The past 6 years of my life in US I tried recreating India and Indian culture there. I thought had I been in India I would have done this and that and thus I tried my best in US. Be it for festivals or eating Indian food or preparing Indian food or watching Indian TV and movies. Coming back to India I thought I would be able to enjoy what I did as a child but I was in for a rude shock.
People here in India want to ape the lifestyle back in US. Everything is categorized as “cool” and “not cool”. 1) Drinking my favorite cutting chai or eating Vada Pav on road side stall : Not cool
But drinking it in mall or Cafe Coffee Day for 10 times the price so cool
2) Eating normal maggi noddles : Not cool. I was hurt by this the most, for 6 years in US me and all my friends use to have maggi at least once a week . It brought back good old memories.
Eating pasta is so COOL even though they add garam masala and tomato ketchup. Fucking Idiots
3) Watching an old rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, Simpsons or simply good old Indian Tv serials like Malgudi days : NOT COOL
Watching fucked up reality shows on UTV Bindass, MTV and Channel V where females are mouthing nastiest words rather than their male counterparts : VERY VERY COOL.
4) Playing cricket on the ground : NOT COOL: In San Diego I played cricket every weekend .
Going to mall with a bowling alley , go karting, or the ever boring pool/snooker : SUPER COOL
5) Learning Indian classical dance/ music : NOT COOL
A 5 year old learning jazz and Salsa: UBER COOL
The list can go on and on. While in US people there found time on weekends and tried to enjoy the Indian culture to the fullest. The new generation of Indians have great respect for their culture and want their kids to learn too. They make an effort with their kids so that they can learn their mother tongue first. They send them for Sanskrit classes , vedic literature, vedic mathematics, Indian classical music and dance or atleast for bollywood dancing. Here I am shocked to see parents on airports, hotels,restaurants talking to their kids exclusively in English. I mean come on , your kid is going to learn English once he goes to school.What is the fucking big deal if he/she cant speak for couple of years? At least make an effort to educate your child on Indian culture
I left US thinking that my daughter would learn our culture better in India, but I am having serious doubts about it.
risingbharat 
Padmini
January 26, 2012
This is really interesting for me. I like to think that the United States encourages people to hold onto their heritage and culture. While, I agree with the concept that America’s greatest export is our culture, I’m appalled to hear some of what you are saying is happening back in India. I am from a European background, born and raised in the US. But for some reason I’ve had a great respect and love for Indian and Nepali cultures (yes I know they are different). I love the classical music and wish that growing up, I’d been able to take Indian classical dance instead of the standard ballet. I would hate for this beautiful culture to be diluted by trashy American culture. IMO watching bad reality tv: NOT COOL, eating quality stall food: VERY COOL, eating pasta with ketchup: ick.
Shweta
February 7, 2012
wow!! you have echoed a lots of thoughts that have been in my head very bravely in this post!! You are right – they do enjoy pasta with garam masala and think that playing on the streets is cliche!! Apparently when it comes to aping the west citizens don’t believe in copying the right stuff!! It’s ok to litter,trash and pee the streets and behave like huligans in public while its just not feasible to throw you stupid coffee cup from coffee day in a trash bin some 100 feet away! Why walk when you can drive your fancy car to a school that is located on the next street! Replace healthy snacks like steamed peanuts with french fries or some other easy fried snack from KFC or the nearest eatery! And self help!! Oh God hell no – get the servant to do everything from washing your shoes, to folding your clothes!!! No wonder we have life style diseases that we never had few years ago!!! Good luck with your stay!
risingbharat
February 7, 2012
Thanks Shweta. You actually covered quite a few points that I missed out . Thanks for that. The servant one was classic
Leia
February 24, 2012
I learnt to appreciate the small things about being India when I was living abroad… and those things were never about Cofi Day or the latest restaurants. I craved roadside chaats, sulemani chai, being able to sit on the roadside and watch people float by.
But the minute I was back, I realised I felt more home abroad than here… people gave you space to be what you wanted to be and respected all cultures. We are so busy aping the West here!!
I live in Bangalore which was a nice, medium-paced city. Now it feels like you are running for your life!
risingbharat
February 24, 2012
Thanks for your comment. Absolutely agree with you. Wish things could change back to good times of old days.
Mathangi Jeypal
February 25, 2012
Agree agree and totally agree… The rapid westernization and looking outside our borders for approval is the bane of our existence. If we just stayed who we are – everything would be much better!!!
risingbharat
February 25, 2012
Thanks for your comment.Absolutely agree with you
Ajay Mishra
February 29, 2012
I do not know, why the people start giving more values to Indian culture when not in India. It may be because we have seen crumbling western relations under the weight of so called freedom and openness.
The other side, in India…young generation follow more western culture than Indian as if they will not be able to cope up with the fast moving society.
I agree with your views expressed here but it depends on individual what kind of education they choose to give their kids. Good evening or Good morning is OK, but our kids should not forget to give respect to elders at home by touching their feet asking for blessings.
risingbharat
February 29, 2012
Thanks for your comment. Education wise we don’t have a choice because of globalization. But yes I agree with you we should not forget about our true beliefs like respecting elders