We are a generation of ‘glocal’ parents. From our daily clothing, the language we speak and think in, the international cuisines now a regular part of our home food; to celebrating Valentine’s day, Halloween and Easter the American way with as much enthusiasm as we usher in Holi and Diwali. While I am completely in favour of a world without boundaries and maximum exposure for kids, I think there just might be a need to step back and think if we are overdoing it. Or rather, if we are letting our own rich and diverse culture fade away into oblivion.
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I for India
When we were growing up (sans cable and the internet), global trends trickled in slowly and were aspirational. The India that seeped into our brains was still predominantly about sarees and salwar kameezes, daal and sabzi, local languages, Bollywood and cricket, Ramayan, Mahabharat, Amar Chitra Kathas, Tinkle comics, Satsangs and fasting. We balanced it out with enough Hollywood and MTV later, but the grounding was a solid ‘I for India’.
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As I look at most urban kids around me, especially those under the age of ten, I fear that the same isn’t true for them at all. Let’s look at urban India from their eyes. The food they are introduced to from the beginning is multi-cultural. The clothes they see the adults wearing are a mix as well. The lifestyle is pretty synonymous with any household in the world.
Language is predominantly English, at home as well as in school. The media exposure is largely international, so are all their heroes. The holidays they take are a mix of international and Indian as well. Social media shows up more pictures of little girls in tutus than ghungroos. Ditto for the music, the games and the festivals. To sum it up, we are bringing up a generation of culturally neutral Indians.
While that does have its advantages, what we may be losing completely is pride in the vast and rich heritage that India has. I have a German expat friend, who refuses to send her kids for French class simply on principle, even though most of the classmates attend the class.
Anyone who has been to France has been subject to their refusal to communicate in any language but theirs! These are extreme examples, yes, but they are coming from an upbringing of staunch and unwavering pride and loyalty to who they are. Where they come from. Their roots. On the other hand, a five-year-old kid I know looked at a picture of a temple the other day and called it a castle! My complex had a small Diwali mela where one child performed “lavender’s blue dilly dilly” on the piano, and another did an entire hip-hop dance sequence. On Diwali!
We are a culture that goes back thousands of years; we have yoga and Ayurveda, the shastras and the vedas; and mythology that has more superheroes than Marvel and DC put together. Languages and food and costumes and dance and music that is diverse and drenched in beauty and talent. And we are a whole society of parents who are perhaps letting it all disappear into oblivion. I believe we are proud of our country and our culture.
But I also believe that we are not raising India-proud kids. And we need to. So pick up all those fantastic books by Indian authors that are out there, make more of an effort to celebrate festivals traditionally, and take the time to share Indian classical music and dance and theatre with the children. Tell them about the traditions and teachings of India that are now global, bring back the magic of Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati and all Indian languages. Let’s make ‘being Indian’ a cool way to be. Let’s make our children India-proud!
Image courtesy: topsy.one
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