Punjabi by Nature!!

Winters in India usually mark the arrival of the festive season. Dussehra, Diwali, Christmas and other such festivals really get you into the holidaying and partying spirit. Your house seems to be inundated by the gifts and presents, which I really look forward to mainly due to the copious amounts of chocolates that I get, brought to you bai( error is intentional and you'll know why if you have been watching channel V lately) the steady inflow of friends and relatives.
Its usually during these times that relatives, some of whose existence you were never even aware of, stop by for exchanging pleasantries. A genral topic of discussion prevelant in my family is how good UPwaale are or how much better Punjabis are. Being a half and half, UPwaala from dad's side and Punjabi from my mom's side, I get to hear the view points of both the sides.
So here is my compilation based on my personal experiences on what I believe are the characteristics of the 2.
My paternal aunts and uncles maintain that punjabis don't know how to keep their homes clean. Are you kidding me buddy?!! Just how many times has my mom scolded me for not cleaning up my room!! The painstaking effort I have seen my mom, grandma etc etc go through just to keep the house spotless is enough to negate this allegation. On the contrary I think UP people can learn something from them. Another thing that people maintain is that Punjabis are too ostentatious and I have to admit that it is a fact. Punjabis, most of them who are really prosperous, love to flaunt all that currency they have. Money speaks for them. Punjabis love money but also know how to spend it freely- A big house, a big car to go with it, latest cellphones, throwing grand parties and especially marriage functions- they know how to do it in style. Punjabis are laborious, mehnati as my mom calls it. But when it comes to intelligence I feel UPites have a bigger brain in the head of theirs. They respect education or vidya much more than the punjabis. Another serious flaw that I find in Punjabis is lack in family values. If you actually go to Punjab you will find a lot of women being treated as doormats. Back-biting and bitching goes on all the time. I suppose the song - na biwi hai na baccha....sabse bada rupaiyya actually finds its ground here. More disturbing is the fact is that Punjabi's prefer a male child( look at the sex ratio for God's sake) The parents are all like-"Khaale puttar, hai sadda munda kitna patla ho gaya hai".This is what I really appreciate about punjabis, beta kha kha ke phool gaya hai but still his mom maintains that her darling is as thin as a stick. The son gets all the attention, all the coochycooing and mollycoddling, all the freedom and as much money he wants to the result that he becomes a spoilt brat, but you will never see a girl getting the same. On the other hand UPites have a strong value system. My dad's family is huge and i really mean HUGE but that doesen't stop them from attending all family fuctions, all gatherings and all festivals. These family values are what unites them making them a close knit family.

Coming to the lighter side of things. Why can't punjabis find a decent name for their children?!! And if they do then no one is ever really known by it.. they all go like titu, happy, vicky, ricky, jolly and the like. But whatever you say punjabis are the most jolly and the fun-loving people that you will find anywhere.

So with this note I think I'll finish off this entry....No no wait!! I forgot the most important bit- Food and music. Punjab de khaane da toh koi mukabla nahi haiga. Butter chicken, aloo ke paranthe, dal makhani, makke di roti de sarson da saag.....man punjabi women have magic in their hands. But one dish I really like ,which is also prevelant in UP, is arhar kii daal ki khichdi. My dad always says," Ghee, dahi, papad aur achaar- khicdi ke yeh 4 yaar"..Ohk don't start laughing. I know it sounds funny but trust me the combo rocks.

As for punjab di bhasha uddi toh gal hii niraali haigi. Punjabi has this uncanny penchant for attracting people of all lingual groups towards it. The songs and their beats, the language....it rocks. Maybe thats why they made it the official language of Delhi. I actually heard a Tamillian trying to sing Main toh tere naal nachna. My message to him:- Paaji Punjabi sadde liye hii chadd do taude bas da nahi haiga. Don't run off with the idea that I am great shakes at punjabi coz I aen't

Yah so I finally end this post. And I would like to apologise to those who think I am being prejudiced or judgemental. But don't forget that I too am as good or as bad as both the Punjabis and UPites.

Abhi