Why "India Outside India"?

Since I came to NYC I have been trying to capture for the benefit of my international friends what is ‘India’ or ‘Indianness’. We have discussed various facets of Indian people, culture, ways of meaning making and what it means to live as an Indian. It was also interesting when my international friends shared what they thought being Indian was/must be like for me. I have been capturing visuals that I thought express non-Indians’ perceptions about India and also the expressions/visuals shared by the Indian community in US that must be shaping this perception. After a year of gathering images and talking in my head about it I thought why not put it all down in a blog.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Swastika again ...

It was Diwali week last week. A lot of people from home updated their facebook profile photos with images related to their Diwali celebrations. One of it was of a rangoli in the doorway with swastika in the center. I was wondering what people outside of India (Western countries) will associate it with.

I wrote a couple of blog posts some time (years?) back about Indian Swastika and Hitler's Hakenkreuz, after the swastika controversy in TC. I talked with people wherever I went, about the Indian Swastika and the meaning of the word itself (Swasti = wellbeing). I tried to unpack my feelings about how I feel when it is misrepresented as a symbol of hate. Talked with the office of diversity in Teachers College and told them I will help with the lecture they were planning about symbols and their meanings in different cultures, in the hope that I can talk about the difference between the Indian Swastika, the meaning of the word and how it differs from Hitler's symbol of SS. 

Nothing much has changed after that. In the Diwali packet I got a sticker imitating Rangoli design. At both ends of the colorful strip are two swastikas. Rangoli designs are drawn for various reasons. The ones in the doorway like my sister sent, are to bring happiness, prosperity and feeling of festivity. The ausipicious symbol of a swastika, the name of which itself means 'wellbeing' is generally a given in such drawings. I obviously would not be putting it in my doorway in US for the fear that people will label me fascist, anti-Semite. I don't know how I feel about this. I am not a big fan of Rangoli stickers (I rather draw whatever I feel like everyday) but the matter of am I free to draw or stick a swastika on my door (in the context of a rangoli) without being labeled anti-Semite still remains.

As I said nothing has changed.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Obama’s visit to India: Images perceived and portrayed

Some points that came up in the media coverage about perceived and redefined image of India

- Obama rejects view of India as "land of call centers"

- The United States sees Asia, especially India, as the market of the future

- India the land of cold-start (the Loch Ness monster that most of the Indians don’t know they have)

- India the victim of 2008 Mumbai attacks. (Just so that US can proclaim ‘India and US were united against terrorism’)

- On the other hand it is a giant ogling Pakistan on which US needs to put pressure so as to placate Pakistan and get its support in the ‘war against terrorism’

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Culinary Adventures

I have been watching Anthony Bordain on Netflix, off and on this year. It is nice to experience various regions through his culinary adventures. I also like and very much appreciate the idea of knowing the culture through its food.

During my first couple of years in New York, we used to hold potlucks where everybody brought one traditional dish from their country, region or family tradition. We also planned food excursions where a group of us will go to experience a particular type of cuisine. All of it on a student budget. I have been fortunate in finding a multicultural and multinational group of friends to share my food passion with.  From my South African friend’s pot of curry with star anise to my Chinese friends taking me to their favorite dumpling place, my Turkish friend introducing me to the dolma, baklava, halva, and  grape leaves,  Korean friend making a special dish of dduk bok ki and the list can go on.

The funny part is that the dduk bok ki and the potluck party around it was planned because one of our American friend craved for it. She was the one who actually introduced me to this fantastic Korean food. Similarly my Turkish friend introduced me to Sushi and sashimi. We are truly an international bunch here with transnational experiences. 

I love exploring people and cultures through food as everything is connected to food. Food opens up conversations about life experiences. Once I took my South African friend to an Indian Grocery store. She saw Maltova there and was super excited. She used to eat Maltova as a kid and her kids like it too. So I learnt the stories of her childhood and her kids growing up in SA. Sharing of Shevayachi Kheer is another such instance. She knows it as Buba (?). Something her Muslim neighbors and her mother’s Muslim friends shared with them on Eid. And then we talked about the friendships between various ethnic and religious groups, traditions that were borrowed and shared, the chat coming back full circle to the spices and culinary influences they have on each other and to her famous curry with star anise.

I went for a potluck dinner last night with a couple of friends welcoming parents of another friend.  We had a nice spread, Marcel’s curry, Amina’s okra, cauliflower rassa, and a medley Aisha brought. The dinner was topped with Amina’s famous fruit cream and wonderful conversation. Everyone talking about their culture, customs and stories of their life.  It was nourishment for the soul. A parallel session of mendi (henna) designs helped as well to un-clutter the mind.

We haven’t been doing this as frequently as we should. Everybody busy with their research, life, and all the stresses that are part of a doctoral student’s life. May be that is what I need. Another culinary adventure. Table full of food from all over the world, conversations as varied as the food.  Perfect therapy for weary soul.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Selctive media hype of terrorism

I was pretty surprised to see the news of the Pune blast on the homepage of NY times yesterday. The article claimed that these are the first major attacks after Mumbai attacks in 2008. I wonder what makes attacks major or warrants attention in western media. Nobody seems to be bothered by attacks in the north east. Is it because they did not involve foreigners or there was no proximity of any shabad house? Are the lives of Indians and attacks on their religious places inconsequential?

Today the article has added this sentence "Any sign of Pakistani attack would worsen relations between the two nuclear rivals and further destabilize a region overshadowed by war in Afganistan." Now-a-days, the 'nuclear rivals' has become a necessary phrase whenever the US media talks about India or Pakistan. It is amazing how none of the other nations with nuclear warheads are ever mentioned in this manner when a conflict arises on their land or of their making. Why this obsession of again and again mentioning the n word? Is this the age old strategy of a media hype followed by a US intervention I am seeing in making?

I also wonder how people/media conveniently forget to mention that US which at present is responsible and actively involved in military conflict in at least two contries itself has nuclear warheads.

PS: Sakal, a local newspaper in the state of Maharashtra reported that Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff Mike Mullen said that countries of the world should intervene to smooth relations between India and Pakistan. I know there must be something lost in translation from English to Marathi and then to English. But you can't deny that it fuels my fear about US intervention. I am trying to find the original quote in English but haven't found it yet.