It's high time all of us rose above petty differences, came out of our casteist cocoons, emerged from our proverbial wells and gathered together on a single platform to make a vision for Bihar. Vision 2030 we should call it and work towards that end. This should start firstly, by reflecting our self respect right on our faces, secondly shrugging off that attitude of "nothing can happen in Bihar" and thirdly by accepting the Bihari accent as natural as Marathi or Tamil or any other for that matter. We can make a big difference by not just writing mails but by making a formal forum called RNRB (resident and non resident Biharis) and pushing the government in a positive direction by giving moral, financial, technical and intellectual support, now that Lalu is gone. This has happened in other states in India and in places such as Taiwan as well as cowboy belts of USA which were still in a dark tunnel when the other states were enjoying the warm sunshine.

We should be determined to do so or face incidents of JJ hospital in every nook and corner of India. In fact each of us have gone through one kind of a humiliation or the other and have been jeered at as a "Bihari" at one time or the other. Let The Prime Minister change Mumbai to Shanghai and let us Biharis progress our state to such a height where even the Shiv Sainiks will be forced to obtain education, etiquette and above all the sense of NATIONALITY.

Dr. Jaya Vatsyayan
Institute of Molecular Medicine
National Tsing Hua University,
Hsinchu, Taiwan, R.O.C - Dec. 7, 2005

To be politically correct, I am not a Bihari (Godda, my home, is in Jharkhand). And except for the four early years at Darbhanga, I have never stayed long in what is called Bihar now. But, it is probably the attitude of others towards Biharis, which stops me from introducing myself as a Jharkhandi (no-more-Bihari) to people from other states. And honestly, not only do I feel pride in calling myself a Bihari, but also, I love this feeling. There was a time when it used to hurt. When I went to Delhi, I discovered that 'Bihari' in the Indian capital means a rickshaw-puller or a labourer. Do they mean to insult people from Bihar? It took me some time to realize, they don't. How does one identify if one is a Bihari? Simple, by accent. Do Biharis studying in prestigious colleges, and high-ranking bureaucrats have 'Bihari' accent? Not so obvious, may be. So, the image is created not by them, but by the labourers. Now, if you get used to seeing people with this accent doing low-end jobs, how would you feel if on your first day at JNU, you find yourself in company of guys with that rickshaw-wala accent? Well, let me ask you something, have you ever heard someone saying 'No wonder! Reservation got him the officer's chair, by merit, he is not fit to be a chaprasi even.' (No offence to chaprasis). You bet that guy is used to see people of that particular community doing chaprasi-jobs. Readers, please do not start a new discussion over reservation, understand, it may hurt someone.

When I went to Tamil Nadu, (no, I am just 28), whenever I met someone, the first question that he/she asked was, "How is Lalu?" Initially, it frustrated me so much that I went into explaining the actual problems of Bihar only to realize later that the guy was not interested in listening it at all. He probably asked it just because that was the only thing he knew about Bihar. And now he found there are worse things to know about this state.

Don't get surprised when a Software engineer (B Tech from a prestigious South Indian college) asks you "Where is Jharkhand". They have little geo-political knowledge of states other than their own. Software has put South in such a privileged position that they don't bother to know. They read low-standard magazines (which have Lalu's cartoons, with that also creating an image of lawlessness and corruption in Bihar). I used to see jokes on my company's intranet which would start like "A Bihari teacher went to a school to teach English....., Lalu's promises as a Railway minister, ....etc", in which there will be a portrayal of Biharis being the most uncouth people on earth, who are far from being civilized, who cannot speak English well (which establishes them being as stupid to those who think an English speaking guy deserves respect just for that). And, such a joke will be posted by someone who cannot write an e-mail without an accent. But, now I don't mind such comments. I studied in small schools of the rural Bihar and I am better educated than them.

Now that I am in US, as a software engineer from one of the best IT companies in India, I find the same people here. Just that they are Americans and they are surprised to know that not all Indians actually drink cow's urine, and facts like that about India, the producer of lowly-billed software engineers doing low-end jobs offshore. Well, but again is this not true? When any average student who has an engineering degree from the hundreds of engineering colleges in South, can get a job in the best IT companies, then of course the quality of engineers decreases on an average. The American clients get used to deal with Indian IT professionals who cannot communicate well and have average technical knowledge. And again, the majority creates the image.

I will not deviate from the topic any more. What I am trying to convey is that being ridiculed as a Bihari should not frustrate anyone of us, as we know what we are and what they are. And if still this stigma frustrates you, then let us build the new image of Bihar. Why should a Bihari go to Maharashtra, Delhi or South? Why don't others come to Bihar to study or work? Let us make a new Bihar. India cannot develop until all the states including Bihar, develop, and Bihar cannot develop unless all the castes, men and women develop. And the worst is over!

Thanks, PatnaDaily team! - Kumod Jha - Dec. 7, 2005

Kumod, I second your thoughts and completely agree with you.

I am from proper Bihar and am very proud of that because I don't see any reason no to. Few politicians can't change Bihar and entire history of Bihar. They definitely have created some of the worst kind of history in Bihar but that still does not change what Bihar used to be (old history) and what Bihari people are.

All my friends and colleagues are from different states but I never take any nonsense from anybody about Bihar. I strongly believe that all this image of Bihar especially bad ones are creations of media, movies etc and I care less because I think they are ignorant and don't know what they are doing or talking about. I have encountered people from other states that don't know about their own states, forget knowing Bihar.

Most likely, you will find people, less knowledgeable and ignorant getting into all these type of conversations and it is better just ignore them. The moment you counter and argue with them they think they have said something important and worthy. To me I don't want to comment on something and waste my time that has no substance in it. I used to argue with people and when you into the details of each topic separately, you will realize that the other person either has no clue or talking crap. Crimes, child marriage, dowry for example are few topics that mostly are most frequent topics of discussions. Let me tell you one thing that these things happen in other states also, it is just that media is not reporting it.

Images created by Bihari labours, well, Biharis go outside and work hard to earn because they are ALL very hard working people and I don't see anything wrong in that.

Wherever I have gone I have changed the feeling and thinking of people around me about Bihar because I don't take this crap. One thing is for sure people will agree to that Biharis are, in general, very simple people and that is one of the biggest quality that I see in Biharis. Just be careful that people don't take you for a ride, it happens all the time. Not because a Bihari does not understand but because he/she is very simple at heart.

Last but not least, I completely agree with suggestions given before by various people that we should make a forum and try to promote Bihari things to the entire India and world. There are lots of good things in Bihar, it is just that no Bihari marketed it nicely. At the end it is all marketing, media hype and packaging. For example we Biharis are rich in food and prepare lot of food items that becomes instant hit in the group but no Bihari has ever came forward to promote that. We find South Indian, Punjabi, Gujarati, Rajasthani restaurants why don't we have Bihari special? Every place you go you will find specialty from most of the states but not from Bihar. Paintings like Madhubani paintings, whoever has seen it admires it and it has not been promoted to the extent it should have been. There are numerous things that can be listed.

Let's not only work to make Bihar a better place but also try to market it! Good Luck to all! - Roshan Kumar - Dec. 8, 2005

I would like to comment on the article 'Bihari, Bhaiya or Paki?' of Shri. Shashank Prasad. This is based on a tragedy happened among the students of a medical college at our economical capital i.e. no doubt Mumbai. The city where peoples of various cast, religions, community are living together since long period and contributing their efforts for development of states and nation. We should always remember that we all are Indian first and we have to show brotherhood with among the different cast, community, and religions.

Such types of incidence are harmful for any society. We should condemn the same. In this respect, media also can play a vital role to educate the people and bring the truth. I am from Bihar and am very proud of the same. - Rajiv Sinha - Dec. 8, 2005

One thing that is extremely critical to long term SUCCESS of any state is development and cash flow. Look at history of different more prosperous states of India. One common element in any of these states is more development (agricultural or non-agricultural industries) and more cash flow. Bihar and many other north eastern states DESPERATELY needs that today. I have studied and now lived in USA for almost 15 years and same is true for USA too. The regions or states having more development, more businesses has more prosperity. One has to create an atmosphere to flourish the entrepreneurship of people, that will create more jobs, more dependent businesses, less unemployment and all the good stuff. In turn businesses would pump more money into the development of basic infrastructure of the state, because it will help them. So no matter who is in power, they MUST keep some of these in mind, make a time frame. Mr. Nitish Kumar, you are an engineer by education, why can't you make a plan what needs to be done by when by whom and get a confidence of all the involved parties and make it work. Mr. Kumar can you act as a CHANGE AGENT for the state. People want a change, that's why you won the election with such a huge margin, while all prediction was a hung result. Mr Kumar you got the position all you ought to do now is to DELIVER, and yes delivering wouldn't be smooth, you will encounter lot of road blocks. - Vikash Gupta - Dec. 8, 2005

I can not agree with Kumod Jha more. He is absolutely right in contending that the condescending attitudes that Biharis face from Indians from other states and Indians face from other people is merely a result of what they have been seeing or hearing about Bihar and India respectively.

Luckily in the US, tight visa rules have allowed only highly skilled workers to come in. Indians have well paying technical jobs (note: I did not say managerial). Their children excel in academics and they are an object of envy and admiration in the American society. There are three red flags that we must talk about at this time.

1) The industrious Indians usually are not able to impart their cultural values into their children - thereby giving rise to a clueless generation of ABCD's some of who, not only are ignorant about Indian culture, but tend to look down their noses at it.
2) Many of the illustrious Indian immigrants carry their biases with them from home. Most are showy and flashy and don't work in unison as a community.
3) Indian Immigrants do not teach Hindi to their children and the second generation Gujarati grows up speaking English and Gujarati. Same holds true for people who have 'other than Hindi' native languages. This puts Indians in a position of disadvantage. Hispanics who can be from any country and South America speak Spanish and wear the collective identity, and thus political clout, as a group - the Hispanics.

Recently I loaned the DVD of the movie "Lakshya" to an American colleague. He came back round eyed the next day. Not only had he enjoyed the movie thoroughly, it had opened his eyes to seeing India as a modern nation with a sophisticated Army. His impressions of veiled women and turbaned men representing all Indians were demolished. I know for certain, with this new perspective, he will interact with Indians with a lot of sensitivity.

I urge all NRI's to be ambassadors of their culture. They should loan DVD's of good Indian movies to colleagues to open up people's minds and demolish the perceptions that have been shaped by the Cold war era mindset of the Western media. I also urge them to teach their children to speak Hindi and watch Hindi movies. Good Hindi movies are the umbrella that we Indians can all assemble under. I am not saying that this endeavor should be taken at the cost of watching other regional movies. But, if we want an identity, we must have a tongue, we must have a cuisine (we already have that), and we must have the cohesion.

Same goes for NRB's. Cook a Bihari dish and invite your non Bihari friends for dinner. Request for Bihari dishes at restaurants in areas where there are significant Bihari populations. Be polite, be civil. We Biharis have an image problem more than anything else. It can not be countered by being 'ticked off' about it. That only reinforces the image. We have to work hard at it, changing one person at a time. We have to put our best foot forward as Biharis (and as Indians) and try to win people's hearts. Bihari associations can hire laborers to conduct social program (trash pickup, bus service for children / elderly to the zoo etc) in neighborhoods. If we do that we can see what difference it makes to how people treat us. But to do that, we have to fight our own demons first - we will have to join hands as Biharis amongst ourselves - not as Rajput, Kurmi, Pandit, Ahir...etc etc. - Arecee - Dec. 9, 2005

I totally agree with the comments made by Arecee who points out that we will have to join hands as Biharis amongst ourselves - not as Rajput, Kurmi, Pandit, Ahir... etc etc. I would like to add further more by saying that it will take generations to eradicate the caste system that plagues Bihar and it is the root that led to the rise of a leader such as Lalu Prasad Yadav plus other unfavourable factors combining and causing Bihar to have a bad reputation. The reputation of Bihar is so bad that no matter in which country on this planet the Biharis live in, almost all of them are ridiculed by their own fellow Indians.

I am a young Bihari descent (Burmese-Bihari and the caste system is something that is never really important issue in Burma). Since I have a certain affinity towards all Biharis and the topic of caste system is always interesting for me. I have always wondered why we are looked down by others (who are also fellow Indians). I personally encountered this problem when I was around 18 yrs of age and even that I was looked down by a second generation Indian brought up in Africa, that was the first time I had realised that being a Bihari was not something to be proud of (nevertheless I always identify myself as a proud Burmese-Bihari).

I have made good observations regarding Biharis/Indians who generally think that an individuals identity lies in what caste system they belong to. I was 12 yrs old (had just began schooling outside my birth country) when a Brahmin girl had asked me what caste I belonged to and obviously not being exposed to the concept of caste system I had ignored that question and eventually we became good friends. It is the way the Indian society has been structured from the time Aryans invaded India and the people of Bihar are simply prisoners of their own culture. It is something that is instilled in a child from the time he/she is born and the concept is passed on from one generation to the next so how does one expect to get rid of the problem? I believe the caste system was structured in order for every individual to have a certain important role/function and not to make fun out of one another.

The Indian-Biharis living abroad who are well educated and who are also considered to be the cream/pride of Bihar try their best to forget that they are Biharis (I am sure there are some exceptions but I am only speaking through my own experience). They do not teach their children how to speak their mother tongue but they certainly MAKE SURE their children are aware of the CASTE they belong to. The revolutionary change regarding caste has to begin with the preceding generation who should try to instill all the good aspects of Indian culture in to the coming future generations. It is a dilemma that can not be solved entirely by a single generation but as good humans we can only try and hope for the best. - Sunanda Singh, Toronto, Canada - Dec. 11, 2005

Discussion on this topic is now closed.