North Indians vs. South Indians

Arts & Culture Culture, Arts, Literature & Linguistics
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Mumbai is Bombay and Mumbaikar is a Bombayite

Headlines blare.....Mumbai returns to normal......well have you given it a thought as to why Mumbai recovers so fast??? Part necessity and part the City’s culture.

An average Mumbaikar spends on an average 2 hours to commute to and from work everyday. The suburban trains are packed like cans of sardines and in the oppressive heat I can equate their condition by quoting a line form a Punjabi poem.....Bande gadi wich jidha kuchi wich Jamun, Jamuna noo aapne aap loon peya lagda hai ( people in the train are akin to Jamuns in a basket, the jamuns are getting salted themselves)...... their commuting is clocklike ........while going to work the 7.52 fast from Virar and while returning the 6.07 fast from Churchgate. Mumbaikars on an all India level are the most punctual office goers.

In the trains Mumbaikars have found ways to pass time ....some have formed groups to play cards (the brief case is the table and two huge rubber bands hold the cards), some have formed groups to sing Bhajans, some groups gossip , some groups crack jokes and some individuals read. Even in the most oppressive circumstances Mumbaikars have their own ways of ‘time pass’.

Raju lives in a one room flat in Mira Road with his young wife ,parents and five siblings. He is a peon in a Multinational at Nariman Point. Half of his salary goes to pay for the rent of this one room. His father’s salary keeps the kitchen fire burning and for the needs of his siblings. Raju loves Hindi movies.....sheer escapism for him. Work is more than worship for him......it is his fight for survival.

Ever thought how Raju and his wife have privacy????? Well this is the ingenuity in Mumbaikars........innovative, adjusting and flexible.......Mumbaikars find a solution to every problem in their fight for survival????

Like in Juhu there is a susu gali ( pee lane) ....before sunrise and after sunset you have ladies sitting with umbrellas , used as a covering, excreting in the gutter that runs by the road......no toilet.....no problem they have found a solution......bladder bursting.... but a solution!!!!

Vada pav, Ussal, Bhel Puri, Pav Bhaji........Mumbaikars favourites for hunger pangs.....quick and convenient....easy to make and eat.....extra ‘thikka’ (extras chilly)....and of course value for money.

Why even the Mumbaikars favourite expletive shows time is money.....khali phookat (idly)!!! Lost opportunities are looked on at philosophically and the usual lament is aped from Irani Hotel waiters......Khaya piya kuch nahi glass thoda aat aana (did not eat or drink anything but broke a glass .....tab eight annas).

Mumbai and Mumbaikars have a positiveness that other Cities in India have in lesser proportion or is just missing. You realise this once you have lived and worked in Mumbai and shift to another City.

An average Mumbaikar knows hardships and adjustments......losses are taken in the stride....after all the next day is always a new day....a new fight. Survival of the survivors......time is money......cannot waste time khaali phookat.....because nothing in Mumbai is phookat (free).

People pour into Mumbai everyday.....Mumbai is bursting at its seams......people live in squalid and inhuman conditions......but never does the thought of leaving Mumbai cross their minds......because everybody in Mumbai lives dreaming.......one day I will make it big!!!!

Aye dil hai jeena mushkil yaha yeh hai Mumbai yeh hai Mumbai yeh hai Mumbai meri jaan (famous yesteryear Hindi film song)....with and without the bombings....ki farak painda yaro (makes no difference my friend).

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Marathi maanus - It is not easy learning new language especially if you migrate at 30+ age. My brother studied in south and trust me after spending 6-7 years there his Tamil was better than his Hindi. I personally can speak Bengali in Hindi accent and lot of my bengali friends laugh at it.

let's not make it a Hindi vs. non-hindi issue. Even Northies from Bihar, Eastern UP, Punjab etc speak hindi in a funny way.

Bitter - I know Pune isn't that bad, but you cant compare it to Mumbai.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Spock: *
In our University there is a big South Indian vs North Indian thing going on, which resulted in so many fights... The North Indians are much more closer to the Pakistani society, whereas the South Indians, whom they refer to as 'Ilaz' or 'Shuklaz' are left alone.
[/QUOTE]

haha u mean actual physical fights? what dco ilaz and shuklaz mean?

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Spocky - I dont think south indians get into physical fights with anyone that easily, at least I have never seen that. Such valor is usually displayed by northies.

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yeah, and you’re Mr Cool Mumbaiker! :nahnah:

Vaisey I agree with you, I love Bombay and the people’s attitude. Somwhow there is so much warmth and affection, at the same time everyone minds their own business.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by rvikz: *

can you compare social progress of up/bihar with south?
only state that achieved 100% literacy in south asia is kerela
[/QUOTE]

I was only talking of attitudes. Sure the south is more literate. Gods sake the people LIVE to cram!

I have adopted Bangalore as my hometown after Delhi. When I first went there I found it funny how men would call women from 16-60 'amma'. But it felt nice after a while, so respectful.

The only grouse I have is that they are not heartyand open like northies. I had to go and knock on neighbors' doors and say ' hi, i'm new here, join us for a drink'. Some did and never called us back. All my friends there barring one is a northie.

Interesting to think though, that all the match fixers have been from the north -

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by karina: *

I was only talking of attitudes. Sure the south is more literate. Gods sake the people LIVE to cram!

I have adopted Bangalore as my hometown after Delhi. When I first went there I found it funny how men would call women from 16-60 'amma'. But it felt nice after a while, so respectful.

The only grouse I have is that they are not heartyand open like northies. I had to go and knock on neighbors' doors and say ' hi, i'm new here, join us for a drink'. Some did and never called us back. All my friends there barring one is a northie.

Interesting to think though, that all the match fixers have been from the north -
[/QUOTE]

i agree they are not outgoing hate to dance and sing .

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As a delhite, I used to see the difference between Bombay and delhia dn the cosmipolitaness of people. I distinctly remember running off to Bombay after spending a few days with the family on my trips to India. But over the course fo time, both places have pretty much evened out. Shopping is better in delhi and the scenes are fairly comparable.

karina, on my recent trip I went to a place called “less than Zero” on top of the ABN Amro tower in Bangalore. For a wednesday night, it was packed with young people drinking, dancing and grooving. Far cry from 1996 when the state gov’t had declared ban on the sale of alcohol and had forced me and cousin to cut short our stay and run back to bombay in search of an elixir. :mudhosh:

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There was a recent incident that gave me more insight into how North and South Indians look at eachother. It seems like there is a cultural friction among the two groups that leads to a sense of dislike or resentment on certain occasions. Is that right?

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Mat, Before I came to Bangalore I wouldn't have dreamed of going to a pub with only women/woman and sitting there unmolested! One of the reasons I can't live in Delhi if I ever go back.

I'm going to note this name down - I believe there are so many hot spots. Btw if you're going to Bombay check out this eating place behind the Taj - damn I've forgotten the name. It's so cool. And the food is outstanding. Last time I went the Aussies were there, the whole team, celebrating after having thrashed us in 3 days flat!

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Do South Indians tend towards vegetarianism more or is it only the one's I know. Which admittedly isn't many. There doesn't seem to be many South Indians in the fim industry which seems to suggest a bias.
[/QUOTE]

this is the opinion of a southie abcd so im not guaranteeing correctness. vegetarianism is quite prevalent in the south. but much more among gujaratis which constitute most northies in the us. i think a larger proportion of southies in the us (well u r british i think) r brahmins than north indians (maybe in britain too then again they r a small # in britain). that's another reason. out of personal experience at most of the non-brahmin tamil parties they usually had chicken. u'd probably have to ask a fob living abroad. haha si's in the film industry. i think diya mirza and padma lakshmi in the film boom r southies. well diya maybe half foreign anyway. maybe not men. the shetty's r an example. kamal hasan but he's not that popular. of course ar rahman but he's not an actor. hema malini, rekha, ash rai, etc. also southies r only 20% of the population , have their own film industries which may or may not be more popular than the hindi industry (not sure). plus many of them perhaps most (esp tamils) dont know hindi.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Roman: *
There was a recent incident that gave me more insight into how North and South Indians look at eachother. It seems like there is a cultural friction among the two groups that leads to a sense of dislike or resentment on certain occasions. Is that right?
[/QUOTE]

I don't think we dislike each other any more. But we're not comfortable. Northies feel southies have a certain resentment against them. Plus we're so used to walking upto strangers and slapping them on the back. Southies don't do that. I have no doubt they think we're equally strange.

But hyderabadis are a good mix of north and south. very hospitable and outgoing like northies but gentle like southies.

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Right! how many people know that Ash is a southie.

And in Bangalore most people love their meat.

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And in Bangalore most people love their meat.

Believe you me when I say that's not limited to Bangalorites alone.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Mr Xtreme: *
Do South Indians tend towards vegetarianism more or is it only the one's I know. Which admittedly isn't many. There doesn't seem to be many South Indians in the fim industry which seems to suggest a bias.
[/QUOTE]

actually now that I think about it rvikz is a tamil fob i think so he'd know more about the meat eating thing. on a side note a lot of tamil hindus sacrifice animals during religious festivals(post in world affairs no reply i think). i seriously doubt gujus do that.

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^ hahah Roman

Karina, there is place called Trishnas (bong seafood joint in Colaba). Is that it? Trishnas is fantastic.

I hear ya about delhi. But it has changed a lot. On my most recent trip I hung out at the Capital and the pubs in Hauz Kaz Village. Quite nice, mixed crowds.

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Gujjus won't do anything that involves extra expense!

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^ hahah be nice Karinaben

Vaisey, I had never heard of the gujarati mindset until I moved to NYC. I am still trying....

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Trishna and Residency are both fabulous. No I'm talking of this place just behind the back gates of Taj. It looks like a white villa. Mat, if you're into bird wathing go there. After 9 all the beautiful mumbaikers trickle in. The ambience is very NY (apparently the owner is and ex-NYer) and the food is one of the best I have tasted anywhere. Mostly seafood.

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Yeh kabooterbaazi toh delhi ki baat hai madam. ;)