Dear North India,
I have spent one short week in the land of the Tamil, and experienced what is the true essence of India. Just want to share this with you. Because forewarned is forearmed after all. So, restrain your machismo, stop strutting around, lower your voice, lower the volume of that #&@# music, stop honking your horns.. And listen.
1. The roads of Chennai, Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry are narrow and as crowded, but nobody leans on the horn or attempts whizzing past the other, yelling obscenities. Everyone somehow reaches where they're going minus all of that.
2. The toll booths mostly are open, minus the electronic barrier. Just Nobody yells Yayyyyy or flashes beer bottles and speeds through. They stop, exchange a pleasantary and pay up.
3. Stop anyone on the road and ask for directions. They reply with a Thank you prefixed and suffixed.
4. Catch anyone's eye.. You can be assured of a warm smile.
5 . JUST NOBODY OGLES WOMEN. No matter what they wear. Or do not wear.
6. There is hardly a police presence to be seen. People haven't locked themselves behind a thousand grills. I have never seen such a safe place in my life.
7. An inclusive people, language barrier notwithstanding. It's Enlightening and so warming to realize that language is so unimportant and trivial to communicate. Gestures, a few words in English, and numerous smiles.. And Bingo! You're connected.
8. A people in no hurry. No ratrace competition. Living life as life is meant to be lived. Healthy. Happy. And it shows in the lack of queues outside hospitals and clinics.
9. In 7 days, we did not see a single man peeing on walls, and no man, woman or child spitting anywhere!
10. Last and very very definitely not the least , there is complete equality among the people. . Rich and Poor, Hindu and Muslim, Black and White. No subservient attitudes, no looking up or down at the other. You do your thing, I will do mine. Peacefully. With honour.
The driver, the peon, the household help, the employee.. You are your name to them. They will refer to you address you by your name. Yes an odd "saar" from time to time. But that's it.
Please wake up. This means You - Delhi, NCR, Punjab, UP, Haryana.. You have defiled, degraded, destroyed the spirit of India. With your uncouth manners and rotten ways.
Suddenly.. In this short week.. I saw India. The real one. I will never forget you. Because this is the India that lives inside me.
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I have spent one short week in the land of the Tamil, and experienced what is the true essence of India. Just want to share this with you. Because forewarned is forearmed after all. So, restrain your machismo, stop strutting around, lower your voice, lower the volume of that #&@# music, stop honking your horns.. And listen.
1. The roads of Chennai, Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry are narrow and as crowded, but nobody leans on the horn or attempts whizzing past the other, yelling obscenities. Everyone somehow reaches where they're going minus all of that.
2. The toll booths mostly are open, minus the electronic barrier. Just Nobody yells Yayyyyy or flashes beer bottles and speeds through. They stop, exchange a pleasantary and pay up.
3. Stop anyone on the road and ask for directions. They reply with a Thank you prefixed and suffixed.
4. Catch anyone's eye.. You can be assured of a warm smile.
5 . JUST NOBODY OGLES WOMEN. No matter what they wear. Or do not wear.
6. There is hardly a police presence to be seen. People haven't locked themselves behind a thousand grills. I have never seen such a safe place in my life.
7. An inclusive people, language barrier notwithstanding. It's Enlightening and so warming to realize that language is so unimportant and trivial to communicate. Gestures, a few words in English, and numerous smiles.. And Bingo! You're connected.
8. A people in no hurry. No ratrace competition. Living life as life is meant to be lived. Healthy. Happy. And it shows in the lack of queues outside hospitals and clinics.
9. In 7 days, we did not see a single man peeing on walls, and no man, woman or child spitting anywhere!
10. Last and very very definitely not the least , there is complete equality among the people. . Rich and Poor, Hindu and Muslim, Black and White. No subservient attitudes, no looking up or down at the other. You do your thing, I will do mine. Peacefully. With honour.
The driver, the peon, the household help, the employee.. You are your name to them. They will refer to you address you by your name. Yes an odd "saar" from time to time. But that's it.
Please wake up. This means You - Delhi, NCR, Punjab, UP, Haryana.. You have defiled, degraded, destroyed the spirit of India. With your uncouth manners and rotten ways.
Suddenly.. In this short week.. I saw India. The real one. I will never forget you. Because this is the India that lives inside me.
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