2 September 2017

The Idea Of India

Someone knocked at the door. The socially awkward and skeptical person in me wondered who it might be… I don’t have any friend who would appear at my house without any notice. I also hadn’t called up the shop downstairs for the 20 litre water can that I need once in five days. I was also not expecting any delivery from Swiggy or Amazon.

I looked through the eye hole of the door and saw the dark silhouette of a bald man. I hesitated to open the door. Not because I have watched a lot of movies and in movies, bald men with their faces obscured in darkness mean danger.

I didn’t want to open the door because unexpected people at my door, in most of the cases, are salesmen trying to sell some shitty things. I don’t blame them though. And that’s why I feel bad to shut the door at their face. Better not to open the door.

Neverthless, I opened the door.

It was the man from the second floor, holding a big plate and two bowls in his hands, smiling.

I have never spoken to him before. In fact, I have barely spoken to any of my neighbours. We have a culture where a minimum courteous smile draws the maximum attention and interest of other people in your life. And I hate it. That’s another reason why I don’t want to settle in my native place; people in small towns are more curious and interfering in others’ lives than their counterparts in big cities.

So, I was kind of taken aback.

Why this?” I asked. As if I didn’t know it’s Eid. What I meant actually was - Why this to someone like me?”

Anyway, I accepted the mutton biriyani, raita, and gulab jamun from him. A part of me felt bad for some reason. I wasn’t apologetic or guilty for the kind of attitude I harbour. I am not social in the traditional sense of the word and I am absolutely OK with it. I didn’t think of myself to be a hypocrite too.

But then, I felt good too even though I loathe religious beliefs, practices, festivals and celebrations.

Despite what the religious, regional, and cultural chauvinist goons in India are trying to do with this country, this incident gave me hope that the idea of India’, where people from different backgrounds not only co-exist but celebrate together, will survive no matter what…


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