I haven’t seen Bollywood movie “Wake Up Sid”. I haven’t read it’s review. I was not aware about it’s info till today. It came to my knowledge that Film-maker Karan Johar on Friday apologised to MNS supremo Raj Thakre for using the word 'Bombay' instead of 'Mumbai' in his new film 'Wake Up Sid'. It is reported that Raj has warned the film maker to prepare for the consequences , as they have hurt Marathi Manas by using the word Bombay in place of Mumbai.
I can’t understand, how the spelling or pronunciation of wrong words hurt the sentiments of a particular mass. Odisha, my own state has been spelt as Orissa, Udissa or Urissa, by non Oriya speakers and I don’t think, by spelling such they have any intention to dishonour my state or its people. It is just a question of ignorance, habit and tradition. Germany is spelt as Deutschland by Germans. In German, France is still called Frankreich, which literally means "Realm of the Franks". In Spain, they pronounce their country as Espana and their language as Espanol. In German Spain is known as Spanien. In Spanish they call France as Francia.In Danish it is spelt as Frankrig.
There are a lot of examples that show the name of one city and country has been spelt differently from language to language. When we are living in a global perspective, how can we expect that we would make every one to bind with our law. It is also very disgusting and anti democratic that Raj Thakre as an individual should issue any ‘forman’ (order) to stop the movie. It is the duty of judiciary not the MNS chief to make decision on any such matter. No one did bar Raj Thakre to ask for justice to the court of law.
This ‘news’ made me to worry. Are we going on the way to burry our democracy. Our democratic rights and are we becoming more intolerance to democratic values. Aren’t the radical elements making us fool by exploiting mass sentiments?
I can’t understand, how the spelling or pronunciation of wrong words hurt the sentiments of a particular mass. Odisha, my own state has been spelt as Orissa, Udissa or Urissa, by non Oriya speakers and I don’t think, by spelling such they have any intention to dishonour my state or its people. It is just a question of ignorance, habit and tradition. Germany is spelt as Deutschland by Germans. In German, France is still called Frankreich, which literally means "Realm of the Franks". In Spain, they pronounce their country as Espana and their language as Espanol. In German Spain is known as Spanien. In Spanish they call France as Francia.In Danish it is spelt as Frankrig.
There are a lot of examples that show the name of one city and country has been spelt differently from language to language. When we are living in a global perspective, how can we expect that we would make every one to bind with our law. It is also very disgusting and anti democratic that Raj Thakre as an individual should issue any ‘forman’ (order) to stop the movie. It is the duty of judiciary not the MNS chief to make decision on any such matter. No one did bar Raj Thakre to ask for justice to the court of law.
This ‘news’ made me to worry. Are we going on the way to burry our democracy. Our democratic rights and are we becoming more intolerance to democratic values. Aren’t the radical elements making us fool by exploiting mass sentiments?
8 comments:
Excellent write on Raj Thakeray.
Bombay smells Sweet by any other name and taking offence at a wayward spelling or pronunciation is an act of extreme boorishness. When it goes to violence of course one is reminded of Voltaire's "Violence is the repartee of the illiterate."
Chandrashekhar Sastry
of course, we are in danger. Raj has taken over Bombay because there are no others to make a claim over the city. this is acceding ground to hooligans and is not confined to one city alone. only a widespread outburst of the good can check this success of the bad -- and filthy.
raj kishore
A nice retort to Raj Thackeray! What's there in a name? No place on this planet--village, city, country etc.--is allotted exclusively by the Creator to any people or any non-human being. Every living being--plant and animal--has the right to live anywhere in this world and one can call any place any name one likes. Well done Sarojini!
--Prof. K. V. Dominic
i think if one is going to be in danger for insiting on mumbai than bombay (a british raj heritage?) then that old good swadeshi is gone for sure. there was time when people burnt foreign cloths to emphesis their "love" for indian economy (foreign cloths were cheap so by logic it is seen as stupidity and violance).
The problem is one has to fight to keep marathi in its due place be it on shopkeeprs nameplates or in schools or in stations or in ATM machines or in voice interactive systems for bookings at theaters etc etc. recently one case happened where vodaphone refused to take calls from people speaking in marathi in mumbai region (they serve in marathi in other parts of maharashtr and goa!) this does not add up. If karan johar takes pride in his punjabi desi cult among NRI specially north indian migrants to west, then he should not play with local's pride. Regarding the naming of orrissa i herd there was one resolution in orrisa vidhansabha for a spelling change or something!!. also the names are distorted for many maharashtrian places such as Lokmanya Tilak terminus, dahanu, Vashi, sion, Wadala, Kalyan, Pune, Nashik, Roha, Malad, Dombiwali and Maharashtr itself is called as "maharastraaa".
also mumbai is called as Mumbaaay.
It is a class diff to identify Bombay with certain class and mumbai with certain class (which is not true in ground reality) thats what makes them refuse wearing kolhapuri chappals in JW marriot while they can allow Sikh traditional wear or muslim wear or south indian lungi in five star hotels.To see marathi culture limited to the Kaamwali bai in mumbai is mistake of migrants making them totally disconnected and sometimes get them in conflict with natural sentiments in mumbai regarding one's cultural pride. Still i agree that the issue is motivated from election point of view. but then why it is publicised on your blog if it does not matter to call it bombay or mumbai or bambai?
Dear Sahooji,
Our political leaders have been unfortunately creating pandemonium of the country, which was once known as 'Bharatvarsha.' Not a single leader is worrying about the greatest two issues of global worming and over population, which have been eating up and the country we are going to give in legacy for the newly born and unborn Indians, who will definitely curse our political leaders and we senior Indians. Not a single so called political party nor party person possesses the accountablity or they suffering from 'willing suspension of disbelief'. We all make hullabullo over the progress and achievements of other nations, but we have never taken labour to see how they achieved that state. We are expert in everything around us, but unfortunately connive to see what lacks in us and how to make the once Bharatvarsha again MahaBharatvarsha. Why only Raj Thakare.... There are a few good politicians, who are caring for the upliftment of the country, but they are eclipsed by a numberless Rajs. What to do? May this is the fate, we are writing for the innocent and ignorant future generation of India. Your worry is to the point as a true Indian, but do our political leaders have sensitivity???
It is because Bombay has a ring of colonial times
and the las thing modern India today is to be reminded of that aera.
I have been reading about evulution lately that we all come from
the apeas, or a family of apes, So i wrote an ironic poem about
it but the local newspaper here didn't print it as it nay be offesive to
thereligious lobby. but the peom was ment as good fun and also a dig against people who suddenly decide that god doe't exist, how do the know?
Evolution
Some people have problems understanding
their ancestors were apes. They feel somehow
belittled not being unique, not created and
evolved like any other life-form.
Orang-utan is my favourite great, great, great
something ancestor, it slowly swing from tree
to tree, mind its own business, looks cute and
doesn’t dream of conquering the world.
Jesus, I’m sure, is the result of a long evolution,
up from the sea, shimming up a tree for safety,
down again walking about with two strong legs:
and I ask; is God a dignified orang-utan?
It is because Bombay has a ring of colonial times
and the las thing modern India today is to be reminded of that aera.
I have been reading about evulution lately that we all come from
the apeas, or a family of apes, So i wrote an ironic poem about
it but the local newspaper here didn't print it as it nay be offesive to
thereligious lobby. but the peom was ment as good fun and also a dig against people who suddenly decide that god doe't exist, how do the know?
Evolution
Some people have problems understanding
their ancestors were apes. They feel somehow
belittled not being unique, not created and
evolved like any other life-form.
Orang-utan is my favourite great, great, great
something ancestor, it slowly swing from tree
to tree, mind its own business, looks cute and
doesn’t dream of conquering the world.
Jesus, I’m sure, is the result of a long evolution,
up from the sea, shimming up a tree for safety,
down again walking about with two strong legs:
and I ask; is God a dignified orang-utan?
Really can't understand the uproar using Bombay for Mumbai. Depending on when the film takes place, if it was before the name change, why not use what was there? That's similar to how all the cities in USSR kept changing names during the various regimes and yet another example with Peking to whatever it's now known as! Of course, I really don't know the whole story behind the name change to Mumbai. I guess it has some significance to those in India.
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