North India …

This may seem a rant to some … for the rest, please be informed, that, this is indeed a rant.

Conversation in the ITPL shopping area (tech park mall):

Random Person>   Hi … You look familiar.

Me> Hmm. I dont recall seeing you (noticing the TCS badge)

Random Person> [Extends hand] Im Rajesh, from TCS.

Me> [Extending hand as well] Mouli from {insert company name here}

Random Person> Ah, ok [Pretty apparent that he did not recognize the company name]

Random Person> Where are you from originally ? [Apparent that he has mistakenly assumed that I am a Shukla/Gupta/Singh/Dey/… from  my fair complexion]

Me> Madras

Random Person> [Pretty taken aback]. Oh ! [a brief couple of seconds pause] I am from North India.

Me [in my head]> Uh. Where is that ? Is that a separate country (like North Korea/South Korea). I thought there was only ONE INDIA. Where did that come from? Ofcourse I was miffed. Very pis**ed off indeed.

Me [aloud]> I was in {stressing} North India too, you know. Noida, for about 5 years.

Random Person> Really. [Apparent from his expression, that he is shocked that someone from South India (yeah like in the separate country we are), could survive in Noida that long.

Me> Nice meeting you. Gotta go. [giving him a quizzical look and thinking, “tsk tsk .. when will these guys grow up?“]

I have to say something though — it is not everyone who is like this. I have several friends from Delhi, and not all of them are like this. I know several who treat the whole country as their own, and freely migrate to different parts of the country, and also adapt to the local customs/society etc. Maybe it is just me — but I guess, I would not have gotten so irritated, if he had said, “Im from Delhi”. What is up with the ‘North India’ thing ; and the shocking expressions. Grow up guys.