Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Open letter to the guy who came back and went back again

Recently NYT (New York Times that is) carried an article about a certain person who came back to India a-la ‘swades’ but was not impressed and chose to go back because this country was unable to provide the comforts he is used to in states for 11 years or so. Details here

For starters let me clarify that I am not disagreeing with the person (okay I am, a little or why else would I bother with a response) heck I find myself in the same position. To give him some credit; he actually tried to make it work down here. But somehow the status quo, the bullock carts and the average Indian’s road sense took a toll on him and he thought it’s better to leave. It worked last time.

I agree on this point. A friend of mine after being ridiculed in our class as a “BLOODY NORTH INDIAN” was talking to me with teary eyes,he said ‘dude, you know my dad wanted to send me to US for engg but I declined, it’s better to hear you bloody Indian in a foreign country than listening to this north Indian crap in my own country,i should have left’. I had no words. Come to think of it, it’s really a personal choice.

But I differ on the point where he said leave, because I won’t. Would love to quote ‘rang de basanti’ here

“koi desh perfect nahin hota, use perfect banana parta hai”(no country is perfect, you have to strive to make it perfect)

And good, bad, pathetic whatever; I belong here, and I am not leaving. Because for every venom spewing jerk, there will be a person who will be ready to help you because they know you have been wronged. I might look at the maid for asking the extra money with suspicion but like my mom says, you have to take chance once to know if the person is reliable or not. It’s only that they weren’t fortunate enough for a high-class education or a lifestyle you can afford. That doesn’t make him any less worthier of sharing the same road with you.

The countries that progressed did so because of the people, who stayed, strived for the better living. I still believe goodness hasn’t died. And having the mentality that just because a person is not financially well off, he is a potential thief is completely RIDICULOUS. People travelling in cars think the guys driving bullock carts are the ones slowing them down. Well check again, he might be carrying wheat, rice, dal … oh yes he is the same farmer who grows crops so you and your family can eat.

I still yell at the erratic auto driver, wish I could punch that zigzag guy on the bike or always look for my purse when caught by a traffic police while on my way for that late night aloo parathe. But I still hope things will change. Because I believe that universe always tries to put everything in balance, it always strives for perfection and I do my bit by not breaking the law, putting my leftovers in the nearest dustbins that I can find (1-2 instances can be overlooked I am sure :P) . But I am trying to make this a better place to live. And this ‘he is below me in social status so he s a thief’ theory doesn’t work with me and is just SAD

But since I am not him, I can’t pass judgments about his decisions. Wish him a happy life wherever he is.

Like mr Gandhi said “be the change you want to see in the world”

I am trying man , and will keep trying!

\m/oO\m/

8 comments:

  1. Hmmm..Kya bola jaye ab!
    Blaming a place you actually belong to and that to by saying that you tried, is not the way to bring up the faults u found. Speak it out bluntly no?
    Good post!!!
    I sometimes hate the place I am right now but you know, coming oto think of it, This is a rather amusing yet beautiful place!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. 4gt the coll days dude...kahi jao negatives jarur milega...bt still well said..nice 1

    ReplyDelete
  3. Each place has its ups and downs and I am glad we have youngsters like you....who wish to be the change.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Arre wah!! You know i was expecting "koi desh perfect nahi hota..." from rang de basanti the moment i read the post title.I totally agree with you in everything you say.Its better to strive to make your house a better place than take shelter in neighbour's.I would rather not litter in my country than praise the cleanliness in other's!

    My world,my thoughts,my musings...

    ReplyDelete
  5. koi desh perfect nai hota. true. sachchi baat.
    live & let live. jise jahan rehna hai raho. whatever wherever you are happy :) just one favor pls from the people who stay or leave: don't crib! you made your choice Now let it be. hate the ones who keep cribbing about everything whether here or there

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very well said Madhav. Nice to see a young mind think about the problems of the country. Maintain this in you for longer....

    ReplyDelete
  7. I liked your response to this article...I am a fellow blogger and read ur blog in
    Indi blogger...

    I share some of your views. In fact I would say Mr Sumedh Mungee didn’t understand the basics of our country, or probably 11 yrs there has made him forget them and thats why he found it so intolerable that he chose to go back.

    Acc to me he couldn't see the beauty that lied in those “imperfections” and “disparities” prevalent in this country…
    When I associate word like "beauty" to "disparity" (a unhappy/sad part of our economy) I mean to say that we have to look at it from another perspective. I believe that the disparity and struggle in our country makes us the country worthy of being called the next super power.... in fact the greatest gift given to us Indian by our country is this word called "tolerance".
    Tolerance has made the people of this country strong from every aspect... It has made us economically, culturally, emotionally rock solid and that’s the whole reason why we Indians are ruling the world today. We have been taught to adjust and adapt from our childhood and hence we have the ability to adapt to US, UK, Africa Australia (you name the country and Indian are present there)...We are flexible and hence we have the ability to change a losing game into a winning game…
    This country has so many mouths to feed that everyone struggles and aspires to earn more and more, unlike US where the government promises to support you in your old age. That’s why a driver sometimes tries to con his employer (to earn a few extra bucks) and a smart employer understands when his intentions, sets him right and takes the incidence with a pinch of salt...
    Mr Sumedh just couldnt adapt himself to the "Juggad" attitude that works here...

    Only In a country like India its possible that my domestic help works hard and can afford to send her kids to DPS, Gurgaon (a school better than my own school) because she is positive about her kid’s future & the school is still within her budgets (unlike universities in US) …

    It’s the optimism and the desperation to reach ones destination fast that people Indians honk on roads here. No one wants to fall behind in this country and that according to me is a good thing if you look from a different angle...
    Its sad that Mr Sumedh Mungee choose not to be a part of this magnificent growth story.
    Liked your blog read some article… specially thanks steve and this one…

    My blog id given below…If you find time and feel like do gimme a feedback ... would be glad to know what you thought abt it…

    http://reincarnationofmydreams.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. @lipi thanks for taking out your time for such an elaborate comment.PHEW! will check it out and comment for sure :)

    ReplyDelete

ShareThis

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...