Identity!

I have heard some intellectuals discuss on and on about what defines Indianness.. and how to classify the various religious, regional, linguistic, patrilineal, matrilineal permutations that pervade this peninsula! But the world over, I think there are very simple formulae that easiy define the typical Indian ( .. and mind you I represent the best such Indian of them all! )

a) Somebody you dont know is working on his laptop and you peer most un-self-consciously into his work.. and even give suggestions/comments!

b) Two people are snogging/smooching in a public place and yours is the only set of eyes that is trying hard to avoid the same but ends up gaping at the spectacle with mouth slightly ajar!

c) Somebody says 'hi' to you and you move with a 'license to kill' with questions like 'so, where do you work?, how many children?, where do you live?, nice tie - where did you buy it?' etc etc..

d) Be it a museum or a fort.. you dont recruit a guide of your own.. but slightly inch closer to wherever a recruited guide is giving his lecture to a group..and listen in surreptitiously!

e) Take packed food wherever you go and gather around in a group in a park, open the home-cooked spicy food and dig in with relief, but guitily refuse to look at the eyes of the foreigners who are curiously looking at you as if to say..' whats wrong with our food man!'

f) Plan weekly trips to particular temples, not just to worship but more importantly for the free Indian food that these temples give out that spares you the weekend cooking!

g) Land up in any place with luggage and make a big show of lugging all the luggage 'All by yourself'! .. with no porters or coolies to help!


But jokes apart.. I have been abroad about 10 years back too and the difference between then and now is mind blowing! There is a new confidence in being an Indian, no desperate need to 'fit in'.., no desire to please. The attitude is bold and the style distinct.

I guess there is no better time as this to be an Indian! Even vis-a-vis the foreigners.. the stereotyping has changed a lot from just ' the patels owning motels'..to 'Information Technology Geeks' (though I am not sure if that is an improvement ;)..


The most obvious signs of these cultural stereotypes can be observed in the most subtle environments.. especially when you go shopping.. My Marks and Spencer acquaintance says.. 'Earlier with Indians, we always focussed on the discounted and the bulk purchase ware.. but now-a-days things have changed.. it is they who pick up the most expensive and exclusive desinger wears.. and they know exactly what they want and that is some Indian customisation to such wares..so we are equally if not more prepared for any Indian customer vs an European'

But what has also changed is the wonderful ' Wow.. are you too from Bangalore? How long have you been here..' enquiries with a spark in the eye! Nowadays every 3rd face you see on the street in any country is Indian! So..Familiarity seems to have bred contempt! Not even a 'hi' or a 'hello' if you meet a fellow Indian.. everybody just looks through you!

And even worse is the distaste of the second or third generation Indian to mix with the 'fresh off the boat' ones.. its almost like they dont want to be mistaken for new ones while they are actually citizens of the land! Yeah.. that trend is sad to acknowledge..

Anyways.. with no statistics to support my claims.. most of the above are personal observations.. so.. feel free to protest, disagree and disprove! May be my views are subject to change after all!