Language, Ethnicity, and Regionalism

INDIA'S ETHNIC, LINGUISTIC, AND REGIONAL complexity sets it apart from other nations. . The population--estimated at 936.5 million in 1995--is not only immense but also has been highly varied throughout recorded history; its systems of values have always encouraged diversity. The linguistic requirements of numerous former empires, an independent nation, and modern communication are superimposed on a heterogeneous sociocultural base. Almost 8 percent of the population, approaching 65 million people at the time of the 1991 census, belongs to social groups recognized by the government as Scheduled Tribes (see Glossary), with social structures somewhat different from the mainstream of society. Powerful trends of "regionalism"--both in the sense of an increasing attachment to the states as opposed to the central government, and in the sense of movements for separation from the present states or greater autonomy for regions within them--threaten the current distribution of power and delineation of political divisions of territory.
To gain even a superficial understanding of the relationships governing the huge number of ethnic, linguistic, and regional groups, the country should be visualized not as a nation-state but as the seat of a major world civilization on the scale of Europe.

Inside Story 

I hereby want to throw some light on my personal view towards the unique aspect of our society & culture in India.

                           Specially, in case of minority, as due to less in number, mainly in metros and other developed cities, we are losing our ethnicity day by day.

                          So, therefore I want to ask one question from myself and from everyone that what is our ethnicity in India Being a Muslim guy?

                          When, sometimes I analyze myself, neither I feel that I am a complete Muslim nor I feel like a real Indian by any of the traits & deeds.

                           I can’t write even a sentence in Hindi properly and it’s impossible for me to speak a single sentence in real Hindi. Even I can’t read and write Urdu and if you’ll speak the real Urdu, I won’t be able to understand much.

                           The only language, I am better at is English and why not it has become a status symbol as you will get recognition and fame when you have command on this language.

                           If you’ll go for an interview in any MNC to get a good job, you have to speak English. Whether you speak the best of the words in the world in any other language it doesn’t matter. There are very less chances that you’ll get selected. And this is quite obvious as most of the people working in corporate are comfortable in this language. Without this there ought to be a communication gap between the professionals and hence, no management will want anything that effect their productivity and profit ultimately.

                          With the growing trend of BPO’s in India, English has achieved a new milestone teaching the Indian youth foreign accents and western culture, training them to speak like foreigners, promoting them to look like them, to treat like them. I remember when I joined a BPO long time back, a lady trainer of mine was around 35+ and when I called her ‘mam’, she resisted to be denoted by that. And asked to be called by her maiden name. I felt uncomfortable in the starting, but slowly became use to of it.

                          Most of our media has been occupied by the West. Hollywood movies, songs & music are preferred more than of bollywood and even in the bollywood as well you’ll find most of the elements that are inspired by the west in one way or the other.

                          Western clothes have occupied a major chunk of the Indian market. They are making a good amount of money from the Indian market and western clothes whether its jeans,t-Shirts,Micro mini,skirts,frocks,etc. have become a status symbol and people are feeling comfortable in these clothes.

                           Even I can’t think of going in a public place wearing a kurta Pyjama or Dhoti kurta.even at night, nowadays.

                           Talking about girls, they won’t feel uncomfortable in a micro mini but one can see them feeling uneasy in Salwar Suit or sari.

                            So, the west’s are doing a great job in promoting their culture through media and other sources and we, Indians are also doing the same, promoting their culture.

                            I don’t know, exactly whether it’s right or wrong, but I know one thing that it’s better to be trend setter than to be a follower.

                            I believe, till the time we ourselves won’t value our culture, nation and language, there will be no one who will bother to read our history, know our culture and praise us for not knowing what it means to be an Indian!

                            I know modernization is a natural phenomenon, but we have to make sure that whether its modernization or a mere westernization?

                            When I look at our neighbor country China, I find that they are more traditional than us. First of all, they would prefer to speak in their language than any other. They have learnt just that much English so as do some overseas trading. Are they not modernized?

                             Nowadays, we know more about US, UK and Europe than of India. This shows the quantum of effect they have on us.Moreover, we have a blind faith on western brands what we call ‘imported’. Whether there is an Indian brand available with better quality and more features in the market. Again Is it a Globalization or Westernization?

                             Nobody in today’s world even think of remembering the reason behind the Mahatma Gandhi’s “Swadeshi Movement”. Why he started that? I believe he had a vision and projection in his mind about the impact of the western culture on the minds and life of the people of India. And Indian culture.

                             Although, I am not criticizing all this, and moreover I am not a hardliner however, just want to analyze and find out whether there is no way that we adapt only the good things from the overseas that are really necessary for our well being and at the same time keep our morals in place and don’t lose useful things of our own culture, preserve those, so that we can become a self dependent and a strong nation that will attract other nations for its dignity and Endeavour.

                              So that we would have an answer if somebody from the other part of the world ask us -What’s really all about to be an Indian?