Angrez chale gaye par Angrezi chod gaye.. (The British left (India), but left the English (culture) behind)

        It has been many years that India became an Independent country. Yet, there is no part of the country that does not have the essence of being ruled by the British. The language, the way of living, the food that we eat, the sports that we play, the things that we do as a routine, everything has an English touch to it.

        Today, if there is common attire for the corporate, it is all thanks to the British. It is because of them that we have the board room decorum. And, the impact does not stop here. The clothes that we prefer to wear, the accessories that we carry – everything has a huge impression on people in all age groups, from all walks of life.

       Another most important thing is our eating habits. Despite having rich diversities in the traditional Indian food itself, English food and their dining etiquettes have managed to find a make a place here. Roti has been replaced by ‘double’ roti (bread) and aaloo parathas by corn flakes. Kadak chai (tea) has now become ‘green’ tea and pastries have replaced the famous Indian mithai.

There is another thing which the Angrez left behind - it is the Angrezi (English language) itself. English is one of the official languages of India and population wise; we are the second largest English speaking country, only after the United States. Ironically, we have left the Angrez behind as well.

        The biggest of all this is that one thing, which we play, not as a sport, but, worship as a religion – Cricket.

        Cricket is something which unites the entire nation, better than anything else. It is much more than just a sport for us. According to us, the playing eleven are those, who can never commit a mistake and the team is that, which can never lose. From the yesteryear veterans to the present day’s emerging players, our cricketers are the most influential people here. Slowly but steadily, this sport has now become an integral part of our lives, thanks to the entertainment rich leagues and the multiple fold increase in the number of matches played.

        But, for how long? It is high time that we acknowledge the other games and their players too. It is time that we shift from a “cricket loving country” to a “sport loving nation”, isn’t it? Think about it..!!

        India boasts of it having the oldest and the most diverse culture in the history of all other countries. Though open to diversity, we must make sure that we do not let go of our natural self. Otherwise, going at this rate, Indian Culture would be nothing but a piece of history.

Experience Indian Weddings..

     It is needless to say that a person who knows about the diverse cultures of the country that we live in – India, would definitely have a wish of being a part of at least one Indian Wedding. Why not? The grandeur, the glitz, the celebrations, everything about the rituals is worth it all. Starting from the rituals that confine to a tradition, to a culture, to a state, ceremonies today, have rituals that belong to only the customs of a family.
    The whole ambience is magical - dance, music, lively people, beautiful outfits and of course mouth-watering food. Amidst all this is the holy institution of marriage that unites not just two souls, but two families, two traditions, two customs and it is believed that this bond lasts for ever and ever.
    This is how a typical marvadi (Rajasthani) wedding takes place. It all starts with a betrothal, after a formal “yes” from the soon to be bride and groom. This ceremony can take place anywhere from a year to a month before the wedding. After this, come in a series of rituals, which are usually a week before the marriage. The first of them is moong-bikherna – this ceremony officially declares that the wedding rituals have begun. Next is haldi, in which the bride and groom are applied a paste of pious turmeric. Then come, mehandi and sangeet, where the actual party begins. Finally, after all warm-up ceremonies are over, it is time for the pheras, where the couple take their vows of spending the rest of their lives together, of standing by each other, no matter what. At the end is the emotional bidaai, where the bride bids farewell to her family and leaves for her new abode, with the hope of finding joy, happiness and abundance in that phase of life, which is just about to begin.

My First Post.

     Hello. This is my first blog post.  I would like to start off with the real concern of a woman which is about the disease spreading in our country at a rapid pace.  

    The Indian Subcontinent – right from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Gujarat to Bengal, this place has all extremities that one geographical area could ever have. Be it the weather or the culture and religion of people, INDIA can very well boast of it being a diverse country, and win hands down as well. So much so, this diversity has penetrated deep into the minds of its citizens and reflects in their thoughts as well. What could be a better proof for this, that the fact that the Indian women do not feel safe in their own motherland? Yes, we live in a country, where celebrating Navratri, with pomp and show is considered as a mark of respect to the Goddess, but respecting a girl, a lady of your own family is designated unmanly. We respect our mothers and love our partners, but do not want daughters. Why is it so difficult for us to respect and honour the “second gender”? When a girl loses her dignity, she is blamed right away, for being provocative, but the actual person responsible, is not even questioned. At some point, it can be agreed, that there is no smoke without fire. But, for how long will we have to bear with this? How many more girls will have to become victims of mental torture, sexual assault, domestic violence or any other form of harassment? We need to take responsibility now. The law is doing what it is supposed to. So rather than playing the blame game, we need to become civilized and broad minded enough to accept reality and stand by it, no matter what.