Namesake-Revisited, Family, America and much more…

I had starting writing this post sometime back but hadn’t posted it because of the last post on mangoes. I got mixed reactions about that post. Some people felt I was going over the top for my love for mangoes. Some felt over awed and asked for more. Some felt offended (Kidding =:P). Anyhow I felt happy. When you get such reactions you feel like writing more. So here I am back again revisiting “Namesake” and much more. I am back to my long blog posts so if you don’t want to read till the end, leave it now as the real essence of this post of mine comes in some of the last paragraphs.

 

As far as I remember I haven’t seen a Bollywood movie (If I can dare to call it one) run in US for that long. It’s still playing in Pittsburgh in Squirrel hill for consecutive 2 months showing 6 shows a day. Discussing the movie with my friends-Americans and Indians both. I have got some pretty mixed reviews inclined more on the good side.

 

As I lay down yesterday in between my sleeps thinking about the movie( I saw it again with one of my friends who hadn’t seen it) I realized the movie definitely wasn’t the reason for  the blog  as I had explicitly stated earlier. The movie was definitely the platform but the essence was different. It was definitely the trigger but to pronounce it as reason would not be doing justice to the feelings I harbored upon in previous 10 months. But I will get to that soon. Anyways now that I have mentioned the movie it definitely deserves some space here.

 

Some points from the movie:

 

First things first, I agree people the book is still better. You can’t convert a 300 page book to a two hour movie EVER!!!. Having read the book twice (once in India then again here), I can surely say that there were poignant moments which the Screenplay writer ignored. Especially the part of the insecure Moushmi and her reasons for being disloyal to Gogol wasn’t covered well in the movie. What I got from the 2 reads was something completely different and you will know when you read more.

P.S:: The movie showed a Hrithik Roshan’s poster on street and yeah it was 1977.haha.

 

I saw a couple of American Indians-(I prefer using this term American Indians more in place of something people prefer using- ABCD-American born confused desi which is kinda stupid) and some Non-desis (Non-Indians) in the theatre. It was hearting to see how they felt of the whole movie. Some of them clapped some of them cried and some of them felt overjoyed. There were so many touching moments in the film that brought back the memories of friends and family lost back and it looked as if they absolutely loved it (Specially the old American Indians). I heard the ooh’ and the aah’s from every corner when Ashoke, Gogol’s father (played by Irfan Khan) suddenly died.

 

There are innumerous scenes which reminded me of early months in US like the scene where they show on Tabu (Ashima) trying to see how a Washing Machine works. It’s not as if we haven’t seen such machines back there in India. It’s just that we have never used them even if they were at homes.

I wouldn’t say the BOOK moved me, because that would be an understatement. It’s when u start seeing yourself in the book, that you realize it’s an absolute genius. And the Namesake did that for me. It’s a story of lives, some of our lives, beautifully told. I couldn't wait for the release of the movie after reading the book and though I don’t like the movie as much as I like the book I feel it was worth the effort.

 

The way it covered the aspects both of Indians and American Indians was absolutely great. It would be fair to say this is the first “crossover” movie which gave adequate space to both of them. In a nutshell NAMESAKE successfully peeps into the minds of American Indians and shows them in very good light at least much better than some of the previous crossover movies I have seen. Though I know a lot of American Indians don’t agree with this but I think I know of more Yes’s than no’s.

 

It was intriguing to see how Ashima wanted to see Gogol married to a Bengali while he was happy dating American girls and then the final transition of Ashima of acceptance of Maxine (American girlfriend of Gogol) but suddenly Gogol’s acceptance of his parents wishes of marrying Moushmi (Parent’s American Indian choice) and their marriage failing .There are definitely no set rules of how and when should a marriage works. At the end of the day it depends on the two people. Be it Americans or the Indians. This plus not hiding the fact the Americans have a higher Divorce is a separate issue altogether. Indians are not far behind either.

 

The question which egged me for sure was that in a country where we can invent ourselves anew, how does family define us?

Though the basic premise of the movie was how a child would survive in a society with name as tongue twisted as that-Gogol. And it made me think that it’s our names, mangled and gutted in Western tongues that are our lonely mementos of who we used to be. Every time the store clerk pauses when our name pops up on the screen, we are reminded that we are strangers. In desperation, Nikhil becomes Nick, Sarthak becomes SJ but that act of lonely camouflage is at best temporary.

 

The movie covered a lot more aspects like the double minds of American Indians trying to be a part of both cultures Indian and American. And much more. The pangs of migration, which run through much of Indian-American writing was the theme of the film. He (Gogol) is tethered to the rock of an Indian upbringing, but he pulls it as far as he can to be part of the culture that he has to live in. He is extremely loyal to his parents, but sees no contradiction in having a family of his own by virtue of a relationship with a white girl. He quickly accepts his mother's suggestion to marry an American Indian, but ironically finds that his Indian wife is disloyal.

 

The movie actually expanded the central idea by leaps and bounds which is what is most impressive. It gives a piece of mind of American born Indians on their attitude towards India thankfully without all the clichés` which was a revelation in the movie.

 

The best part is the way movie was woven from the novel. It will appeal to all who haven’t read the book as well unlike a Da Vinci Code. I haven’t met a person who hadn’t read Da Vinci but still liked the movie. In fact there were people who didn’t like the movie in spite of reading it. That was the not the case with the Namesake and that is because of its Universal appeal and people liked it even though they hadn’t read the book.

 

The movie shows how children of immigrant Indians cope up with the two different cultural worlds simultaneously. It shows that in a way it is easier on the older generation to live in the new world. They bond with fellow immigrants; they have ties to cultural organizations and to temples. But the children have to fend for themselves, in a sense. Some of them carry considerable amount of tension about their own identities while this goes without saying that I have seen and known a lot of American Indians who have no such qualms and live a very chilled out life which is awesome.

 

I read an interview of Jhumpa Lahiri and one of my American-Indian friend suggested me this. So for her sake I will make it a part of this post.

 

Excerpts of Interview of Jhumpa Lahiri

_____________________________________________________________________

“Q::What was your own experience like?

Answer: I have observed that the problem for the children of immigrants -- those with strong ties to their country of origin -- is that they felt neither one thing nor the other. In any case, this was my experience. Whenever people asked where I was from, I could not really answer. If I said I was from Rhode Island, people wanted me to say something more. I could not have said I was from India because that was not accurate, though I speak good Bengali and I have strong connections with my relatives in India.

And then I also remember that I was born in London. Now, when people ask me the question, I am not bothered much. But it was a nagging question while growing up.

 

What do you think of those years you were with your parents?

I understand and sympathize with my parents' predicament now that I am an adult. But as a child and teenager, I could not understand their opposition to dating, living on one's own, having close relationships with Americans, listening to American music, wearing skirts.”

______________________________________________________________________

 

I didn't realize the extent of this conflict between inside and outside worlds, the public and the private, until I left India. The private world is one where many of us can finally breathe, where our jokes are not lost in translation. Desis are one of the most assimilated minorities in this country. We are cardiologists, software engineers, architects (and cab drivers and Dunkin' Donuts franchise holders). But there is still a sense that we are never on sure ground in our new countries. We have learned to drop the U in 'colour', but are still looking for that haven, where we can fry fish without upsetting the landlady, where we can finally let our guard down and can just breathe away from our suited-and-booted lives in corporate offices, in sprawling office parks and our tired-and-footsore lives in cabs and motels on grimy side streets.

 

I am still in a spell by The Namesake -- the quiet, sometimes hilarious and at other moments deeply tragic way in which Mira Nair captures the essence of the Indian-American immigrant experience.

 

One American Indian said it beautifully “I am not a Bengali, like the characters in The Namesake. I was not born in this country, like the protagonist Gogol .And yet, as an Indian-American and an immigrant who has lived in America for over two decades, I feel that Nair's film speaks to me and tells my story. I am amazed at its honesty and truthfulness.”

 

Personally for me this film moved me with honest portrayal of life and aspirations and thinking of Indian immigrants and I felt for the people who will see their own immigrant experiences reflected in the film.

 

This blog will from now on try and cover now the reminiscent time of the old semester but more importantly the Transition period.

The Golden king of Fruits

Just as the crazy winters of America was setting behind me and I was looking forward to some nice summer weather it made me realize how much I am missing India’s summer.

Personally speaking I don’t think any delhitte(Delhi citizens) would say he/she likes the sultry
sweaty summers. But I had reasons to say otherwise. It made me remember my school days when I used to come back home from school at temperatures of around 48 C to get a chilled bowl of cut Mangoes, Watermelons and Litchis at home. Oh yeah I am quiet a fruit person. Or when one of my teachers Mr. Tiwari used to stop the school bus to get some kheeras and kakadis (I think they call it Cucumber) which he, me, his daughter and one more of my friend(she won't remember this,she didn't even remember the bus no. we travelled for in 10 years :P) used to share to the envy of the whole bus. This is something I used to associate with heavens during those days. To get a cold chilled Mangoes and Watermelons at that temperature is actually no less than heavens. The people of Delhi or any other hot part of India will associate more with me here.

Now the arrival of summers made me realize how much I will miss those mangoes here (without which life is practically not worth living). The stacks of mangoes would have already started decking up along streets of India. Atleast in Delhi, It was hard to know who was selling the real mangoes and who the artificially riped ones-(these taste like some chemicals seriously, but still way better than the Latin American ones we get here). The real ones are succulent, juicy and melt in your mouth leaving an inimitable taste which cannot be forgotten for life. I still feel Bengali market/Khan market fruit seller used to have some of the best mangoes in town(What say Delhites ??) . The people in America might not much associate my charm for mangoes .Well that’s because you haven’t really tasted the real mangoes….the Latin American stuff aint anything in front of this (No offence please)…The Alfonso’s(Hapoos for Maharashtrians…yeah I know you Bombaities know what I am talking abt here).These are the real Indian delectable luscious mangoes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphonso_(mango)

The best way to enjoy the flavour of these is to make ”Aamras” which can be made by extracting pulp from mango or by mixing it with ice cold milk with some sugar .. forming the mango smoothie or Mango Lassi as they call it in American Indian restaurants….Yummmmmyyyyyyyy.............or yeah have it old traditional way without cut just plain sucking…

Well if you think I am obsessed with mangoes then sample this. I can safely say to have tried almost all the best varieties available from almost all parts of India. You name it and I have had it…Alphonso, Chausa, Langda, Roomani, Dasheri, Neelam, safeda, Imam pasand , Himsagar.Mallika...and list is on and on…and so you can understand my agony of the first summers in my lifetime without mangoes.

Just when I was done by my sulking on this dead summer afternoon and had got back to my Lab for some Research my Google Newsmeter gave me the BIG news. The USDA cleared the import of first set of Alfonso mangoes and the first shipment will be arriving at White house(obviously !!) in a week. Yeah, this is America baby. For 18 years they had stopped the most heavenly thing from arriving in US because it can harbour a mango seed weevil pest which is now removed via irrardiation.

What was India's trade off to the United States?

India said it would clear the way for Harley Davidsons to enter its competitive market for motorbikes. Now that’s something to write about. How can India stop the sale of such a beauty uptil now. But then again….Ahh forget it..Let’s hope we will see some Harleys running on Indian roads soon.

But yeah back to the news. It was a moment which made me jump in joy. I immediately had my people in India to get on the job to send me the first pack of mangoes which should hopefully arrive by End of May. I would still miss my Mom’s hand made Aam ka Achaar (Mango Pickle) though….

It’s going to be a painful anticipatory wait for what was a pleasant surprise for me. The only drawback will be the prohibitively exorbitant prices but then it’s going to be worth every penny. So here’s three cheers to a cheerful post and arguably the best mangoes in the world, Alfonsoes.

Follow up...

Somebody once told me not to follow one somber talk with another. Well I’ll follow the rule with, my blog. The last post was kinda sentimental…yeah happens. So lemme back my blog with some Jolly posts. My counter showed I have had some huge amount of views from my last post crossing 200 or something. So, Thank You all for reading such a long post. For next times I will keep it short and sweet….ummm…Well lets say I will try…hehe.

This next two posts coming up will focus on first one of my favourite things in world- Mangoes (Well I am talking about the fruit here) and second on Bollywood…ummm…well some, movie reviews( no I don’t have anything better to write :D). Yes, Bollywood will be a part of blog as bollywood runs in my veins( no not literally). Yes….I consider myself to be one of the biggest movie buffs around :D.So brace yourselves and wait and watch.

@ Pranav these were almost ready but you motivated me enough to put it on. So thanks bro.