...so Bihari!

  •   Mon, Nov 07 2011
  •   By Dr Rashi Verma

November 8, 2011
 
"...so Bihari!", this is a common phrase that I have used in the past when I have heard people with a particular style of talking. Oh! Before you make any conclusions that this article is written to demean any Bihari...its not! I am a Bihari and proud to be one. So now you must be thinking its one of those articles written by a Bihari to tell the world that Bihar is not as bad as people think it to be. The good and bad is everywhere. It is for the people to decide what they want to see and believe. I certainly don't wish to enlighten the people about the rich Bihari culture.
 
"Then what is this all about?" - you must be wondering if you belong to that category of people who are jobless and have nothing better to do than sit in front of the computer and read every piece of thing that can be read. (P S - I belong to this category too.)
 
I am from Jamshedpur and if your general knowledge is ok, you know that it is now a part of Jharkhand. But I speak and I speak of undivided Bihar. It gets divided for me only when I say, "you know, Dhoni is from my state!"
 
I grew up learning to say "hum" instead of "main" ;"bhook lagta hai" instead of " bhook lagti hai" ;"neend aa raha hai" instead of "neend aa rahi hai" etc. Is it wrong? Yes, it is if you are from some other state! I realised this only when I moved into a new state and met people from all over India. Many people told me that I didn't talk like a Bihari. Should I thank my convent education for that?! Who cares! But many a times whenever I said "hum" they asked me "tum aur?". Initially it was funny but later it became irritating. A few of them were sweet enough to say we like the way you talk. But a few of them even after so many years make it a point to remind me "its main and not hum". Well for them, like I have always told them "hum bakri ke jaisa main main nahi kar sakte!!"
 
But doesn't that make me have a Bihari style of talking too...a style that I have ridiculed other Biharis to have. Maybe yes or maybe not. I still don't know!
 
India is so divided at times. Why is it that we believe people to be like this or like that just because they belong to a particular state? l wish to believe that this judgemental nature is a thing of the past and that we are moving forwards in time and not backwards. After all, its all about WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA!
 
So, I hope the next time I crack a joke on Punjabis or someone tells a Bihari "tum aur?" take it with a grain of salt and lots of sugar because at the end of the day we are all Indians!
 
And I am proud to be an INDIAN!!

 
By Dr Rashi Verma
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Comment on this article

  • Cryo, Patna

    Sun, Aug 18 2013

    My two cents:

    I was born in Patna & grew up partly there & partly elsewhere. While you say you're proud to be an Indian, which I appreciate, I can tell you for sure that the Indian psyche is mediocre at best & I'm not proud to belong to this country: for in this country I have been lampooned, ridiculed, & made fun of, JUST BECAUSE I'm from Patna: & mind you, for obvious reasons, I don’t have any accent or mannerisms to be made fun of: I’m just a regular boy with a good upbringing wherein I have been taught respect for all people, which I have religiously followed – & yet the ridicule, & I’m sure you can empathize, for I have heard way too many moronic things from way too many moronic people - including, sadly, people with decent education - & for absolutely no reason - absolutely! And sadly, this true for a good percentage of people.

    For those legions of dim witted planktons, this might just be another one of their innumerable puny statements, but for rational folks like me, after a point, it gets unbearable.

    And make no mistake, Indians cannot tolerate it if the same set of words are said about their respective communities - yet they want you to be cool with their stinging sense of humor.

    All the best to you, that you're proud to belong to this lost cause that this country is, but mark my words, India will never develop because of this irrational, divided, and inherently disrespectful mindset of its residents: it’s doomed to, due to its army of haters.

    Peace,
    Cryo.

  • Rashi Verma, jamshedpur

    Wed, Dec 21 2011

    Thank you!Had no idea that what i had written just to escape from the endless studying sessions would be published here.It makes me feel really good! :)

  • vikash kumar, bihar

    Sat, Nov 12 2011

    it seems to be so real....very well rashi...u hv done wt wnt to be.....great..proud 2 be bihari..

  • Roy, Mangalore/ USA

    Fri, Nov 11 2011

    Very well written Rashi. Stand up for who you are. That is what makes us Indians. Unity in diversity. Bihar is a land with deep culture and history. The land of Buddha too :)

  • Alex, Bangalore

    Thu, Nov 10 2011

    Dr Rashi... Sweet article.. keep writing.
    I have many Bihari friends and some qualities I admire, they know how to call a spade a spade. No double talk. Also friendship means a lot to them and take an effor to maintain

  • Arthur, Dubai

    Wed, Nov 09 2011

    Very good article. keep it up. We are Indians first.

  • ad, mangloor

    Wed, Nov 09 2011

    Asli bihari AUR Asli hindustani.

  • Steven Pinto, Mangalore/Bangalore

    Wed, Nov 09 2011

    Short article and just to the point. Daiji, please publish more such articles. Really enjoyed reading.

  • Tauseef, m

    Wed, Nov 09 2011

    Good one mam...really nice...I think it would be great when people start judging people based on their individuality rather than religion,customs,regions etc....Really well expressed...Good one...appreciated mam...

  • Sudhakar, Mangalore/USA

    Tue, Nov 08 2011

    Dr. Varma, I dont think anybody disliked Biharis as such. The dislike started after seeng all the vandalism created by the trouble creators unfotunatly mostly from Bihar and outsiders. Take the issue that our engineering colleges have visit Ramaiah college where the are eany Biharis trains passing through Bihar travel with all steel windows down. Problem starts with Biharis who have bigger muscles :). What i said is 100% correct.

  • Aruna Kamath, USA/ Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 08 2011

    Rashmi,
    thank you for an excellent article.
    Could you write more about Bihar?

  • VIKAS MISHRA, patna

    Tue, Nov 08 2011

    good sketch-up gr8 rounding off brilliant use of vernaculars. this is going to my blog via the author.
    www.ekbihari.co.cc

  • Anu, Bihar

    Tue, Nov 08 2011

    Hey...d article was like wat i wanted to say...evry word seemed so real...great...

  • Sweety , Dubai

    Mon, Nov 07 2011

    Good article,,, very well written, could feel the emotions behind the humour. Keep writing Rashmi,
    Sweety.

  • Agee, India - UAE

    Mon, Nov 07 2011

    Dont worry it dont gets divided if you say Dhoni is from my state!
    As long as we are INDIANS


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