Conversations in English were unfamiliar and uncomfortable for me, because neither my family nor my friend circle used to talk in English. Like many children in my village, I was both fascinated and frightened of this language because of so many different rules it brings. Later I realised there were more exceptions than rules in this language.
My father was very keen that his children learn this language well, because he was worried that an upbringing in rural environment may seriously hamper the overall growth and our ability to compete later in an English dominated world.
He had a good collection of Reader's Digest old Editions, which he gathered specially so that his children may get a chance to be exposed to quality English magazines. But I liked the Hindi Edition of this wonderful magazine RD, which was named "Sarvottam", better. I still think it is the best Hindi magazine I have read (Champak and Nandan being the other two favourites). It translated RD in such a high class yet understandable Hindi which is difficult considering RD was set in US environment, and to make Indian readers understand that in our language, is really an achievement. Anyway, English magazines seemed too foreign for my imagination and really were of no help in discussing latest happenings in the lives of Super Commando Dhruv and Nagaraj with my friends, these two were our childhood heroes.
Papaji continued his efforts of making us better at English. When I was in class IV, he prepared a 3*4 Tense-Chart describing the 4 parts (indefinite, continuous, perfect and future perfect) of the 3 time frames of past, present and future. He used to make us practise that chart daily describing all 12 permutations a sentence can be formed with. In that village, this was almost unheard of. Of the overall population of 2000, hardly 4 or 5 people in the village could read an English newspaper and I doubt even one could understand it properly.
I did not enjoy those English lessons much, but had no choice. Having been brought up in such an environment, my fear or respect for this language reached an illogical level, and further events carried this feeling on.
Somehow English in India, specially I can tell about the Hindi speaking states, is given a higher degree of importance than it deserves. In school and college, my friends and I had this fascination toward anything English. People 'capable' of making or carrying conversations in this language were considered sophisticated and/or stylish. It used to be a matter of pride if you were a follower of English literature and cinema, and such people deserved special treatment of deference. A normal sentence spoken in English used to elevate the standing of the person in the group.
It's difficult to explain now, but we used to put someone's English speaking ability over even his/her Mathematics or Engineering ability, the latter two are really something which the person should be proud of.
That aura has gone down now, but was it correct in the first place ? In the end, English is 'just a language' and ability or inability to express yourself in this language shouldn't be a matter of pride or shame. It isn't a greater feat to speak or write well in English than being able to do so in Hindi, infact it is harder in Hindi. So good speakers of Hindi should be held in higher esteem than those of English, but that's not the way society thinks ..
On some other note, Punjabi fast songs have a vibration of their own, like Bhangra songs always make you move at pace, but perhaps its the Punjabi slow emotional tunes which are my personal favourites. If you get some time, listen to this song. It is simple, calm, soothing and beautiful. It makes me think, many good songs feature in bad movies, like many talented Engineers feature in bad companies :)
Also, following is my most favourite poem, it is my favourite for not only its content but something more also ..
gulshane yaad mein ger aj daame baad_e_saba
phir say chahay kay gulafshaan ho to ho janay do
umraay rafta kay kisi taaq pay bisr hua dard
phir say chahay kay firoozaan ho to ho janay do
jaisay baigana say miltay ho ab vaisay he sahee
ao do char ghari meray muqabil bhaitho
ghercha mil bhaithey gay hum tum to mulaqat kay baad
apna ehsaas_e_ zeyaan aur ziada ho ga
koi iqraar na tum yaad dilaao gay na mein
koi mazmoon vafa ka ho ga na jafa ka
gurd_e_ ayyam ki tehreer ko dhahoonay kay liye
tum say goya hoon dam_e_deed jo palkein meri
tum jo chaho to suno,jo na chaho to na suno
aur herf karein jo tum say jo guraizaan aankhein
tum jo chaho to kaho
aur jo na chaho to na kaho
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