why nris misses india during festival season
TRANSCRIPT
Why NRIs Misses India During Festival Season
The Traditional FoodThe Indian food abroad, even in very Indian friendly places like the Bay Area is nothing close to
the Indian food in India. All levels of food - from the high end Indian restaurants in India, to the mid-market Udipi and Punjapi restaurants, to the street food at the lower end is
something most NRIs miss acutely.
Indian Dresses & Folk DanceSo you look like a complete doll wearing an Indian Churidar dress, you have a collection of fabulous Sarees from your trousseau, you think our chiffon and tissue Dupattas are the most ultimate accessories? Basically if you are a fan of the Indian attire, then my friend let me tell you, you will have to let go of this Indian style addiction. Sometimes weather, sometimes culture and sometimes your lifestyle will slowly put most of your Indian dresses in the back shelves of your wardrobe, and slowly migrating to the guest room wardrobe. If you have a job, especially a job in an office, one day all you see in your closet is black tops, black skirts, white shirts and work dresses.
Temples
If you are a girl seen with pooja ki thali everyday, okay that’s a bit extreme for today’s generation… but smaller versions still exist and still many of my friends were running to Shivtemple every Monday with mobile phone in one hand and milk for the Shivling in the other, after all who doesn’t want a good husband. So coming back to the point that if you are very religious and like to give the lord a visit at his home regularly, then also my dear you are signing up for some disappointment because abroad these temples are either not present or are not easily reachable. Whatever you are going to miss your own temple. Consider yourself lucky if there is one around your home.
The Loud Sounds of Local Market
Life in India is nothing without the loud and constant honking, the local vegetable cart selling and negotiating to all sorts of patrons, the paper boy announcing his existence at every doorstep, the rowdy children playing on the street, or the music playing in a nearby temple. That’s what makes existence lively. A foreign land can sometimes get so quiet and depressing for an NRI.
The True Masti of Indian Festivals
Of course, there are many Indo-American community events celebrating Diwali, Holi and Rakhi, but the charm of our festivities can be sensed only in our nation. Only in our country do you celebrate holidays with lots of food, family, friends, neighbors and the community as a whole.
The Feeling of Belonging
We may have resided in another country for years now, yet we know deep down inside that we belong somewhere else. Our existence is defined not only by the place call our house, but the place we call our home and that is India.
