Bombay Diaries: Mohe rang de basanti

(Above picture credit: Kamat Research)

Watching Munshiji ki gudgudiya this weekend left me depressed about the fact that we don't seem to be particularly concerned about our own matra-bhasha. Yet at least these plays get staged. And hats off to Mr. Shah who followed up Katha Collage Part I (on Munshji) with Part II on another lost and forgotten Hindi author, Harishankar Parsai. All these plays are in pristine Hindi. Given the way my neighbours in the theatre where hushing on the meaning of a few words, I could make out that like me, they seemed to be a lost on more than one occasion. I was struggling over the difference between “aalochna” and “tiraskar”. And it didn’t make me feel good at all.

Notwithstanding my own ignorance, I think I have to admit that I’m a hard-liner. I firmly believe in Indian culture and am currently wringing my hands about the fact that we as Indians don’t seem to care much about it. Ironically enough it’s been the Westerners who seem to have appreciated it more than us, at least going by the way some of them have rushed to India for spiritual succour. And as we all know, Swami Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, ISKCON, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, etc. all have sizeable gora fan followings. That’s probably one reason why, controversies aside, I’d support a Swami Ramdeo Baba – just for the fact that he is out there rooting for yoga as an intrinsic part of our Indian culture.

I won’t get into why we’re indifferent to our own culture, but I do have this rather interesting quote from Lord Macaulay (picture credit: Gutenberg) in a speech to the British Parliament.

"I have traveled across the length and breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a thief. Such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values, people of such calibre, that I do not think we would ever conquer this country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater than their own, they will lose their self-esteem, their native self-culture and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation."

Reading that gets me into “Rang De Basanti” mode all over again (and do please remember how fluent Sue’s Hindi was – firang again!). We need to fight our indifference and wake up to the fact that our own culture seems to be falling aside on our road to progress. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should all join the RSS or tell the firangs to get the hell out. All I’m saying (wishing?) is that we need to be more aware of our own culture and of course our own history.

This will probably be a larger responsibility for the kids growing up today, when India is "shining". These kids will take everything, from the Net to mobile-phones to multi-channel TV, for granted. Will they have the interest, leave alone time, to learn – and more importantly appreciate - our culture? Or for that matter our Independence struggle ? Ah, well, at least for the latter they could watch “Rang De Basanti”. Check out the lyrics below from “Be a rebel” (Prasoon Joshi – maan gaye!). And yes, I figured out that aalochna means criticism and tiraskar means scorn.

Be A Rebel
To the mahal of the Taj,
To the Minar of Qutub,
To the Kumari of Kanya,
To the Panjim of Goa,
To the Kaancheepuram,
Zindabad Zindagood.
All have something to say.
They all have something to say

Follow me Follow me Follow me now!
Apni tho paatshala, masti ki paatshala Be A Rebel

Chorus:
Naa koi padne waala, Naa koi seekne wala Apni tho paatshala, masti ki paatshala

India and Pakistan
Bangladesh all in the soul
Khajuraho to Coimbatore
From the Gateway of India
Upto the Himalayas
Across the Ganga Yamuna
To Shirdi to the Red Fort
Rourkela Yeah u know
From Ajmer to Orissa.

Amar Akbar Antony.
Ram Rahim Abdullah.
Searching for a bright star.
To the corners of the Earth.
What is our (search??) worth?.
What is our destiny?

Imagine we go back in time.
Free your soul, Free your mind.
Take a look what do you find?
Haha
Be a rebel