Being a Bengali is not your birthright.
You are not a Bengali just because you are born to a bengali family or to the soil. You are not a Bengali because you (somewhat) speak the language. Believe me "Ami rosogolla khabo" does not make you a Bengali.
Bengalis do not have a history in the sense a Gujarati or a Odissi person has history. Bengalis are not an age old community. Bengalis are not even 300 years old community. Bengali culture did not formulate during ancient era but under modern condition.
Bengali is a linguistic community with a language assembled borrowing from numerous sources. The culture surrounding that language is also constructed through the rule of British Empire.
Consequently, Bengali is a young language and culture which is still growing. Some would definitely not admit that. They would like to limit and stagnant this growth in name of purity. The linguistic society that is dependent on other sources should be allowed to grow by assimilation. But I digress.
Coming back to point being a Bengali is not your birthright. If you are born into a land, you learn the customs and traditions of that land naturally through your daily interactions. But when you are born into a linguistic community, especially in middle class, you have to be learned. You can not remain oblivious to the contribution of your ancestors in developing the language you so easily misapprehend and misconstrue daily. However you can neither remain limited by it either.
Like Himalayas is growing still being a young fold mountain, Bengali language and culture should also flourish through incorporation and appropriation from various sources.
A Bengali teen-ager does not only identify with the Bengali personas only, but with each and every individual from around the world who has contributed or challenged the perception of culture and conception of language.
So the statements like "Is this a part of Bengali culture?" is funny and stupid; because if its not it can jolly well be in next few years. That is what we should look forward to: Towards evolution- the only way of sustenance.
So being a Bengali is not your birthright. You have to develope into this linguistic society and levy original contributions as a permit to continue your membership in this society.
Everyday is a challenge to keep up with this evolution: You have to run very fast to stand your ground.
3 comments:
I am totally becoming a fan of ur blogs!! we don't think alike maybe, but we definitely write alike... i just can relate to what u write... <3
Thanks, agreeing is so boring drama is in conflict. that is always welcome.
Well Written. In few words, you have delivered a sexy piece. Awesome...I am going to enjoy every bit of it!
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