I am an NRI and have been living in the UK for the past 15 years. Today I am at the cross roads with no sense of belonging either here or back at home in India. Indians of metropolis India have moved on so much that I find the shifting of basic value system very stifling- there is no spirtiuality whatsoever, on the contrary there is constant flaunting of materialism. The land of simple living and high thinking has succumbed to consumerism. A few yrs ago when I happened to visit India on Valentine's day which was unheard of, or atleast not on such an open display ,a decade and half ago, shocked me beyond my wits. Teenagers who fleece parents to buy gifts for their friends, the heart shaped pizzas etc horrified me. Dont get me wrong I am not against St. Valenine or Lord Kama but when teenagers who are trying to ape the west in a half baked manner pains me.
We dont need a Mothers day, Fathers day do we? Our culture has always driven home the point that every day of the year is a Mothers and fathers day-Matru Devo Bhava, Pitru Devo Bhava- Mother and father are equivalent to God.
In the UK, I am unable to accept Western values like living together before marriage, pre-marital sex, unwed single mothers who are pawning off society etc etc, and the latest news- a 15 yr old girl delivers in a classroom ,has left me dumbstruck.
Today I consider myself a 'Dhobhi ka kutta - na ghar ka na ghat ka' translating - a washermans's dog ,which neither is fit to guard the house nor carry loads of washing like the donkey.
Despite everything, I still love my Matrubhoomi as well as my Karmabhoomi for all the positive contributions to society by and large.
Cheers
A confused global citizen.
I am an NRI and have been living in the UK for the past 15 years.
Despite everything, I still love my Matrubhoomi as well as my Karmabhoomi for all the positive contributions to society by and large.
Cheers
A confused global citizen
As Dr. Abhi diagnosed, the pain is caused not because the karmabhoomi is different from the janmabhoomi, but because the times have changed.
The cultural issues are global now. No matter where you go, you will not escape them.
Mom's day and Dad's day are Hallmark Creations. As far as elebrating real festivals is conerned, I see no big deal in that. Festivals in India seem too frequent and hyped to me!
MP, Welcome to DM. Nice title 'Dhobi ka ---- na ghar ka na ghat ka'. We have had so many culture shock debates in here still it is always nice to see a new one. Have you read 'The namesake'? You sound just like Mr.Ganguli. I am nostalgic about my childhood too but I believe change is inevitable. We cannot be stuck in the past and anything new is not bad either. Adopting other cultures doesn't make us forget our own. We have been adopting various new cultures for a long time. It is time for you to exchange the dhobi for a latest model washing machine.
Life is still fun though -at least till you have neices!
😆
Coming back to the discussion:
I'm eagerly waiting for the replies of all Non Resident Matrubhoomi friends.I think most of these members loginto India forums just to get the feel of their motherland and wonderfully in DM we have a special package of "Dadaji,Dadima,Uncle,Aunty,Bhayya ,Didi and neice".
I will post Robert Frost poem "Road not taken " for my new friend
Cheers
A confused global citizen.
When I was in India, there used to be a school next to my home, this two 3-4 grade kids used to fight like crazy everyday and either the sister or the brother would leave their bag right in front of my home, my job used to be to seperate those fighting kids or to return their bags to their home
Fast forward some years, when I last visited, I was in a shop and a young lady with micro-mini's passed by and said "Namaste Auntyji" to my mom. My mom smiled and told me, she is the same girl whose bags I used to return home.
We NRI's left the country a while ago, when we return or think of India, we think of it as to the time we left the country, We have moved on, India has moved on, but our thoughts are still in the past, for me it is roughly your period, so I can understand😃.
Cheers from another (confused) Desi😉
Edited by sareg - 17 years ago