To live out of India

, , 13 comments
I just realised that my posts are getting longer; god knows how! (Do not say, obviously, if you type, they will become long, silly!) and it is increasingly difficult for even me to scroll down all the way to the end of the article and check for comments. Let me try making them short... this is a test for my English skills as I was very famous in school for busting the word limit!
This being my first ever visit to any foreign country, it was also my first experience to know how Indians living abroad feel. What I'm writing is a purely personalised opinion; no reason for anyone to get offended.
Even 9 months after coming to Singapore I sometimes cannot believe I'm out of India; it is not that Singapore is so much like India and I'm not missing home, but it is just that I'm not able to believe I've actually left India to come to a whole new country to study. Every time I go out is only when I realise I'm not in India.
As I was preparing to leave India to come here, many people told me that Singapore is a beautiful place to stay, so nice "that you won't feel like you've left India". This did make me happy. But I could recognise everything was different from when I landed here the first time and went to a relative's place to stay. True, those were my first few days away from home in a totally alien country, but I was lost. it was something more than homesickness; rather I never let homesickness get over me as I was all enthusiastic about living my life so independently and responsibly. But there, staring at my face, were differences. I could find them as I struggling to find how to open the shower tap in the bathroom, how to drink water from the cooler, how to get many things done using a machine, etc. These will obviously be present and I made up my mind not to notice these.
But I could still not ignore the differences. A visit to the temple here rarely leaves me satisfied. They are air conditioned, granite floored, have idols made of marble, priests recite the mantras over a mike, and ultimately I don't feel like I've visited a temple at all. Yes, true, these temples are in Singapore where things are highly advanced... but I feel that we have let technology overpower us; with the result that the subtle things I used to enjoy in our temples in India are lost here.
Elaneer (I don't know if I'm getting it right, it is coconut water I'm talking about) was sold for $1.50. Well, I just think I should accept all these without any questions; I should be happy I'm getting these in a foreign country, while many in, say, the US or Canada won't be able to.....
Now I have learnt to ignore these differences; or rather not think about them....maybe that is an improvement.
Nothing beats India!
There is something I forgot to mention though; the reverance Singaporeans have for the indian temples. A visit to one of the temples here put me in awe. The temple was one for Krishna, and right next to it was a Chinese temple. I was really in awe and wanted to take a bow as I saw most of the Chinese who passed by praying outside our temple in their own Chinese way. There were many chinese inside the temple too, and there was one Chinese father who was showing his son all our idols and reading out the mythologies. This is truly amazing! I take a bow.
I really hope everyday that India will also become as advanced as Singapore one day, soon, but still retain its own form and its simplicities and niceties.

13 comments:

Eroteme said...

Hey Vani, :-)
Honestly, I am not able to connect to most of what you said (never left this country ever), but when people said that they missed "Mylapore" when they moved to Bombay, I really could never figure out how. You mention the temples, and I would like to add something. I hate going to temples in Madras. Not the temples per se, but just being there with noisy people all around you and people discussing the latest gossip and TV serials, and dropping the vibhuti and kumkum everywhere and dropping prasadam and eating it within the premises. But that is not about India. The temples in Kerala are very well maintained. I enjoyed going to some temples in Bombay too. The way you describe it, I would love to visit such a temple (see, even the Chinese visit them) in Singapore.
And I agree, for somethings, India is still the best.
Nice post and long too... :-)

Kay said...

The temple thing what u said is so true. I am not getting any bhakthi at all.
In US U can see combo temples u know what i mean to say, all sami's in one temple and u get no vibuthi and stuff instead u will get badams and raisins as prasadam thats weird...

good post ..

wookie said...

Vani-
Living amidst a different culture and different lifestyle is an enriching experience in itself. I have always wanted to be part of evrything this world offers. I can understand that miss you the essence of India but believe me, you will cherish the time spent in Singapore once you come back.

Melissa said...

Hi Vani! Your blog is really well-written and interesting...=) I realised that I don't know what India is really like at all...(By the way, the FHM thing, I think they didn't really intend to have FHM, it's probably the only sponsor they could get...It's all about money and convenience... And I got that blatant advertisement for Hall 9 too... hehhe...)As for your last comment on Singapore government, well I won't say much. We ourselves might laugh at it and disagree with many of the things the Government is doing, but I realised I'll still have the urge to explain it and be kind to it to others (sort of like "it's flawed but it's my country and it has good intentions, need...blah blah" that kind of thing...=p)

Melissa said...

And..oh no... don't read my blog...it is very uninteresting and unintellectual compared to yours! *ashamed* haha...As i said, i'm getting rather tired of blogging and that's why my blog doesn't have much content.

Krish said...

Hi Vani:

If you feel nostalgic about India, particularly Chennai and want to brighten up your day seeing "thalaivar" in a different pose, you can catch up with my latest post at ChennaiCentral :-)

Vani Viswanathan said...

hmm...so the posts are still long, is it? let me see, cannot reduce more i think! :(
eroteme,
yes, there are many temples in chennai that are crowded and irritating, but i guess it's all a parcel, one won't come without the other! you may be surprised and might even conclude i'm mad, but i simply like the fact of getting that darshan after standing in that long queue for hours together, it just makes me feel more humble to God!
Kay, nalla velai, things are slightly better here, we get nice theertham!
wookie,
that's very true..compared to my first semester stay here, i'm now able to appreciate many things here, maybe i'll be fully able to enjoy after a while!
melissa,
welcome to my blog!
thanks for the comments, and i saw your blog, by the way.i can see the pressures CS has put on you and your blog. i'm sure it'll get much better by may 4 with all our exams and assignments over!
yes i completely agree with you about your urge to explain the government's intentions....as another friend put it, i really have to appreciate the fact that the singapore government is so keen and engrossed in keeping its people happy...and i think they ARE doing a great job!!!
thennavan..
kalakkiteenga! that was a nice pose..to see namma superstar all in white and subdued..btw, r u from dav?

Amrita said...

Hi vani, I wonder whether you remember me or not? I am Amrita, Anu's friend in Chennai, I went with you guys to watch Veer Zaara.This is the first time I am commenting on your blog. Should have visited it earlier. However, I can understand when you spoke about the technological overpowerment of religion. India definitely being one's motherland remains a comfort zone. Anu keeps telling me about you in Singapore and how are you faring there. I agree when you say nothing is more delightful than home.All the best.

Sriram said...

You have gone out of india, but the indian has not gone out of you!!! and you dont want that to happen also. Thats what i could see as the reason for your not being able to believe that you have left india.

"i simply like the fact of getting that darshan after standing in that long queue for hours together, it just makes me feel more humble to God!"
ah! thats something not everyone can say... I am impressed!!!

btw, i heard that kapaleeshwar temple in chennai is really good. Never been there though.

Krish said...

Vani, I did not study at DAV. My elder brother did. I studied at National English School which is now National Public School. Do you know about it?

Sriram said...

God!! I hate it when two people have the same freakin name!! Sorry V,, couldn't really control that.

Yep gal.. your posts are getting wayyyy to long. too long for the average friendly neighborhood lazy bone like me!I do agree with you when you say that u miss chennai. Who doesn't? anyway.. enjoy life and chill out. Peace.

p.s : hope your family doesn't take offense at my comments on the post abt PDA. drop by sometime to my blog and feel free to comment.

Vani Viswanathan said...

hey amrita..
ya, of course i remember! :) that loooong veer zaara movie! and that endless popcorn...so how're ur studies going...dissertation, investigative report, boy, you guys have lots to do!!
sriram1 (the one from b'lore), ya, the kapaleshwarar temple is a really nice one..do visit it when you come to chennai!
thennavan, ya i know about NPS, i studied in DAV
sriram2, i don't think anybody will take offence reading the PDA thing, hope they don't! :)

Baejaar said...

"I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit." - Kahlil Gibran quotes

Its nice to see that in Singapore. But lets not forget that its all around us. Even in Chennai though to a lesser degree. After all many of us must be visiting church or mosque once in a while.

I am sure the days of the good, old revered visit to the temple has reduced. The sanctity definitely has come down over the ages. One should visit either the temples in Trichy/Madurai etc or else visit smaller temples in remote villages. But let me add, a visit to the Mylapore Kabaleeshwar temple or Bangalore Ragigowda temple still evokes the same aura & brings peace.

"From the solemn gloom of the temple children run out to sit in the dust, God watches them play and forgets the priest" - Rabindranath Tagore.

That should summarize it. You dont even have to step into the temple to experience spirituality though it helps.

Oops. Just noticed. I hav been rambling along for too long. Xcuse me.....