I have'nt been brushed with the Malyalis (term used for people who are natives of in the South Indian state of Kerala) before, but never like this...Being in Delhi is different, no matter which part of India you're from, you would either know some language to converse in (read English and Hindi majority of the times) or you wouldn't simply be conversing in the other language, that you know. It's not the case in Kerala I've seen...People here either don't want to speak in English and Hindi or they simply don't know a word of the either. The only choice thay make is to conveniently converse in their mother tongue Malayalam.
I mean why? Are we not all Indians? the Hindustanis? Last I remember, Hindi was made the official language for the entire country.Yet, I still find it difficult to survive in a land of reserved and stuck up Malyalis who have their fighting swords up and out before you can even say the words "Ille Malayalam" (meaning no malayalam).
Ok I do understand that for some people picking up a language is difficult or being uneducated holds them back from learning one but does that mean one has to be indifferent, cold and mean to other languages and their native speakers. Especially when the language is the country's official language- hindi??
I'll explain- I've been in this unfortunate land called Kerala for the past 9 months and I still haven't got my head around the reason for Malayalis looking at me as an alien when as I start to speak in English or hindi. They give either plain disgusting stare or create all the more reason for me to get agitated about living in an ignorant world. IT's as if they are mocking you for being so realistic.
From getting up to a maid who I tell every single day to mind her own business n leave me alone to a colleague in office who simply ignores every single sentence I say (even when I'm tryinh to help her with work) under the pretext that she doesn't understand. Now, tell me how ignorant can you get?
It has driven me insane to the extent that I end up writing this whole entry.. Keep glued on more instances and peculiar incidents from my everyday life with the malyalis...Perhaps I'm just exxagerating or am I? ??
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2 comments:
Gud one Priya, but I will tell you what a Mallu friend of mine told me, which is kind of strange, that Mallus consider anyone especially someone amongst them to be "showing off" if someone happens to speak in english.
Gud Luck and hey bdw they very well understand English. Highest literacy rate remember- Kerala.
You sound frustrated! I guess when I travel or live in another country/state I do my best to adapt. I am working on learning Italian and perfecting Spanish so I can communicate without the blank stare when I travel. I know what you mean...it is hard to deal with people who seem so against trying something new but you are building character now and are such a wonderful, kind person - don't let them get you down!
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