A couple of events spurred this post. One was a conversation with a colleague and the other was a Wall Street Article sent by a friend.
India, Bharat, Hindustan- A land of multiple names, a force of over a billion people. A country steeped in history,culture and traditions. A democracy that is forcing it's way to the top. The land of Gods, from Sages to Gandhi, from M.S.Subbalakshmi to Sachin Tendulkar, if it is talent you are seeking, you are looking at the oh so familiar, vaguely triangular piece of land jutting out from the base of the Asian continent.
As students and now, as working professionals a lot of us squeezed out of the protective arms of our motherland to seek solace elsewhere, but the domestic call has been ringing in our ears. Trends are changing now. The quintessential Indian who opted for the prized Green Card and US citizenship, is now thinking his thoughts through. I have come to know a lot of people who, are returning back home to their motherland...to their roots.
As these events surround me, I wish to present my side of why the Mother's call has been ringing in my ears too! So here goes...
-> I want to get stuck in traffic with horns blaring and mobile shops selling chana
-> I want to walk on Worli sea face with the waves splashing it's misty foam on my face
-> I want to drink filter coffee made by my mother each day before going to work
-> I want people to stare at me awkwardly when I thank them
-> I want to drive a manual transmission vehicle on the "right" side of the road
-> I want use the public transport at wee hours in the night
-> I want to be served food on the flight even if it is only for thirty minutes
-> I want to see "General Stores" which is a one stop Wal-Mart at walking distance from home
-> I want to go to a medical shop and get medicines without hundered forms and prescriptions
-> I want to have official, expired auto insurance and still be able to drive my vehicle
-> I want to have the local mechanic work on my vehicle and charge me a nominal fee
-> I want to drive on Marine Drive and experience freeways right in the heart of the city
-> I want to be able to wear formals to work and have my boss yell at me
-> I want to interact with "don't give a damn" government servants
-> I want to go to my college where the first thing you see is Lord Ganesha
-> I want to use the toilet without toilet paper
-> I want the familar plastic tub and mug to have my bath
-> I want to be able to eat outside beyond midnight
-> I want to take a late night walk around Shivaji park with hundreds of people
-> I want to get directions to a place by asking people on the road
-> I want to use the SI system for measurment
-> I want to see women dressed in Sarees or salwaar kameez
-> I want to go to temples and hear the namaz chants from mosques early in the morning
-> I want to build my furniture thorough carpenters and not assemble it myself
-> I want to see senior citizens discuss current affairs during their morning walk
-> I want to see my kids start their day in school with prayers
-> I want to eat Alphonso mangoes during the summer
-> I want to celebrate festivals with family and relatives
-> I want to see people being driven around
-> I want to go to the beach to eat bhel puri and sandwiches
-> I want to be able to travel by Indian railways in three tier coaches and sleep on the top
-> I want to eat Idli, Vada and chutney served by the Indian railways
-> I want to see my kids hear bedtime stories from their grandparents
-> I want to travel in a double decker bus and sit on the top front row
-> I want to see houses made of bricks and concrete with multiple layers of paint
-> I want to see friends who have known me better than I know myself
-> I want to get up early to stand for hours to see Siddhi Vinayak on Ganesh Chaturthi
-> I want to use sms and missed calls as the main form of communication
-> I want to see Mahatma Gandhi's face on the Indian Rupee note
-> I want to carry more than a thousand rupees in my pocket
-> I want to travel during rush hour in Mumbai local trains
-> I want to send my kids to school in auto rickshaw pools
-> I want to be amidst company that talks about cricket and movies
-> I want to read India Today
-> I want to be able to read The Times Of India whilst having my morning coffee
-> I want to visit orphanages and donate to the needy
-> I want to go to Meenakshi temple and just stare at the beauty of the Goddess
-> I want to seek blessings from temple elephants
-> I want to eat Krishna sweets' Mysore Pauk and Grand sweets' potato chips
-> I want to drive by all the streets and roads that I used to frequent and invoke nostalgia
-> I want to see entertainment programmes in languages that are native to India
-> I want to look at the Bandra Worli sea link from a small street at Shivaji Park
-> I want to go for unplanned, destinationless drives on a motorcycle at night
-> I want to go to Nariman Point and compare it to New York city
-> I want to be able to say town and not downtown
-> I want to meet all my teachers
-> I want to have long talks with my friends late into the night
-> I want to just look at my parents and thank them without having to say a word
Some things that can only be longed when you are far. Just to take a leaf out of the Mastercard advertisement, there is only money that USA can provide, for the bigger picture called life there is India!
India, Bharat, Hindustan- A land of multiple names, a force of over a billion people. A country steeped in history,culture and traditions. A democracy that is forcing it's way to the top. The land of Gods, from Sages to Gandhi, from M.S.Subbalakshmi to Sachin Tendulkar, if it is talent you are seeking, you are looking at the oh so familiar, vaguely triangular piece of land jutting out from the base of the Asian continent.
As students and now, as working professionals a lot of us squeezed out of the protective arms of our motherland to seek solace elsewhere, but the domestic call has been ringing in our ears. Trends are changing now. The quintessential Indian who opted for the prized Green Card and US citizenship, is now thinking his thoughts through. I have come to know a lot of people who, are returning back home to their motherland...to their roots.
As these events surround me, I wish to present my side of why the Mother's call has been ringing in my ears too! So here goes...
-> I want to get stuck in traffic with horns blaring and mobile shops selling chana
-> I want to walk on Worli sea face with the waves splashing it's misty foam on my face
-> I want to drink filter coffee made by my mother each day before going to work
-> I want people to stare at me awkwardly when I thank them
-> I want to drive a manual transmission vehicle on the "right" side of the road
-> I want use the public transport at wee hours in the night
-> I want to be served food on the flight even if it is only for thirty minutes
-> I want to see "General Stores" which is a one stop Wal-Mart at walking distance from home
-> I want to go to a medical shop and get medicines without hundered forms and prescriptions
-> I want to have official, expired auto insurance and still be able to drive my vehicle
-> I want to have the local mechanic work on my vehicle and charge me a nominal fee
-> I want to drive on Marine Drive and experience freeways right in the heart of the city
-> I want to be able to wear formals to work and have my boss yell at me
-> I want to interact with "don't give a damn" government servants
-> I want to go to my college where the first thing you see is Lord Ganesha
-> I want to use the toilet without toilet paper
-> I want the familar plastic tub and mug to have my bath
-> I want to be able to eat outside beyond midnight
-> I want to take a late night walk around Shivaji park with hundreds of people
-> I want to get directions to a place by asking people on the road
-> I want to use the SI system for measurment
-> I want to see women dressed in Sarees or salwaar kameez
-> I want to go to temples and hear the namaz chants from mosques early in the morning
-> I want to build my furniture thorough carpenters and not assemble it myself
-> I want to see senior citizens discuss current affairs during their morning walk
-> I want to see my kids start their day in school with prayers
-> I want to eat Alphonso mangoes during the summer
-> I want to celebrate festivals with family and relatives
-> I want to see people being driven around
-> I want to go to the beach to eat bhel puri and sandwiches
-> I want to be able to travel by Indian railways in three tier coaches and sleep on the top
-> I want to eat Idli, Vada and chutney served by the Indian railways
-> I want to see my kids hear bedtime stories from their grandparents
-> I want to travel in a double decker bus and sit on the top front row
-> I want to see houses made of bricks and concrete with multiple layers of paint
-> I want to see friends who have known me better than I know myself
-> I want to get up early to stand for hours to see Siddhi Vinayak on Ganesh Chaturthi
-> I want to use sms and missed calls as the main form of communication
-> I want to see Mahatma Gandhi's face on the Indian Rupee note
-> I want to carry more than a thousand rupees in my pocket
-> I want to travel during rush hour in Mumbai local trains
-> I want to send my kids to school in auto rickshaw pools
-> I want to be amidst company that talks about cricket and movies
-> I want to read India Today
-> I want to be able to read The Times Of India whilst having my morning coffee
-> I want to visit orphanages and donate to the needy
-> I want to go to Meenakshi temple and just stare at the beauty of the Goddess
-> I want to seek blessings from temple elephants
-> I want to eat Krishna sweets' Mysore Pauk and Grand sweets' potato chips
-> I want to drive by all the streets and roads that I used to frequent and invoke nostalgia
-> I want to see entertainment programmes in languages that are native to India
-> I want to look at the Bandra Worli sea link from a small street at Shivaji Park
-> I want to go for unplanned, destinationless drives on a motorcycle at night
-> I want to go to Nariman Point and compare it to New York city
-> I want to be able to say town and not downtown
-> I want to meet all my teachers
-> I want to have long talks with my friends late into the night
-> I want to just look at my parents and thank them without having to say a word
Some things that can only be longed when you are far. Just to take a leaf out of the Mastercard advertisement, there is only money that USA can provide, for the bigger picture called life there is India!
