Rooting for India!

Staying true to one’s roots is a phrase that has been done to death by every brand that ever was. With international brands capsizing the local markets, the tagline has assumed relevance in marketing more than ever. It got me wondering whether we, as consumers/individuals were even attracted to the actual concept rather than the mere show of words.

As a Gen Y kid I, like many others in my generation, have been witness to the Internet boom. The repercussions of the same were felt differently across the various parts of the world. America became the technical hub and the dream locale to provide just that push to any fledgling career. Every middle-class Indian, who had only heard about the country till then, started nurturing hopes of living the Great Dream abroad. The same trend continued into the new millennium and changed the dynamics of not only the market but also pseudo-westernized our country.

Don’t get me wrong here. This is not a hate rant on how Big Bad America capsized Culturally Rich India and brought us all to the wrong side of morality. I love my shows on the tube and everything else that western culture has ushered in. It would have been great if our country was truly following the new age ideals while sticking to our roots. While we busy slog away at perfecting our English grammar and the American accent, here’s a thought – How about we learn to read, write and speak in our mother tongue? I would be a hypocrite, if I’d say that we should learn all the Indian languages with their different dialects. But it is not a matter of pride that we cannot communicate in our own mother tongue, in the age of free web tutorials and Ebooks. As a matter of fact, it is pretty shameful that we’re drawn towards learning foreign languages like Chinese, French and Italian because of the sheer monetary profit associated.

The scenario gets worse when it boils down to the historical and civilian details of our country. History is taught so blandly, that it is hard to feel an inkling of liking for the subject. Pre and post-struggle details are breezed through concisely in a chapter or two. Beyond Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and a few others, we don’t even remember the names of other patriots who participated in the freedom struggle. On the other hand, civics is hardly taught. It’s more of a rushed primer for everything else we need to expect later on, as citizens of this country. In this age of technology, it is truly sad to realize that as citizens we know more about American and Egyptian history than our own. And why? Because they’re more mystical and interesting, according to our textbooks.

By all of this, I don’t mean to say that all Indians should go back to primitive living and start adhering to Panchayat rules.  Saving our culture doesn’t entail bidding goodbye to luxury or your pair of jeans. You could very well be all you want and still in tune with our heritage. It is, as simple as, getting to know your own country a little better. Because if we don’t respect and treasure our own legacy, chances are that nobody else will.

Till next time,

Divya