Comments on: So How Indian Am I? (or how CURTAINS changed my life) http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/ Hi! my name is Amandeep Jawa & this is my website... because I'm shy. :-) Check out my picture pages for my random adventures... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:59:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: deep http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-78208 deep Thu, 06 May 2010 01:09:27 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-78208 In my house? :-) seriously you can go to any sari shop and find lovely saris - then you'd have to sew them into curtains.... In my house? :-) seriously you can go to any sari shop and find lovely saris – then you’d have to sew them into curtains….

]]> By: carmen http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-78207 carmen Thu, 06 May 2010 00:57:45 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-78207 where can i find those curtains!? where can i find those curtains!?

]]> By: deeptrouble » Project Rickshaw First Report: Trials & Tribulations http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-74732 deeptrouble » Project Rickshaw First Report: Trials & Tribulations Sun, 07 Mar 2010 23:21:44 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-74732 [...] also fits in well with my new found appreciation and curiosity about the ancestral homeland, India. But I also have to say, I REALLY want one of these Taiwanese [...] [...] also fits in well with my new found appreciation and curiosity about the ancestral homeland, India. But I also have to say, I REALLY want one of these Taiwanese [...]

]]> By: deeptrouble » Liner Notes for My 30s http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-50337 deeptrouble » Liner Notes for My 30s Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:29:03 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-50337 [...] Ghosal, Kunal Ganjawala, Sadhna Sargam & Shanker Mahadevan (from “Salaam-e-Ishq”): I also spent a lot of time figuring out and coming to terms with being Indian or near Indian, or rea... Bollywood has been a big part of that transition. These next two songs were played incessantly. The [...] [...] Ghosal, Kunal Ganjawala, Sadhna Sargam & Shanker Mahadevan (from “Salaam-e-Ishq”): I also spent a lot of time figuring out and coming to terms with being Indian or near Indian, or rea… Bollywood has been a big part of that transition. These next two songs were played incessantly. The [...]

]]> By: Aparna http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-2134 Aparna Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:42:01 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-2134 PS> LOVE your curtains!! PS> LOVE your curtains!!

]]> By: Aparna http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-2133 Aparna Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:36:45 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-2133 Hey Deep, Wow - a very interesting read! Fun and emotional. Having come to the US from India as a semi-adult (I was 21), I had some of your experiences in reverse. I grew up in an Indian heritage boarding school and was always proud of the Indian culture and ethics. But watching the Indian-population boom grow with the tech boom, I was extremely disillusioned with Indians. Their attitudes were either India-is-so-backward or ghetto. Worse, most of them were culturally illiterate. Apparently my schooling, friends and family gave me a very skewed picture of Indian-ness. But after I moved to the city and lived there, met you and your friends, experienced city life, my ashamed-of-other-Indians attitude dissipated quite a bit. Maybe the much-delayed maturity is finally hitting me :-) I have realized culture and identity are personal and individual. I'm Indian, oh yes, but am not too in so many ways. Absolutely love the Indian dances, costumes, colours, festivals and food!! Loved Amitabh but don't like the run-of-the-mill bollywood movies. Hate the "chaleyga" Indian attitude that permits blurred ethical boundaries. Hate the lack of civic sense in India. I'll never be or feel American, simply because I didn't spend my teen years here. Maybe that'll change over time. Or, maybe people like me who come here and become this weird mix of Indian and American should be called IBCA - Indian-born confused Americans. Thank GOD for the Bay Area for so so many reasons!!! Anywhere else I'd feel too un-American, too-brown, yet not Indian-enough. Sorry about the long comment, but your article really really resonated with me! Hey Deep,

Wow – a very interesting read! Fun and emotional. Having come to the US from India as a semi-adult (I was 21), I had some of your experiences in reverse. I grew up in an Indian heritage boarding school and was always proud of the Indian culture and ethics. But watching the Indian-population boom grow with the tech boom, I was extremely disillusioned with Indians. Their attitudes were either India-is-so-backward or ghetto. Worse, most of them were culturally illiterate. Apparently my schooling, friends and family gave me a very skewed picture of Indian-ness.

But after I moved to the city and lived there, met you and your friends, experienced city life, my ashamed-of-other-Indians attitude dissipated quite a bit. Maybe the much-delayed maturity is finally hitting me :-) I have realized culture and identity are personal and individual. I’m Indian, oh yes, but am not too in so many ways. Absolutely love the Indian dances, costumes, colours, festivals and food!! Loved Amitabh but don’t like the run-of-the-mill bollywood movies. Hate the “chaleyga” Indian attitude that permits blurred ethical boundaries. Hate the lack of civic sense in India.

I’ll never be or feel American, simply because I didn’t spend my teen years here. Maybe that’ll change over time. Or, maybe people like me who come here and become this weird mix of Indian and American should be called IBCA – Indian-born confused Americans.

Thank GOD for the Bay Area for so so many reasons!!! Anywhere else I’d feel too un-American, too-brown, yet not Indian-enough. Sorry about the long comment, but your article really really resonated with me!

]]> By: Hiya http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-1324 Hiya Fri, 23 Feb 2007 21:58:10 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-1324 Deep, What an amazing essay. I think it's the most big-hearted piece of existentialism I've ever read. The big question! Who am I? Anyway, I was recently thinking about how great it would be to celebrate Diwali in the Mission (I am one of your many neighbors), so if you feel up for a little organizing, I am too. I'm Anglo and not religious -- I just think it sounds cool, so there you go. Also, I think you need to get in touch with your fabulous brethren here: www.trikone.org. Something tells me they'll have a good line on cinematic goofballism and will appreciate your sparkle. Oh, and I bought a truly amazing and hella sparkly 1970s faux-Indian garment specially for your birthday. I was going to come as a twist on the theme: Buffy Sainte-Marie, the ultimate glam Native American Indian. But I got sick. I still have the floor-lenghth culotte jumpsuit, though. It's orange and has tiny mirrors. I bet you'll like it. I'll wear it for Diwali? Deep,
What an amazing essay. I think it’s the most big-hearted piece of existentialism I’ve ever read. The big question! Who am I?
Anyway, I was recently thinking about how great it would be to celebrate Diwali in the Mission (I am one of your many neighbors), so if you feel up for a little organizing, I am too. I’m Anglo and not religious — I just think it sounds cool, so there you go. Also, I think you need to get in touch with your fabulous brethren here: http://www.trikone.org. Something tells me they’ll have a good line on cinematic goofballism and will appreciate your sparkle. Oh, and I bought a truly amazing and hella sparkly 1970s faux-Indian garment specially for your birthday. I was going to come as a twist on the theme: Buffy Sainte-Marie, the ultimate glam Native American Indian. But I got sick. I still have the floor-lenghth culotte jumpsuit, though. It’s orange and has tiny mirrors. I bet you’ll like it. I’ll wear it for Diwali?

]]> By: Kunal http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-1243 Kunal Thu, 08 Feb 2007 07:34:56 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-1243 Hey Deep, That was an interesting read. Playing in a rock band growing up in India, I wasn't into the campiness either, and like you, and discovering it all over again (thanks to the fabulous Lisa) and share a lot of the experiences you talk about in your post. My parents are still in India, and I quite often feel that their assessment of life is now more sophisticated than most Americans'. It's changed a lot in the past ten years. A lot. When I do go back, it's a shock every time. It changes every year, visibly. By the way, I got taken off your email list (by mistake, I assume) - could you please put me back on it? Thx! Hey Deep,
That was an interesting read. Playing in a rock band growing up in India, I wasn’t into the campiness either, and like you, and discovering it all over again (thanks to the fabulous Lisa) and share a lot of the experiences you talk about in your post.
My parents are still in India, and I quite often feel that their assessment of life is now more sophisticated than most Americans’. It’s changed a lot in the past ten years. A lot. When I do go back, it’s a shock every time. It changes every year, visibly.
By the way, I got taken off your email list (by mistake, I assume) – could you please put me back on it? Thx!

]]> By: deep http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-1228 deep Thu, 08 Feb 2007 01:00:17 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-1228 Thanks arifa! Yeah I've heard the term "ABCD" - but for the record though, I never felt like ABCD applied, because I never felt Confused :-) Your interpretation of course is your own.... Thanks arifa! Yeah I’ve heard the term “ABCD” – but for the record though, I never felt like ABCD applied, because I never felt Confused :-) Your interpretation of course is your own….

]]> By: arifa http://www.deeptrouble.com/2007/01/29/so-how-indian-am-i/comment-page-1/#comment-1227 arifa Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:55:14 +0000 http://www.deeptrouble.com/?p=56#comment-1227 i wrote to you a few years ago upon discovering that there was someone else out there who had dressed up as a disco ball for halloween. now it seems we're going in tandem again. i spent about two weeks of january in india visiting family and thinking about how different my life would have been had my parents not moved to the states and wondering how different i would be as a result. anyway, just wanted to say hello and that i enjoyed your post and that there's at least one more ABCD (american-born confused desi) out there. i didn't make that up. there's a movie called american born confused desi or something. i just remember that it really sucked even though i so wanted to like it. i wrote to you a few years ago upon discovering that there was someone else out there who had dressed up as a disco ball for halloween. now it seems we’re going in tandem again. i spent about two weeks of january in india visiting family and thinking about how different my life would have been had my parents not moved to the states and wondering how different i would be as a result. anyway, just wanted to say hello and that i enjoyed your post and that there’s at least one more ABCD (american-born confused desi) out there. i didn’t make that up. there’s a movie called american born confused desi or something. i just remember that it really sucked even though i so wanted to like it.

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