Ek Gaao Mein....

This blog talks about the most shocking moment of my stay so far, the moment and the after thoughts… A scene that suddenly brought back memories of Mahabalipuram Bus Stand, where the beggars have mastered the art of begging in English when they see foreign tourists… “ Madam Poor Fisherman.. Please give money Madam” was one of the most enterprising lines that I have heard from a beggar.

Now, where the world is all about survival of the fittest, here is an illiterate in Chennai who is willing to learn the few words in an alien language to keep his hunger at bay.

“Chennai tho Tamil Nadu. Mein… Lekin Tamil Nadu mein Log Hindi Jaante Bhi Nahin aur Chaahte bhi Naheen” . I felt like Balu Thevar of Vedam Pudithu being slapped on the face a dozen times

I would not have bothered if this was one of those “nakkal” remarks by some one from across the Vindyas…

But to hear this from some passerby, a sixty year old Aussie, who I think would have been in India just long enough to know basic Hindi, was something that caught me off-guard

I have not covered the length and breadth of Tamil Nadu to subscribe to his views or differ on this count, but if this is something that a Tamilian be told in Hindi by an Aussie Down Under, then there must be some truth in it.

It is no doubt that Chennai is becoming visibly cosmopolitan these days, and now people are gearing up to learn Hindi to survive. Not sure about my eternal buddies the Auto rickshaw drivers, but I think vegetable vendors, delivery boys in grocery stores are now coming to terms with this change.

If it has come down to a point where it is better for Tamils to learn Hindi in Chennai to win the emerging market, not sure what the fuss was all about 30 odd years back, where it was politicised, and a few years back, where it was more diplomatically answered as “Ennaku Hindi theriyume …Ek gaaon mein ek kisaan raghu thaatha”..

Before you think that I am scoring a same side goal or that I am writing this to patoufy some kudi, let me sign off by saying that knowing Hindi has been extremely helpful, as it has allowed me to choose DVDs from four racks instead of just two from the local Indian store.