Has India lost its culture and tradition to go more western? or is it losing? Is more Indian culture-tradition followed in US? I was at my relative's house last weekend and this was one of the topics we were discussing on the auspicious festive day of Krishna Janmashtami. I was probably the youngest involved in the conversation, ofcourse there were kids but other than them. On my previous two visits to India, I myself felt more Indian than people who are living there. So you can imagine what would have happened to people in their 40's, 50's and 60+'s.. the phrase "we are frozen in time" kept coming up again and again in the whole discussion. I was wondering whether I was frozen too (but in a different time zone than them). On my way to work this morning I remembered my father's birth year for some reason which is 1947. I tried to go through all those years from 47-08 and felt what an experience it must have been to go through these generations. So I told myself, before I get frustrated next time on him for not understanding something related to our generation, I should try and remember which generation he comes from (lets say the gen. of B&W). So Indians who came to this country say 10 years back having an idea of getting back once they accomplish what they came here for (money, success, whatever) are now facing a major dilemma. Now that they have children, the dreaded question of where to bring them up is beginning to haunt them. They had thought, once kids reach 4th or 5th grade, they would take them back, educate them there and since they are already citizens here (by birth) they would have a choice to get back. Well, now there's complications... on their recent visits, they realized what the booming economy has done to our culture. No longer can someone staying here for say 10 years can think of seeing the same India that they saw back then. Neither should they expect to according to me. After all development comes as a package, one can't ignore certain things and accept others.. Kids are growing up in a whole different world - the world of media, video games and what not! With zillion channels, the haze of bollywood and hollywood, video games covering young brains .. one can no longer say this is the same old place we grew up. I keep thinking even now how I used to spend my summer holidays (playing outside from 10-6 or 7 every day), watching a movie occasionally, no video games, spending time with friends. I can't imagine what kids do these days. After all even my community decided to turn a play ground into a park!!! where the hell are kids to go if they want to play?? Oh well.. my story about my favorite ground in another blog.
So I thought to myself, is it right to expect that from our country? or is it just too much to ask for? Be it dressing or cell phones or tv or even food, things have changed so much. But ofcourse there's disadvantages to bringing up children here too.. It will be very interesting to see what happens next..
Well, for me.. I am not even married yet, so as of now I can stand and watch what happens and may be in a few years be in a better position to decide ;-) !!
5 comments:
Wait, watch, learn, do. This has always been your mantra. So, I din't expect anything else here. As always, good luck with it.
When you're coming this time, you'll see the massive concrete explosion that Bangalore has experienced in the last year. I know it's the case always, But, still, you'll see real sky scrapers.
Well true that my mantra so far has been "Wait, watch, learn, do".. wait and watch for a change in that mantra within the next year ;-) !! I am sure there would have been a ton of development within the last year and a half! seems like I find some change in me as well as Bangalore on every visit!
It's difficulf if not impossible for a person to change with time. Your thoughts and beliefs are bound to evolve with time as well.
Nija, whatever we do, our intrinsic behavior remains consistent.. could this be the reason for the level of success/failure in general?
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