Welcome to our fifth post of All Around South Asia! Once a month we will be interviewing our followers from different regions of South Asia so we can share their culture with all of you! For our fourth post, we are exploring Maharathi culture. This week we interviewed Saani Kulkarni who will be attending University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the fall!
Growing up in America do you feel like you were still able to connect with your culture/language, if so how?
Yes, for the most part! I would honestly say somewhat, if that were an option. I think that despite growing up in the U.S. and never really spending a lot of time in India, my overall identity as an Indian-American stayed strong. Something that did help was the fact that my parents enrolled me in a Kathak dance class, which is a form of Northern Indian classical dance. Being able to take part in something like that really did allow me to connect with other Indian-American girls and explore parts of my culture.
When I was younger, I actually felt more connected to my Indian culture than now, which is something I find kind of interesting. It might have been correlated to the fact that I was once able to speak Marathi and Hindi fluently, but now can only understand them and string basic phrases or sentences along. Additionally, another thing I’d say I regret is not knowing a lot about my religion. Even though I might classify myself as a Hindu, I still don’t really don’t feel as if I know enough about the meaning behind each holiday or the principles of the religion to strongly say that I am one. Overall, however, I think if someone wants to stay connected to their culture, it's really important to just keep trying to immerse yourself in it. Even if your friends or family might laugh at your absolutely terrible Hindi (understandably so), the important part is that you’re actively trying to maintain your ties to your culture so they don’t slip away.
What is unique to the region of South Asia you are from?
I’m from Maharashtra, which is a very big state in the westernmost part of India but also one that not many people around me know about. I’d say something very unique to the region I’m from would be the sheer diversity present in it. There’s obviously Mumbai, which is like the center of all Bollywood-related activities, which brings a lot of business as well as people from all over India and the world into it. Aside from that however, there are a ton of different languages spoken within the state just due to the mix of people that have migrated to it, and each region has its own smaller sub-culture too. It’s really common in Maharashtra or larger Maharashtrian cities to be living right next door to a Parsi family, a Muslim family, and a Christian family all at the same time.
Additionally, something I love about Marathi culture, specifically, would be when they celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, since it's an incredibly big cultural celebration in the state. Houses are decorated with lights and huge processions and parades take place in the streets. It's definitely something that brings the entire community together, despite being a religious event.
What do you dislike about your culture?
This might be said a lot, but for good reason. It would definitely be the whole “log kya kahenge” or “what will people say” thing just because I feel like it limits the happiness or potential of a ton of South Asian individuals. Ideas such as the right person to marry or the right career path to follow stay stuck in our community’s mind, leaving people to force themselves to find what society deems as contentment instead of what they truly want. If something happens in the community that would cause a rift, many are often told to be silent instead of rightfully speaking up. Luckily, I feel like with time such notions are slowly becoming outdated, especially within the South Asian diaspora. Finally, it would definitely be the gender biases that are present in Desi culture. Even though there are a lot of individuals who break through these barriers, overall girls and women are still underrepresented in areas such as the workforce, and many in areas of rural India still don’t have access to proper education or safe feminine hygiene products due to the variety of stigmas surrounding it.
Were you ever embarrassed by your culture and if so how did that change?
Definitely. There was a certain period in my life where I desperately wanted to be like the people I was friends with, which basically just means I wanted to be white. I pretended not to really know any cultural references my other brown friends made and kind of disassociated from my identity to try and fit in better. It obviously didn’t end up working, primarily because no matter how much you change yourself on the outside, everyone still classifies you as different based on your external features. There were multiple things that helped me get over this period, the first being the change in who I surrounded myself with. Gaining a wider circle of South Asian friends later in high school allowed me to embrace my culture for what it was, and find a sense of community in others who were similar to me. Seeing them be proud of who they were and where they came showed me that there was no harm in doing the same. The second, although more insignificant, would probably be Bollywood. Although by no means an entirely accurate representation of Indian or Desi culture, the fact that I watched so many Bollywood movies helped open my eyes to the beauty of the culture, and everything from the many talented singers and songwriters to the cultural clothing and rich history. Additionally, I would say that it definitely helped me learn more Hindi/Urdu, which was very beneficial. However, I do still really want to know more about Marathi culture and the Marathi language specifically, so I should probably start watching Marathi movies as well.
What are common stereotypes about people in the region you are from?
Honestly, I feel as if there aren’t a lot of stereotypes about Marathis I’m aware of just because it isn’t a very well-known part of Indian culture here in the United States. However, talking with my parents and grandparents, they agreed on the fact that one common perception is that Marathis are very simplistic, which isn’t entirely untrue. I remember seeing a tik tok calling Marathi food the “white people food of India”, which I both agree and disagree with. A lot of traditional Marathi dishes, again depending on the ethnic group one’s from, are much more subdued and milder as compared to the Indian cuisine that’s popular here. Even the weddings or celebrations could be considered a lot more lowkey. However, I think the beauty of Maharashtrian culture is in part due to its simplicity, since it’s something that can be incredibly comforting and peaceful. Marathi people tend to value this idea of community a lot, so there’s always this emphasis on celebrating anything together with one’s family or helping one another out as well even if it's the most simple of affairs. It can be the opposite in areas like Mumbai as well, in which people live a much faster-paced lifestyle in comparison to other areas bordering the coastline.
What is your favorite thing to do/place to go when you visit the region you are from?
I love spending time in the city, since it's really interesting to see just the incredible mix of architecture, people, and just the special energy of Mumbai. Whenever I visit with my family, we always go to this street called Colaba, full of small stores and unique vendors. Walking alongside the Gateway of India is an experience like no other, as you get to see the beautiful view of the Arabian Sea as well. Something I enjoy that’s more personal to me, however, would be the drive from Mumbai to Pune when I visit my grandparents, since the scenery is absolutely gorgeous, especially during the monsoon seasons. It's not uncommon to see a ton of monkeys sitting alongside the road markers, a variety of animals in the mountainside, or a ton of waterfalls along the highways. The entire experience is so serene, and the drive always helps me appreciate the beautiful tropical environment of Maharashtra, one unlike that of the urban areas I primarily spend the majority of my time in.
How do you feel about the classification of North versus South India? Do you feel like you struggle with identifying yourself with a certain group?
A lot. I feel like Indian-Americans tend to view the whole of India as just North and South, and completely forget about the West or East. Again, Maharashtra is a very big state, and I can’t say that it could be entirely classified as either North or South. If I had to say, I would just consider it both. Something I love about it is that it has aspects of all regions of India, depending on the geographical location. For example, going to areas like Thane or the Konkan Division, you’d find a lot of coastal influences with heavy seafood diets or in Mumbai, a complete mix of everything. The farther north you go, you see a much stronger presence of food and culture like that of what we traditionally view as North Indian, and the farther south it has a lot of influences from Karnataka, the southern state bordering it. Even words found in languages like Tamil such as appa or amma were historically used in the Marathi language as well. There are also some aspects originating from within Maharashtra itself and spreading towards the rest of the subcontinent, such as the 10-day Ganesh festival since Maharashtrians celebrate it the longest and most elaborately. Most of the time, I personally find myself relating more to my North Indian friends, primarily due to the fact that the area of Maharashtra I come from (Mumbai) has a lot more North Indian cultural aspects which might be due to the influx of Bollywood influence, as well as the fact that Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language sharing similarities to Hindi. However, ultimately I don’t think any sort of classifications are necessary. It's another state with a rich culture of its own!
Do you believe colorism is prevalent in the area of Maharashtra you’re from? If yes, please explain.
I would say yes, but to the same degree that it’s prevalent in other areas of India as well, which is still a lot. Because of the diversity present in Maharashtra and the variety of ethnic groups within it, it’s common to see a wide range of skin colors in the Marathi community itself. This obviously opens up a lot of comparisons, as there is a specific range of skin colors perceived as “beautiful” or “desirable” in the South Asian mindset. I’ve heard comments from fellow South Asians about the skintones of individuals, as well as seen how within the community those with lighter skin tones are given endearing nicknames, while those with darker skin tones have been subjected to a number of jokes about their appearance as well. Thankfully, within both extended family and those close to me in Maharashtra, I haven’t really seen a lot of colorism take place, which has created a much healthier environment to be in for both my cousins and for me.
Do you think Maharashtra has been handling the COVID Crisis well? If not, how can we help other parts of the world?
Maharashtra has been one of the states most severely affected by COVID-19 in India. I’ve heard countless stories from my family’s friends or acquaintances about struggling to find oxygen for themselves or their loved ones, or any available hospital beds. In the present, Maharashtra’s death toll is currently about 93,138, and it surpassed 25,000 deaths in just the month of May, a count that is much higher compared to even that of multiple states in the entirety of the pandemic (Source) I would definitely say that the state of Maharashtra as a whole is not handling the pandemic well, especially after the deadly rise in the death toll due to the variants with higher chances of transmission across populations. This is in part due to the high population density of the state, allowing the variant with an already high chance of transmission to spread far quicker and wider than that of other lesser populated states. Additionally, it's really heartbreaking to see how some people have taken advantage of the tragedy, with essential items such as oxygen cylinders or even hospital beds have begun to sell on the black market for triple or quadruple the price due to the high demand in the midst of the pandemic across multiple states. In order to help with the current situation, if one is able to, a donation is incredibly helpful. There are a wide number of NGOs and charities dedicated to improving and helping with the procurement of COVID-19 essential items across India. Organizations such as Oxygen for India, Direct Relief, and Care India are helping to get oxygen cylinders and PPE to people across India and are great charities to donate to!
Do you believe Maharashtrians are under-represented in the US?
I would say that despite the fact that there are high populations of Marathis in certain areas of the United States, the overall representation of Marathi culture itself in the US is definitely under-represented. Within my own community, there are a few Maharashtrian-related organizations that a lot of individuals participate in, but it's hard to come across many fellow South Asians that are aware of a lot of the important aspects of Marathi culture. As mentioned previously, since many people are accustomed to grouping states or regions of India only into the North or South, areas that cannot be classified as either are very unfamiliar to certain people. Additionally, it's really hard to find any restaurants that serve Marathi cuisine. Since a lot of people gain a primary understanding of a culture from its food, I think that if Indian restaurants were to try & incorporate more central and western Indian influences it would be beneficial in the spreading of Marathi culture. I hope that by taking the time to experience Marathi culture whether through art, music, food, or movies, people can gain a greater understanding and appreciation for it!
Favorites:
Food: Biriyani, Anything with paneer, Puran Poli
Movies/Music: Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Jodhaa Akbar, any of the songs sung by A.R. Rahman like Khwaja Mere Khwaja, Arijit Singh, or Shreya Ghoshal
Holidays/ Traditions: Diwali, Holi
That's all for this week's post! There's no post next week, but check back at the end of June for another All Around South Asia Post!