I was born at Bihar. The land which was once the epicentre of India's culture and prosperity. It is the land which gave to the world, the likes of Gautam Buddha, Lord Mahavir, Guru Govind Singh, Chanakya, Ashoka the great & Chandragupta Maurya. It is the land where people from all across the world would want to come and study in its prestigious Nalanda University. Bihar never disappointed any one. It welcomed & embraced every individual who would want to study a thing or two about the Indian culture & philosophy.
In my childhood, I always read that from kashmir to kanyakumari and from Gujrat to Arunachal, India is one. I was told to put the country before religion, region & state. I was told that Indians are very patriotic,cultured,kind and hospitable. I was also told that India is a beautiful country where you can witness unity in diversity.
One day I decided to explore my India. One day I decided to have a taste of its diverse culture, language,dress & eating habits. One day I decided to see the hospitality of my fellow Indians.
I went to the East. The land that is synonymous with art, literature & philosophy. I was very happy to be here but my happiness was short lived. I was told that I am a Bihari. I was told that I am from a corrupt & a uncivilised state. When I fared well in exams, teachers asked me if I had cheated ! I was heart broken.
I decided to go to the South. The land of majestic temples. The land favoured by Swami Vivekanand for his meditation. The land where people have still been able to preserve the Vedic culture. I was very excited to be here. But my excitement vanished in thin air, when I was made to realise that I was a Hindi speaking North Indian ! I had not imagined even in my wildest of dreams that speaking Hindi would be considered as a crime in my own country! I felt sad.
I decided to move to the west. The land that never sleeps. The land that is believed to be the most cosmopolitan place of my country. The land that is known for its struggle against oppression. The land which has transformed millions of dreams into reality. I was exuberant to be here. But soon my exuberance melted like ice! People frowned at me when I tried to celebrate Chath, a festival which I have been celebrating all my life. They saw it as an attempt towards polluting their culture. I was flabbergasted to know that a festival honouring the Sun god can pollute the culture of my fellow Indians, who read the same Ramayan & same Mahabharat as I do, and who receive light and life from the same Sun God as I do ! I was sad to know that the feeling of regionalism had not even spared the gods! I was told that I am a guest of this land & must behave like one! I was disgusted and heart broken on the fact of being treated like a guest in my own country.
Finally I decided to move to the North. The land of the kings. The land which has not lost its prosperity despite witnessing the barbarism of invaders for centuries. The land which is renowned for its versatility. The land that is famed for the colour, joy and happiness in its air. I thought I have reached my dream destination. The people looked like me, they dressed like me, they spoke the same language & they ate similar food. Finally I had a sigh of relief. But soon my opinion took a U turn. I was told that I am an outsider and should behave like one. And the person telling this to me forgot that once upon a time, even he was an outsider here!
I went into a deep slumber. I started questioning the validity of what I had read in my childhood. I started wondering whether I am an Indian first or a Bihari first. In the quest of my identity I decided to leave India and see what's happening in and around the world.
Today I am not in India. This is not my country. I am a guest here but I feel happy when people say that I am an Indian. I feel happy when they say good things about India. I guess this is my identity. I guess its the foreigners who have helped me restore my identity which had got lost in the crowd of my fellow countrymen.
I don't know whether the slogan of 'unity in diversity' is a myth or a reality. However, I know one thing for sure that I am a proud Indian and will remain one, till the last breath of my life. Vande Mataram.
PS: The article was written by the author when he was at Singapore. It comprises of partly true and partly fictitious incidents. The author wants his country men to rise above the feeling of regionalism and think like a true Indian. After all- united we stand, divided we fall.
