Please don't mind the Tamness! :D
Somewhere in law school, one begins to feel the explosive need to defend one's language, one's caste, one's hometown...say one's everything. And I am no exception to it. I started to represent Madras and slowly shifted to telling people (who wouldn't listen) about the place and language, then to support...then to defend...and now wouldn't mind FIGHTING for it. At the same time, its beginning to feel like an exercise I am almost tired of. May be the moment has come to withdraw myself from these immature politics (that I was a part of) and just breathe out "fortunately, I am a Tam!" I mean withdrawal actually looks solemn when thought of as an idea to experience my culture without having to feel the need to defend it.
I am happy (probably the happiest) to come from Madras (as I would like to call it) and NOT any other place in the world. Tamil pesardh-la oru thani sugam irukku...Adhellam inga varadhu! To speak Tamil in this godforsaken place is not to be considered for a few reasons:
(a) dearth of people who know anything other than Hindi
(b) convenient use of Article 19(1)(a)... probably the only thing they can jump to
(c) fear of diluting the actual beauty of my language
(d) and of course, common sense (which I don't think is that common here) that language is for effective communication (i.e. at least the addressee must be able to understand the bloody thing) and NOT to create differences in the society.
But thankfully, there are a few others who look at it from a normal perspective- who believe and respect the diversity. May be, that is why I still haven't taken to any violent methods to combat it! Tell me which idiot would like it if you go on and on in some imperceptible language (and then say, sorry bhai, it comes out naturally yaar!).
Coming to why Madras is very special to me. I mean its not only because it brought me up or because I can express myself more freely there...but also because its so quiet and simple yet SO rich. Even if you want to criticize the place, it can only be for it's weather and the malicious autokaranga. Otherwise, it is a paradise. A gem. At least it is comparatively free of people who believe in one national language. It is reasonably clean and unpolluted. And it works best for me because people don't break things and kill eachother for nuts and cookies. Not much of a traffic jam here because the city wakes up early. Its conservative and hence, safer compared to its counterparts. Semma transport system (MTC rocks machi!). Marina Beach and sundal. And so much more.
Namma Madras. Tamil. Dosa-Sambhar. Suprabadham. Arisi-mavu Kolam. Madisar Mamis. Tea Kada. Gana Padalgal. Chettiyar kadai. Pillayar Kovil. Bharathanatyam. Margazhi Pugazh. I can instantly see a smile coming out of my face as the list goes on in my mind...! :)
Somewhere in law school, one begins to feel the explosive need to defend one's language, one's caste, one's hometown...say one's everything. And I am no exception to it. I started to represent Madras and slowly shifted to telling people (who wouldn't listen) about the place and language, then to support...then to defend...and now wouldn't mind FIGHTING for it. At the same time, its beginning to feel like an exercise I am almost tired of. May be the moment has come to withdraw myself from these immature politics (that I was a part of) and just breathe out "fortunately, I am a Tam!" I mean withdrawal actually looks solemn when thought of as an idea to experience my culture without having to feel the need to defend it.
I am happy (probably the happiest) to come from Madras (as I would like to call it) and NOT any other place in the world. Tamil pesardh-la oru thani sugam irukku...Adhellam inga varadhu! To speak Tamil in this godforsaken place is not to be considered for a few reasons:
(a) dearth of people who know anything other than Hindi
(b) convenient use of Article 19(1)(a)... probably the only thing they can jump to
(c) fear of diluting the actual beauty of my language
(d) and of course, common sense (which I don't think is that common here) that language is for effective communication (i.e. at least the addressee must be able to understand the bloody thing) and NOT to create differences in the society.
But thankfully, there are a few others who look at it from a normal perspective- who believe and respect the diversity. May be, that is why I still haven't taken to any violent methods to combat it! Tell me which idiot would like it if you go on and on in some imperceptible language (and then say, sorry bhai, it comes out naturally yaar!).
Coming to why Madras is very special to me. I mean its not only because it brought me up or because I can express myself more freely there...but also because its so quiet and simple yet SO rich. Even if you want to criticize the place, it can only be for it's weather and the malicious autokaranga. Otherwise, it is a paradise. A gem. At least it is comparatively free of people who believe in one national language. It is reasonably clean and unpolluted. And it works best for me because people don't break things and kill eachother for nuts and cookies. Not much of a traffic jam here because the city wakes up early. Its conservative and hence, safer compared to its counterparts. Semma transport system (MTC rocks machi!). Marina Beach and sundal. And so much more.
Namma Madras. Tamil. Dosa-Sambhar. Suprabadham. Arisi-mavu Kolam. Madisar Mamis. Tea Kada. Gana Padalgal. Chettiyar kadai. Pillayar Kovil. Bharathanatyam. Margazhi Pugazh. I can instantly see a smile coming out of my face as the list goes on in my mind...! :)
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