Kill The Ravaan today...........

Me and my brother are always asked about where we belong from. Well, thats a tricky one... We were born in Bangalore and then immediately were moved to Maharashtra...we grew up in different cities.......... But one thing I can vouch for is we always liked the spirit of Mumbai and the growing up days in Pune. It will last in our memories forever....

But answering the question is a tough one and I find people often answering on behalf of me........ Many people think I am a North Indian, someone from Delhi or a Punjabi........ once they hear me speak in Hindi........ They often get confused when they hear me speak Marathi or Kannada......... The problem we faced throughout our lives was that of acceptance from people........

When we used to come down to Bangalore for vacations, people would laugh on our Kannada speaking capabilities..... Sure, I agree we do not know how to read and write kannada...but atleast we have kept the language alive within us..... They would treat us as people from North...... and make fun of the state language where we would stay........

Back in pune, we were never accepted as one amongst them and were called South Indian...... for people who kept failing in their geography test constantly, they would ask us this question, "Are you from South?" Yes "Oh Tamil Nadu,is it?" Often pissed at their geography and lack of knowledge, we would correct them and move their compass to Karnataka. No matter how much you correct them, they go back to square one.

So we became, not south indian, not north indian..but Proud INDIAN.

My Dad always taught us to be adaptive to any place and situation.. So we automatically had this unbiased thinking towards different culture and also a respect for all different cultures.

I have come across few typical people, whom I call "The Educated Ignorant"

I hate when people do not admire and respect their own country's diversity... Its like they get some happiness to mock at other person's state culture... I never enteratined such thoughts and always was one who would give an insight of the culture to "The Educated Ignorant" class. I had taken it upon me as my moral duty to ehance these people's knowledge.....

For example, back in college few friends of mine, were from northern part of India and would always speak low about Pune and very high about their respective hometowns........ I would wonder, if that was the case, what was the need for them to leave their great hometowns and come down to Pune? Their sentences would start from, "Huamare yahan to aisa hain, yahan toh aisa hain" wrinkling their noses at the last part.......

When I moved to Bangalore after my graduation, the same things happened but with people here........ For instance, my own relative once said to me mockingly that "you people across the other side of plateau, need fan 24 hours constantly"..... I was like, dude, you stay in 40 degrees and then let me know, if you require fan or not....... Staying in a place, where summer is very extremes, you do require fan..... And thanks to such stamina to bear any type of weather, we would never fall sick unlike the ones who spoke to me in this manner..........

I would sit down and ponder about this topic for hours together. What is the problem with acceptance of our own diversity and cutltural offerings?

For example with matters related to food..... Being a foodie, I understand what goes in what dish and how it is prepared, which region has to offer what fantastic flavours, apart from the famous things.........

Like Mumbai is just not limited to Wada Pav or Pav bhaji........ just stop by Chowpatti and you would get to know, how tasty the chats and the ice creams there are........

Down South, its just not rice,what Karnataka food has to offer....agreed that it is the staple food........ like every region has its own....... Did you know there are more than 38 varietes of rice dish which Karntaka (and not Karnatak) cuisine, has to offer.......apart from ragi mudde, akki roti, jolada rotti, etc etc........

So why make face when you dont get options which you wanted, in a place where you would expect least to find it....... Like for south indians, why do you search curd rice even if you go to Kashmir.......... and north indians,why do you search a very exclusive sweet dish prepared mainly in marriages down south? 

One should learn to enjoy and appreciate, what you get...... If you are not okay, try and adjust....... .................. No culture evolved instantly......... there is a reason and a custom which has been carried through centuries and people hold strong beliefs in them.... Why do you want to hurt by saying something stupid and ignorant words when you do not understand the importance of such custom or tradition.......

My intentions are honestly to help "The Educated Ignorant" understand that Assam is in north east and not in China...................

 So on this Dusshera, kill the Ravaan of Ignorance and non acceptability which has deep rooted within you and feel proud of being a multi-cultural country called INDIA.