Having grown up in a place where you are the minority, wether on race or religion or in my case both, can make you feel timid and shy. No matter where you walk in the mass of humanity around you, you seem to stand out and be unable to hide. Just by looking at you, people judge you to be a certain way - and those judgements do not change with the greatest of ease. So assumptions about your wealth, your families job and status (if you are lucky to have one) are formulated on your appearance - To wether you are greated by Vanakkam, Namaste, Asalam Aleikum or Hello young saar. Everyone has predujices, I myself - being bought up in a community which was extremely anti-hindi and anti-brahamic - refuse to speak Hindi and hate the caste system. Even though I went to an English medium school, I could hardly afford the books. I didn't have proper shoes until 14 and often dodged paying fares by hanging onto the side of the bus. So when people looked at me and charged me double or triple because I looked like I came from a rich family (despite my accent, plain clothes etc) I got most upset. For this reason I never dreamed of using rickshaws and developed the like for long walks under the hot Trichy sun. I love walking, you get enjoyment from the air, and the sites of things that you miss in the bus (Its less crowded) or car (going to fast). Walking through the Nilgiri (when i managed to get there) and the backwaters was probably one of the most enjoyable things. I think now, with today's modern and convinence that everyone is too busy to stop and contemplate. It takes me 5 minutes to get to work now, before I had a car it used to take 35 minutes - During those 35 minutes I was just thinking about life and things, not letting things get too crowded. But to walk here, puts you in the minority... Its not bad to be in the minority, because then you are unaffected by the things that affect the majority. We are not born into being one thing or another, unlike what is taught in Hinduism, The jothidam can't predict your future - no matter if you were born on Mercury's day, Sun's day, Moon's day - on the 1st Month or last Month because you can control your future.
I now live in a place where we are the majority, which is probably the most unusual and unexplainable feeling -- People are not stirring at me nor trying to up the prices, but I don't suprise people anymore.
I believe everyone to be equal and unique, which is why I still hold onto my taught anti brahmic stance - which, though I could prosper by it, I know is opposition to life. I still support the DMK! Vaazhga Valamudan!
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When things got me down. Id walk. I once walked from Dehiwala junction to almost Battaramulla. Walking is a great form of relaxation for me. I like watching people. I like being in the thick of things. You can get lost in world few can find. You will see things that you might never see if you took the car or bus.
Having lived in the majority, I now live in a place where I am definitely in the most minute of minorities. Its hard. People pre-judge you, you cant make friends. Ppl look at you differently. Its not easy. From here I will move to a place Im less of a minority. Wonder how it will be
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