Cultural Identity......it's complicated!

Life comes to a full circle when it comes to answering questions about my cultural and ethnic background. "Where are you from?" I see myself jumping through the hoops to answer this tough one. If you are like me who has made more than one place their home, you probably will identify with me. Sometimes I wish this question was posed as a multiple choice question where I could answer "all of the above" for my choice. The funny part is that I see this dilemma in a lot of the younger generations within the community. It is hard to choose one word to describe your cultural affiliations. Like many other things in life this too has become a bit complicated!

Living in New Delhi is a wee bit like living in United States. Both these places are giant melting pot of different cultures, traditions and customs. I spent my growing years dodging the same question...where are you from? Raised in New Delhi, my obvious answer "New Delhi" was never good enough. Perhaps,a more specific answer was expected. "Well...I was born in Patna and my extended family is in Bihar". The reaction would be "There you go...you are from Bihar"! I didn't mind that at all. After all it was the truth. My roots are in Bihar. The funny part, however, was no matter how much I would try to explain this answer in Patna...the verdict was always the contrary in Bihar - "oh... so you are a dilliwali"! Now go figure...

Surprisingly, years later and moving to a new country didn't change a whole lot for me, as far as answering that same...dreaded question was concerned. It is de ja vue! In US I am always an Indian and strangely, always an American in India. It is hilarious that the minds are already made up. My cultural status is constantly thrown back and forth like a ping-pong ball. Some politically correct people do make an effort, I must admit...I am an American of Indian decent or an Indian American! In India they will say "she was an Indian but now she is an American citizen, she is a NRI". Having a multiple cultural backgrounds can be a pain sometimes... or is it really???

Multi-cultural upbringing is actually a blessing. It gives one a broader perspective on the world. By adding an interesting dimension in life, cultural pluralism gives one a deeper understanding and compassion for people or situations different from each other. It enriches you, educates you, and also in many ways liberates you. Multiculturalism holds the differences between individual as a potential source of strength and renewal. It strives to uphold the values of equality, equity and freedom. Embrace all the customs, traditions and beliefs of all the cultures your life crosses paths with. Even as contradictory and conflicting may people's reaction might be to my place of origin, I would not want anything different.

With more and more people moving away from their place of birth, I hope one can see how the answering a simple question "Where are you from?", can become an annoying one. Make roundabouts to reach the final decision, give your entire ancestral history or just decline to answer, becomes your only options. Making assumptions about anyone based on their cultural upbringing and rushing too fast to tag someone to a place, the mad dash to categorize them is a bit harsh. Please pay head: People can be from many different places and still stay close to their roots. One can embrace new traditions but still keep the old one. By nature we all are resilient...we adapt and assimilate!

Advice to the younger generation: Never feel like you are stuck between multiple cultures and feel pressured to pick one culture over the other. The quandary to choose the place where my parents are from or to choose where I am being raised can be mind boggling. Be proud of your multi-cultural heritage! You are amongst the lucky group of people who have experienced life from newer perspective. Your life is fuller, richer and your contributions to the society will be unique, truly one of a kind. In spite of your inability to completely blend in a place, sometimes feel like an outsider , detest the feeling of not completely belong....multi-cultural upbringing is such a bonus !

I will not change that for anything...and next time if someone tries to figure out for me "Where I am from?"...I patiently begin by reminding myself...it's not really that complicated!

-Rachna Bardaiyar Kumar