Tuesday, August 14, 2007

India is in, dear.

The diversity. The culture. The heritage. The values. The literature. The history. The geography. The intelligent minds. The arts. The festivals. The costumes. Henna. Hindi. Bollywood. Cricket. IT. Mom and Dad. Family. Friends. School. Teachers. Monsoon. The ads. The pani puri. The life. The spirit. Home.

India is in, dear, and there's nothing your cynicism can do about it.

Random thoughts on the eve of Independence Day:

  • When he was here, Dad had changed my Mozilla homepage from Google to the Times of India website. I never changed it back. This morning, when I opened the browser, the first piece of news I saw was the results of a poll. 89% of Indians would like to be born as Indians again.
    *raises hand*
    Is my vote too late?
    (Anyone who pooh-poohs or mentions anything about the poll being carried out on a small sample size and generalised across India will really get a whack on the head with my rolled-up hypothetical newspaper. :/)
  • I sent an email to my typesetter based in India wishing him a happy Independence Day. He replied saying, "Happy Independence Day to you and all other persons of Indian origin in your office." Hmmm. Person of Indian origin? Bah. I wanted to tell him I am no "person of Indian origin". I am... errm... original Indian person?
  • I've been listening to the song 'Main jahan rahoon, main kahin bhi rahoon, teri yaad aati hai' ("Wherever I am, I think of you") on loop. Can't dismiss Himesh's talent here - not only is it a beautiful melody, the idea of using a love song for one's homeland is great.
  • I have never worn anything Indian to my new office so far. I was waiting for Independence Day, and tomorrow I will wear my Lucknowi churidaar kameez to work, complete with kajal and bindi. Can't wait.
  • Shub and I are meeting up for chaat and a chat tomorrow. The original plan was pasta (bah!) at Sketches, but I like plan B so much more!
  • I broke my shoe at work today. I went and bought myself another pair during lunch because a colleague had promised to walk to Little India with me to get a blouse stitched for the sari I've promised to wear at her engagement.
  • Little India sucks. Bigtime. Gosh I hate the place. I prefer Big India any day. And I seriously hope that people who have never been to India don't base their judgement of big India on what they see in Little India.
  • There are no little boys running on the streets of Singapore selling the Indian flag for five rupees. Or any amount for that matter. So I decided to make my own and display it on my cubicle tomorrow. I printed two copies of the flag and stuck them back to back with a chopstick at one edge. Damn chopstick doesn't stick. :/
  • I popped by a 7-11 to buy a drink I absolutely did not want just so I could pick up a straw and try replacing the chopstick with the straw tomorrow morning. We'll see how that turns out.

    Update: The chopstick worked. Pic taken with my phone camera.


















  • Viv, if you don't get back to Singapore quickly, I really will go ahead and watch Chak De India without you! :/

It's strange how my cynical side completely takes leave of me as far as India is concerned. And I am not alone. The world is swarming with millions of NRIs like me who feel like it's their birthright to bad-mouth India, but if anyone else does it, boy are they in BIG BIG trouble. NRIs who are not quite sure why they are living out of India since they miss it every single day. NRIs who cry when they watch Swades, but do not move back a la Mohan Bhargava. NRIs who do not know how to respond to resident Indians who think they are hypocrites. NRIs who are so seeped in their lifestyles that they know that emotions aside, it's probably not practical for them to move back to India. NRIs who can't quite explain to others who do move back why they can't. NRIs who know the benefits of taking up citizenship of the countries they live in, but they just can't get themselves to do it - at least not yet.

Sigh.

Ah well. At least we have company.



37 comments:

shub said...

And I can't WAIT to move back! Until then, Little India will do! :)

shub said...

"NRIs who know the benefits of taking up citizenship of the countries they live in, but they just can't get themselves to do it - at least not yet."
Don't you worry, you'll figure it out:-)

shub said...

oh well, gold, silver and bronze! hehe!:D

Unknown said...

Happy Independence day!!

"The world is swarming with millions of NRIs like me who feel like it's their birthright to bad-mouth India, but if anyone else does it, boy are they in BIG BIG trouble".

This is true with all Indians, not just NRIs!

Btw, check out the main page of orkut......a plesant surprise awaits you there!

Unknown said...

No no no.. Shub pls can i hav bronze?? itz officially mine!! Bhai dekho na??!! so much for rights n independence!

ok.. yeay!! Happy Independence day to u too! n anybody who knows u (even a lil), wil hav no doubts that u r originally n typically indian! :D

Unknown said...

Happy Independence Day Sash! What a great idea to make your own flag..I have been missing the little indian flags too. Hope the straw works! It's great you'll be wearing our indian dress to work! That's really wonderful.

Many emotions have been welling up about India here as well....I exactly understand your sentiments.

satish said...

Dil khus kar diya bhai. Ab apne gaaon jaake koi startup khol loonga par yahan nahi rahunga.

swatantrata divas amar rahe!

Bivas said...

Happy Independence Day to all Bewda's [:)]
Been 60 yrs and we are rocking...for the next 60, just Chak De! :)

Manchus said...

Happy Independence day!! Was waiting for a post on this from you. And you did not disappoint me.

ken said...

Happy independence day !! you are an awesome writer :-) ... become a fan for the past 3 posts for sure

Sudipta Chatterjee said...

Swatantrata Diwas mubarak ho bhai! Bole to kisi ka takla phodte hain... kya bolte ho? :D :D

zapper said...

Happy Independence Day!! I just love your writing!! been following your blog for a long time!!
Chak De India!!!

Unknown said...

Great post. Happy Independence Day!

To mark the occasion, the Indian cricket team gifted all Indians a series victory over England in England after 11 years... :D Well done, boys!

Sandip Chaudhuri said...

I haven't stopped smiling since India scored 664 in the final test.
Happy Independence Day.
What a gift. First time since 86. Who says cricket can't be fun.

"NRIs who know the benefits of taking up citizenship of the countries they live in, but they just can't get themselves to do it - at least not yet."

:D haven't taken the option of a PR as yet citizenship never :D

sparx said...

Happy Indy day to you too..nice flag :-)

GuNs said...

Supperb post, Sayesha (the two 'P's added for extra effect, it is not a typo).

Would you like to join and contribute at http://avabodha.wordpress.com ?

-PeAcE
--WiTh
---GuNs

GuNs said...

By the way, how about a photo of the editor in her first Indian office attire ever?

-PeAcE
--WiTh
---GuNs

Unknown said...

I wanted to say it yesterday... that we really must watch CDI this weekend... but I didn't remember the name :P

creepa said...

Happy independence day bhai..apun dry day pe bhi aaya tumko wish karne ko :P..

hehhe..the flag is superb..i saw a gal wearing tricolor bangles yesterday and checked out the whole market to get those bangles but in vain :(..And i cant even use the printouts *sigh*

Sukhaloka said...

Jhanda ooncha rahe hamaraa! :)

nycbewda said...

Bhai
Happy Independence Day
I dont know how but from yesterday only one song was going on in my mind "Apne Azadi ko hum...Sar kata sakthe hain lekin sar jhukha sakte nahin...". Later in the morning I remembered, in my school days they used play this song during ID & RD.
I miss those days and every thing back there.

Rays Of Sun said...

LOL..'21 bewdas got fultu talli'
Cracked me up!!
Azaadi Mubarak:-)

Iday said...

Happy Independence Day Bhai :)

Ab said...

oh yeah... the ads... i think Indian ads are much better than th american ones we get to see, terms in creativity
and thats a nice cubicle you'v got yourself.. (ok ill explian.. kind of good view at another tall fibreglassed building and yeah, a corner seat)

Pujya said...

To many people in India 15th August is just another holiday, its not Independence Day. Just how casually we take the freedom! An

Living abroad for a few months makes you realise all the more what you have back home -- INDEPENDENCE!! Imagine something as simple as having to carrying a bulky copy of your passport in your handbag all the time,and you'll understand what you have! :-)

ANd yes watch Chak De India..do not wait!
inspite of all its bad..its a movie worth watching!

Ramkumar said...

why are you so guilty-ridden in your last paragraph?
There is nothing wrong in making a living outside India. thirai kadal odiyum thiraviam thaedu. (tamil)
Given the population of india, india can afford any amount of brain drain.

Last but not least..Happy independence day.

Unknown said...

My 2 cents:
We shdnt bad mouth India but rather we shd encourage fellow colleagues(of diff. nationalities) to go and visit India and promote tourism thr:)

Unknown said...

Simply & truly Indian :)
Loved it dear and I sooooooo loved your flag. I wore the Indian flag brooch all day on I-day, proudly, even though people around were laughing at me!

--- A proud Indian >:D<

Unknown said...

shah bhai...awesome post...and that proud little Indian flag is awesome. Did u really wear ethnic clothes to work?

--Sunrise-- said...

"It's strange how my cynical side completely takes leave of me as far as India is concerned. And I am not alone. The world is swarming with millions of NRIs like me who feel like it's their birthright to bad-mouth India, but if anyone else does it, boy are they in BIG BIG trouble. NRIs who are not quite sure why they are living out of India since they miss it every single day. NRIs who cry when they watch Swades, but do not move back a la Mohan Bhargava. NRIs who do not know how to respond to resident Indians who think they are hypocrites. NRIs who are so seeped in their lifestyles that they know that emotions aside, it's probably not practical for them to move back to India. NRIs who can't quite explain to others who do move back why they can't."

.... sigh. :)

Renie Ravin said...

Hi Sayesha, please add your blog to our new directory of Indian Blogs and pick up an Independence day badge, thanks!

http://www.indiblogger.in

V said...

Just wondering why you havent replied to the comments after 3 full days! You ok?

Sudeep said...

sach kehte hai ki bahar rehkar hi desh ki aur ghar ki kimat samajhti hai isliye main kalse ghar ke bahar rehne wala hu :)

so many 'innocent' ppl wished me happy '60th' independence day.. we take many things for granted n ignorance is surely one of them

btw kitne ladke log behosh ho gaye bhai ko ekdum raapchik dekhte hue?
aur yeh kya bechare viv ko tune toh s'pore ke bahar bhaga diya?? tch tch tch

Sayesha said...

#Shub,
Hmmm.... can you leave a clone behind? :(

#Sanket,
I didn't really find anything special on orkut? What did I miss? :O

#Tejal,
Hahaha! Le ja le ja! Soniye le ja le ja! Bronze le ja le ja! Ho oooo! :D

#Harshi,
Hehehe... my flag rocks huh? Did you see the 'waves'? :P

#Satish,
Thanks! :)

#Bivas,
Thanks, bewda Bivas! :D

#Manchus,
Thanks, I try. :)

#Ken,
Welcome and thanks! :)

#Sudipta,
Haan, find a suitable takla and let me know! :D

#Zapper,
Thanks! Chak de!!! :D

#Vivek,
Yeah! Muahahahaha! Apna India rocks! :D

#Sandew,
I agree - what a gift! :)

#Raviraj,
Thanks! :)

#GuNs,
Thanks! :) Let me go check out what this avabodha thingie is! :)

//By the way, how about a photo of the editor in her first Indian office attire ever?

Haha! Nice try! :D
ps: Actually, ever since a blog reader started downloading and using baby Aish's photos as her desktop wallpaper, I'm a bit freaked out. Gonna go low on photos on the blog. :|

#Vivek,
You forgot the name???? :O You forgot? Forgot? Forgot? *echo*

#Creepa,
Tricolor bangles????? I want!!!! :'(

#Suki,
YEAH! :D

#NYCbewda,
Sigh... meeee tooooo! :'(

#Rays of Sun,
Abbe tu zinda hai??? :O Welcome back and mubaraq ho! :D

#Iday,
Iday wishing me happy I-day? Muahahaha! :D Thanks and same to you! :)

#Ab,
//and thats a nice cubicle you'v got yourself.. (ok ill explian.. kind of good view at another tall fibreglassed building and yeah, a corner seat)

Hehehe... few advantages of being the team leader, you get the corner wala seat! :P

#Aethyr,
Why do you have to carry your passport on you all the time?? :O
ps: Watched Chak De tonight. LOVED it! :D

#Ramkumar,
It's not exactly guilt - it's actually 'sad confusion' - if I miss India so much, I should be there, isn't it? But I'm not and I probably can't. :|

#Prateek,
Been there done that. I travelled a bit in India with two of my Singaporean friends. :)

#Rebellion,
Thanks! :D
ps: Who was laughing at you? Hainn? Naam bol bas naam! Ek hockey doongi rakh ke! :/

#Sushama,
Thanks! Of course I wore Indian clothes to work! Everyone asked me if it was special occasion and I told them it was! :)

#Sunshine,
And here I thought you wrote a loooong comment! Copy-paste job! :P

#Renie,
Hi, welcome! Let me go check out the site! :)

#V,
Bijji re... saturday and sunday ghar par parties thi... bijji bijji. :)

#Sudeep,
//btw kitne ladke log behosh ho gaye bhai ko ekdum raapchik dekhte hue?

I don't count. *blush* :P

Unknown said...

#Sanket,
I didn't really find anything special on orkut? What did I miss? :O
------
Well, orkut was written in Indian tri-colour, on it's home page. It's back to original now :( But don't worry, you can still see that on my blog --> http://sanketaradhye.blogspot.com/2007/08/orkut-celebrates-indian-independence.html

Rays Of Sun said...

Kyun be, did u consider me as dead for all practical purposes:D
And yeah! since I wanna watch 'Chak De' am not reading your recent blog:P

Sayesha said...

#Sanket,
Oh WOW! :D

#Rays of Sun,
Okay okay baba! :)