Mindset

"Bhaiya! How much does the banana cost?", a women asked to a vendor. "It's 60 rs per dozen, didi!", replied the young vendor. After buying the bananas she went to the next vendor and asked, "Dai! How much does the apple cost?". "It's 100 rs per kg, didi!", replied the old vendor. The women was talking to those two vendors in totally opposite manner. One was referred as 'dai' while next was referred as 'bhaiya' but the language she used to communicate with both of them was same "Nepali". The one referred as "bhaiya" was way too smaller than the women. So, what was it that caused her to refer the young boy around her son's age as "bhaiya"?

Since I was born in kathmandu, I have spent 20 years of my life here seeing, observing and hearing the people of my surrounding calling every other guy from either 'Madesh' or 'India' as "Bhaiya". I was unaware  that I had also developed the same habit until one of my friend from Madesh made me realize this. After my realization, I tried to analyze my relatives, friends and their attitude towards the word "bhaiya". In Madesh as well as in "India" the term "bhaiya" refers to as "brother" but her in Kathmandu the word "bhaiya" is used as a tagline for every guy who belong to Madesh and India. Without even realizing whether the person is a small kid or an old man, people use the term "bhaiya" to call them.

Sometimes I even wonder whether people are aware that Madesh is a part of Nepal. Most of the people here think people of Madesh are people of India. Madhesh has been fighting since long for its identity and still people have such confusion. I really wish that the gap between madheshi and other people living in other region of Nepal gets reduced. The upcoming generation may realize and understand the proper use of term "bhaiya" and stop using it as a tagname. And also may all people have respect for each others identity, culture, language and hope the fragmantation disappears...