A World of a difference within a horizon...

India is divided into four parts North, South, West and East. The Northern, Southern and Western parts of India are known to all. We have Delhi to the North, Kerala to the South and Mumbai to the West.

Ok fine, enough with the drama, drama queen! I had this article to do on a few North Eastern girls at college. And I was so pleasantly shocked and thrilled talking to them that I have been going around telling everyone possible about my new friends! So how could I miss out on my own little personal space!

So did you know that the traditional custom of ‘arranged’ marriages is nearly unknown invisible in these places? Yes, they have only love marriages, where the girl herself chooses the groom by herself, and the parents accept after going through the routinely ‘check-up’! I know love marriages are being widely accepted in India now, but not much in Southern India, and definitely not at my home L!! So anyway, they do not have the caste as a taboo as well. Though there are the upper and lower castes, it is not a criteria during marriage or otherwise. It would be a lot peaceful and calm if this practice was practiced in several parts of India, especially in the interior parts.

Also, they claimed that women are most respected in their place. They follow the matriarchal pattern, where they carry on the name of the mother’s family! Also, a man sitting in a public vehicle would get up to offer his seat to a standing young girl! Imagine seeing that somewhere else. Especially in Tamil Nadu. Once, two of my friends and me were travelling by bus. There were two middle aged men sitting in the ladies seat, in spite of there being seats behind. We asked them ‘IF’ they could get up and sit in those seats, and they gave us such a dirty stare like as if we asked them if they would accompany us to our bedroom! That’s not all… The conductor, the hero God, comes in and tells ladies and gents seats are only at the bus stand and not when we get into the bus in between. Then, why the hell do they waste stickers in sticking ladies, handicapped etc etc??!!

So anyway, this culture follows the we-will-respect-women policy, and the youngest daughter of the family also continues staying in the same home after marriage. I wonder how many of the boys would not mind staying in their wives family home even after marriage. They have just two seasons-summer and winter. Winter includes snow and summer involves rain! The rest of India has just three climates-hot, hotter and hottest!!

Oh, you wouldn’t have to miss on your non vegetarian meal once you are here, because the natives have a pure non vegetarian meal three times a day!! And in spite of all this, are blessed with a slim body *jealous*!! Their meal includes mostly onion, garlic and ginger and are favourites of the hot spicy chilly.

These girls have come all the way from their home to this college, at Coimbatore, solely to experience a new culture and society, and would love to develop on their country. Imagine, the modern youth who are busy aping the Western culture going around with the aim of developing on their own state, leave alone country!

No one really bothers about the Seven Sister States, but we have so much to learn from them. It is high time we stopped looking at the Europeans, Americans and Australians, when we have such cultured and deep-rooted people and traditions in our very own country!