Rant 46: My Office Episode 3

There is a reason why I took my time with this Episode. I was giving myself an extra few days, just in case my opinions got changed by some miracle. Sadly they haven’t.
Oh wait! You don’t know what I’m talking about. Ok let’s get up to speed on this one.
Ever since I arrived (yes Vinod, I can hear the snickering) in the state of Karnataka around three and a half years ago, I have thought a lot about languages, specifically, local languages in this region and those that I can’t understand. It’s alright to watch a Kannada movie and figure out the general storyline through overly stereotypical character constructions, actions and dialogue delivery styles. However, it’s quite another to be in a public place, say a bus or a restaurant and to understand what is going on. I honestly feel completely out of place at times, especially after moving to Mangalore. During college at Manipal, the language barrier was a little less pronounced wherein it was only the odd autorickshaw driver or shopkeeper who’d turn out to be a mono-linguist (it’s an international college campus for f***’s sake. I mean come on!!!). Most of the local populace there could communicate quite manageably in Hindi and a good number could even speak English. I guess that sort of put me in the language bubble where I assumed that a similar situation existed in Mangalore.
NOT!!!
The language barrier here is the Berlin Wall of all such dividers. People here naturally assume you know the local language. I can understand that to a certain extent. But dude, even after I’ve told you "No kannada boss", you still rattle on in the same manner. I mean that’s either plain stupidity or plain linguism (couldn’t find a better word for language racism…lol!). In very few places (not counting malls of course) have I seen people communicating in Hindi or even English. Ok, I can hear some of you saying, "Learn the friggin’ language dude!" But seriously, there is a minor sense of animosity I get whenever I speak to say auto drivers in Hindi. It’s sort of like, "Oh you’re from outside. Okay, I’ll take you but I won’t be happy about it!" Now, normally I wouldn’t care if they were happy about it or not, as long as I’m not overcharged. However, I feel that it is this attitude of "you’re an outsider" that is the cause of so much strife and rioting in this region. "You’re an outsider", can so easily be interchanged with "You’re different from us" (Yes you pussy communal-riot-flamers, I am looking right at you!!).
And it’s not just with people working in the public sphere. In fact, the language barrier is a kind of front for what I feel is the general attitude of people here. My own landlord gave me a stern message the first time I spoke with him. "We don’t like outsiders!" I kid you not. These were the exact words. I guessed he meant people from outside Karnataka. At that time, in a room with 6 people where I was the only "outsider", I have to say, I felt a slight shiver down my spine.
Apparently, they don’t like leasing rooms or houses out to Non-Karnataka people. My landlord’s logic went something along the lines of "If you come, then more people will want to come, then our community will become bad."
How can you not feel like smashing something up at that point?
Further, doesn’t this seem similar to what is reported about Mumbai/Maharashtra? Where exactly is the society here heading towards I ask you?
Well, until next episode, to all my local friends: Kannada Gotthilla!