Finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman’s move to carry the budget documents in bahi khata rather than suitcase signalled a break from colonial traditions, and raised two questions: does changing such colonial traditions really matter? If yes, what are some of the things that need to be changed as well?
JAY JOSHI
The Indian ‘bahi khata’ in which the Indian finance minister Nirmala Sitaraman carried the budget documents perhaps received as much attention as the budget itself. It was stated that the finance minister broke the longtime colonial tradition of carrying the documents in a suitcase, and many saw the move as an effort to assert Indianness by the minister.
Thus, the little red cloth generated considerable debate about the lingering colonial influence over India. In the past as well as present, various Indian governments have tried to erase the colonial footprints on the country and establish traditions that they believe are close to the cultural soul of the nation. Changing the names of cities from Bombay to Mumbai, or replacing British-inspired convocation-attire with Indian dresses are some of the steps that seek to underline the departure from colonial yolk.
These measures however raise two sharp questions: does changing such colonial traditions really matter? If yes, what are some of the things that need to be changed? The two queries prompt mixed answers from people across Goa.
Shailesh Patil, a travel agency operator from Ponda believes that the popular mindset needs to change. “In many places, including some in Goa, there is a tendency to consider Western culture better and neglect the Indian culture and its ways. We need to come out of this mindset and embrace what is our own,” says Patil.
On the other hand, Siddhi Dole, a student from Panaji thinks that the better thing to do in today’s day and age is to integrate into a globalising world. “One of the things that we need to change is our education. Some of the practices and patterns in our education are old, and they need to be changed to make education relevant to current times,” says Dole. “Speaking of traditions, I do not think we should focus on them so much. It would be wise to draw from different societies and cultures to adapt values and systems that help us develop in the current times,” she adds.
Rohit Phalgaonkar, a history researcher from Porvorim has a different point of view, and points out a number of changes that need to come in the society. “The term ‘Speaker Sir which is used in political parlance seems odd. The two words do not sound correct in Englsih, and personally, I would welcome Sabhapati Mahodaya. Secondly, the long black dresses that lawyers use in courts are another British legacy that needs a relook,” the scholar elaborates. “Also, it would be good if we could bring some Indian elements to the act of awarding medals to soldiers,” says Phalgaonkar.
Commenting on whether the idea of following the culture of one’s country matters in the modern world,. Phalgaonkar states that culture does hold significant value in the modern world. “If it does not matter, then why are people speaking about it? It is being discussed because it matters to somebody. When you are living in a country with such a rich cultural heritage, it certainly matters,” says the researcher, adding that culture is what helps us stay rooted.
Liesel Disilva from Navelim on the other hand, does not think traditions matter much in modern world. “According to me, it does not matter what you carry your documents in as long as they are safe. At the end of the day, giving importance to these things depends from individual to individual. Everybody is breaking traditions every day. I don’t think everyone has to do something just because it is the norm.”
Anushka Sudhakar, an animator who now works in Mumbai however believes that the idea of ‘replacing the colonial legacy’ should be applied in an entirely different area. “If colonial traditions that are being followed today are harmless, then let them be. There are other British legacies that we need to change. For instance, much of the underground sewage system in Mumbai was built by the British, and blueprints for the sme still exist. They could be used to update and improve the system. The same goes for a number of railway bridges. The country needs a replacement of old infrastructure more than anything else,” says Sudhakar.
At the end of the day, the place of culture and nationalism is increasingly becoming a topic of debate as we move closer towards globalisation. Here, even if we hold that we should follow Indian culture, it should not be forgotten that India itself has been a melting pot of cultures for several centuries, and it might be difficult for many to define what exactly is purely Indian as the nation’s culture has over the yers absorbed many aspects from various cultures around the globe. If one does set out to erase all foreign influences, where should one really stop, is the key question.
