Hey, can I stay in your place for
few days till I settle down and decide my further course of action? With
empathy, I allowed him in and felt happy of helping someone.
Staying in my house, he started comparing
everything to his home back in his native. I had brand new car, but he felt his
was better, introduced him to Masala Dosa but he felt Italian food always good, I had marble
flooring, but he felt mosaic is better… it went into my nerves, he always
appreciated something outside and though didn’t always criticize, didn’t either
acknowledge the shelter he lived in.
As things were going further I
was thinking what or who is wrong… was feeling somehow this has to stop but how,
it was kind of restless discomfort… and then alarm rang, it was 5.30 AM. Thank God… it was a dream.
Now, replicate this dream to
reality outside world. Do you see a similarity?
If you are a native living in Bengaluru from few decades, for sure you
will relate this.
This blog is not against any one.
In global environment, it’s obvious and necessary to allow people to travel and
settle across world. However, when people become Romans in Rome, why they don’t
become Kannadigas in Karnataka? In-fact, every individual living here irrespective of their language is a Kannadiga, isn't it ?
This is also not a story limited
only to Karnataka. Replace the language and state to any other metropolitan
city anywhere in India, the feeling of respective natives will remain same.
Having lived here for decades,
seeing city getting transformed literally in front of our eyes, the life of an
ordinary Kannadiga has changed from feeling proud owner of the cultural &
historical roots to being lost in bustling dusty city.
In fact we had so many classmates
who could speak, write and score better than natives in Kannada subject.
That’s how they had assimilated in to the society.
Then what went wrong? Is the
influx of people post IT boom or we losing interest in our heritage? Is the shyness of showing our richness or
inhibition to stand in front of others?
We have rich and invaluable
memories in us. Take examples like Karaga. For unknown, it’s a centuries old
festival of old Bengaluru, celebrated midnight till dawn, but only those who
have participated will know the vibrancy in it. Kadalekai Parishe (groundnut festival) is
another tradition of city, however how many of us actually speak with pride on it
or how many newly settled learn about it.
Speak of Dr. Raj movies or
Shankar Nag's ideas, it won’t get recognized and topic of someone having 8-10
packs will be discussed with great interest.
Try speaking of growing in this
city, spending hours in flying kites, playing tops, it will get cut shot of how
in some other place it is grand ignoring the experience we had.
Describe the elegant monuments of
Badami, Pattadakal or the beauty of Dasara procession, it won’t get much
mileage since the importance will be for some other celebration 1000 km away.
I think the problem is in two
folds. One,we as the native need to be more proud, educated, esteemed about
our culture, heritage without getting in to arrogance and with mutual respect
towards fellow Indians. Teach our children the native language and speak in it,
anyways at school they get introduced to English.
Second, it is important for
others who have made this place as their home to fuse with local culture & celebrations
without losing their pride. This helps them to enjoy this beautiful city beyond
IT Parks and Malls.
Wishing every one who have made this
state their home, Happy Karnataka Rajyotsava..!!
