Poem by Saumya Choudhury
Biharis are often mocked, bullied and insulted in big cities of India. There is a stereotype that is associated with being a Bihari, someone who doesn’t speak English, someone who is poor, someone with no manners or civic sense 🤮
The truth is that they are hardworking and some of the most intelligent people in the country, but the word ‘Bihari’ is a common slang, an insult for someone who is stupid and lowly 😩
Due to the discrimination and mocking against people of Bihar in big cities across India, many Biharis feel ashamed to admit their identity and cultural roots.
Bihari parents who live outside Bihar often choose to speak to their children only in ‘Hindi’ and not in their mother tongue so that the children can assimilate easily with everyone else, leading to loss of language.
This is a poem Saumya Choudhury, the founder of DelSlam wrote about her own experience of never learning the language of her ancestors ‘Maithali’ and growing up feeling a shame for being a Bihari because of the bullying 😔
This poem is not only for the people of Bihar, but this is for all immigrants who leave their villages and small towns to move to big cities and in the process they have to deal with difficult situations, discrimination and loss of familiarity 😢
The poem is dedicated to the hopeful and hardworking immigrants of India who leave their homes in search of better opportunities and make a life for themselves in spite of all the difficulties 🫡🇮🇳.
Follow @saumya.choudhury on instagram and support her work 🌷🌷🌷
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Performance at @goetheinstitut_newdelhi
The truth is that they are hardworking and some of the most intelligent people in the country, but the word ‘Bihari’ is a common slang, an insult for someone who is stupid and lowly 😩
Due to the discrimination and mocking against people of Bihar in big cities across India, many Biharis feel ashamed to admit their identity and cultural roots.
Bihari parents who live outside Bihar often choose to speak to their children only in ‘Hindi’ and not in their mother tongue so that the children can assimilate easily with everyone else, leading to loss of language.
This is a poem Saumya Choudhury, the founder of DelSlam wrote about her own experience of never learning the language of her ancestors ‘Maithali’ and growing up feeling a shame for being a Bihari because of the bullying 😔
This poem is not only for the people of Bihar, but this is for all immigrants who leave their villages and small towns to move to big cities and in the process they have to deal with difficult situations, discrimination and loss of familiarity 😢
The poem is dedicated to the hopeful and hardworking immigrants of India who leave their homes in search of better opportunities and make a life for themselves in spite of all the difficulties 🫡🇮🇳.
Follow @saumya.choudhury on instagram and support her work 🌷🌷🌷
.
.
Performance at @goetheinstitut_newdelhi