Sunday, November 12, 2017



NO DOUBT 'FAMILIARITY BREEDS CONTEMPT' BUT SURE 'OLD IS GOLD!'

  • “Dahi le rahe hon? Ek choti si kaali mirch aur namak ke sath roti dahi vaastav meh ek achha naashtha banaatha hai….” 
I was astonished to hear suddenly such a comment behind me as I stood in the queue in my grocery shop with few tins of curd. As I looked back, I could see my neighbor smiling at me.

I knew this man. The one forever I never liked as he invariably in every meeting crosses his limit, without hesitation invades into your privacy and talks all that unnecessary. In fact I very much hated this habit of a few of my Indian Community around me Viz.,

Intruding into privacy of others unnecessarily!

And very much wished they change. But never it happened and with more closeness and time, this interference was on the rise only.

At that point of time, all of a sudden there was an occasion for me to go abroad for a long period.

I thought as I heard that at the new place people give so much importance to one's privacy respecting it to a max level.

Soon my travel to the new place took place, and after relaxing a few days at home overcoming the jet lag, I started moving out everywhere seeing the surroundings and constantly interacting with the people making a note of their customs and habits.

To my astonishment, I noticed people maintaining number one discipline as they communicated to their next man carefully weighing each word they spoke starting with my neighbor's little girl's words,

  • “Hi! This cup we don’t need any more. Keep it with you. Thanks a lot. Bye!”
Extending to strangers on road, at shops and malls saying..
  • “Hi! How are you?” 
  • “Did you find everything?” 
  • “You are welcome!” 
  • “Excuse me.. Thank you very much!” 
  • “It's OK.. Good bye!”

etc..etc..

“How much care these people take in their dealings with others? Every word is weighed to precision before one speaks to his/her next man and the same is taught and insisted upon from young age!" I thought.

Soon I started going regularly to the nearby Super Stores for purchase of my daily essentials. Equally at my end too similar routine words used to come out of my lips during the interactions there.

Thus passed 3 months of my stay at the new place and the newness having faded slowly to my surprise, I started noticing a sort of artificiality in the behaviors of people around me.

A quick introspection revealed that they sure were not at fault there as that was their culture but I, as a seasoned personality of my place had slowly become a misfit in the new place with the 'inside of me' constantly craving for the deep rooted my familiar interactions and expressions at my place.

As I continued my stay beyond, it became so routine that I started repeating the required words without my knowledge and the person in front used vanish from my mind the next moment..

Soon, I became sick of the new routine life with no change and was living counting my days of stay there.

That day early morning, as usual I visited my shop to buy some fresh curd and was soon at the Billing Counter. Suddenly to my utter surprise, I heard a gentle voice asking me with all warmth,

  • “Dahi le rahe hain? Sabi log Roti dahi khaane keley jaroor pasand karte hain aur aapko bhin bahut pasand hogan.. Kya mei sach bolaa?”
Without a sec delay, I instantly responded with a big smile saying,
  • “Aap Sahi Bola!"
The new friend finished my billing, took the cash and handing over the item again responded with all pleasantness,
  • “Alvida, Dhanyavaad!”
for which I could no more hide my emotions and suddenly said aloud with a great warmth in my heart to the surprise of every one around
  • "Bahut Dhanyavaad, Alvida!"
The Post is written in line with the IndiSpire Prompt Write about one annoying habit of fellow Indians that irritates you the most. #theannoyingindian with it's ultimate too!

Keywords: FAMILIARITY, OLD

2 comments:

  1. A very good post with insights! Thank you for sharing Sreedharji.

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    1. Thanks Rajeev for the appreciation.. Love the comment!

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