Thank you Jhumpa Lahiri
As everyone is probably well aware by now, Newsweek Magazine talks about the emergence of India, preparing for Dubya's visit this week. In the issue, author Jhumpa Lahiri (picture: courtesy of Newsweek) writes a truly wonderful article titled, "My Two Lives." This article has been mentioned all over the news and on numerous blogs, but I just had to mention it here. It was one of the best essays I have read in awhile and it so eloquently describes the hyphenated identity that many Indian-Americans live with. It's also coincidental because delicate and I were just talking about how it is only through our parents that we are able to maintain our cultural ties. They keep us rooted in many traditions and values through their own lessons learned, memories, and experiences of growing up in India, their homeland. In the future, I really wonder if I would be able to teach my children my Indian culture, language, the significance of certain holidays and traditions, and other little bits of information that are so much a part of being a desi. After reading it, all I could say is thank you Jhumpa for writing such an articulate piece that really describes what many of us, children of immigrants, often feel.
Here is the article. Enjoy!
posted by payal @ 7:49 PM
1 Comments:
I really loved this article by Jhumpa Lahiri. While reading "My Two Lives", there were so many moments where Lahiri's thoughts were exact reflections of my own. I especially loved when she metioned that...
"I feel Indian not because of the time I've spent in India or because of my genetic composition but rather because of my parents' steadfast presence in my life."
I think the idea of being connected to India solely through your parents is a concept that deeply resonates with most Indian-Americans.
Another great point Lahiri makes...
"I have always believed that I lack the authority my parents bring to being Indian. But as long as they live they protect me from feeling like an impostor."
I think this idea worries me the most. Once my parents are gone, will I feel like an imposter? A fraud? Will I lose the Indian part of my identity? I mean I can't read or write Gujarati, and I just barely speak it. How on earth will my kids ever develop the Indian part of their identity when I sometimes feel like a fraud by calling myself Indian? Besides my parents, what true connection do I have to India?
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