India Is Integrating : A different perspective

We all are aware about the way political class fans regional, racial and sectarian sentiments for their own interest. With the result, the poor autowallahs or taxiwallahs are beaten by goons in the name of outsider threat, the youth from other states who comes for appearing in competitive examinations are not allowed . We have seen worst kind of tension recently during Andhra Pradesh bifurcation followed . Assam is also a divided house, Marwari businessmen and migrant labour is under constant threat by various local outfits. Similarly Punjabi vs Non Punjabi hate and divide in Punjab, total ban of buying property for other state citizens in J&K. Story of Sons of Soil vs Outsiders in so many other states are also written elsewhere. It appears that despite advancement of culture, spread of education we the Indians are back to ancient time when  tribes used to fight with other  tribes in the name of valor or pride. A very frustrating situation. Sometime I feel that whether the country will remain one

a new India in the making

integrated entity or will be fragmented into number of sub cultures. The reason is not difficult to find, after independence the politicians got the easiest way to grab the political clout and to gain political power  by driving people as religious, caste, linguistic herds, you name it and our political class have it.

a new social revolution in the making 

But silently the India is integrating. And credit of this slow revolution goes to our younger generation. Alas, our politicians with their narrow vision of society and nation should learn a lesson or two from the young happening  urban class.

I recently witnessed  this during marriage of my niece. She is born and brought up in Bombay and the family has it's roots in Western UP. The girl might have hardly gone to see her family's roots three four times. She has been brought up in a great Melting Pot called Bombay, where people from various ethnic, religious and cultural background come and form a composite culture and feel proud to be a part of it. She decided and announced to her parents to marry her childhood friend who comes from typical Marathi background. Some resistance in filmi style but than the girl and boy stood by their faith in each other. Their love, affection, common bonding ultimately culminated into a marriage which was a celebration of joy and a sheer ecstasy. 

Our niece's marriage was a real celebration. She, her husband and gang of  friends scripted, choreographed the engagement ceremony, did rehearsal for almost a month to make the evening a memorable event of life. It was an ensemble of Bollywood with Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil tadka. The rituals were a mixed of Marathi and UP.

So this is new India emerging and young India is instrumental.