Is India becoming an intolerent counrty??

Last few days we've seen a number of attacks against North-east Indians. A North-east INDIAN got beat up in Bangalore because he couldn't speak in Kannada. I love Bangalore but do I really want to go there now? That boy and I have a lot in common, he's Indian, so am I. He knows no Kannada, neither do I. But yet, we lived in the city for so long and loved it too. In a different incident, a couple of north-east INDIAN boys got beat up for not drinking with the locals. Really? Isn't drinking - not drinking a personal choice anymore?

Why have the north-east Indians been treated so differently then the rest of us? Because they look different or because they can't speak the local language? Just because the thumb stands out from the rest of the fingers doesn't make it any less important. It still is a part of the hand, and a very important part I say.

People from the North-east are often treated in a step-sibling like manner. Yet, when Mary Kom wins a medal, we never fail to take credit for it as a country. When Tea from Assam is appreciated all over the world, we swell with pride. The seven sister states offer some of the most spectacular sights in the country, yet how many of us travelled to those states? Why is there a need for a special passport-like document for the Indians residing there?

These states and the people there are as much Indians as the rest of us. The South Indians look different than the North Indians and the Guajaratis don't look the same as Bengalis, but we are still Indians. If looks and languages were the factors that decided one's Indian-ness, India could not have survived as the world's largest democracy for as long as it has. What makes India special is the vast bouquet of cultures, languages and people it offers.

India is not an intolerant country. We shall not let it be an intolerant country. When I say, "All Indians are my brothers and sisters"  I mean it. North Indians, South Indians, North-east Indians and Central Indians are all INDIANS first.

Next time, a North-east Indian is attacked or ridiculed for the way he/she looks or speaks or the State he/she belongs to, keep in mind, he/she is one of you, an Indian. And there's no saying for sure we will be spared from the ridicule for there will always be differences. And if we don't stand up for them, any idea if there'll be anyone left to stand up for us?

The October Story - Why aren't you here yet?

This feels weird, writing on my blog after such a long time. I've been using incrediblezee as a means to pen down random ideas and incidents. But my last blog post made me want to write stories, short ones that make you think about everyday things that don't get a second thought, about everyday people that we look through. And I wrote nine little stories, one for each month. The October story changed my outlook. Here's why.

I'm in the process of applying to B-Schools. I've been writing essays about myself, telling complete strangers why I'm the person they need. That's when I realized, what about me? I do the same things day after day without another thought, I'm the person I look at, and yet look through every single day.

Here I'm, thinking about quitting work while at work, to go back to studying business at one of the most prestigious schools. Here I'm, thinking about studying finance and entrepreneurship while staring at my Law books. But is that really what I want? What I need?

I bared my heart out to complete strangers, laid detailed plans of what I want to do, where I want to be in 10years. I wrote thousands of words laying down everything I've done in my life so far. But is that simply how I'm going to be judged? Will my essays be enough to describe me? How many words before they can pin down the exact person that I am?

I'm more than just a girl, an employee, a teacher or an accountant. I'm a lot more than the numbers on my mark-sheets. But will I be given the opportunity to show my true self? I truly don't know.

The wait is killing me. Everyday, I wake up to my emails, checking every few minutes for that one particular email. My desperation, no, obsession for it has made me realize something. While I was writing the essays, I wasn't so convinced about what I wanted. But with each passing day, I've understood something. This is what I need.

And it sucks to know that all I can do is wait, wait to hear something from the University. Something, anything that says I'm wanted there, that I deserve to be there. Because, while I go through life's motions every day, this isn't me. I want to be there. And I've done all I can do, so now, I wait.

Getting back to the beginning, will I get my tenth story? Or will I have to stop at the ninth? Because my October story is in one of the classrooms on the other side of the world. And I can't wait to begin...