If you're not Indian yet keep being asked if you're from India

[shaasavera]

Re: If you’re not Indian yet keep being asked if you’re from India

@strawberryshortcake

@Shasaveera You do seem pretty passionate about the Pak/Indo relationship. It seems like you really appreciate Pakistanis as your brothers. Its good that despite everything that is said you focus on the positive things. Why return hate with hate? I applaud you for this.

But don’t ever let people’s belittling ignorant comments make you feel like you’re not as good. I say that because you said yourself that Pakistanis are better looking. Its like you’re promoting that idea. Some need to get off their high horse! I know not everyone is the same, people are individuals. But I’ve seen many instances of the superiority complex thanks to the ideas that go around. There is outer beauty in every race not that its what matters the most. Its the heart of people. I personally have had plenty of good experiences with Indians. Almost every single one I’ve met is so kind and warming. You don’t need to thank me for not feeling insulted! They’re very nice people. At first I was just puzzled but then I informed myself that there is so much diversity like in the hispanic community. Plus I hate stereotypes! I hear that enough with us to know better!

Although not everyone is as openminded my ex kind of was. He would always tell me about how he was often mistaken for being hispanic. He didn’t seem to mind. Although I could tell the difference because to me hispanics have softer features. Other than that it really didn’t feel like interracial dating to to me when we both practically had the same complexion. The elephant in the room was religion. Although I loved learning all about his, I even tried fasting but I have my own.

But I see your point on politics and patriotism. Thank you for giving me your point of view as an insider on the topic. That’s why I’m sometimes here to understand better

Glad you are here and interested to know about us desis whether pakistani or indian even I personally didn’t know how complicated these issues were till I ventured online. I appreciate them as fellow desi brothers and sisters but also as humans. Like with any other ethnicity. I’ve met many wonderful Pakistanis that negativity from either side doesn’t phase me. Sadly it exists among some Indians also.

The passion part comes from my interaction online with many Pakistanis living in pakistan who liked things about India. I did not expect that many. Just like I like pakistani things but didn’t think there were many like me. But then I dug deeper and the appreciation is wider.
Also knowing about history I realise that we have some common South Asian heritage/culture which u can even see in regional languages, weddings, clothes etc

Even historical sites like Indus valley civilisation (after which India is named) located in pakistan is as much my cultural heritage like it is for Pakistanis. And like the Mughal architecture in India is for many Pakistanis.

All this common culture existed before there was an official India/Pakistan. Some can deny it but there are plenty of Indians/Pakistanis who will carry this legacy of common culture forward.

Thanks for your kind words about us. I know maybe my generalisation was broad. I’m happy being indian and I wouldn’t change my indian looks. Neither do I think external appearance is important like you pointed out. But I do hear the comparison and if it makes people happy to know they are much different looks wise then I’m happy to concede it.

Even in partition people from many parts of Pakistan and India moved. Not only from places like Lahore, Karachi, but also Balochistan and khyber pakhtunwa..some of those became big movie stars like the kapoors/khans. So will not their children have any common look to the natives of that land? Even from pakistani ethnicities where people are not seen to have ‘typical indian looks’ people have migrated to India. So it’s really odd to say there are no similarity or connections.

all that is in past and I wish Pakistanis and Pakistan well. India is not perfect we have lot of issues also. It shouldn’t be a competition ..we should look beyond and compete with other Asian countries like japan and china. I also hope the ethnicities which people are delighted to be confused with whether Greek, Turkish,Iranian or Arabic also return the love and are happy to be similarly labelled. I hope also they appreciate unique pakistani culture.

There are probably Indians who think like some Pakistanis and May get offended to be called Pakistani. But there are many who like me acknowledge our similarities. Even Bollywood film stars,eg anil kapoor(an actor from slumdog millionaire) are proud of their pathan roots. Pathan being an ethnicity in Pakistan. If it was so offensive why would a popular actor be proud?

In one billion people a variety of views can exist. The type of Indians and ethnicities one encounters in US, UK are not reflective of all Indians as there are a wide variety of ethnicities. Same with Pakistan.