My ‘Indianness,’ my own making

Given India’s multicultural diversity, how can one define Indianness? Could it be defined as patriotism and devotion towards one country, or a person’s cultural identity in their society?

I believe that our “Indianness” is most certainly imposed upon us to an extent. Indians are expected to dislike Pakistan and its people. If a person so much as attempts to voice their opinion in favor of Pakistan’s claim that Kashmir belongs to them, he or she is met with strong opposition.

Taking into consideration an issue, or opinion on a subject that has countrywide support, people are expected to go along with popular public opinion. This was clear when Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption was at its heights, and regardless of what their opinions on the subject were, there weren’t many who were willing to voice their views against his “my way, or the highway” approach to getting what he wanted done.

Also, seldom are girls seen clad in a pair of jeans and short t-shirts when in a temple, mosque or other places of worship. They are expected to dress in “traditional” Indian clothes when in such places.  Even in the 21^st century, women do not have the freedom to wear what they want to.

I was born into a Bengali family, but by nature, I’m as non-Bengali as one can be. My family moved to Chennai in 1997, and having lived there for nine years, I was brought up in an environment that is poles apart from one that we may find in Bengal.

There have been innumerable occasions where people have tried to force me into behaving more like what they believe a Bengali should behave like. They have tried their hardest to force me to respond in Bengali, which, in spite of being my mother tongue, is a language I’m not comfortable conversing in. I detest Bengali food; yet my family never ceases to force it on me. I consider Durga Pooja, the main festival of Bengalis, an extremely noisy celebration—These are certain things that often upset other Bengalis who expect me to speak a certain way or even think a certain way.

M.F. Hussain was exiled for depicting Hindu goddesses in the nude but similar such portrayals can be seen in the famous Khajuraho temples; Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses” was banned in the country for hurting Muslim sentiments, but Taslima Nasrin was welcomed even though she was accused of much the same; political parties which are known for pushing their religious beliefs, the Bharatiya Janata Party for instance, which is widely popular for its “Hindutva” (Hinduism), are voted for in a country that claims to be secular—These are just a few instances among countless others which reveal the hypocrisy present among Indians. It makes me wonder if their frequently violent reactions are genuine, or do they merely go along with “accepted” outlooks?

Even though such conformist attitudes continue to exist in India, it all comes down to whether a person is willing to give into this kind of pressure in their everyday lives. An individual’s “Indianness” or Indian identity is something that should come from within, and not one that is forced upon them.  Conducting yourself a certain way because you feel obliged to do so does not make that your own identity. A person may believe that a lot can be accomplished by setting up a farce of an identity, but ultimately, this does nothing but creates another clone of what societies believe is an ideal Indian.

I most certainly will never understand why people assume that it is their duty to attempt to “mend” others’ mannerisms and way of thinking. I’m headstrong by nature (if I may say so myself), and quite stubborn as well, and cannot be easily pressurized into doing anything against my will. With absolutely no patience for people who are oblivious to their own bigotry, I could really care less about what others may have to say about me, as my identity, is of my own making.