It is very interesting to note that most of the Indians I’ve seen recently, be it here in Sydney or back in Singapore, are not very ‘Indian’. In fact, they do not want to be associated with the stereotypical ‘Indian’ character as can be found in India. They want to be shown as someone different and unique. This applies to also those who leave India to come and live in other countries. On one hand, it is heartening, but on the other hand, it’s simply sad that they are on their way to becoming self-hating Indians, taking more interest in other cultures rather than on their own.

I just want to come out and openly declare that I hate such people! I know that they are entitled to their opinions and thoughts. I know that they don’t like to be associated to ‘Indians’ and therefore hate their own people and culture. But I simply cannot accept it! In every population, you find all kinds of people. You find people with whom you can get along with and people whom you cannot tolerate with. I do agree that some people in India are backward-thinking and most of them are selfish. But that is no reason to hate your country and countrymen, the very roots of your existence!

India has a very rich ancestry and historical background, of which very few people are totally aware of. If only all of us are fully aware of our heritage, we can never again find any self-hating Indians or Hindus anywhere in this world! I don’t know a lot of information about my country’s history yet, but I am very proud of being Indian. As an Indian, I want to contribute my knowledge of my heritage to this world, so that it would be of help to all of the people in some way. I would feel very happy if all Indians feel this way too, but ideals are like words etched on water.

Coming back to self-hating Indians, I don’t have anything to say to them. But I utterly dislike them. We don’t realise that when we sometimes act in that way. For example, when you are overseas in some other country and use an “English name” instead of your real name for the ease of pronounciation. It might seem like a polite thing to do. But the Chinese people don’t do that. The Europeans never did that. Why don’t the Indians just use their names, which have been given to them not in a simple way, but through a naming ceremony conducted with prayers?

This is just a small issue so a small example. But looking at a wider issue, of both Indian men and women wanting to date and/or marry someone of another culture. I am not against interracial marriages. There is nothing right or wrong about it. But in the name of it, why should one let go of one’s cultural roots and adapt another’s, worse yet, being forced to adapt another’s culture or religion? My issue or problem is with Indian men, and some Indian women too, who deliberately want to have a relationship with a person from a different cultural and racial background, mainly because they despise their own people! It’s sickening!

There is a lot of merits in mixing around with people from all types of cultural backgrounds and if an union were to form between two different races, its fantastic! But one should never forget one’s own cultural background, especially when the Indian culture is so abound with many merits. There are faults, but one has to search deeper beyond the faults to find the true meaning behind things. Therein lies the beauty of Hinduism.