Kumar Ketkar, editor of the Marathi newspaper Lok Satta, writes in the Indian Express on Raj Thackeray‘s specious claim that his only aim (in targetting Biharis, etc) is to protect the cultural identity of Maharashtra and to prevent the Marathi language from being corrupted.
“The fact of the matter is that the language is already corrupted beyond redemption by the Marathi middle class, which sends its children to English medium schools, and by the private Marathi TV channels. Neither the Shiv Sena, in its 42 years of active socio-political life and five-year rule, nor its unrecognised heir, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, ever came up with a concrete programme to promote Marathi language and culture.
“There are no Marathi art galleries, no Marathi theatres or bookshop chains, no Marathi restaurants, no Marathi museums, no Marathi clubs. No Marathi private channel can claim exclusive Marathi ownership. Almost no Marathi marriage has a quintessentially Marathi menu (which is quite varied and delicious) and the lingua franca of the Marathi elite is English. The so-called Marathi pride is therefore a manifestation of self-generated cultural isolation in a rapidly globalising world. It also reflects the inferiority complex of the vast lower-middle class (urban and rural), which has not managed to be upwardly mobile.”
Read the full article: Uncle, nephew, people
Also read: ‘Parochialism offers an easy resistance to change’
churumuri 
Why is “a rapidly globalising world” necessarily desirable? Airconditioned vegetable shops are putting our cart vegetable sellers out of business.
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But this should not be reason to instigate violence against innocent folks..is it not?
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Dwindling usage of Marathi or Kannada in their respective bastions is indeed troubling. But what it begs, is an introspection rather than blatant chavunism — the kinds self appointed and largely self serving outfits like KRVs and MNSs employ. These organizations do more harm than good and in the end, add to the problems. When people realize their language is suffering, they will stand up and show spine. You see flashes of that in Karnataka when not sidelined by KRVs antics..
Read this article in TIME : Postcard Bangalore : http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1734816,00.html?imw=Y about ‘Dale Carnegie Training’ and their courses to help with language-culture adaptation for IT aspirants when dealing with overseas clients. Bangalore, from being accused of stealing jobs, to providing Dale Carnegie an opportunity to teach our youngsters to be better prepared, is coming a full circle — irrespective if it’s good or bad for us. So, not sure if “a rapidly globalising world” is needed ; but it is a reality. It has it’s share of pains, but eventually things do balance out. For all the erosions of culture we talk of, we also have new flavors of chitra santhes, halli manes and halli thindis come up..
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” The so-called Kannada pride is therefore a manifestation of self-generated cultural isolation in a rapidly globalising world. It also reflects the inferiority complex of the vast lower-middle class (urban and rural), which has not managed to be upwardly mobile.”
Very True
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Globalization is a catch phrase that seems to justify imposition of all things “foreign” on a local culture (city, state, country or other level) for which there should universal acceptable without debate or discourse. This phenomenon aims to shrink a heterogenous world in to world of few dominant orders (language, religion, lifestyle). This is the great debacle of the 21st century where a language of over 2000 years of history can very well be thrust to thresehold of oblivion all in the name of globalization.
Kannada is only one of the many languages feeling the squeeze from the tentacles of English and “Hindi”ization of India.
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“The so-called Kannada pride is therefore a manifestation of self-generated cultural isolation in a rapidly globalising world. It also reflects the inferiority complex of the vast lower-middle class (urban and rural), which has not managed to be upwardly mobile.”
This is complete and utter BS. You are making a very myopic statement on “Kannada Pride”. Kannada pride has existed a thousand a years before your “rapidly globalizing world”.
Kuvempu and Alooru Venkataraya had Kannada Pride, now please enlighten me what sort of inferiority complex they might have had?
Suri looks at a long sentence written in English with some choice words and goes yes! yes! that has to be correct!
and then there is KP who will do anything to get a few more hits. Please spend more than 10 mins and think before you post something.
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I dont understand this nonsense when people say, “Parents are sending their children to English speaking schools” and then concur that there is no prilde among Marathians for Marathi. What crap.
I wear a Timex (from america), did my education in North America, speak English at office, my clothes are from Arrow (again from the US). Does it then qualify that someone question my identity as an Indian? Did no one hear that famous song from the past “Mera Jootha hey Japani, pathloon Englishstaani….phir be dil hey hindustani”. When did speaking in English or a desire to speak one become a problem?
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spindoc says “But this should not be reason to instigate violence against innocent folks..is it not?”
Dear sir, is it possible that you frame the question as “Why is the rest of India going to dogs and why is there never an attempt by the rest of India to catch upto cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad etc?”
As it is very well known, violence on North Indian Immigrants also reflects on the north indian political establishment, the same whores and pimps who do anything to keep their rule even at the cost of providing jobs to a select few that they have to cry “mommy” and come down to the south to get a job.
Pray, tell me, sir, why should the South pay for the failings of the north?
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Very poor and incorrect analysis. Obviously, the writer is convent-educated and rich. So all those who are middle class and are proud of their mother tongue suffer from inferiority complex and are not able to go ‘upwardly mobile’ like him and serve the States and MNCs. You English bootlickers!
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Spindoc,
These innocent people should think of the reasons behind their plight, go back to their home states and voteout the Mayavati’s and Lallu’s of power.
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Dear Suri,
It is the superiority complex of the north indian immigrants which is instaigating the kannada pride or maratha pride.
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Kannadigare, no matter what we think or say, English is a fact of life. It is not going to go away, replaced neither by Kannada nor any of the other tongues of our nation. Our best best bet is to learn to live with it and at the same time make sure that Kannada is respected in our own land. Being pro-Kannada is not the same thing is being anti-English. Most of those who demonize English are unfamiliar with it. I sometimes suspect they are not very knowledgeable about Kannada either.
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Why is everyone getting gung-ho about what is being written here by churumuri? All it is saying is right. Replace Marathi with Kannada, and you’ll find the state that we’re in. And thinking like that is right – is what churumuri is pointing out.
A point we need to clearly be aware of is the real use of language, and the fact that a language is meant for us, and not us for language. So a language is but in our midst for our benefit and improved lifestyle. So talking about one’s language and thinking about progress and welfare of a society based on this language is but the pinnacle of wise thinking and not in any angle chauvinism or parochialism or any such crap!
Besides, a point that needs to be clear in our minds is about globalisation. Globalisation is not about accepting the outside world as it is and blindly following it on its footsteps. Instead it is about proving your own self and finding ways to sell that across the globe. This globe is a liberal market place for everyone in this globalised world. If we have it in us, we’ll win. Do we have what it takes, needs an aatmaavalokana
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Intelligent comments. Reality is different. This is what happened to me today. Went to Tanishq in Bangalore next to manipal Centre with my family to purchase, wife requests in kannada the customer service rep replys in English and brings an other person to help. We explain in detail what we want in kannada he seems to understand in bits but makes a genuine attempt to understand but then an other lady comes and asks my wife if she can speak to him in his native langauage because he is from an other state. Because of the attitude of people like this person in Tanishq orhanisations like KRV and the MNS in Mumbai are becoming a force. Many instances like this. Van Huesen in Jayanagar when I asked him a question in kannanda he tells me bluntly on my face “I don’t understand what you are saying”. Attitude, respect for local culture and local people is important. All the three are missing with people coming to Bangalore from other states. Kannadigas are real nice people, they try and make an outsider comfortable by trying to talk in his language and learning the other person’s language but that is costing a kannadiga a lot.
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Van Huesen is but premium mens-wear saar.. talking in Kannada inside such shops is like going shopping to such shops in your underwear! You’re looked-“down” upon if you talk (back) in Kannada inside such shops. The moment you step an inch out of such places, you can breath easy in Kannada, if you wish to!
Your expectation to hear Kannada inside a VanHuesen shop is but a tall claim, and a demand for a right not among a Kannadiga’s privileges on his own land!!!!!! So what if this is Kannada land, we’ve all sold ourselves to these bastards that dont want to recognise the presence of our rich culture in this new place that they’ve entered.
In fact, let us do the same when (and if) we migrate to a land speaking their tongue. According to this attitude there’s a strong rift building between groups of different linguistic backgrounds. Believe me, becoming one with the colour of your surroundings is but the only way our setup can become a success. Otherwise, we’ll be writing comments like this forever on a stupid blog-page like this!!
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If the fact of the matter is that your mother is dyin’ of cancer, then the fact of the matter is not that you freakin’ argue that she’s dyin’ of cancer and sit back doing nothin’. The fact of the matter is that you get up and do what it takes to cure the cancer – radiotherapy, chaemotherapy and stuff.
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I wish I could agree with some of the writers that globalisation is a gift meant to confer the ability to lead a decent life on everybody. Globalisation’s other name is neo-colonisation. Colonisation proceeded apace without the consent of those colonized. But neo-colonisation co-opts those whose goods and services it wants at the lowest possible price or no price at all.
If we can say everybody in Bengaluru as well as Mankuthimmanahalli now has a mobile and a TV and that these are among the benefits of globalization, we need to think twice. Those are things one can do without, and we did for a long time.
Globalisation for those whose incomes are astronomical by Indian standards has meant seeing the erosion of the core values of our lives and our becoming victims of mindless consumerism. Like its counterparts elsewhere, Bengaluru now has more junk than it knows what to do with. Precious agricultural land, long the hallmark of rural India, is transformed into industrial zones, which, again, dump their poisonous, carcinogenic pollutants on everybody. Precious agricultural land is now the object of strip mining, the ore extracted with the laborers not getting a even a fraction of what they deserve for their hazardous, life-threatening work. Those who reap the benefits of cheap labor and land proudly proclaim their wealth in the thousands of crores and win races for public office so that no one can ever hold them responsible for their economic crimes. Ideally, those who are wealthy should be beyond corruption, but wealth derived through corruption leads to more corruption. The saddest thing of all is that instead of being indignant about the illegal wealth garnered by the few, we seem to be amazed and sanctifying being robbed by the very people whose money is our sweat and right to clean air and water.
Now the sinfully wealthy are out to create the master illusion that even those who are penniless can lead a life of ease. Hence the promise of free everything to the electorate. Eventually, not only is what is promised not delivered, but expecting something for nothing strips us of our self-respect and autonomy.
Churumuri has published many articles about what life used to be like in the good old days. See the latest by Ranjana Rao from New York, for example. I too remember the good old days of milk delivered at home, vegetable vendors selling produce in the mornings and flowers sold anywhere with a small concentration of people. I also remember being able to cross the street almost in any town in a reasonable amount of time. Globalisation is pretty much putting small vendors out of business, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and four-wheelers meant for roads and not our narrow streets and lanes crowd pedestrians out everywhere. We may now be seeing a few traffic cops covering their faces with gauze masks to keep their lungs safe from dust and toxic fumes, but it won’t be long before almost every face in our cities will be covered by such hideous protective devices.
To be colonised by the rapacious West was one thing, but to be neo-colonised by our own people is quite another. Our ignorance, lack of civic sense, and the consequent inability to act on our own behalf are literally making us all a party to our own destruction. An uneducated, or economically miseducated, populace is the greatest gift to the Mallyas, the Gowdas, and the rest of the robber barons too numerous to mention.
We need a million Gandhis now, and each one speaking the language of his people to be any use.
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Tookadisi Tookadisi Biddaru nimmajja nammajja mutthajja!
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Absoultely well said Mr.Pulikeshi. I am not sure if this posting will be deleted as there are lot of people here who will die for their language! In the end there is no need for them to die, as we are heading for certain destruction, in this rate there is nothing to panic, all other outsiders will be decimated including the sathyus and the anatha murthis as pralaya in the form of mother earth’s anger is certain as it is fuelled by our incessant greed and conspicious consumption that blindly apes a misguided lifestyle! We need Gandhi and independent thought not hate!
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If his only intention is to preserve the Marathi language, why does not Raj start a grammar school?
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As a person living in bengaluru for 10 years, I share the apprehension of my friends here. Though my mother tongue is Tamil, I am comfortable speaking kannada.Grossly I found many of my kananda speaking frds switch over to hindi when they are in their own state outside their homes! I can say confidently 100% that Hindi wont be used by tamils/Telugus/Mallus unless they are in the group of ppl who can’t even understand english! Again I have seen many of my kannada speaking frds enjoying Tamil/Hindi movies but calling their lang movies a total ‘crap’. Remmber frds our mother tongue is first,though u may like/love other lang.If there is a state where you can hear hindi songs in Kannada FM..it has to be in K’TAKA alone. As i have lived in Hyderabad and Chennai as well….I have come to a conclusion that only if mother tongue is given its due respect,a state can flourish. And another pt to add is much of the floating population(Tamils,Telugu and Hindi) belong to IT…Sadly, our state ppl are not represented even in Infosys where i can see only Tamils and Telugus. why so? Don’t we have adequate engg colleges? Aren’t they up to the standard? Wat abt the central Govt JOBS? y is that kannadigas are not in top positions? When their counterparts in TN and AP are exceedingly doing well in UPSC,y not our state? Think friends…
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People please remember one thing which everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten these days. Language is a communication medium and nothing else.
It should be used to build bridges and not walls. Some Marathi people in Mumbai (I am a Marathi Mumbaikar) or some Kannada people in Bengaluru (I am presently in Bengaluru) have fallen prey to some language biased self proclaimed moral leaders. But please dont generalize this for every body.
No body needs to worry about Marathi and Kannada. They are not at all endangered, these languages were present long before these leaders were born and will be long present after them.
If you analyze the problem to its root, its not about language at all, but about hatred towards migrant population, Actually we just don’t want out fellow Indian brothers from other states to come to our cities and create competition in out job market and we cover this fact using linguistic and cultural issues.
We just deliberately tend to forget that we all are Indians.
Marathi and Kannada have a long historical relationship which is not going to be washed out so easily. If you want to check it out, please visit any places of south Maharashtra like Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur or in north Karnataka like Karvar, Belgaum, Hubli, Bijapur. The religious practices, culture, food and the way they dress is completely same.
We always get comments about how much Tamilans love their mother tongue, yes it is true (I studied college in Coimbatore). But it is not true that they dont want to learn other languages at all (Except for the Karunanidhi clan). Please understand their plight they dont have a choice, the state govt. doesnt allow them to learn Hindi (Uptil a few years back it wasn’t taught in schools).
But can’t you people see that it is the reason why not many Tamilans are out side their home state. I have seen many talented young tamil engineers hesitating to take jobs out side Tamil Nadu. They cannot survive Mumbai, Delhi etc. Job opportunities have became very less of them and it is an unaffordable loss for India as a nation to waste this much talent.
Yes mother tongue is important, it depicts our cultural identity, but it is our responsibility to teach our children about our heritage, I know a lot of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu based Marathi families — Karnataka based Tamil families and Tamil Nadu based Marathi, Kannada, Telgu families where their children can speak fluently in their respective mother tounges.
A person who loves his language, respects other languages as well.
To respect our mother tongues is different and to have an obnoxious pride about it where we undermine our fellow countryman’s culture about is totally different.
I know many people may not like what I have written here.
You can abuse me, put up hate posts and glorify my family as well (sarcasm).
But before you do that please give a second thought to what I am trying to express.
Jai Hind.
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everyone loves his mother-tongue you have no right to use such words for other languages be an indian first then kannadiga
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