"Bihari"

I had written this post a long ago and i didn't think of publishing in my blog, but due to some people who made mockery of my ethnicity, provoked me to publish this. Here i am not proving or stating Bihar is good, i am just answering some people. Hope they understand.

BIHARI..........With this word, comes in your mind, image of illiterate, ill-dressed, tobacco chewing and rough behaving man. Isn’t it?

All right. I recount one of my train journeys when I had to go to Pune for an exam. Somehow my e-ticket got cancelled and I had no other option but to continue by general compartment. People sitting beside me were poorly dressed and looked as if they had come after swimming in a sea of dust. After some time they started chatting amongst themselves in “BHOJPURI”, a dialect of Hindi spoken in western part of Bihar. I belong to the same place. So, out of natural curiosity, I asked them in Hindi where they are from. Much to my surprise, their answers were Lucknow, Kanpur and Bhopal. I was surprised because none of these places lie in Bhojpuri speaking region. I didn’t lose the hope and tried the same question in Bhojpuri (my Bhojpuri is awful). The idea clicked and the answers went as Ara, Sasaram, and Patna. When enquired about their first answer they replied “Bihar bolne par koi izzat nai deta.”

I had written some part of this post in train while coming to Delhi (even one co-passenger enquired me if I am writing love letter. I excuse that poor fellow because it’s not his fault that I am in an engineering college). Last night, a Marathi old man sitting in front of me asked the usual question, “how is Bihar?”(as if it is in some other country).
My encounter with anti-Bihar freaks has taught me to handle such question and I decided to ignore. I said “uncle, you know better than me. Newspapers and TVs say it all. “

Old man (after a brief pause): There should be some industry in Bihar. Then people won’t come to Mumbai.

Me: There is nothing, no raw material, and simple economics says no one want to lose their money. So why will anyone set up their industry there?

Old man: some 20 years back, this situation was with Andhra Pradesh and Karnatka. But look now, they are giving fight to Mumbai.

(At once, I remembered movies of 90’s starring Ajay Devegan, Suneel Sheety, in which villain used to be some “Anna”, which are now replaced by “bhaiya”)

Old man: Every state has everything for development; it just needs political will power and some good hard working people for a revolution.

What do these two train incidents tell?
First one says situation is bad. But the second one says it’s not too bad.

Now, some statistics about Bihar, 47.53% population is illiterate, 42.6% people live Below Poverty Line (BPL). Considering this class of people of Bihar, general perception of WHOLE BIHAR is derived. We care anything else in this world when we have “roti, kapda aur makaan “. And we are expecting these people to show decency when they have none. These people are also good at heart but have a lot of self-esteem but constant suffering and rejection by main-stream of society have made them hard where their true nature gets hidden. Ok, leave Bihari, show me people from slums of Delhi and Mumbai (not from Bihar and those people should fall in above mentioned class) who are well behaving. There number will be in scarce. Conduct, manner, behaviour depend on our economic and social standings and it has nothing to do with region or language.

Over the years, I met several people who tag others “bihari” in sarcasm, but I excuse them considering ignorant. But if someone studying in my college (considered one of the best engineering colleges of India) uses such rubbish thing, I question his/her learning and knowledge. And I can say that there is no point in getting reputed degrees like MBA, BE, MSc, if you can’t respect people on their knowledge and capabilities. Instead if you go on branding and dividing people, and making mockery of their ethnicity, all these degrees are futile. Reflect upon these thoughts and clear your pre-occupied mind (if applicable ;-)

Comments

Unknown said…
nice.. very well written. accurate and insightful. liked it :)

the train people who couldn't admit they are from Bihar - really pathetic. Bihar is a great place. There's not even a minuscule amount of shame in being from Bihar. Some of the brightest minds in India (and the world) come from here.

\m/ Bihar \m/
pawan said…
we dont need to prove our self.there are lot more happening in other states than bihar. but bihar is more highlited.delhi has more number of rape,mumbai and goa has more number of drug cases while bihari's have hardly any case, but we dont condemn delhi or etc..... If rape and drugs addiction are called development then go hell with ur so called development.
jai bihar.
Anonymous said…
dude i have to tell u one thing...
bhojpuri bol - le waala mil jaiye tohra ke kanpur and lucknow mein

not a big deal :P
Anonymous said…
why do every time a bihari has to prove that he isnt d BIHARI they r thinking of.....and BIHAR isnt as such they think..........i just want to say them one thing................FUCK OFF.

shashi
Anonymous said…
good one! is the reason of posting this now, the one which i am thinking? :P

yachit
Anonymous said…
...yachit...dont be so discrete...we all know y harsh posted this now....its just bcoz an ignnorant fat cow just said somthing about our hostel... ;-)
Rishi said…
@ yachit or whoever concerned- Dear, the country where u live every race, religion, state, has to prove one or the other thing about them time to time. When was the last time when u felt like an Indian?? It must either when a bomb blast took place or may b a indo-pak cricket match?? Ek baat bata do dost y do we need a pakistan to call ourselves Indian? You talking about bihari, i dont know from which state u belong to but tell me about it, i will make you prove a lot about ur ethnicity. We have already lost NE states coz we call dem chinki, count kashmiri out the last thing they want is to be wid India.Few South states given a chance will make a separate country any day.Don't talk about muslims,half of them r made to consider themselves second class citizen.

We had/have khalistan already many others like nagas are also demanding for separate country. From time to time some leader or blogger keep saying bihar and UP should be separated from India then only India will achieve double digit GDP. I don't know what they want a bihar movement or a UP movement? I don't know what prompted harsh to write all this may b coz some ignorant fat cow farted or vomited her frustration to humiliate someone. I don't belong to bihar not to JK not to NE states... I just belongs to India. Hope Indian inside my readers will read it not gujrati,oriya,bengali....etc.
abhishek said…
the real facts of Bihar...
As u know Nalanda and Vikramshila universities, both are not only India but also the most oldest university of the world,(2000yrs ago).....

Bihar which gave this country some great Doctors, scholars,national leaders, writers, academicians and is still producing the maximum number of IAS, IPS officers, IITians, Fasion professionals, IIM Professionla , Medical graduates, Software professionals and another field.

Dr. Rajender Prasad, who was the first Phd scholar and first president of the nation. Who was born in Bihar.

Bihar is the historical place of the world and these all the great people, belong to Bihar, Mind it.....
*Raja Janak,
*Princess Sita,
*Goutam Budha ,
*Mahavir,
*Guru Govinda Singh,
*Samrat Ashok,
*Chandragupta Morya,
*Vikramaditya,
*Arya Bhatt,
*Bindusaar,
*Birbal,
*Chankya,
*Poet KaliDas,
*Vir Kuanr Singh,
*Sher Shah Suri,
*Muhammad Bin Bakhtiar Khilji,
*Maharshi Mehin Pramhansh,
*Dr Rajendra Prasad,
*Jai Prakash Narayan,

You can say these all historical people are Bihari.

*We are Proud of Bihar & Biharis......Mind it always

Today,Bihar is fastest growing economies in 2006-2007 and its fast changing macro-environment. Patna, the richest city of Bihar, boasts of a per capital income greater than the Indian average.

Our Bihar & Bihari that’s backbone of Indian industry and roots of the nation. yes these all are true Historical & present conceptions of Bihar.

We respect to all Languages, Castes, Cultures and States.
Thanks!!!


Read more: http://anthonifashion.instablogs.com/entry/we-are-biharimind-it-always/#ixzz13MWEEbrj
Anonymous said…
I am the history of India,
I gave the world its first Republic,
I nourished Buddha to enlightenment,
I gave world its best ancient university,
My son Chanakya was the father of Economics,
Mahavir came out of my womb to found Jainism,
My son Valmiki wrote Ramayan, the greatest Epic
Rishi Shushrut, the father of surgery, lived on my soil
My son Vatsayana wrote Kamasutra, the treatise of love ,
My son Ashoka – The Great was the greatest ruler of India ,
I gave birth to Aryabhatt, the great ancient mathematician ,
I gave Ashoka Chakra that adorns India's national flag ,
My son Dinkar is the national poet of India ,
I gave the world its first Yoga University ,
I gave India its first president ,
I am the land of festivals ,
I am brotherhood ,
I am humility ,
I am the past ,
I am the future ,
I am opportunity ,
I am revolution ,
I am culture ,
I am heritage ,
I am intellect ,
I am farmer ,
I am power ,
I am literature ,
I am poetry ,
I am love ,
I am heart ,
I am soul ,
I am yoga ,
I am global ,
I am inspiration ,
I am freedom ,
I am force ,
I am destiny ,
I am Bihar ,
...Come with your dream
I will make it a reality


http://coolbihari.blogspot.com/
ajitesh said…
awsome...its simple baby.....its our first cultural fest,a small one as per the space constraint but was a really cheerful night for we rgiptians specially the dg night...
yhe point i wanted to share was that among 90% cultural programmes leaving the songs or the dances...contains yhe bhojpuri scent...which i was trying to include only in 1st year drama and all..happy and proud on seeing popularity of bhojpuri......ROCK BIHAR!!!
Anonymous said…
In the poem, i like d 9th line....biggest contribution frm bihar to mankind :P
Anjali Sharma said…
awsome man...!!!!really gud job..i think that was needed...i,inspite of not being from bihar,dint like those misconceptions about the state and its people....you really laid down the reality or to be more precise the fact...!!!really a commendable work..!!!
Sushil Gupta said…
Awesome. Thanks to Harsh & all the other commentators.
Unknown said…
first revolt against british for freedom was done by bihar n the captain of Indian cricket team M.S Dhoni is also a bihari.even hockey team few years back was also a bihari.chak de india chak de bihar
Unknown said…
Tabish from Karachi Pakistan...
thanks for info guyz about beharis actually i am Pakistani but my ancestors come from bihar after the creation of Pakistan but it was a painful history. About 2 million bihari Muslims Live in Karachi and they are active in all the aspect of life they are engineers doctors in police administration Politicians.We are proud of our civilization identity but I think beharis in Pakistan is more comfortable than in India and in some cases better than Punjabis and Pathans of Pakistan because we are living in Pakistan's financial hub and enjoys all the facilities of life in the other hand beharis in india is mostly poor and Indian government is not taking necessary steps to improve their life style..
Totz said…
Hi Tabish!!!

I was wondering if you could give your e mail id..so that we can have more informative talk.. :)
Unknown said…
Hi harsh!!!
Why you are wondering dear ??? Its a fact which I was previous mention ...I am also a software engineer working in Pakistan's Biggest Bank on its head Office which is also a biggest building of Pakistan .... if you wanna more information about the living and life style of biharis living in Karachi Pakistan than feel free to contact me @ tabishbadarpk@gmail.com .....
Anonymous said…
It is the stagnation of a culture and people that creates poverty and backwardness. You look at the immigrant communities all around the world and you would see hard working successfull people.
If you have free land that you get from your forefathers you tend to be laid back and do not work hard.
Also, cities which are more religious tend to be poor because they cannot accept change.
Biharis in Pakistan and Bangladesh are hard working not because they are Muslim or got help from the government but because as an immigrant community they stuck together, they did not have the luxury of owning hand me down lands or wealth and they accepted change of life style. They had to build things from scratch.
Unknown said…
Beharis in Pakistan is not immigrants I think you are not aware of Indo-Pak history, dear our forefathers didn’t came here as immigrant or for working visa or enjoying picnic they migrated in the name of religion they have lost all their luxuries families land and much more for a cause and the cause is well known Pakistan and for your information we have equally standard Pakistanis as Punjabis or Sindhis and have equal rights on all the resource of country. We came after the creation of this country along with Patnis,Parkars,Memons ,Gujratis and other Indian Muslim community present in almost all the part of this country and have created Pakistan’s third biggest political party MQM (Mutthaida Quomi Movement ) also known as King maker party in Pakistani political structure and even Prime Minister needs our support to continue government. The party is already spread in all the parts of country even sindhis and Punjabis support and vote for us. The streamlined leadership of this party is Urdu speaking and soon the prime minister would belongs to MQM and how you can forget about our former President Pervaiz Musharraf is also migrated from India I think it is enough to explain you.

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