To be ashamed of being called a Bihari Babua makes you a smaller person, to be a Bihari doesn’t

When someone addresses you by the word ‘bihari’, what is the first thought in your mind?

8 out of 10 people will take it as an insult, and I have a problem with that.

I find it hard to digest that why a person who has spend half his life living in Bihar takes it as a derogatory comment the moment he moves out of the state.

I understand that there are prejudices and stereotypes related to Bihar and its people but which state doesn’t? Does that mean you will stop being what you are? If you do then I am very sorry to say that you are a very shallow person who has no gravity at all. If you are ashamed of talking in Bhojpuri to your mother in front of your colleagues and friends just because they find this language lame then it’s really sad. You cannot let others decide what is good and what is bad.

Why do you think that if you address yourself as ‘hum’, it makes you inferior and those using ‘mai’ are superior. It is just the language which you have been speaking ever since your childhood and there is no scale which can measure the superiority of one language over the other.

If a person from Bihar is not willing to take guard against all this then who is? I know the answer to the question that why it’s difficult to take a stand when a situation like this arises. Everyone likes to take the easy way out and it’s the same scenario here. It’s always easy to laugh it out and go along with the wind but difficult to frown and go against the flow of the river. We feel agitated when Indians are bullied by other country’s citizens then don’t you understand that it’s the same case here as well.

Why can’t being smart, well spoken, brainy, decent and well mannered be stereotypes related to Biharis, why does it always have to be completely opposite? The scenario can only change if they themselves are willing enough to change. If ‘few people’ had the power to bring a bad name to a state and its people, then you have to realize the fact that the power to change this around also lies in the hands of ‘few people’ only. Instead of laughing at jokes being cracked on your origin and background, what needs to be done is defend oneself take it as a matter of pride that he/she belongs from Bihar.

Today people from Bihar are doing wonders in every section, be it cracking UPSC and IIT exams or working in the film industry. You see them everywhere but still there is a barrier which is holding everyone back. I can see what it is. The major reason why this state is being not recognized for any individual’s success is that most of the times the popularity he/she has received is in some other part of the country. I agree with the fact that Bihar is currently not in a very great position to provide all kind of opportunities to its people but if we continue being so critical about the situation then there is no moving forward at all. You have to respect whatever the state has given you and try to give something back as well even if it’s a little.

It’s the people of the state who have to take batons in their hands rather than running away from the situation.  If you are not willing to make your hands dirty in cleaning your state then you have no right to blabber dirt from your mouth and speak against it.

Every state has unresolved issues but that doesn’t compel its people to hide their identities, I only see this attitude being very persistent in Biharis. It’s time to change this. It cannot go on like this anymore. You cannot expect someone else to take you seriously until you don’t start taking yourself seriously. Be confident of what you are and never let others decide for you.