Nowadays, I have been having trouble answering a very common question people ask me. Let me illustrate it through a dialogue:
Mr. X: Are you staying in Bangalore?
Me: (in my mind) Grrr ! I cannot be staying in Abu Dhabi if I have been coming to your office in Bangalore since the past 3 days!!!
(aloud) Oh Ya! Indiranagar.
Mr X: Own house or rented?
Me: (in the mind) Is he mad?? Oh! Seems he was asking me if I stay in Bangalore
(aloud) Oh! I meant I am currently staying in Bangalore but I am not a native.
Mr X: Oh! So you are a native of?
Me: aa…. (thinking) … I am from the Bombay Practice of KPMG
Mr X: So, you are originally from Bombay?
Me: (in mind) Grrrr … I hate this confusion
(aloud) No actually I am a native of Bhopal
Mr X: But you are a Maharashtrian, right?
Me: (in mind) Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr …. I hate this even more …
(aloud, smiling) Ya! Actually ancestrally our family belongs to Maharashtra. But both my parents were born an brought up in MP – and so am I. (smile again)
Mr X: Oh! I get it (triumphant smile on his face)
Me: (in mind) You better. I don’t like my efforts getting wasted!
(aloud) So? You from Bangalore?
Mr X: Ya!
Me: (in mind) Wow! What luck! Just a two lettered answer ... I wish my life too was as easy ... sigh!
A statue of Vikramaditya at Vikramaditya ka Tila / Vikramaditya's Singhasan Battisi On a recent visit to Ujjain, I found myself drawn to the city's extraordinary blend of history, mythology, and spirituality. As I stood before the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, I reflected on its significance as one of India’s most revered shrines. Yet, amidst these sacred surroundings, I encountered narratives of Vikramaditya - the legendary king of Ujjain, celebrated for his valor and wisdom, who's name resonates from the folklore of locals to every part of India. Every time we celebrate a festival in India, it is marked with a tithi i.e. date as per the Indian calendar - which is called the Vikram Samvat calendar, attributed to being founded by Vikramaditya of Ujjaini (the then name of Ujjain). What struck me, however, was the curious fact that despite Vikramaditya’s pivotal place in Indian cultural memory, his existence as a historical figure lacks definitive evidence. My exploration l...
i can understand ur feelings mate.. i have faced such situations myslef many a times..
ReplyDeletei can still recall one such "most irritating" conversation a few years back..
X:"R u a bengali?"
Me:"Yes"
X:"Where do u stay in Kolkata?"
grrrrrrrrrrrr.....
Come to think of it ... We (Consultants) are supposed to be GLOBAL citizens ...
ReplyDeleteImagine a similar conversation with a person in some 'foren' country with some knowledge of India ....
Some knowledge as they say is more dangerous than Full Knowledge ...
Where are you from ?
India
Oh Bangalore ?
Grrrr .....
No Mumbai
So you work in Bangalore
Grrrrr .....
No Hyderabad / Mumbai
Oh ... so have you ever been to Bangalore
Grrrr.... Grrrr .... Grrr.....