lunch and some perspectives
I had some friends over for lunch today.
all, except one of them, were very new to the south-indian cuisine.
well, this was not the first time that i had to explain to my friends as to why the curry leaves went into rasam or why curd is eaten on a daily basis and that too with rice.
but this was not the first time that i was struck by the patronising attitude of my 'north-indian' friends.[ please note that i still consider them as my friends; its just the patronising north-indian part of them that irks me]
3pm. lunch is served. bisibele bhaat, rasam, plain rice, curd, payasam and appalam.
and the conversation starts off with why south-indians are pre-occupied with rice. well, geography lessons do come in very handy at such times...you are down south buddy! rice is the staple food here and why? well...wetlands+ humid climate+alluvial soil = best combination for growing rice in plenty; these conditions by the way are not available 'up north'. hence, we southies are 'rice crazy'.
and then the conversation shifts to how we southies worship film-stars like rajnikanth and chiranjeevi and even build temples for them. well, so what! seriously...so what if temples are built for film-stars?? a temple is a place of worship right? and where is it mentioned that places of worship are meant only for the gods? well, your very own kolkata is not far behind in film star worship by making idols of film stars during the auspicious durga puja...infact they go one step ahead and worship cricket stars even! the bottom line; there's nothing wrong in this kind of craze and its nothing to look down upon is the more important point.
the point where i started i really started going 'grrrr' was when this logic was put forth to me: 'as we come down south, the babe factor in girls also comes down'.
on a neutral note, why are all 'northies' this good at making sweeping statements about people or things that are south-indian?
well, babe or not-babe; thats very personal thing which is none of anybody's business and that is respected.
why even the elevators were not exempt from the cynical northie eye...that just was the last straw; why behave like you are from from some western country when you are from some place about 1000miles from here where im sure you would have seen creaky elevators, air-coolers [and not just ACs], people who still live a simple, non-pretentious life.
there was one thing i couldn't help but think about; women in the place that my dear friend comes from live in perpetual fear of men. any woman would rather live in a place where she is safe and is given her space rather than in a place where she cannot live in peace.
all of us have our imperfections and rightly so, but then we don't have a right to look down upon someone or something; when we have skeletons hanging in our own closet.
i may be going terribly wrong in most of the staements that i have made in the previous lines; but the bottom line of even writing this post is not to spew venom at everything north; but instead to point out that a condescending attitude is never taken well, even if an extra pinch of salt is added.
[P.S: all these northie friends of mine will remain dear to me despite their sometimes annoying attitude :) ]
9:30pm. dinner is served. rice, rasam, vegetable curry, curd & payasam.
simbly south :)
a typical south-indian festive food spread
all, except one of them, were very new to the south-indian cuisine.
well, this was not the first time that i had to explain to my friends as to why the curry leaves went into rasam or why curd is eaten on a daily basis and that too with rice.
but this was not the first time that i was struck by the patronising attitude of my 'north-indian' friends.[ please note that i still consider them as my friends; its just the patronising north-indian part of them that irks me]
3pm. lunch is served. bisibele bhaat, rasam, plain rice, curd, payasam and appalam.
and the conversation starts off with why south-indians are pre-occupied with rice. well, geography lessons do come in very handy at such times...you are down south buddy! rice is the staple food here and why? well...wetlands+ humid climate+alluvial soil = best combination for growing rice in plenty; these conditions by the way are not available 'up north'. hence, we southies are 'rice crazy'.
and then the conversation shifts to how we southies worship film-stars like rajnikanth and chiranjeevi and even build temples for them. well, so what! seriously...so what if temples are built for film-stars?? a temple is a place of worship right? and where is it mentioned that places of worship are meant only for the gods? well, your very own kolkata is not far behind in film star worship by making idols of film stars during the auspicious durga puja...infact they go one step ahead and worship cricket stars even! the bottom line; there's nothing wrong in this kind of craze and its nothing to look down upon is the more important point.
the point where i started i really started going 'grrrr' was when this logic was put forth to me: 'as we come down south, the babe factor in girls also comes down'.
on a neutral note, why are all 'northies' this good at making sweeping statements about people or things that are south-indian?
well, babe or not-babe; thats very personal thing which is none of anybody's business and that is respected.
why even the elevators were not exempt from the cynical northie eye...that just was the last straw; why behave like you are from from some western country when you are from some place about 1000miles from here where im sure you would have seen creaky elevators, air-coolers [and not just ACs], people who still live a simple, non-pretentious life.
there was one thing i couldn't help but think about; women in the place that my dear friend comes from live in perpetual fear of men. any woman would rather live in a place where she is safe and is given her space rather than in a place where she cannot live in peace.
all of us have our imperfections and rightly so, but then we don't have a right to look down upon someone or something; when we have skeletons hanging in our own closet.
i may be going terribly wrong in most of the staements that i have made in the previous lines; but the bottom line of even writing this post is not to spew venom at everything north; but instead to point out that a condescending attitude is never taken well, even if an extra pinch of salt is added.
[P.S: all these northie friends of mine will remain dear to me despite their sometimes annoying attitude :) ]
9:30pm. dinner is served. rice, rasam, vegetable curry, curd & payasam.
simbly south :)
a typical south-indian festive food spread
posted by etoile at Sunday, April 23, 2006
7 Comments:
The perspective which Northies have abt Southies always intrigued me.But many of my northies friends admitted that they actually have many preconceived notions abt southies..which eventually changed after they moved down soth and more so after befriending some southies..like me..(hehehe).
and btw, this is something which i cant relish now. A Lunch..A south-Indian meal..at your place..and no invitation to me! well! weird women have their wayward ways.
before i comment on the post that was one nice meal i missed... he he... Anyway kudos on the really cool post..I agree with you but i have lot many northie friedns who have really nice attitudes too..maybe its the weather..maybe its something else..
@ akarsh; will treat u a sumptuous kannadiga lunch efore i leave. promise ;)
@pensive; thanx and well every situation has its exceptions rght? and yaa there are a lot of MAYBEs involved in this situation.
@willfully: never claimed that "my" south was a wonderland, but what i do know is that its not as bad it is potrayed to be.
and yeah i completely agree on the good, bad and ugly faces but then nothing is perfect is it?
and no; i dont like a northie calling me a madrassi when i am not. will the northies be ok when they are collectively called marwadis?
and i trust people based on what they are; geography doesnt figure in the parameters.
i want frendship with you
i want to friendship with you.
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