Typically Bong

When i first came home in the pujas of 2007, there was one question that i was frequented with. How difficult it is to adjust with the bongs of kolkata? Not that the question has died out, but probably with time people have realized that i must have adjusted myself with the scenario. Much to my own surprise, initially i myself failed to distinguish between the two, between us and the localites, between probasi and bheto bangalis. But with time am able to visualize a distinct difference.

A probasi bong is without doubt materialistic. In general we enjoy in spending time doing something constructive. Not constructive in the literal sense though. Playing cards the whole night, useless bird watching in mani square also fall under such constructive measures. A kolkatean would rather spend their time thinking... thinking... and thinking, that is to say they are more abstract. They would prefer penning down a couple of lines of poetry and reading a rabindranath novel for the umpteenth time rather than wandering in pursuit of... u know what!!

And then the sense of pride...proud to be a bengali... proud for anything that even remotely has Bengal attached. And celebrations of this pride is indeed eye catching (kolkatans celebrate even the day rabindranath trimmed his beard... thats two days a year!). For them the biharis are rickshaw pullers, punjabis are taxi drivers, marwaris can only manage shops and the south indians are good for nothing. In short they are the best and should rule over every other community in this country if not the whole world. Whats amusing is the bengali auto driver and bihari taxi driver conversation. The auto drivers on seeing Biharis feel themselves to be zamidars of Bengal. A little reflection in their rear view mirror would actually show them their zamadar status. Its true that the bongs are intellect people, but then this intellect makes them over proud of themselves. It is this false pride i believe that keeps the bheto bongs confined in kolkata and the probasis never feel like returning to the roots permanently....