Marathi Manoos: The real Psyche

My Writings. My Thoughts.

Marathi Manoos: The real Psyche

On » Thursday, January 7, 2010 // In » abu azmi, asmita, assembly, elections, goondaism, India, maharashtra, marathi, oath, politics, pride, raj

It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon. I was sitting with my books, studying for my exams due in January. It said, "Budd Chiari syndrome is a condition characterised by thrombotic occlusion of the hepatic veins." Suddenly I got startled with my Mom's scream (yes! it literally was!)... "Kirti, lavkar ithe ye, he bagh kaay jhaalay!" (Kirti come here quickly, look what has happened!" Whoa! I ran towards my living room, my Mom, Dad and Bro were glued to the T.V. as the dynamic news anchor kept screaming on top of his voice, "Abu Azmi slapped by MNS goons for taking Oath in Hindi.' And then the typical footage tactics followed repeating the 'slapping' sequence in different 'angles'. I saw the whole sequence, it was a very disgusting one! True, as the headlines said, "Black Day in history of Maharashtra". After a long time i happened to break my eye-contact with the anchor and saw my Mom and Dad. They were as much as shocked as me... No one said anything for a moment. But what I could sense was the sign of distress, discontent and sadness on their face… the reason? .....Marathi manoos was getting portrayed the wrong way… by whom?… by the media, Azmi and… the MNS!

I switched the channel. Told my parents don’t watch that thing! Very rarely they don’t argue with me when I say so, that was one moment… For the first time I told them, on my own, to watch the stupid melodramatic soaps instead… at least they were not as meaningless as the drama that unfolded in the assembly! I went in my room, slammed the door behind me, sat on my desk, opened the book, ‘Kawasaki’s disease and its management’ were ready to be gobbled up by me. But I wasn’t… I was disturbed! I closed my book. Rested back…

Someone was hurt… the common Marathi manoos was hurt!

I wanted to vent out the frustration. Then I saw the clock. Opened my lappie, set the timer for 30 mins, and logged into my Blogger account. I knew you guys are the best buddies to ventilate my thoughts to…

Its such a heartbreak to see how we Maharashtrians are being projected as an uncivilized and violent community on the basis of certain incidents that happened in the past few years. I have a strong feeling that my friends and colleagues ‘outside’ Maharashtra must be having a very different outlook towards a Marathi manoos. For you he must be a bully, wearing a kurta, glares, a vermilion mark on his forehead, a thick moustache with a beard, lathis or stones in hand… beating up people! I will be happy if this is just my assumption and not the reality… but if it isn’t still I wont blame you! The Marathi manoos is slowly getting alienated.. He is slowly getting ostracized.

What is projected towards to the people by these young, amateur, beginners in journalism is majorly devoid of the real issues crippling Maharashtra. I hate such kind of biased journalism by the media honkos… For I

believe Maharashtra is not all about Mumbai and Mumbai is not all about Maharashtra. What happened in the assembly could have been avoided. But new comers in the Maharashtra's politics wanted to grab eyeballs right from day One! I don’t support the MNS, neither do I support the SP. Fundamental values have never been a part of my life. For me Azmi and MNS both were wrong in their part. For Azmi, I just cant understand what was the fuss about speaking few sentences in Marathi? If you really respect Marathi as much as your mother (that’s how he defends himself) why are you fooling yourself by saying “I am not well versed in Marathi!!!” I want to ask him. Isn’t Marathi written in the same Devnagari script as is Hindi? And aren't 10 years enoughto learn few words in your 'motherly' language rather than learning the foul language that your son used outside the assembly! No I am not telling you to do so because Raj threatened you to, because MNS people were about to kick you… Do it for the people you represent for, the people of Maharashtra, whose official language is Marathi!

Regarding the so called “Guardians of Marathi Asmita”, you are the self proclaimed rulers, egoistic and arrogant, unknowingly and irresponsibly giving the common Maharashtrian a bad name. I strongly believe the issues that you picked up are not completely meaningless… but your antics have rendered them futile and pointless in the minds of others… Now that people have given you a chance to represent them, go ahead, give them back what they voted you for, shed the ‘dirty’ look you have got for yourself and take up some real issues and gain positive publicity! Bashing up a MLA in the Assembly, that too when Maharashtra is closing in on its 50th anniversary next May, certainly proves that you don’t understand the sanctity of the place you were placed in. If you really want to care for Marathi Asmita, go start a project for farmers in the Vidarbha under Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s name… go take care of the numerous prestigious forts of Maharaj which are in ruins today. Marathi is a very sacred language. Don’t play politics on it. Even I wont stay quiet if someone voluntarily disrespects Marathi.

So the issue is not wrong, but the way is... Azmi, I believed, disrespected it, no doubt, but that’s his nature. He provoked you, you got provoked! And look what you ended up in! He is getting unnecessary publicity and sympathy from everyone, and you..? Got banned for the next 4 years! You let the ‘rowdy’ tag get affixed even more firmer not just on you but even on the common Marathi manoos who has no say in this, who innocently watches your antics in the news and switches channels to avoid getting hurt themselves…

You are committing a much worse crime than anyone else, making your beautiful state now look as a hub of goondaism and dirty politics. But may be I am asking too much from you, aint I? Whatever! I will follow what Barack Obama said, “LETS CHOOSE HOPE OVER FEAR”

(Okay so my timer says 28:17... so let me end this post..)

Yes I hope that the tides will change, this melodrama will end, a Marathi manoos will be seen by ‘others’ the way he actually is… Soft spoken, friendly, emotional and yes... an ardent and a passionate music lover…

avea grijă

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