I am Hardik. But the world hardly seems to be interested in the name. Every damn form asks me my native, my religion, my caste, and my gender. Are all these things that important? Well, I don't really think so. But then because everyone seems to be so interested in these details, I thought to dwell into it for a moment.
What could be the reason for my native, religion, caste, and gender to matter so significantly compared to who I am? May be because I was not born as who I am. I wasn't born as 'Hardik', the nomenclature was done later. Rather, I was born a Gujarati; I was born a Hindu; I was born a Patel; and I was born a male. So, this could be the reason they associate my identity to these titles.
If life is a castle, and growing up is like climbing a ladder, I have reached to a certain floor of the castle where I have a window to have an aerial view. The way I see it from this window, the 'native', 'religion', 'caste', and 'gender' were my first 4 steps onto the ladder. Then there were few other steps. Then I can see 'education' and 'exposure' as the prominent steps of the ladder which are nearest to where I am standing currently.
The lower storeys of the castle until before 'education' and 'exposure' didn't have windows for me to be able to look outside. So, the journey up until then was more of a one-way traffic - a 'herd mentality' in simpler terms.
Now, as I climbed up significantly, and had the privilege of the window, I started looking out and applied logic to everything that I came across - this included questioning the validity of the first 4 steps of my own ladder.
I knew my native, religion, caste, and gender much better than any outsider could ever do. So I also knew the shortcomings of my roots better than anyone else could. I started singling out illogical things. I condemned casteism, declared myself secular and atheist (partially). I started hating regionalism. I supported feminism and condemned patriarchy too. These all were good things to do. I became a 'liberal' in true sense.
But then, as now I see that howsoever liberal I become, my 'titles' are never detached from me, albeit on paper. I am anyway a Gujju, Hindu, Patel, and a man. And also the fact that if I cut down the first 4 steps of the ladder, I will lose some altitude (read: 'identity'), and may not have the window-view then. I certainly can't afford that.
So, what could be a solution to this? To think a bit differently may be.
Can I be a Gujarati without the stereotypical traits that are often associated to the region? I think I already am.
Can I acknowledge Hinduism for all the good that it offers, and be ready to fight the perils within? Probably, yes.
Can I just accept that I am a Patel, without associating any pride or disgust with it? I think I can.
Can I be a male, proud for the right reasons about manhood? I think I'm almost there.
For I understand by now, that the world is a place full of people who more often than not, don't make sense. In such a place, if I cannot acknowledge my roots for the right reasons, and be ready for improvements within, then no one else could probably do that for me.
So, here I am. I'm Hardik. I am an atypical (yet) Gujju; a partially atheist, secular, and non-fanatic (yet a) Hindu; a Patel on paper; and an equality-seeking, non-feminist, non-patriarchal (yet a) man. I am a liberal with roots.
The world does not need educated people fighting like stray dogs over genders and religions on Facebook. The world also does not need hypocrites who in the name of 'liberalism' accept something and condemn the very thing on different occasions at convenience, and still enjoy the privileges of the same.
Our world is in a desperate need of the people who are willing to do the patchwork from within, for our world is suffering from serious internal injuries.
What could be the reason for my native, religion, caste, and gender to matter so significantly compared to who I am? May be because I was not born as who I am. I wasn't born as 'Hardik', the nomenclature was done later. Rather, I was born a Gujarati; I was born a Hindu; I was born a Patel; and I was born a male. So, this could be the reason they associate my identity to these titles.
Photo credits: http://wallarthd.com/
If life is a castle, and growing up is like climbing a ladder, I have reached to a certain floor of the castle where I have a window to have an aerial view. The way I see it from this window, the 'native', 'religion', 'caste', and 'gender' were my first 4 steps onto the ladder. Then there were few other steps. Then I can see 'education' and 'exposure' as the prominent steps of the ladder which are nearest to where I am standing currently.
The lower storeys of the castle until before 'education' and 'exposure' didn't have windows for me to be able to look outside. So, the journey up until then was more of a one-way traffic - a 'herd mentality' in simpler terms.
Now, as I climbed up significantly, and had the privilege of the window, I started looking out and applied logic to everything that I came across - this included questioning the validity of the first 4 steps of my own ladder.
I knew my native, religion, caste, and gender much better than any outsider could ever do. So I also knew the shortcomings of my roots better than anyone else could. I started singling out illogical things. I condemned casteism, declared myself secular and atheist (partially). I started hating regionalism. I supported feminism and condemned patriarchy too. These all were good things to do. I became a 'liberal' in true sense.
But then, as now I see that howsoever liberal I become, my 'titles' are never detached from me, albeit on paper. I am anyway a Gujju, Hindu, Patel, and a man. And also the fact that if I cut down the first 4 steps of the ladder, I will lose some altitude (read: 'identity'), and may not have the window-view then. I certainly can't afford that.
So, what could be a solution to this? To think a bit differently may be.
Can I be a Gujarati without the stereotypical traits that are often associated to the region? I think I already am.
Can I acknowledge Hinduism for all the good that it offers, and be ready to fight the perils within? Probably, yes.
Can I just accept that I am a Patel, without associating any pride or disgust with it? I think I can.
Can I be a male, proud for the right reasons about manhood? I think I'm almost there.
For I understand by now, that the world is a place full of people who more often than not, don't make sense. In such a place, if I cannot acknowledge my roots for the right reasons, and be ready for improvements within, then no one else could probably do that for me.
So, here I am. I'm Hardik. I am an atypical (yet) Gujju; a partially atheist, secular, and non-fanatic (yet a) Hindu; a Patel on paper; and an equality-seeking, non-feminist, non-patriarchal (yet a) man. I am a liberal with roots.
The world does not need educated people fighting like stray dogs over genders and religions on Facebook. The world also does not need hypocrites who in the name of 'liberalism' accept something and condemn the very thing on different occasions at convenience, and still enjoy the privileges of the same.
Our world is in a desperate need of the people who are willing to do the patchwork from within, for our world is suffering from serious internal injuries.
