Leave that aside, they didn’t even know the capitals of the seven sister states which was very strange. I can vouch for a fact that the North Eastern people at least know about the states and cities of this great country. It was sad. In fact, it is sad. But it was not only the attitude of the students that hurt but it was that of the professors too. During practical exams we were abused since we were form the NE. The examiners would ridicule us saying that we didn’t know anything. It was of course, absolutely alright for the students from the other parts to sit there without even moving their lips but we, from the NE, had to be targeted. In fact, I even remember a teacher going as far as saying that my dad had no business sending me for higher studies. Of-course, to his surprise I hit back which he didn’t expect. Yes, Mr. Professor I did have a mind of my own, still do. But why am I writing all these today? It’s obvious, isn’t it? When I can face such situations without resembling the ‘stereotype’ that certain (educated uneducated) Indians assign to the North Eastern people, can you imagine what the rest of them go through? Is it fair? Not at all.
It’s sad that those batch mates of mine would come to the three north eastern girls in our year (including me) to borrow clothes, sandals, jeans and earrings while at the very next moment they would treat us as outsiders, mock us. Why only them even the seniors would come for that perfect sweater to wear on interviews but the very next moment we became the witches from the NE.
I don’t know what is wrong with us as a country. I really don’t. We fight among ourselves. And this is true all across the country. It is inbuilt in us to treat someone different as an outsider, ostracize him even. North, South, East and West divide – that’s all our tiny brains can comprehend. But not the fact that all these make up a single country. From region to religion, we can fight on any ludicrous issue. The absurdity of our so called culture turns us against fellow Indians who are from another state. This mentality is sick and frankly I’m getting tired of it. And I see very little hope of it changing when educated people complain about Indians migrating within their own country in search of opportunities. Are we so dim-witted? My state, my language and my region that’s about as far as our intelligence goes? And in the midst of this innocent people suffer which is absolutely sickening. Think about it, that’s all I can say for I have no solution to this problem, not that anyone would care if I had one!
I hear you, and no, I am not from the North Eastern states of India. Through out my college life, I have come across similar stories of stereotyping and heard them from my own friends. Not just for the NE, but for people from all 8 directions.
My MA friend circle included a lot of men and women from the NE. I have enjoyed celebrating Bihu, wearing a Mekhla to a friends' wedding, learnt the interesting ways weddings are carried out, or of impressive matriarchal clans. Yes, I also have a Naga shawl and nothing keeps me warmer. 😀 I have enjoyed this diversity of vicarious experiencing of a new culture. I too wonder, like you do, "Are we so dim-witted?"
Naba, I can feel your hurt and anger. It is shameful how we stereotype and single out people. I think the reason for this is our own ignorance. So many of us have no exposure to people from other regions. Many live and die in specific places. Thus the myths and stereotypes about 'others' take roots. Exposure, more knowledge, exchange programs by schools to other places in the country are much needed. I must tell you that since I've come to stay in Bangalore, I've understood and realized the nuances among the South Indian states, its people, culture and language. I didn't know all this while I was growing up in Mumbai. What we also need is to teach our children to be polite and comfortable in their differences more than in the similarities. The tolerance must begin at home by not poking fun at "others." Alas, we have a long way to go!
Imagine my reaction when someone asked me if Assam is near pakistan… I should have gifted her a bloody map.
I could so relate to every word you have said. And I have ranted on it so much that I have no more words then to watch people and their absurd ideas about NE
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Of course we are dim witted and this situation is present every where. You know many of them conclude with out a second thought that I for sure have ancestors in Pakistan and they jokingly ask If I know any one in Charminar (hyd) who make bombs. Once a lady exclaimed on a friday that it is holy for muslims and hell for them as they never know when a bomb will explode. All this they say purposely when I am aroundd. I can give many more instances here but for now just this. Some times I retort and some times I pity their ignorance, yes even the one who asked me if I attend Owaisi's gathering as she assumed I surely know him 😀 At some point it becomes funny to me!
We hear you Naba and feel pained at what ignorant people in this country do.. it is shameful to say the least. All it proves is the extent to which this country is ignorant and unaware. I have never lived in the NE but have a lot of friends from there .. to top it I was in Sikkim when it was hit by the quake in 2011. and if there is one thing that stood out for me was the warmth and humanity our NE countrymen have…. in fact just today I wrote about my experience in Sikkim… here is the link to it. http://www.seetabodke.com/2014/02/step-motherly-treatment-indeed.html
I empathise with your hurt feelings and anger. I really do. But at the same time I feel that in your attempt to bring out what's wrong with us you may be over-generalizing and/or stereotyping a bit all 'other' Indians who are not from Northeast or at least all Indians in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. That will not help solve the problem, in my humble opinion. What is needed is to look way, way deep into the root cause of the problem and work from there. Then we may realize that unity in diversity is not a sham, in fact it may be the only thing making us Indians strong enough to bear all that has been thrown our way historically. Just my two cents.
I wish more and more people were like you Sakshi … Sad thing is this is rampant all across… the stereotyping on the NE people is just one case, there are divides and prejudices between north and south Indians and what not… As if we didn't have enough problems already that we make these non-issues so important and make ourselves so shallow…
Very true Rachna..It's our ignorance that leads to these things…And you've rightly said that the only rational way out is perhaps to teach our children to be comfortable in their differences more than in the similarities….!
Oh when I say Shillong they ask Celyon? Really!
Oh God! I guess you are right better to ignore and laugh these silly insinuations off then take them seriously! I just feel bad when people lose their lives over it!
I just think that we all have this problem hardwired in us; it's a problem rampant in north, south , east and west…we just can't accept people who are different…I have just written about the problems North Easterners face which is just one of the several regional problems of this great nation of ours…and I just can't believe we are united in any way for I have seen how irrational even educated Indians can be when it comes to people of other state living in their 'home state'…But trust me I would give anything to feel as strongly as you do about our unity! And sad thing is Beloo that often those who are not in the 'others' (and it can be anyone not only the NE people) are expected to be rational and take the high road…which is gud but also wrong.. Bottom Line is that the problem is with all of us and the sooner we realize that the better…But it's good to know that atleast you see something positive! Always gud 🙂
Oh that is so true Seeta…We are all so ignorant! Why do we fight within ourselves? I just can't understand…Will check out your link
Over five hundred and fifty local kingdoms who were kept under some peaceful understanding of co-existence under compelling situations by the imperial power of the British that prevailed over what was identified by the British cartographers as India became part of what were to become as India and Pakistan in 1947. The majority of the local citizens of these erstwhile princely states had pretty no idea about their fellow beings from other such states, except perhaps those who were from their immediate neighboring states. Unfortunately, the governments of India and the governments of the re-organized Indian states were too busy in so many other things that they simply forgot to do such necessary things to educate the future generations of this newly made up conglomerate to understand their new enlarged identity and their enlarged responsibilities as citizens of India. But it is a big task and it needs time. And in the intervening time such things of cultural alienation are bound to happen here and there. It is a painful thing, though, for those who are subjected to such things.
I know what you mean, Nabanita! It is really sad that people in the same country treat the others from different regions in such a way! I remember people asking us if living in Rajasthan meant that we lived in midst of a desert and traveled around on camel carts!!
True it is indeed painful and very sad…
God save us from our ignorance! It's really sad Shilpa!
Indians live in different regional cocoons and they either do not acknowledge people of other regions or they blatantly abuse anyone who they consider an outsider. What happens is when one bunch abuses another, obviously the other feels some need to retaliate, and this sort of racist enmity just escalates into something bigger. While some of us are quite accepting and may have come out of our "cocoons", I don't know if India as a country would ever be free of its biases!
I am a South Indian bought up in the Middle East and also wears the hijab – I was quite different from the crowd while doing my grads in Bangalore. Hence all these terrible accusations has been spat at me too and I can totally relate with this !! I was once asked "Do you know English?" by one of the senior Professors and also "Did you score by fluke(by pure chance)?" after topping the college. The anger I felt at these instances have never been really forgotten but I realize now it is just one person's opinion. For every narrow-minded/racist individual I have met, I have also come across ten other broad minded friends !
You've wonderfully put up the truth in a gist …!
True! I still find it hard to forgive and forget but yes there are some exceptions surely!
The Britishers came in and brought the divide and rule concept. They have long gone but we are still using this in every walk of life. I feel that we all talk about maturity but then where is the maturity. Spending good times with friends is great but still treating our own fellow countrymen like outsiders, what are we trying to prove?
I identify with you, being a Bihari and a subject of much ridicule and insults before Nitish Kumar finally rescued some of our self respect. I remember being compared to Taliban (as in uncivilized) by a learned gentleman from Bangalore … initially used to feel bad, but now I just don't care ..
For a long time Biharis used to say they were from Delhi or UP when asked where were they from, just to escape another round of insults. Just imagine !
my daughter one day argued with her history teacher who said that 'Biharis" should not come to Mumbai for work, jobs or education. She feels very strongly on these issues because she is 1/4th Maloo, 1/4th Assamese and 1/2 Bihari !!
Read my blogpost on Being Indian is tough.
http://nimadas.blogspot.in/2014/02/being-indian.html
I can empathize with your feelings. This is a disease which is typical to almost every Indian. We like to distinguish ourselves in the name of caste,creed and region. From Bengal ? Oh! then you must live on nothing else but "rosogolla" and "machher jhol ". From Assam ? ohhh ! there is a temple where the females tame their male counterparts and treat them as sheep !! From South ? Gosh ! they speak in a weird language !..From Punjab ? what is that thing on your head ?it looks funny.We have these people everywhere…and no matter from where you're their wit fails to recognize you as an Indian !! I pity them and their so called EDUCATION …
Yes…Unity in diversity slogan is just a sham…
What we need to understand is that we all are unique in our own way. When we start to generalize a group of people based on whether they belong to noth, east west or south, discrimination starts.
In my class too there were two boys from NE …but they were kind of our favorites…
And generalizations!!!..that too make my blood boil.
this is a very significant issue you have raised.yes we very much feel upset and enraged at times.ofcourse we point at politicians and cultures for all this stuff.and we our self say" we do not have a solution even if we did no one cared." someone would care like we all do naba.but the question is what are we willing to do to change that.Or have we really done anything. And kindly afshan do not laugh and pity their ignorance take a stand and politely answer every stupid question they put forth.so next time they don't target any1 else and remember always to respect others and their cultures. what i am really trying to say is never run from the problem saying i have nothing to do with it of course everything related to my country or nation is my business. dxbnidblog
God Knows what we want… It's so sad if we think about it… How can a country prosper when we can't even be united in essence…
My God that is sad….I know I have Bihari friends who told me the same thing… I wonder when are we going to learn…
You know people laugh at me when I say this but I think the only way to solve this issue is to not marry within the same region….Seriously! You know your daughter will be one of those individuals who will be free of this regional chauvinism, she's lucky!
I couldn't have said it better! Pity certainly is the word!
Oh mine too! Why can't we just being regional chauvinists and just be Indians for a change…But our hollow Indianess unfortunately only comes out in times of Cricket Matches!
True…I wish we can put the anger aside and do something..You know where I work, there is a ebullient board where these things are discussed, all Engineers and MBAs, but no amount of persuasion or logic seems to change the opinions of the regional chauvinists…If I would copy one such conversation and post it here I can bet you'll be so disappointed and think if logical arguments don't work with educated people then what will!
Everything boild down to a root cause..
As much as we like to celebrate unity in diversity, such celebrations are only restricted to the Independence day parades. The truth is Indian states are shrinking more and more into isolation. Moreover, there are very little efforts by the government, or the media or the general populace to create awareness about the north eastern states. Indians happen to be the most racist of the lot. More than a white supremist European. All we ever do is ridicule people who are different from us.
I'm sorry to hear of all the prejudices you suffered, but then again only you can make a difference to increase awareness and knock some sense into the hard boiled Indian. Trust me, any given day I'd rather be living abroad than here…
One can understand your feelings.It can be very hurting. But eventually , this also will pass with our having better knowledge & understanding of different cultures in the country.
The west used to ask Indians visiting their country as to whether India is full of snake charmers or whether they live in huts only.But today they know better.
Christ had said "Forgive them their sins ,they know not what they are doing." Believe me Nabanita not all Indians are so ignorant and stupid as the ones you have described.I would like to see a wonderful writer like you throw out of your system all those bitterness, become free and continue to give us and the world the insights in your writing.,
Warm Wishes
True ..all the patriotism is limited to Cricket or Independence Day celebrations!
Thanks Rajeev..I wish I can..Infact I try to but it's hard..that's my shortcoming I guess.. But yes I'll have to work on if if I want my future children to think of India as one!
Well, reach such heights that others get sun in their eyes when they try to stare at you. Thats precisely what we are upto now 🙂
My respect to your daughter for standing upto her conviction. More power to her.
5 years back, I was appearing for an MBA interview for IMT Gaziabad and the interviewer asked me, "As soon as you said that you are from Bihar, I got a very bad taste in my mouth. Can you analyze and tell me why?"
Why?
I replied, "In psychology it is known as selective perception. It is an unhealthy state of mind and can lead to other complications if not treated at the earliest." … End of interview.
That lady got a bad taste in her mouth just because she had a lad from a poor, god forsaken state sitting across the table trying to reason with her in English? Or was it just plain contempt which a privileged has for the non-privileged? I am waiting for the day when the likes of her will be paid in kind, when we rise to such heights that they cannot do anything but stare in awe.
Ironically, look at UP and Bihar today, there is so much difference 🙂