The Inscrutable Americans and the Confused Desis. Yeah, that is my subject.The word 'desi' has a strange connotation attached with it. There are people who love to be known as the 'desis' while a dwindling few hate it. The fomer are the ones who have been here for a long time, some born here and some too much evolved in the american culture and couture. The latter are obviously the ones who are new to this land; complaining, frustrated and scandalized little knowing that time flies here and it would be very soon that they would be in the former group.
By sheer lack of etymological talents, I am yet to decipher the real meaning of the word, but in short I have understood that all NRIs in America who think they are much superior than their folks back in India are the original members of the 'desi' tribe. I personally have no issues of being called a 'desi' as long as I am aware of my state of mind. In short, I don't care. I am not here to be judgmental about things, I am here to pen down my observations and to interpret them in my own way, with respect to all.
October 20, 21:00 hrs: The Hindu Society of North Carolina
Raas Garba: This was my first Indian festival in the USA. Indian Festivals in USA are made up and gimmicked. They don't follow dates, they don't follow 'mahurats', they just follow time schedules of the people attending it. Its always more of a gathering where people come to flaunt their Indian culture. I liked it as it was fun.
This is the first garba in my life. Thanks to my friend who took the pain of taking me with him for the event. Clad in traditional kurtas, when we reached there, we found that the place was a sea of Indians. A smile flickered on my face. I was happy from the bottom of my heart after a long time. I could see people like me...it was as if everything belonged to me. Pride filled my heart and I felt like a true Indian. Pretty girls in lehengas and cholis and ghagras, ladies in beautiful sarees, and men in magnificient kurta stole the show. It was so colorful that everything glittered in the light.
I joined my friends for the dance and managed to play garba and dandiya. It was so fun that for a moment it felt I am somewhere in India. I was amidst Patels (with an american 't' in it), Desais, and Shahs, but the nevertheless the party was full of 'masti'. The gujju flavor engulfed me deep within that I almost felt I am a gujju. Excitement flowed in so much, that we never thought twice before buying $2 samosas and dhoklas there. After a long time, I felt like a true Indian and felt happy and proud about it.
October 28th, 3:00pm, Amber Shrine Temple
Durga Pujo: The tiniest Durga idol, plastic flowers, no marigolds and hibiscus, no bel and tulsi, no women in traditional red bordered white sarees, little vermillion, no myrah, no incense stick smell, abundant food like chicken, fish, 'dodhikorma', 'khichuri' and roshogolla; that was DURGA PUJO in Raleigh all about. I bet that tiny Durga Ma must have been suffocated amidst these stone-hearted, techno frenzied, unemotional (though an audacious word) so called English (accented) speaking Bongs. She must have cursed herself and her kids for coming to this alien land but finally must have silently accepted her fate of getting packed in a polythene inside a box at the end of the event.
It was a Bong event for sure, but the Bongs spoke Bengali with a style with more of English in it, quite heard in some 'tyansh' (intellectuals who flaunt their intellect) parts of South Kolkata.
But I must say that whoever they belonged to, even if less to Bengal and more to USA, I don't care. I was overwhelmed by their warmth. The people were so nice and considerate, that they dropped us back home in their cabs with a lot of packed food for all of us. Perhaps deep inside they were still the real Bangalis, but amidst this chaos and confusion, they preffered surrendering happily to the alien laws and norms.
I flaunted that day to be a Bengali I wore a traditional Bengali kurta (looking like some character of a king's court). I made an extra attempt to let know others of my true tradition.
....to be concluded
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