On the way to the canteen with an acquaintance, something very ordinary happened. We broke the traffic rules. When I voiced my observation aloud, he said “Once an Indian, always an Indian”. This got me thinking and here I am putting it up on my blog, while my simulation is executing in the background.
I am proud to be Indian. When my maths tutor commented that Indians are usually strong at maths and programming and when a non-Indian friend remarked that Indians have sharp features my heart swelled with pride. But there have been the occassions when I wished I were not recogonized by my nationality.
Queues. We Indians have scant regard for this basic requirement in a civil society that you have to wait your turn. It is not enough if we record a growth of almost 10% and are hailed by the international media as ‘the booming Indian economy’. Class does not come with flashing shiny credit cards or driving flashy sports cars. Class is about carrying yourself with a sense of dignity and following the norms of good public sense for the convenience of all. The most logical and fastest way everyones needs can be catered is through queuing. I myself have been frustrated at times by long queues. But its fair. If today you overtake someone in a queue, tomorrow when it is your turn ten other people will break the queue and push you around. Infrastructure and economic deveopment needs to be accompanied by maturing of the thought process. One reason for the breaking queues, overtaking on the road, jostling and rushing to go first is the basic survival insitincts. 3 generations ago, a good majority of the population faced scarcity of food and resources. The fittest would survive. The ones that pushed their way got it all. We have not outgrown this mentality despite the excesses that we middle class have today. We have not matured as a society. Depsite the improving living standards, we betray the fact that we come from a background of scarcity. Honestly I dont think we Indians are yet prepared to handle development in the true sense.
Noise. Whether in the class or on the train or in the canteen, Indians are the loudest. This poor friend of mine had to face the wrath of his examiner because the previous semester the examiner had had a tough time controlling the noise level in one of his classes because of the Indian population in it. I was honestly shocked that repercussions of us misbehaving in public can have such far reaching consequences. It not only tarnishes the name of the country as a whole, it unfairly affects the few who are sensible and dignified. Having fun is accompanied by certain levels of noise. But at whose expense?
Punctuality. OK, this part of the blog is a confession. I am poor at keeping time also and inevitably turn up ten minutes late for most appointments unless it is an interview or a life threatening situation. For us 4 o clock is seldom 4 o clock but most often 4:10 or even 4:45 at times. IST – Indian Standard Time. Its so common to hear us unashamed Indians state this and even laugh about it. That is the amount of respect we have for others time.
Privacy. My life is my own. I have had people ask me what grade I scored in a test or even scrolling through my handphone inbox for a peep into my life. Outrageous. I might be discussing a friend’s surprise party or my dinner plans or even plotting smuggling operationg through sms. Its not any of your business. Wanting to share my life with me is one thing but forcing yourself into my private space is quite another thing.
All said and done, I am an Indian. Be it the land or the culture, the arts or spirituality, am proud of the history and heritage we have. I am keen to explore our past and bring a little bit more of Indian ness into me. But with times, some things must change. Not jus from salwars to jeans or rotis to burgers. The change should come from within. Saare jahaan se acha, Hindustan hamara!!
I am 