Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Same Culture & Same People....Yet Divided..Why????

I am glad that I got an opportunity to watch an Indian movie, "Singh is King" in Lahore. It is not that I loved the plot or the cast of the movie. Similar cultures across the border always make me think, why South Asia could not become an economic unit. Anyways, this movie is all about Sardars “Indian Punjabi Folks in Aussie”; good part was watching it in Pakistani “Punjab”, on contrary watching it in Karachi may not have been so fun. Movie is light entertaining, hmm rather stupid one but I always feel the difference in overall culture of Punjab vis a vis Karachi or my cultural background “Baluchistan”. Lots of hilarious scenes, sentences and words in the movie, all seems so similar that I get to hear everyday at LUMS. It makes me think hard, if I start noting the difference and similarities between India & Pakistan, I end up with big list that may provide a rationale to support the economic integration of Sub Continent. In Pakistan it is general belief that Civil Military Bureaucracy mainly comprised of Punjabi & Urdu speaking middle class having deep anti Indian FETISH.
So many similarities, yet forced to live with minor “self created” difference. I wait for the day when Indus Valley Civilization gets connected with Ganges Valley Civilization, it is natural connection, and one can not separate the rivers, mountains & cultural similarities yet flourishing inspite of Iron Curtain.

1 comment:

Vikram said...

I think the same culture logic applies to some states in North India like Punjab and western UP. But it definitely does not apply to South India or even Maharashtra (who have enough trouble getting along with North Indians, forget Pakistan). As it stands today Indian Punjab is better economically integrated with Tamil Nadu (inspite of totally different culture) than Pakistani Punjab. This is indeed very sad.