Thursday, January 10, 2008

Ashamed to be an Indian

I chose the above headline with my head firmly on my shoulders. Like many loyal Indians, I too am proud about my culture and traditions, and am sure will continue to do so. But the fact remains that most Indians are uncouth to the extent that many countries dislike our visit to their places as tourists, and brand us as poor people with lack of manners and discipline. This I realized on my first holiday abroad, to Thailand. And yes, it was here that I felt ashamed to say that I am an Indian.

The holiday itself started off on a good note. After checking into the hotel room, my husband and I refreshed and were ready for the half-day city tour organized by the tour operator. We hopped into the tour operator's vehicle and were pleasantly surprised and also happy to see that all the fellow tourists were also from India. Settling down into the seats we started to take in to the sights the city of Bangkok had to offer. After visiting two noted places that took approximately 2 hrs, I heard commotion at the back of the vehicle, the decibels of which gradually increased, and which made the tour guide (a petite, sweet Thai lady) ask the driver to stop the vehicle. Apparently, two families were engaged in war of words over who will get to sit near the window!!!! I can never forget the look of disgust sported by the guide and the driver.

After spending about three days in Bangkok, we headed for Pattaya where I got yet another taste of the uncivilized behaviour for which we are getting or probably already are famous for worldwide!!! Onboard a speedboat which was taking us to Coral Island was a group of 12 men, (mind you, I say men not youngsters in their 20s or early 30s) obviously from India or with roots here. Most of them were wearing chunky gold jewellery, which made me assume that they are either working or settled down in Dubai. These men were trying to strike conversation with single women tourists who sported all kind of expressions which make any reasonably decent man to back off. But the dirty dozen would not take a 'No' for an answer and to get back at them indulged in derogatory comments. Surely an act, which would make anyone of us feel ashamed.

The exhilarating trip was now coming to an end, and we had to come back to Bangkok to catch a flight to India. We had precisely two days at our disposal. And, we made the most of it. On the last day, which was packed with trips and some more trips, I wanted to have Indian food. My husband and I reached at an Indian restaurant to have dinner. And here, once again I got to see the coarse behaviour. Here was a family of eight people who spoke and laughed loudly, and the fairer sex happily removed their slippers and settled down on the sofas with feet up!! And it did not end at that. One of the more cacophonous guys of the lot got up and stacked a plate full of naans and rotis and took it over to his table. The group was now engaged in eating. After sometime I saw the same guy get up from his chair with the plate now with only about 4 to 5 rotis left, and move once again in great hurry towards the bread counter. He very nonchalantly dumped all the leftover rotis and naans into the bread bowl and promptly stacked his plate once again with freshly prepared hot rotis. The guy at the counter wanted to react, but held back, probably because we were guests, at their restaurant and at their country.

My friend who too went to Thailand for a holiday recently had similar experiences to narrate. At the end of the narration she held her head in hands and said "I was ashamed to be an Indian."

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Is it the art of convincing?

“Iska kuch nahin ho sakta. Isko tho baahar ka chadha hai.” This is what my maid was told when she took her grandmother to a general hospital, apparently after she was convinced that all was not well with her granny. Shock, disgust and anger raged within me.

Should I call it ignorance or apathy on behalf of the staff? I do not choose it to call ignorance. For, if the staff is ignorant then they have no right to be at the place they are at. But because they are, at an institution which is considered as lifeline for many underprivileged, they better well be informed.

Apathy, plain apathy coupled with insensitivity is what I feel has driven the staff to inform my maid what she has been. Much convincing that her grandmother is afflicted by old age illnesses (She’s in her 80s’) on my part drew only blank stares. Not to let it be at that, I tried to drill into her that her granny requires a doctor’s help, asap. She countered by saying, “Nahin didi, woh kuch bhi bina matlab ke baat kar rahi hain. Mujhe bhi pehchaanthi nahin. Baahar ka chadha tho aisa hi hota hai.” I realized that the ‘staff’ has done a better job than me.

But then I was angry not just with the attitude of the staff at the hospital. I was also angry that my maid, who’s studied till standard IX and who has also claims has undergone nurse’s training was talking such. So, what is it that made my maid believe the words of the staff at the hospital? Apathy, insensitivity or blind beliefs? Or plain convincing?