I.N.D.I.A
I Love my India. Nah I'm not promoting the movie 'Pardes', nor its songs. I am saying this from my heart! :) I truly madly deeply love my India!
A.M.E.R.I.C.A
I Love it too! But not as much as I love my India! America is beautiful and New York is electrifying! I love everything about NY, Then why is it that I love my India more?
''The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of traditions, whose yesterday's bear date with the modering antiquities for the rest of nations-the one sole country under the sun that is endowed with an imperishable interest for alien prince and alien peasant, for lettered and ignorant, wise and fool, rich and poor, bond and free, the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the world combined.''
I wish I had described India so beautifully. That was by Mark Twain.
I lived in India for 25 years. That's a lot! I am living in NY from the last 5 months. That's very less. But one thing I can assure myself is that my love for India will grow irrespective of how many more years I am gonna live in NY, Insha'Allah! I say this with due respect to both the countries.
India is where I lived, where I grew up, where I learnt everything about life, people and everything surrounding me. America, Insha'Allah, will be the place where my kids will grow up, learn everything about life, people and everything surrounding them. It was definitely the best place for me to grow up, but for my kids.. I will just have to wait and watch!
My life in India was F.U.N! My family, my friends, my neighbors, my school, college, hang out's, everything was so special to me. I have to say, it was not as organized as how my life is now, because of the surroundings, but whatever it was, I loved it! And that is important! American life on the other hand is sooo lively, organized, gives us so many options to have fun, hang out, hog, explore, travel and what not! Then why is it that I love my India more?
Indian roads are bad, Indian government is a mess, India is not clean, Indian schools, hospitals are more commercial than service oriented whereas American roads are awesome, Government is less messier, Definitely CLEAN, schools are actually schools but hospitals are more commercialized than Indian hospitals, thanks to Insurance companies! Then why is it that I love my India more?
Indian movies are so entertaining, doesn't matter if the script has more songs than dialogues, co-stars have father-daughter age gaps, makes us cry more than laugh, whereas Hollywood is sensible, rational, true and so perfect that it makes you actually believe that Godzilla, Harry Potter actually existed! Then why is it that I love my India more?
India gave me Big bazaar, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, M.G road shopping, Hampankatta shopping, Dadar waali shopping and NY gives me Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, Macy's and so many other ''Quality'' clothing! Then why is it that I love my India more?
India gave me South Indian food, north Indian food, this Indian food and that Indian food! It gives me all that I LOVE to eat! NY gives me American breakfast, Indian lunch, Pakistani snacks, Afghani dinner and any world cuisine, anytime I want! Then why is it that I love my India more?
India gave me cricket, Kho-Kho, Lagori, Jubilee, Antakshari, Dumb charades and other games, NY gives me Baseball, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Arcade games and other truly awesome games to play! Then why is it that I love my India more?
India gave me the Dhoom style auto rickshaw rides, the Gaali filled taxi rides, the never on time bus rides and no-place-to-breathe train rides. NY gives me the on-time metro train rides, the comfortable taxi rides, the posh bus rides! Then why is it that I love my India more?
India gave me a Kannada speaking neighbor on the left, an Urdu speaking neighbor on the right, a Malayalam speaking neighbor on the opposite and Tulu, Navaiti, Tamil, Guajarati speaking neighbors in the building! NY gives me a Punjabi family on the right, a Spanish family on the left, a Chinese on the opposite, a Paki family on the far left, a Mexican family on the far right, a Bangla family downstairs, a Japanese, Korean, Guyanese families in the building! Then why is it that I love my India more?
India gave me Summer all the 12 months with special appearances of Rain and very rare visits of Winter. NY gives me Winter, Snow, Summer, Rain, Spring and fall. Then why is it that I love my India more?
The Answer lies in the question itself!
Because India was always mine and will always be & No matter how long I live in America , It will never be able to make me hers.
