Page 37 - MONSOON EDITION

EXPERT’S TALK

There are so many things in Gujarat also. Life from the south say for example, I am sitting here in this saree

and this big bindi, it comes with my upbringing. You take in the best of both and grow together so it is not
the south or the west, but the culture is something and I believe that if you want to adapt yourself with,
accept and grow with it. If you are talking about south Indian culture, relationships are important there.
Some of the cultures I don't even know, when I go down south I look like an alien. But if you ask me about
Gujarat I would know everything. Since I have been here, from a very impressionable age so we try to
connect ourselves there and trying to make my life bigger. I am happy wherever I am, I am not a person

who feels oh god where am I, salute to Jamnagar for all at it as given to us. One culture of the south I really
enjoy is having curd rice in the banana leaf.

5. What role does a society play in conserving the cultural heritage of the particular
community or sect?

A question that's really thought provoking, I think it is something each one of us should ask ourselves, what
it that I am leaving for my younger generations is. Who is the society for this matter, it consists of you and
me. There is nothing called society separately, it is about the way we all think together collectively forms
the society, so let us not make it into a third entity; it is something that has been passed to us. So instead of
saying society, what role do we play whether you are a teacher or a parent or a principal or a politician or

who so ever you may be are part of that society. You need to pass on that kind of good practices that you
believe need to be retained. So once that happens you'll try to pitch in there and try to uplift it instead of
saying “ Mujhe Kya Farak Padta Hai?” and I think that happens in each one of us, so a transformation
happens in each one of us then probably the society will move, what can I do for the society and what can I
do to keep this culture inherited, that is what I believe. If we all realize how we want to work on ourselves,
that's why I believe these practices need to be kept alive.

There is one strong practice coming up in the south, however modern we may be but when it comes to
marriage we don't leave our traditions aside. The retired ladies they attempt these weddings like a family
member, and they sit and guide them through the different rituals.

Finally I would like to say that family bonding is not found anywhere else in the world as in our country.

There is a whole treasure in front of you and its all in your hands and in your generation to pass on the
legacy to the future generations. What I mean to say is our culture is such a beautiful one we need to
recognize that, we need to feel that, we need to adapt and give it to our children piece by piece. Don't ask
them to follow it they'll see you and they'll follow.

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