Reflections of a language learner

“Learning a new language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.”

I was born to a bilingual family, so I really do not remember what it was like for me as a kid to learn English or Telugu.  Learning Hindi was also easy for me; I did not have to put in many efforts – thanks to Bollywood and the life in Delhi. But recently I have taken up French because I wanted to do something out of the box. As a CA student being bound by taxes and law I wanted to do something new and different and narrowed my search down to learning a foreign language i.e. French.

As a CA student my mind always questioned and demanded for logical reasoning in everything I learnt. My mind is conditioned in such a way to provide my client with the best solution for his legal problem. Once I stepped into this new language world my mind tried changing its somewhere constant world to look into other simpler aspects in life. My otherwise questioning mind stopped questioning here because a language has certain rules and they have to be accepted. Some things simply cannot provide logic and this is one of them.

I have become a curious kid in the classroom once again. Each class made the language even more challenging. It reminded me of a child making silly mistakes while learning how to read and write and yet excelling in it after consistent learning and by accepting the challenge in making mistakes.  It also opened up my thought process and made me aware of foreign culture.

The learning was never monotonous. It was never one sided. Each day was different. Sometimes it was a team effort and other times it was only an individual’s effort. As adults we always like to speak only after gaining some knowledge in the language but here the story is different. Anybody can learn a foreign or a new language with the right guidance.

All of us enjoy reading books, listening to music, watching movies. Imagine a new world with new books, new songs and new movies. That’s what language does to you. It gives you wings to explore a new beautiful world.

Hindi is not our National language

Most Indians assume that Hindi is the National Language of India. The truth, though, is not that simple. Hindi is just an official language of the country or the Union and there are regional languages which could be the official languages of various states.

I am a south Indian, my mother tongue being Telugu, I can speak  Hindi and English effortlessly. Few years ago, when I started my journey in Delhi I didn't know a single word in Hindi. A lot of people asked me why I couldn’t converse in our national language i.e Hindi according to them. What people fail to understand is that India is a conglomeration of many linguistic sub-nations and even after 70 years of independence people are still ignorant of the fact that India doesn’t have one national language but has 22 official languages.

People forget to notice the existence of different languages in different states of India which are completely different from each other. The culture of each state is different. The values, principles, beliefs and customs; all differ from state to state and intra-state differences are also found in  numerous cases. When are people going to accept these huge dissimilarities amongst people?

But the fight over supremacy of language in India started before independence and is still continuing. Why should there be one language to be prioritized? And why should that language be Hindi?

In a secular and diverse country like India where many languages are spoken by the people, promoting and making only one language(Hindi) as National Language will not quantify us as following the principle of equality. A lot of statistics claim that more than 50% of Indians talk in Hindi whereas the truth is not even close. How can someone mix Marwari into Hindi and mix it with the Hindi speaking statistics? The former comes from Rajasthani whereas the later is Hindi altogether a diferent one.

Non Hindi States language is safe even when English is being used but, in Hindi imposed states regional languages are on threat.A lot of people from the north India come from various other languages like Punjabi, Haryanvi, Rajasthani etc. but they fail to learn and write in their own language as Hindi is being implemented in their respective states. Making one language superior to others will only end embracing other languages equally.

It is immoral that the onus of national integration should be placed squarely on the shoulders of non-Hindi speakers while Hindi speakers get a free-pass throughout India. Imposition is a form a violence.If at all, all the languages mentioned under Schedule VIII of the constitution are equally national languages of India, and no special place can or should be given to Hindi.

We are taught right from childhood to respect each other, but somehow this does not find a manifestation when it comes to respecting the heterogeneity of the Indian society. With respect comes unity, with unity comes strength and a sense of belonging which would help us stand united and lead us on to grow in a holistic manner.

Can there be Rape in Marriage? Marital Rape

Among many current issues happening around us, I have chosen to write about this subject, since we are still showing ignorance about it.

Ruby got married when she was 19. Like every other girl in India, Ruby thought that her husband would be her protector. She was overwhelmed with tears of joy, as she considered her dream fulfilled. But things took a different turn.

On her first night of marriage, instead of receiving care and love, Ruby was forced and assaulted. She was raped seven times on that first night.

Why did the concept of marriage come into existence?

The whole concept of marriage was created just to determine the paternity of children in ancient India. Its essential components were intercourse, procreation, and living together with mutual responsibilities for the care of offspring. The institution of marriage gave respectability to women and enhanced their personal happiness.

Slowly, it enjoined on the wife the duty of attendance, obedience to and veneration for the husband, and the obligation to live with him wherever he might choose to reside.

Women had to be careful about what they wore and said, where they went. They had to be diffident and ‘modest.’ In a hundred little ways, men were made to feel intelligent, good, powerful, knowledgeable, right, smart, and attractive by the women in their lives. This whole attitude gave rise to many social evils, and one of them is marital rape.

WHAT IS MARITAL RAPE?

Marital rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one’s spouse without the spouse’s consent. It is a form of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

In India, with its patriarchal mindset, women post-marriage are considered to be the property of men, with no independence over their bodies. Once married, men think that any sort of sex they indulge in with their wives is normal. In such a marriage, a wife’s relationship with her husband is to be subjected to physicality and his bodily pleasures, rather than being touched with the eternal bliss and bloom of the vows the couple took. The very steps of their lives with each other are defeated.

Right from our upbringing, with a high illiteracy rate, poverty, extreme religious beliefs, and the very ‘sanctity’ of marriage, women are taught to respect men in their families and are expected to be more responsible for maintaining the decorum of the family. They are expected to be modest and responsible from childhood. On the other hand, boys are brought up in such a way that either their mothers or sisters are responsible for their daily chores. Right from this stage, domination comes into the minds of boys and girls at a very tender age. Once this is inculcated in their blood, most women do not even know that the option of NO exists, even after marriage—and especially in bed. In some cases, women do not even know that they have the right of an option when it comes to sex, as they are always inclined to satisfy their husbands’ every desire.

This brings us to a question: Is marriage in India a contract for legal sex, among other things, where a man doesn’t need to ask for permission and is free to impose himself on a wife?

For a minute, let us forget about rape that happens outside of marriage. What are we doing to prevent rape after marriage? Are our girls educated about their rights? Oh, sorry, they are in fact educated the opposite. Oh, sorry, are girls even educated?

But can there be two yardsticks to define rape—the rape of an unmarried woman and that of a married woman? Is it acceptable to discriminate against a woman just because she is married to the man who raped her?

A lot of social movements have been started and a lot of work is being done to change the existing law to punish rape in India, but marital rape is still not discussed and very little is being done. When rape outside of marriage is difficult to prevent, it seems that many forget about marital rape. ‘We have a lot of wolves in the street but sometimes they live inside our house under sheep's skin.’

There is also a need to educate the masses about this crime, as the real objective of criminalizing marital rape can only be achieved if society acknowledges and challenges the prevailing myth that spousal rape is inconsequential.

In to the world of make up

A face with a creamy foundation, eyes that look extra black with eyeliner on the lids, lashes that look elongated, red cherry lips which have a coat of lipstick and the list goes on. Make up -A world of a woman which keeps most of the men confused.

Most of the women like experimenting in almost everything that forms a part of their appearance. So what is wrong when they choose to express themselves through make up? At some point or the other we all hear to such stereotypical questions and opinions from various sources - Make up means you aren’t naturally beautiful, and it means you desperately want to look beautiful. It is for those people who would want to catch some attention and also for people who do not have enough morality to accept the way they look. People who spend money on makeup are sometimes considered to be anti- intellect. I have seen many men dominating women even when it comes to their personal choice of how they like themselves to be looked.

It is a natural truth that each one of us wants to look good but, looking good to oneself is sometimes more important than looking good to others. Women enjoy choosing from various colours, matching things and putting them all together. It shows their creativity and is a way of expressing themselves. It is not an easy task to do all these so perfectly. Men on the other hand like women being simple as they do not understand the intent behind putting in such huge efforts.

Makeup opens doors, communicates, and individualizes. It is sad that many of my peers denigrate makeup lovers as shallow and pandering for male attention, while in reality, physical appearance is one of the most influential factors in dealing with other people. Make-up isn’t about beauty at all. I enjoy being artistic, and hence, creating different looks. The outcomes of the looks I create also depend on my mood. It also makes me feel confident.

There’s no shame in embracing color, and no, it says nothing about intelligence. Sure, there are cheap thrills and negative stereotypes, but who cares? Make up thrills women and the obsession for it can make them happy by being able to change their appearance almost instantly. But no, how do we explain it to men? From head to toe, the way you carry yourself speaks it all, being it with make up or without make up is ones personal choice. Let us learn to respect each other’s choice of expressing themselves and make this world a colorful place.

BOLD EDUCATION- BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW

A human invests most of his growing age in our education system entrusting on them to make him a strong independent Man. He would be rubbed on various topics and is expected to become a saint in all the scripts taught to him. He would graduate and finally would be eligible to tear his bubble and enter the real world dreaming to fly high with the wings that his graduation has given him. 

When a child is bullied at school that’s when his first failure picks up, as 99% of them do not speak up and silently accept whatever is happening with them. The same child grows up with the same acceptance in his mind and let the society bully him forever as he would still not know how to tackle it. When the problem becomes serious, they would think they are too old to take support from others and it slowly develops into depression. 

 

A baby is taught how to eat food, walk, play and what not everything right after they attain the age to learn and capture things keeping future in mind. The question I have for the people who are responsible in designing a child’s future map - Why do they not give importance to grow the mental health of the child? I am sure all the parents, teachers and everyone who is old enough know how things work in the real world and that these things are not inculcated in the so called education system that we are in. Is it that the society expects us to learn by ourselves because the older generations did the same or is it because the law makers just want to produce such talent which obviously is weak compared to such talent which would have been strong had mental ability been put into implementation at a very young age? People often heard that staying happy is the ideal life but one never highlights how to get into the state of happiness once they fall of it.

The need of the hour is to change our education in such a way that it would build necessary survival skills in children such as speaking up and voicing opinions boldly. By learning skills that promote self determination as a young child, would pave a colourful way for them to effectively use their voice or other means to speak up on their own behalf. Children need very clear expectations, protection from harm, and loving guidance from the adults in their lives. Our education system needs to provide opportunities that would develop the skills necessary to make an individual independent as well as to interact freely and joyfully within their environment. These few minor changes can give thousands of brains a silver lining and would make the future of our country a new ‘bold beautiful’.

Familiar Surnames vs. Fame

The new birth right which Indian society has been giving to few lucky births in this rapidly growing country is profession and fame for the generations being born to celebrities. Be it Ranbir Kapoor or Rahul Gandhi it is passing on for generations now and can have a huge influence in the lives of other equally deserving people who do not have a great house hold name. Despite royal titles having been abolished, Indians can’t seem to give up on the idea of dynastic rule.

Be it any sphere of life, we tend to trust the generations preferring to take over irrespective of whether they might deserve or not. Be it Business, Bollywood, Politics and Profession it is evident all over in the country.

There are names that outshine the ones with familiar surnames and can be a challenge for them to prove the common man vs. the great grand fame being inherited. People say that a child has to carry on the legacy created by their ancestors and outshine them, but the same child need not sacrifice his interests and lead life that is being dictated just to make it to the headlines.

 I often heard ‘Rahul Gandhi did not have an option?’ but what happened when he started his action in the political arena?. It’s all about a person and his persona, hard work which will make him succeed and mere surname and no hard work will not hide your weaknesses. Few children become a mere liability by causing damage to the so called name by not performing well in the passed on career. Be it Sonam Kapoor , Abhishek Bachan it clearly indicates the fall if you do not possess the inbound qualities of their past generations.

At the end of the day the quality matters. Dynasty can help in giving a good start to one’s career but later on the talent and knowledge sails the person.

Demonetisation for a new India

Narendra Modi, first prime minister who really made some huge progress when it comes to attacking one of the biggest social evils ‘black money’. I am not a Pro BJP person nor a person who blindly supports Modi , but one should really appreciate the secrecy and suddenness which was maintained in announcing ‘Demonetisation’. This man showcased few wonderful leadership tactics. His boldness and decisiveness made him stand out. He brought a sense of optimism especially among honest people, educated and salaried employees. That night we really saw the upper class scurry and beating their heads trying to escape the nets of the tax officers.

 Every decision has both pros and cons and the same is with demonetisation. This is one of the biggest moves taken by India after 1991. So here I intend to present my view on both sides of the coin.

This exercise is a major assault on the poor. There are people who do not have bank accounts and would have faced difficulties in exchanging the old notes with the banks. Small business men would have seen a sudden drop in sales as the cash flow was at a minimal for a month or two. But these issues were solved eventually. If things work out, the government can compensate the poor by passing on the benefits received by it by the tax offenders. This could be done by allocating the expenditure in such activities which can do a greater good to the society.

Black money is much more in the form of gold, real estate, commodity stocks and offshore accounts. Cash is not the biggest factor contributing to the black money. Once the notes are banned the prices of real estate also fell steadily. Indirectly demonetisation would have an effect on all the sectors where unaccounted money is involved. (We may never know if a new scheme is being introduced to catch the black money stored in such other instruments too). However, it also made carrying large amounts of money in a smaller briefcase with the introduction of 2000rs notes.

Demonetisation has demanded for a huge investment by the government in re calibrating the ATMs, printing new notes and a lot more. There was also a huge burden on the bank employees. However, it can actually benefit long term prosperity of India. People had to stand in long lines to withdraw their own money. But we can also think it in this way:-  Numerable patriots have laid their precious lives for freeing our nation from alien rule, therefore, in order to free us from this social evil we all can endure it smilingly. Inconveniencing ourselves for a greater good is always better than suffering forever.

Funding for criminal activities is mostly done through unaccounted money. There will be a stop on these criminal activities due to the note ban at least for a while. When government’s budgeted expenditure is more than the revenue it is termed as fiscal deficit. Now due to demonetisation tax revenue would increase the revenue in the hands of the government hence reducing the fiscal deficit.

As the levels of unaccounted cash dropped in the economy, the demand for goods and services would drop which in turn keeps a check to the inflation levels. Demonetisation has also waived off the whole black market of making illegal currency.

 Foreign investments into the Indian markets would increase only when our country has a good credit rating. Due to political stability and economic transparency credit rating agencies would upgrade the credit score of India which would increase the scope for more foreign investments.

   

The transition towards digitisation and a cashless economy will definitely help curb corruption in the long run. The increased transparency and record of transactions will make it considerably difficult to hold black money and carry out under-the-table deals hence making corruption difficult.                       

          

Economists are busy in listing out many more merits and demerit of this policy. The government is saying that there are only advantages of demonetisation policy and this will be seen in the long term. Definitely Modi has created a positive wave among the masses and we have climbed a step in a hope towards change.