Mother Tongue......Are we gonna miss you?!

         I had to go nine years down the memory lane when thought about this topic. Those days when everything and everyone were the best....my childhood...my schooldays...!
         Being educated in a convent school it was mandatory to speak in English inside the school campus. If I  am not wrong, this was practiced only in this prestigious institution in the city. It was a matter of pride then for us. I still remember that we were fined then, when found speaking in our mother tongue in school except during the language classes. This to some extend has helped in improving my English language speaking skills in the later walks of life.
         But, at home it was even more mandatory or natural to use my mother tongue. I enjoyed it more as I felt this was the language of my heart; straight from my inner soul...listening to it from the day I was born.
         Lately I believe the scene is far more different!.....
         After a tranquil period off from hip hop parties, weddings and family gatherings, I had to attend one such family function recently. All have flown from miles abroad back to their home town to attend this and hence, I was pleased to meet my relatives to whom I had spoken since ages. Past, present and future generations all at a single venue!...loved the moment...!
         But the sight of the future generation was indeed perplexing to me.....because I could see all the little munchkins conversing in English rather than their mother tongue! The children seemed to be illiterate regarding the mother tongue aspect.
        Settled in a metropolitan city, I had seen such practices earlier too. I often watch the kid-parent conversation in English and think about the vanishing usage of mother tongue.....and remain clueless about the reason for this change.
         Proficiency in any language is always a credit. But does that mean to completely stop speaking in one's mother tongue?
         Even today I believe that English is a foreign language and it is high time to conserve one's indigenous language. I doubt if this situation continues will Indian languages be predominated by English?
         I envy my school days when clock strikes four in the evening, kids speeding out of the campus and start their never ending chit chats in the language of their heart!!
         Generations and generations to come, changes to happen.....Am I gonna miss you my mother tongue?...will you get vanished?....Hoping for the good times...!!

         

Modi vs Gandhi or Chandy vs VS.....

            How many of us are educated about 'Catmando'? I recently came across this in a prominent internet search engine. I had to probe into this in detail due to my unfamiliarity. Later I assimilated that 'Catmando' was biologically a cat who served as a joint leader of a Britain's political party along with it's owner.
             I was astonished and felt bizarre when learnt about this. Weird!!..A cat as a political leader??....A completely opposite situation to that in India where there are innumerable 'aggressive' human beings reigning with pride and honor as politicians.
             I am never against politics. But as always not much appreciative about it. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 'politics' means:

• Activities that relate to influencing the action and policies of the government or getting and keeping power in a government.
• The work or job of people(such as electoral officials) who are part of the government.
• The opinions that someone has about what should be done by government or a person's political thoughts and opinions.

             But, is the activities or work of the government a synonym for aggression?...which in turn result in the belligerent actions of the people? Now and then I feel politics is a game of disputes. It might be 'by the people, for the people or of the people'!

            The recent havoc which occurred in the Kerala Legislative Assembly is an example. It was similar to a well shot movie clip! In contradiction to this act, how much I wish if there was a single 'Catmando' in Indian politics too. An animal which will remain silent in the middle of allegations or due to it's bewilderment amidst human beings!

             Whether it is a happening political debate in the television or cover stories published in leading newspapers all according to me finally ends in some sort of commotion. These finally result in hartals, strikes or bandhs. Myself hailing from the state of hartals, Kerala, like the majority is always against this public nuisance.....

            To read the newspaper is habitual to me; instilled in me by my Dad. But due to the never ending disputes, arguments and my mere interest in politics, I always ignored the political scenario. There might be many, at least teenagers with this same opinion.....

             Today, the scene is different. Getting married to a district which is called as the Northern political Capital of Kerala; to a family who has hard core bond with politics......And when your husband is equally and very much interested in this democratic game, you start liking it!!

             At the end, I have a single question, "Will silence be the agenda in the future game of politics?...no more chaos and disputes?....and hence no more public nuisances in the form of hartals?"

PS: Wish there won't be any other Shaheen Dhada cases in India for expressing their views in this democratic Country!

Two Minute Khana....!

           I think now as the best time to write about this, when the news regarding the high content of chemicals present in the most popular instant noodle brand is prevailing here and there.
            Nestle - Maggi....Seriously I don't have any personal grudge towards you. But, never liked it; preferred to stay away from it. Thanks to my typical nose...that odor of those masalas, it was always like a pungent smell to me.
            I have to thank my Amma also, who always made it a point that both her kids stayed away from it. I still remember, during my school days when some of my friends bring this yellow colored 'edible substance' to class. All, including me used to wait for the lunch break to have some portion of this. Later, back home plead my parents to buy this. I even used the tactics that it takes only  two minutes to cook...very easy!
           When  you are unaccustomed to some things it is natural that you nurture a dislike towards it. That happened in my case too. Years on, I had and still have a sense of puking when I get the smell of cooked 'Maggi'. When I discussed this with my friends, they always considered me as a specimen. I felt this to some extend true during my Post Graduation Hostel days.
            Thanks to the closed Sunday evening mess in hostel, so that I witnessed the large queue near the gas stove to cook the very delicious, substantial, mouthwatering 'Maggi' noodles! I felt sorry for them. Is this the only dish they can cook? I cannot just blame the 'Maggi', there were various other popular instant noodle brands too. I always preferred to have dinner from a nearby restaurant and wished the rest did the same.
             I was glad that my room was near to the gas stove region; so that, the next day, I could take a count of the large amount of discarded 'Maggi' packets in the dustbin beside it.  It was usually filled till the peak!
             Today I am so happy and proud that I was always against this. But, only this....not all the junk foods, I mean. Because even I am a human being, who licks those drooling mayonnaise and sauces falling from burgers and pizzas. Oh my goodness!..What will happen when one day somebody takes action to ban these too?.........
               Hoping for the best!

                  

From Kerala To Karnataka.......with love....

                    Firstly I have to appeal that this is not meant to hurt anyone's sentiment. This is just my view...my opinion. Please forgive me if this directly or indirectly creates impact on any one of you.
                    I have to go down the memory lane.......7 years back, when I came along with my parents to get admission for graduation in this so called 'Garden City'. Excitement, joy and a mixture of emotions overwhelmed within me...
                    Graduation in Bangalore!...."Nammuru Bengaluru".
                    Till then, it was common only in movies wherein the protagonist was usually a student in Bangalore. A sense of pride was circulating within me then along with the sorrowful feeling of staying in a hostel for the first time.
                    Frankly speaking, I was very much confident to speak in English in a foreign city. I have heard of people who improves or polishes their English speaking skills in order to survive in this 'Garden City'.
                     But, the scene was different here. Oh! my Bangalore!...you are filled with people from other states too. Most importantly, more of Keralites!! There are free birds, independent thinkers, students, job seekers, professionals, etc. landing on this metropolitan city. Thereby, my mother tongue was prevailing here and there.
                      I was astonished initially; later amused to see even the Bangalorean natives were familiar with some of the Malayalam words.
                     During the initial days of my college, one among my classmates said, "Don't worry, U'll have friends. There are numerous 'Mallus' here in Bangalore."
                     'Mallus'..??..What the hell is that?...I guessed and guessed...Finally came to a conclusion. It is an abbreviation to the 'Malayali'(Person who speaks in Malayalam.)
                     But I was amazed by my later finding. A few 'Mallu' is interested in speaking to another 'Mallu'; others intend to remain anonymous or are not interested in revealing their native identity to another. To keep it simple, are not interested to be identified as a Keralite by another Keralite.
                      How funny??...and what for?.....I am clueless!
                     The terrible part is that they never ask help from their native friend even if required. Good that the rapport between people from different states is improving......Unity in Diversity!
                      Metros are rising day by day. Next is my own Cochin, the Queen of Arabian Sea, which alike Bangalore is an upcoming IT hub. There are migrants from different states living here as well.
                      So years from now, when Cochin becomes the next Bangalore...the city with music, dance, lights, action and discos, will the plight of the natives from other states be the same as the Keralites living in Bangalore?!.........Unaware and 'Beware'.... !!