Desh - Videsh

You will find Indians in every nook and corner of the world.

In the USA especially, you can hardly walk into any store, mall or theater without bumping into Indians. Incidentally, the Indians, regardless of the language they speak back home, are called, desis. 

Though Indians are never treated at par with the locals in almost every country and are literally called second class citizens, we still pack our suitcases and jump into first available flight for moving into countries around the world, at the first opportunity!

What is strange about us Indians outside India is that ‘we are more loyal than the king’ in our behaviour!

We obey the law, imbibe in to the culture of the country where we go and learn and speak the language better than the locals oh, I can go on; so much so that your eyebrows will raise automatically when you see Indians behave totally differently abroad.

Having landed in the US of A for the first time on a business trip, I volunteered and told my hosts that I will be alright on my own and ventured into the road on my feet and found that I was the only one walking in the road. While I enjoyed the solitary walk, I forgot that I was not in India and started crossing the road where the cars sped by.

A car stopped hoping that I would scamper through to the other end of the road. But, I waited thinking that I will cross the road after the car passes. Thus we both waited for the other to make the first move!

The car driver, exasperated from my behaviour, as I stood rooted at my place, got down from the car, stood and bowed pleading with me to cross the road!

Wow. Pedestrian is the real king here, I thought.  I remembered a ontrasting scene I saw on Bannergatta road in Bangalore some time back.

I was standing on the foot path waiting for a friend to pick me up in his car when I saw a young lady with a very small child– hardly 3 months old – trying to cross the road; she was waiting on the road divider after having crossed half-way through, hoping some of those speeding vehicles would at least show mercy on her and slow down.

Every time she got down from the road divider on to the road, the vehicles increased their speed and sped past her making the poor mother get back to the safety clutching her child!

Oh! I forgot to mention a very important point of my road crossing experience in Philadelphia, USA that I narrated above. Indeed, the driver who bowed and allowed me to me cross the road first was none other our own desi!

I thought that I must spend some quality time researching this unique feature of being Indian in an alien land, behaving very un-Indian like; I didn’t have to look too far. Every visit to the supermarket provided ample opportunity, not to speak of witnessing in other places like offices and other public places like cinema hall etc.

You would be surprised to learn that the Indians hardly opened their mouth when they spoke in public places such as malls or supermarket. Just like their counterparts, they would whisper to one another.

To my amusement once, when I called out to my niece in Kannada in a supermarket, rather loudly, a small crowd gathered around me thinking that I was in some sort of problem and needed help!

It is not just talk; even when the desis drive, they literally imitate their counterparts. For example, in USA no one uses the horns normally while driving except when they want to show their annoyance from the bad behaviour of a fellow driver. In India, we don’t need a reason for honking. If you ask a bike rider or a car driver the reason for honking, I am sure they will simply stare at you as if you are an alien.

Finally, it was time for me to bid goodbye to the USA; I got ready and reached Washington DC airport rather early.

My check-in provided another example of noble behaviour of my fellow countrymen.

A man who was speaking Kannada on the mobile – obviously talking to his family about his homecoming – stood promptly behind me in the line while waiting to get his boarding pass.

The flight I took made a halt in London and lo and behold, the same man, by a sheer coincidence, was again standing just behind me, patiently waiting for his luggage to appear on the conveyor belt as well for grabbing a hot cup of tea.

I was really impressed and was proud to be an Indian; my chest swelled with pride!

We landed in Bangalore and I, along with others moved towards the conveyer belt to find my check-in luggage.

Even as I stood there peeking over the heads of people standing in front of me trying to locate my bags, I was pushed aside by a man who went and grabbed his bag from the belt.

Welcome to India, I thought!

Jolted, I looked at the man suppressing my anger and controlling the urge to shout at his rude behaviour.

I was in for a shock.

The man who pushed me aside to grab his bag was none other than the guy whom I saw on two different airports on my way back home and was proud of his perfect gentleman behaviour!

How come the same man, who stood so patiently behind me for a cup of tea in London pushed me aside to grab his bag in Bangalore?

I wanted to know.

So, I took my bag and ran behind the man who was going towards the exit; I desperately wanted to find out the reason for his rude behaviour.

I called out, “Excuse me?”

The man turned back and stopped, looking at me questioningly.

I went closer and spoke to him looking directly into his eyes.

“Sorry to bother you, sir. I think you came from the USA via London, is it not?”

The man nodded his head. “You see, you were standing just behind me both in Washington DC as well as in London airport where we transited, waiting very patiently. But you literally pushed me aside to grab your bag just now. May I know why you did it?”

The man smiled sheepishly and said, “Sir, we are back in our own country, this is India sir. Is it not?”

I lost my voice!

I simply stood there and stared at the man who went out whistling softly.