Yet to discover a lot...

On my usual 'mission' of exploring places, I today learnt a new lesson. One which has changed the dimension to look at my own country.
Today a subtle unfolding of the deep lying ideas within the rural Indians' mind bewildered me.
I have always confined myself to dress the 'Indian way' whenever I visit some village or some rural-truly Indian- places...adhering to the "when in Rome, do as the Romans"!
Adjusting my 'duppatta'; I entered a typical Hindu 'wada' on the banks of Godavari,intending to comprehend the world outside which was so in me by now. Walking through the darkened passages leading to spacious rooms, I was experiencing time travel... (!!) Occasionally interrogating the residents about the place and the architecture, I carried on my hunt for more. 
However, a remote sense of being 'unwanted' embarrassed me. My friend however moved and communicated with ease with the inmates and was receiving a warm welcome and acceptable answers to his questions. Feeling this to be just my mind games, I ignored it and focused on the visual treasure in front of me.


After an hour or so, the pinching feeling inside me grew strong. The ignorance by the inmates their was also evident. I was reduced to a mere appendage loitering behind the art and history lovers having a stroll in that grand abode.
Restless, I whispered in my friend's ear...sadly loud enough to be heard by Shantitai (one who was showing us the place).
And she screamed with amusement..."You are really Indian??!!"  I was taken aback!
Later she explained.
She thought the book I was holding and occasionally scribbling on, was some "marathi kosh" (dictionary) enabling me to communicate in Marathi. ( Even I then recalled, I talking only after glancing at the book). Also, she felt my looks to be not of an Indian. She mistook my skin color and the brown freshly shampooed hair to be of some foreign origin! Plus, she felt my attire to be just a fascination of the east. And about my english, she said that the "Thank you" sounded too Americanized for an Indian tongue!
Jeez! So deceptive?!


Later I concluded on some things...
Never to stay indoors and look fair prior to a rural visit, to tie up or wear plaits in the hair as most women do, wear a bindi when I visit such place, not to use a sunscreen, to talk more in the regional dialect, to get used to traditional Indian clothing so that I seem to be at ease wearing that!
Phew! What a morning!


But I discovered a new thing deeply set. The affinity for 'our' people! My friend, inspite of wearing western clothes, was welcomed warmly. Is it because of the iota of insecurity still persistent inspite of so many generations of peaceful co-existence?
I need to go deep down to the roots.
But the morning taught me... to be Indian, feel Indian. :)