Jai Ho!

"Will you stop your freaky American accent" - a friend tells me. "Madam, next time when you come for a vacation to India, please visit my shop" - a tech shop owner (my accent effect).

While I was researching on from where the hell did I pick up this accent, I was reminded of a few more conservations.

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" I thought you are a kannadiga. You don't look Tamil at all" - a north Indian friend of mine, who recently moved to Blore after 3 horrible (he said so. not me.) years at Chennai.

" It's hard to believe you like Sambar at Blore. What's wrong with you. I think you forgot how our samabar will taste. " - another friend who moved back to Chennai.

" You're so straight forward and honest. Totally unlike the south Indians" - a colleague at work.

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The thought process raised some serious questions about my origin. Justification for my doubt. Although I'm from Tamilnadu and can't speak a word of Hindi, I don't feel left alone in a Hindi speaking group. I'm not one of those who would say "To hell with Mr. Karunanidhi" or remind the group that there is a single soul who can't follow even one word. I would still enjoy the conversation and try to pick a few words from it. I like khara bath more than upma. I prefer nipattu over thatai. I will give my entire fortune for a single yummy Akki Roti. I like the sweet Blore Sambar and the unchallenged Blore Masala Dosa. I can't survive even a single day with just Thayir Sadam and mavadu ( If you aren't a Tamilian, you will be surprised to know that most of the TamBrams need just water, curd rice and Mango pickle for their survival. Coffee is like the bonus). I can't gulp down even a small cup of filter kaapi - Because of this one dislike my friends conclude that my parents are my foster parents and that I don't know my roots.

Unlike my people back home, I'm a laid back person and face every day and every challenge with a smile. I'm not aggressive and can't be rude to people. I can't shout at the domestic help for being irregular. I don't care to check my bank balance everyday and don't plan for savings after my retirement. I prefer to spend on SLR than on the 600 sq.feet flat around the corner. Marks are just numbers to me. I don't consider it a sin to walk into Habib's or even into a Pub. I respect Salsa as much as I respect Bharathanatyam. I want to play guitar as much as I want to play Veena. I can neither watch Sivaji Ganesan waste bottles of glycerine nor laugh for Vadivelu's silly jokes. A perfect sunday to me is not a movie at satyam and dinner at saravana Bhavan. It is either trekking at Savandurga or at least a walk at Lalbagh. Cubbon Park and Lalbagh are my kinda places. I feel claustrophobic, if I have to spend hours in Forum mall or Central mall. I prefer RangaShankara over PVR. I prefer Friends over Kolangal.

I prefer cotton over kanchivaram. I hate to drape the five yards for hours and wouldn't mind a gown as my wedding attire. Big fat Indian wedding - a crazy idea according me (check my post Wedding Bells) and look at it as the last day when the girl's family get to smile (as they will be answerable to money-lenders from the next day).I'm not crazy about jewellery. I look at gold as just a good investment option.

If my histroy books in the school was correct, if the book on south India is correct, if my observation and assessment of people are correct, and if you had read the same, you can easily understand why I can't relate to a fellow Tamilian.

I hate to litter public places and convert my handbag to a garbage bag most often. I can't stand to see the beetle stains on the walls. I puke immediately and if I have a gun, I wouldn't mind going behind the bars for shooting the guy who spits. I say 'Thanks' and 'Sorry' equal to the count of my breath everyday, which is strange among Indians. Although I can think of at least 10 more reasons why I feel like an alien in my country, I also realize that I'm truly Indian at heart. Although I don't cry for the Bahu, when she is tortured by her sasu ma, I'm still very emotional and impractical at times. Although I don't quite know and understand the reason for most of the festivals that we celebrate, I still love the fact that we celebrate - that's bcos we celebrate together. I Although I don't really understand our political system, I still appreciate the few good acts that are passed. Although, I don't really follow the one game that binds the nation together, I still jump when India wins over Pakistan. I still believe in monogamy and shudder when I hear about broken relationships. Although I can't want even 15 mins of Karan Johar movies, I still love Big happy families. I Can't think about living in a nuclear family. Although I like pasta, Burrito and sizzler, I mostly crave only for Dosa :). Finally, although I can't relate to most of the Indian population living in villages, I can still connect to them and aspire to work for them and with them.

As I grew up, my perspectives and life style might have changed, but I realize that I'm seeped in Indian tradition and I can think of 100 reasons for reassuring me that I'm truly Indian at heart.