Thursday 29 January 2009

Where Are You From?

I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked this question. The idea behind it has always escaped me. Every time I move into a new social setting, unfailingly, someone asks it of me. I hate it, from the very core of my being. What is it supposed to determine?

I never give a straight answer. Mostly, I just ask people to guess; seeing how there are just 28 states in the country, you can only really go wrong 27 times. Unless I’m from a Union Territory, in which case, I can snag you on a technicality. Even then, that’s just 7 more.

But since it is such a popular question, here is the answer.

 

 

I come from a father who never shied away from using humour and sarcasm on his children, schooling them both for life and in intelligence. From a man who never brought his work home with him. A man who, whether he knows it or not, taught me to love grammar as I do.

I come from a mother who fiercely protected (and continues to attempt to protect) her children from every evil in the world, and succeeded for the most part of fifteen years. From a woman who poured her love for music into me for as long as I can remember.

I come from a family, from cousins who treated me as most people treat only their friends, as equals in all respects. From endless games of Boggle and Teen Patti played late into the night. From a group of like-minded, yet distinct individuals who subconsciously brought out the best in each other. I come from fifteen different music tastes melded into one.

I come from twelve years of everyday sport, of cricket, football, badminton and table tennis. I come from a childhood spent diving on grass, mud, gravel, shale and asphalt alike. I come from fifteen years spent running barefoot, over whatever the terrain may offer.

Last, and definitely nor the least, I come from surprisingly large groups of surprisingly close friends; at home, in school and through my three colleges. From theosophical discussions and professor bashing in dusty lecture halls.

That is where I come from.

14 member protest rally:

Preeti said...

Thats an overwhelming introduction, jayant...

what struck me the most was the fact that how significant is the contribution of family members both immediate and relative in making us what we are...

i also identified with the cousins bit because we are also a supergang that got together during summer vacations and marriages and created anarchy...

Good one... :-)

PS: i remember asking you this question... :-(

Che said...

"That is where I come from."
TWSS???
hmm nah, too crude.

jhayu said...

@ Preeti.
Perhaps not the Mack truck I expected it to be..
And as I recall, it was Still who asked.

@ Maniak.
Dude, when you type, it's pretty much the same as when you speak. No one, save you, knows WTF you just said.

jhayu said...

@ Muduu.
Thanks for the overly verbose comment... = P

Natasha said...

are u fifteen years old?? :-/


my wv says whinkies.. hehe how cute

BuntyCobra said...

Hahahaha...I can so relate to this.
If I give them a straight honest answer that I'm a bihari rajput,i get frowns and retarded looks which suggest the stereotypical image they have of us in their minds.
So I get kinda shifty and ask them to guess "where do I come from?"

I guess everybody loves making generalizations.

jhayu said...

@ The Pearly Pink Bunny Queen.
No, I wasn't allowed to run outside barefoot for the first few. = P

@ curlyconman.
I feel your pain man...

Priyanka said...

I like the place from where you come. And if u are going to give me that answer every time, I would keep asking you that question...

Menaka said...

wow... i have never seen you that outright honest with no guess-work required from readers/other person in a conversation... especially about yourself!

jhayu said...

@ Pinkesh.
Well, you should... You do make up a part of iot... =p

@ Men a.k.a Warrior.
What to do... The question really kinda gets on my nerves...

Deepali said...

Nicely said :)

Of course people will always keep asking you 'where are you from?'...

jhayu said...

@ Deepali.
Thanks.. And yeah, I know. My blog isn't that popular yet.

Anonymous said...

That's a fabulous place, indeed.

jhayu said...

@ fishbowl.
It really is... maybe I should have thrown the question back at people at the end of it...

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