Wednesday, June 22, 2016

How my 'Udta Punjab' is also 'Komal Punjab'

The movie 'Udta Punjab' has attracted eyeballs both in the theatre as well as outside. While I haven't seen the movie as yet but I have seen the terrible hullaballoo around it. From the Arnab Goswami News Hour debate about the movie leaking online to the heavy police cover outside Ludhiana movie halls to the constant raving of people about the acting of Alia, there has been much said and heard about the movie.

Each time I read a review of Udta Punjab, I also read the word Punjab at least 10 times. Its dark politics, the darker deep rooted societal problems and the darkest and much highlighted(in the movie) drug issue. Whilst I know the movie isn't a head on take on defaming Punjab or the culture of my homeland of 25 years but somewhere each time i read about the movie, it saddened me. What the movie was doing for my beloved land was highlighted a big socio-political issue that needs a resolve but it somewhere also maligns the reputation of Punjab.

When i visited my parents in Ludhiana, during my week long stay, I noticed some small things about the udta punjab that i know. Thus i decided to bring forth the smaller things that my state has which perhaps goes unnoticed mostly. Punjabi, the language most widely spoken in Punjab is often mistaken as a very harsh language. I've seen Punjabi speaking people being shun due to the hoarseness of their speech. But is that really so? Is my udta punjab just such a Rough Punjab?
AU CONTRAIRE!
It is one of the most softy state of the country. I don't say so just for support for Punjab but also for things that I noticed during my trip. Where in the country do you hear a 50 year old Rohit Bal Clad Lady talk to the street urchin asking for alms like this- "Tussi Kam Kar ke Paihe Kyu Nahi kama lende PuttarJI?" Notice the PUTTARJI or dear son for those who cannot decipher the lingo.

Punjab is also one of those states in the world where every shop keeper is addressed as Veere or Brother. From the college girl coyly buying sanitary napkins at the medicine shop saying 'Veerji, ek whisper' to the taxi driver who drove us back to Gurgaon telling the toll tax collector that he doesn't have change with - "Sorry Prawa, aaj change nahi hain. Tussi de do." Punjab is Polite, vinamar, courteous and Salikedar.

The domestic helps in my Ludhiana home continue to call me 'Behenji' for as long as I remember. It doesn't make me any more LS(low society) than I already feel when i visit the now modern city. The local vegetable seller who comes in our lane for decades is not an uncle or bhaiya or simply Choudhary( as is his name I learnt this time). But he is 'Chache' for everyone. He doesn't call his shop on wheels - Chache di hatti or anything but he is addressed as Chache because it is more loving than Uncle.

When the newly married igirls n their Jimmy chop shoes and Gucci Bags bargain for their phulkari, the shop keeper doesn't call them Madam. He says, "Parjayi, tussi bade dina baad aaye ho, chai pi ke gal karde ha." PARJAYI aka Bhabhi.

So humble request to all who're watching 'Udta Punjab' from someone who has seen all her growing years in the state to be non-judgemental about the state and only focus on the issue at hand. For Punjab is not 'UDTA' it is also 'KOMAL' 'Sabhya' and everything that polite and courteous means...



  

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