Visa Balaji, Bengalee Lyadh & an Open Mind

A post inspired by RIP's rants.

Statutory Warning: To be able to appreciate the nuances of this post you must read all the comments of my previous post and ofcourse lived and worked in more than 3 different cities.

In India the migratory instinct is displayed in some specific pockets. Tamilnadu (Chennai is the second busiest consulate in the world), Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and to some extent Karnataka. In the north it is mainly displayed by the Punjabis' mad rush to move to greener pastures. That is my take though.

In Hyderabad there is a temple called Visa Balaji. The Chilkuru Balaji is also called 'Visa Venkanna' or 'Giver of Visa'.

Rip is right. There is indeed a mad scramble to head abroad. But I think at most times it has to do with money.

While in the east I was pretty untouched by this phenomenon. I think Bengalees have much less penchant to earn, save and stack up money for future generations.

In this context I have to mention my immediate role model, my paternal grandfather. During a single lifetime he lost everything in Bangladesh, started from scratch, acquired immense wealth and finished it off in a single lifetime. He left a lot of debts, a house, a car and some happy lives which would not been happy but for him.

But he is not special. It is a phenomenon typical of many Bengalee houses.

So I was pretty untouched by this going abroad phenomenon till I shifted to Salt Lake. Our cooperative society had some NRI quotas. Suddenly I was interacting with people who had amassed huge wealth in different countries (Canada, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, US, Libya, Oman, Australia, New Zealand etc) in different occupations (truck driver, sergeant, foreman, doctor, shipman etc).

People who are were Probasis (I cant translate this). Their love for Rabindroshongeet, Bangali Khabar (food), Sharee, Dhuti Panjabi seemed so superfluous. Very few of those who scramble to go abroad actually end up enjoying their stint and become he hybrid human. Have you seen the Tygon or the Liger. Perfectly normal yet so hideous. No inner beauty. An existence in experiment.

I dont like US (and I dont care to explain it). I think it will be another overdeveloped Mumbai or Delhi. But one has to be in a place to be qualitatively qualified to criticise, admire, belittle or judge.

For example after moving to Hyderabad I realised that there is an anti-Hyderabad bias of most Bangaloreans and vis-a-versa. Many people think Calcutta is still infested with the Chittabroto Majumdars (God can anyone please tell me if he is still alive and they dont know he is usurped by Mamata). And many of these folks have not visited or stayed in any of the places that they criticise.

But I respect each place that gives me an opportunity to make a living. And I have gone to each place with an open mind. Only problem I horribly miss my family when I visit a place without them. I feel bad that they dont get an opportunity to interact with a new environment.

So RIP you are right but there is perspective to what others are saying.

P.S - Does anyone know if Chittabroto Majumdar is still alive?