language

Photo by Jason Krieger/kriegs on Flickr

Excuse me...
Kya re?
Mera dil tere pe fida re...

So the other day I realized how ugly, sterile and hostile the phrase – “Excuse me” is (in Indian context)! Recently I was maneuvering my parents around Hyderabad, showing them the better side of the city. I was once again struck by their flair for striking conversations with complete and total strangers. While I was excusing my self left right and center, they would always start by salutations like, “bhayya ji, bhai saahab, madam, uncle, aunty, didi, beta, babu moshaae, etc.” Now the difference in their approach and mine is, as soon as I say “excuse me” I become an outsider, an alien, external entity. While salutations, such as what my parents use immediately form a relationship. The moment you call some one bhayya, uncle ji, aunty ji etc, you give them respect, you tell them that you recognize their social stature. Such salutations also assure people that you are one of them, and not a disconnected, detached passer by.

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