Of Whom is the Rajyotsava?

Rajyotsava is not a festival, it is more than a festival or celebration. It is an attempt of a people of one state, to appreciate the qualities and uniqueness of their people and their land. To appreciate one's own culture is something the new India is forgetting to practice. Some of us consider ourselves to be more American than Indian! But in a way its true, as what we are is what we eat, and don't we like to eat lots of American foods?!

Rajyotsava is celebrated in Karnataka, by the Kannadigas (The Kannada speaking natives, just like Punjabis are from Punjab and Tamilians are from Tamil Nadu, both of which are states in India)...I say this, for my beloved readers from other countries.) India is like your mobile connection provider's tariff plan! You just have a lot of choices and options and superbly tough to comprehend!!!

And now for my Indian friends, especially the ones who stay in Bangalore, Karnataka.

In my work place, a few days ago, we had one senior person from the testing team who expressed his feelings about this project we are all working on, BIG TIME! He said, he was proud to be involved with such a project which is going to shape the culture and the economy of the UK and its people. The project name is PADA (you must have read quite a lot about this in the newpapers...The pensions...automation...NEST etc...yeah...the same one! ). The senior person in a very crisp and articulated English (with which we survive in the IT industry in India and manage to make money for our living) expressed, "I don't know how many of you can relate to this, but I...at some point of time in my life...may be after ten years will say, I WAS A PART OF THAT PROJECT, and I am proud of it, that's the reason I don't mind coming to office on weekends, may be even you should", he added the last part as he was the team lead...now that last line was a motivation strategy!

MY FOREIGN READERS :: The above paragraph is just another example of Indians' dedication and India's commitment to deliver your projects..."A good reason" to invest your money in India and its work force. We still have many such people in our projects.

So why name this post "Of whom is Rajyotsava?"

The simplest answer is, in another hour I will have to leave for office and start working to deliver the project as promised. Thats our commitment to the NEST people. For which I am going to office on Rajyotsava, I AM A TAMILIAN. But I still miss Rajyotsava celebrations. I don't want to work today.

Question: Why would I miss this festival, being a Tamilian?! This is very much a Kannadiga festival.

Answer: I completed my Bachelors in Engineering, in Bangalore and got a job in Bangalore. I have been in Bangalore for 6 years now (thats a considerable period of time). And I see every single festival of Indian states being celebrated in Bangalore with the same enthusiam as it would happen in the state to which that festival belongs to.


Don't we have to appreciate the fact that we (Tamilians, Keralites, Telugites, Marwaris, Punjabis, Saurshtrians, Northies, Nepalese, Pahadis, Maharashtrians etc... sorry if I missed any, add it in this post's comment (if you feel so!!!) ) are living happily in Bangalore? Has Karnataka denied us any of the luxuries? We,( atleast I ) feel more at home in Bangalore, than my own birthplace . We merrily buy properties in Bangalore, dance in its clubs, drink in its pubs, binge in its restaurants, stay chilled in its weather! What else do we need to celebrate this city?

This is exactly why I say, Rajyotsava is not a Kannadiga festival. "It is more of our festival". The festival of those non-natives of Karnataka, who have made their lives in Bangalore and have had the best of what Developing India had to offer them just because they live in Bangalore.

But again, no time to appreciate such great things, when people are proud about working for UK and asked us to work on Rajyotsava (Mine...A Tamil Bangalorean's festival). So I will be leaving to office in sometime!
The least I could do was to encrypt this thought into a blogpost and this is for that REAL THING I am proud about, "India, Bangalore, Diversity...and Indians!".

I might not have done justice to this topic...In that case, or may be, even if thats not the case...
"YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME" :)