I heard it again. And it still hurts.
I am tired of listening to Mumbaikars generalize north Indians as rude, aggressive, ruthless souls. These traits are found all around and not just exclusive to northindians…
Today looking at a guy from Jaipur who is soft spoken, a friend said “ he’s a northindian, a welcome change” . I only say, do not generalize. Coz when you do that it takes every northindian including my husband father, Tauji and many others into the same bucket …they, who are most polite people on this earth.
I am aggressive I agree…I have a voice and opinion, not because I am a northindian it is because “it is me”, and the way I have been brought up, with a right to speak my mind always. It is individuality of people and not a broad generalization.
I have not seen this in any other city but only in Mumbai…. So much of hatred / discrimination towards north Indians. I will say again… I am an Indian first, and I want to live with as much right as you do in a city of my own country…but things like this make me hate the city as much…and I wonder when destiny will take me to a city of my country where I am welcome.
4 comments:
Southies never speak Hindi, Delhites have too much attitude/rudeness, Gujjus just wanna go the US/UK, all Punjus/Sikhs wanna migrate to Canada/UK, Marwadis are misers... -these are few of many stereotypings that we hear everyday in life.
Society (and its people) love stereotyping. It sometimes can offend, but it often helps to just laugh it off... (of course not when it is meant too viciously)
hey kaps what you mention are all commonly used jokes...something like sardar jokes (which now even sardar's crack) but i hear some serious stuff...take our politicians for instance, i have heard in my office...it is there...and it hurts more when the so called educated lot does it...as it is least expected from them...
Well you have to understand that there are many factors behind this. I don't have an issue with labeling because words are words and people will talk.
I think it's just that you are meeting more of a certain kind of people. I don't hear people around me talk in a discriminating way about just North Indians. It's about even South Indian, and the poor and the slum dwellers, and the illiterate, and the super rich, and the obnoxious and the feminist. It's just a way of life. People who want to point fingers at others will.
Maybe Mumbai is the only city where you see so much hatred towards North Indians. In another city you will see hatred towards others and then it might not effect you so much because you aren't part of the group that that city is discriminating against. It's just the way thing are and I think what makes it worse is we associate so strongly with some things. I mean honestly I don't like that you are saying something bad about Mumbai but at the end of the day your opinions are based on your experiences which have not been very pleasant and I have to accept that and say that you are justified in venting in such a manner.
Now taking this stand doesn't mean I love my city less. It just means that I understand that not everything is perfect over here and that the only way to change hatred/dislike, is to be more tolerant and kind.
For some reason the other thought in my mind right now is that when we have nothing/no one to really and truly hate, we hate mindlessly and we hate groups. How can I hate an individual person when I don't know him/her? But I can hate the community/caste/gender/religion/political views/culture/history etc etc etc this person belongs to.
I think I can go on and on but it's already more than enough cause I am sure you are understanding what it is that I am saying.
@ D - am glad someone is talking to me abt it objectively. I agree with you, perhaps if i was not a north indian, i may not have reacted this way...I also agree that we all generalize things every day...
BUT - and there is a but - one needs to be human and sensitive - there is a very very thin line...and people tend to miss that just too often...
we need to stop it...else generation next will suffer what we are sowing today...
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