Living in Europe, with half of my mind and soul in India, almost every day I tell my husband “after 5 yrs, we will go back and settle in Indiaâ€. And his answer will be neither a yes nor a no. He says “look, we didn’t plan to settle in Ireland, we didn’t even plan to come here. God only knows, where we are destined to settle.†And I just nod, cos he is right.
Last weekend, we met a mallu guy in a near by shopping complex. As mallu’s are very very rare here, usually I jump upon seeing one. I remembered seeing him in a Pakistani shop, 2 months back. At that time, he wasn’t much in to talking to us. This time he was so eager to talk to us. It turned out that he wanted to buy a computer and from our last encounter at Pakistani shop, he remembered we were “into†computers, and wanted our help! He wanted us to go with him, to buy a computer then and there. That much for jumping up at a mallu guy!
Next thing almost came as a bomb. He asked why cudnt we come with him and we told “we are moving into our new house†and he told sarcastaically “how long is the mortgage… 30 yrs?, whats the use for u guys? Ur kids may own it, not u!†And there evaporated my mallu-love. I told him “we bought the house, NOT to settle here. Tomorrow, when we leave for India, we will sell it, and it will be an asset for usâ€. And (then) he asked our job. He told “I never thot Indians came here as s/w enggrs, I thot all Indians were nurses(???). And why u guys want to go back to India??????†I strained my ears. What’s he saying now?. I told “what???â€. He : “why u guys want to go back to India. Its such a desolated and poor country. What do India have, nothing...when compared to Ireland. Roads, shops, living amenities…nothing is better in India. We will ruin our lives in India.†I: “are you crazy? I will die in India. We will go there after 5 yrs, mostlyâ€. Soon it turned into an argument b/w me and him and my hubby in between. Finally my hubby dragged me out of the scene…
And I promised myself one thing “never even once, shall I ever jump up again on seeing a mallu…that was enough!!!â€
A lot of mallus are very materialistic people. Nothing wrong in being materialistic but they are also contemptous and suspicious of people having other values. There are cultured mallus also but the uncultured ones are the loudest. No point in getting into an argument. Will spoil our mood better to ignore. Regards Jacob
ReplyDelete@#$$#@$& I should have been there! I'd have punched him in the nose! impolite,ill-mannered, nosey parker..aww swats, yall have free-will to do what you like..don't bother with another mallu or pallu..some of them can be freaks ..ofcourse there are some nice people like yall too..:) :) :)
ReplyDeleteI just miss India in each and every moment...My all dear n near ones live there only..I call even my friends every week!!!!When some festival comes..or somebody's wedding I miss like Hell...Thanks swathi sharing your 'Malayalee Thot' with us...
ReplyDeleteI feel so sorry for that guy who spoke about our country like that. The apt statement for him would be "Dhobhi Ka Kuttha, Na Ghar Ka, Na Ghat Ka".... Sorry chechi, I am aware that this guy may be older to me, but the patriotic I am, have zero tolerance for people who talk low about their own country. So let the Kuttha statement remain!! LOL...
ReplyDeleteAnd about your last statement, do you really think all malayalees would be like him? Have you read my blog about my experience with a fellow Malayalee? We may have a few bad experiences with some people, but it's really not fair to judge a community based on those. There could be a lot of malayalees who would appreciate a fellow malayalee's happiness on spotting them. Being a World Citizen first, Indian Second and Malayalee third, I really appreciate the warmth you displayed to that living being who failed to see your good side. We need more people like you in this world, so pls dont stop being yourself!!!
Luv - Arfana
Malu or no mallu, we do see these kinds of characters in every community!! I am sure that was the worst kind...
ReplyDeleteI miss India so much and more than me, my husband longs to go back but I think we are going to be here for few more years... But not being in India is something to miss, not to celebrate.
Not that I don't like it here. I do love it. esp for the kids!! But sometimes the choices aren't black and white..
East or West india is Best....
ReplyDeleteWell I too had seen many people saying same thing here when i use to say i don't like here i want to go back.....also i have seen many people saying In Inida this facilities is not there ...that is not there...bla bla bla...n i can't handle myself any more n use to get in arguement with them.....Me too we r going to be here for few more years...also one has to settel down in life......kab tak bhagna...yehain se wehain.....well right now i m saying too that i will go back India after few years...but after those few years...God only knows whats going to happen....Well one should not forget that India is our Matrubhumi(motherland) then this country...(for me Canada) is our Karmabhumi....
I hate those people who compare India with any foregien country.....India is Best in its own way....n no one can bet India for that....
I agree with Arfana, you can't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch... Though... I can understand where you're coming from, having to deal with 2 bad apples myself. :-\
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your feeling but don't think everyone like taht gentleman.
ReplyDeletehmmmm.... no matter where i go.i just wait to get back home... nothin like home....
ReplyDeletesee ya:)
Lol @ Jo's comments!!
ReplyDeleteSwathi, have met a few of these types.Jacob is right, better ignore them!
lolz....never met thi stype personaly till now.. put heard about a neighbouring aunty from smita (my neighbour)... all she was intrested was in "do u have a green card".."is ur kid an amrican citizen".... god!!!! save these people..
ReplyDeletehey so proud of u swathi... yes! nothing like I India...
and lolz!!! whenver i tell my hubby, eventually its going to be India... lolz!! ev he doesn't utters a word...
lolz.. I really want to go back and setle in India... not because I want something from there... I really want to give back... do something worthwhile there... and I mean it :)
i reminded of another real life incident with mallus.
ReplyDeleteMy friends uncle was transfered (this is 70s or something like that) to Assam. So after a few desperate weeks of trying to understand local language and homesickness etc, he was pleasantly surprised to find one of the vegetable vendor in the local marketplace was a malayalee.
So he asks with a lot of hope and eagerness, 'malayalee anno ?' (are you a malayalee)
The guys replied quickly with a smirk, 'athinu entha' (so what).
well, this is not just a trademark of Mallus, but i think we excel in these.
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proud mallu and proud desi
jacob---thanks jacob..that was a good thot!
ReplyDeletejo--i feel like punching him on his b***s!! mallu or pallu!! ha ha ha..that was nice!!
priya---no body knows that we miss our own land..but there r so many others who forget their roots!
arfana---what if he is elder? if he dosnt have the sense, then what use? i loved seeing a malayalee here...u know...it made my heart jump to speak malayalam...but he ruined everything. now i am reserved towards malayalees that i find here...but u r correct. there may be good guys too!
sab---yea choices are grey and thats what bothers me! i wud have prefreed to be near my parents!
ithee--yea, abs correct!
shail---yep, u r all rite!i just shared my feelings, for my peace of mind!
loveleen--"gren card", US citizen?------oooh! i can imagine that!!! i always hear others talking abt it!
CK---yea...u r very very correct. even this guys wasnt ready to accept he is a mallu..but looks give away, rite?
anu---u r rite, anu. even i say ireland is our adopted motherland. but the wranth of roots always have a power!
lisa--u r rite, lisa... we cant judge other with just one eg:
sekhar--yea, but it makes me feel weird when i see a mallu again!
Please give me his address.
ReplyDeleteGive Prashanth address and give me his email address. We can arrange for him to get a nice virus or two.
ReplyDeletee-bio threats apart, I empathize with your oscillations about going back. It's a routine topic of conversation between us and our friends. Of course, we got kicked out of Sri Lanka, so I have no chance of going back. But my wife and her friends are constantly talking about going back 'home'. Given the current software climate and our esteemed president in the States, it actually might be the best option soon.
i reading blog after long long time today. Acually even in chat mallus have a special charecter a set of common surprising insulting set of questions in the begain i was surprised and sad seeing this question now i am astronished how these ppl get the same set of questions
ReplyDeleteComment
He : “why u guys want to go back to India. Its such a desolated and poor country. What do India have, nothing...when compared to Ireland. Roads, shops, living amenities…nothing is better in India. We will ruin our lives in India.”
India gave up every thing still it has all - only we dont see it as we are tooo materialistic
Looks like I must visit here more often!. Oops, my work leaves so little time.
ReplyDeleteFor one, who refused several assignments abroad, to stay back in the'filth' and 'penury' of India, I can surely empathise with your yearnings for a return to Home sweet home.
And India, with the Flat world Realities, is not a bad place even in materialistic terms. Cheers.