I'm a thoroughbred 'mallu' and I've tried to analyse the many peculiar and quaint traits that we possess. One such thing is our weakness to break into Hindi, at the slightest pretext, in a multi-cultured environment. In Delhi, I'd often felt like shrinking into my clothes when a 'mallu' answered my query - put across in English or chaste Malayalam - in that depressingly accented Hindi. No wonder my friends sum it up as the 'yo, yo aiya yo' syndrome that we suffer from.
This morning I'd to visit our hospital for a few routine blood tests. I warned the young 'Malayalee' sister that my veins have this mysterious property of disappearing from near the surface skin, every time blood has to be drawn. She gave me a proprietorial smile and nodded, as if to say that I could rest easy as I was in expert hands. She'd indeed done a good job because I must admit that I did not even register the prick of the needle!
And then all hell broke loose as I didn't respond to her numerous 'mutti kolos'(kolo pronounced as 'colo' in cologne) - 'muthi kholo' or to unclench my fist! In the process, some of my blood spilled into the uniform and I'm sure our maid is gonna be unhappy for the additional task slapped on her!
I tried to analyse my reaction at that point of time. At the start, I'd given the warning about my non co-operative veins in chaste Malayalam and therefore, was expecting the young lady to respond to me in the same lingo. Her reply, in Hindi had me nonplussed and consequently, brought about my strange reaction! Or no reaction, to be precise!!
Oh, why does the 'mallu' insist on speaking Hindi?
This morning I'd to visit our hospital for a few routine blood tests. I warned the young 'Malayalee' sister that my veins have this mysterious property of disappearing from near the surface skin, every time blood has to be drawn. She gave me a proprietorial smile and nodded, as if to say that I could rest easy as I was in expert hands. She'd indeed done a good job because I must admit that I did not even register the prick of the needle!
And then all hell broke loose as I didn't respond to her numerous 'mutti kolos'(kolo pronounced as 'colo' in cologne) - 'muthi kholo' or to unclench my fist! In the process, some of my blood spilled into the uniform and I'm sure our maid is gonna be unhappy for the additional task slapped on her!
I tried to analyse my reaction at that point of time. At the start, I'd given the warning about my non co-operative veins in chaste Malayalam and therefore, was expecting the young lady to respond to me in the same lingo. Her reply, in Hindi had me nonplussed and consequently, brought about my strange reaction! Or no reaction, to be precise!!
Oh, why does the 'mallu' insist on speaking Hindi?
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