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Ram:
I think it has a positive side also
as stated by Santanu. Upai Nai actually means that the Assamese people has come
to realize the ground level reality of things and are declaring "Upai
Nai." They are no longer the naive, old, innocent, gullible folks
anymore. Nobody can fool them any more, neither ULFA nor GOI nor GOA nor the
politicians. While this means that some of them (and most) will indulge in
corruption more than before, but at the same people will have to produce results
against the bribes. It is no longer the "Am-w nai, phormuthi-w nai" syndrome
anymore. Before they were indulging in corruption like a shy person. (Ei
ophisar jon bor beya. Tew piosa khai.) Now they are doing it openly,
but at the same time they are doing it like a matured person. "Ok, Govt Officer,
you give me 40%, I will give you a quality road and bulding, employment to you
son, and I will make sure you are not transferred to Silchar." It
also means that Assamese will no longer be acting on emotion. I think the recent
case against the Bundh, is a case of Upai Nai culture. "we will have
to take these boys to the court. Amar Upai Nai." Similarly Mr Gautam
Prasad Baruah is also asking some private citizen to come forward to take the
GOI to the court. This is a sign of Upai Nai culture. Ten years ago, it
would have been a unheard case, somebody openly asking citizens to take the GOI
to court for the sake of the state. If this culture continues, I
think all these groups, GOA, ULFA, PCG, AGP and all will have to show results.
No freebees anymore. Otherwise somebody will take each of them to the court
at one time or another. All will have to straighten their backs.
People will ask PCG and ULFA to prove that an independent Assam will be really
good for the citizens. Mere slogans will not work. They will be asking, "Where
is the beef? Tell me why an indepenndent Assam will be free of corruption etc.
Don't give me that BS, just show me one reason. Whom you are trying to fool?".
In the same line, we see more and more Assamese parents are sending their
children for studies outside. "Amar Upai Nai. Let Assam go to dogs. We will have
to give our children decent education." I hope in the same line someone
will take Gauhati University and Assam Engineering College authorities to the
courts on health grounds for letting cows roam inside their sacred hostel
corridors. "Amar Upai Nai. We waited for years. What do these guys think
of us? Are we animals?"
So as you see it may work in a
positive manner in a whole lot of ways.
I think the bottom-line, the
Assamese people are becoming a more matured and assertive people which is good
overall.
Anyhow this seems to be an
important change and we will have observe.
Upai Nai
RB
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2006 8:30
PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] Upaai Nai Culture -
Sentinel
Hi Santanu,
That was some lucid analysis. In the end I was caught between 'Hobo dia'
and 'Upaai nai' :)
>Culturally, I see a move from "Hobo Diok" to "Upaai Nai" as a great
sign of progress
Hmm! I don't know. To me it sounds like a whole society has resigned to
its fate. Or maybe even like what Barua says, 'Upaai nai' may have
become a 'reasonable excuse' for say accepting bribes or something. It is like
saying, 'don't blame me, everyone does it, so I too do it'
something more akin to what you are saying:
"it would be stupid of me to eat an orange under these circumstances - it
would gravely reduce my personal welfare - it might even be suicidal ."
But I say it is interesting see this cultural shift.
With the best,
Ram da
On 1/2/06, Roy,
Santanu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
Raaiz:
Notun
bochhor xubechha.
Bohu dinor murot kiba eta likhibor mon goicche.
Upaai nai:-)
Culturally, I see a move from "Hobo Diok" to "Upaai Nai"
as a great sign of progress. Hobo Diok sympolizes quiet acceptance of all
that is, but not necessarily any understanding of it. The neighbor walks up
to me with a list of problems with the water supply in the neighborhood and
rattles on for half an hour. I listen silently and with a meaningful sigh
say, hobo diok. The mathematician walks up to me and harangues me for hours
about the problem of finding solution to elliptical functional equations, I
listen silently and end with a meaningful sigh, hobo diok. There is no way
to differentiate between these two hobo dioks. No way to say the first one
was a meaningful statement based on an understanding of the problems and the
second was a way to get rid of a madman in a polite oxomiya manner. With the
passing of time, I perfect this to an art. I no longer want to understand
problems. I no longer wish to see the world for what it is. I lose interest
in what you try to tell me in such an animated fashion. It might me about my
house burning up - but I no longer wish to find out. I stare vacantly and
say hobo diok. It works every time. No one thinks less of me. No
one knows I have long lost consciousness. I blend in perfectly without
knowing what I blend in to.
Upaai Nai is quite another cup of tea.
It implies a recognition of reality. It implies you understand exactly what
is morally or socially expected of you. You also understand the exact social
and economic incentives that make it imperative for you to not live up to
that expectation. And you are not running away from it all. You stand up
boldly and look the other person in the eye - you say, look I know am
supposed to be eating an orange now, that would make my mommy so happy, but
you see - here are the reasons why I have no incentive to eat an orange, it
would be stupid of me to eat an orange under these circumstances - it would
gravely reduce my personal welfare - it might even be suicidal - (and I am
no longer ashamed to make this explicit)- I shall, therefore, suck on my
lollipop instead.
Ki korim bhaai, upaai
nai.
Santanu.
-----Original Message-----
From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
on behalf of Barua25
Sent: Tue 1/3/2006 9:39 AM
To: Ram Sarangapani;
ASSAMNET
Subject: Re: [Assam] Upaai Nai Culture -
Sentinel
Ram:
Thanks.
It seems the Upai Nai culture is a bit
more negative than the typical Hobo Diok Assamese culture.
The following
is an example:
Before, Assamese used to say in case of corruption, Hobo
Diok which is if one notice is same as saying Eibar Xenor Ejat. Or you don't
know what the hell the other party will do.
But in case of Upai Nai, he
is as if saying, I will have to be corrupt because there is Uapai Nai.
Why, because,
Mwr Jwr puri hat palehi, swali bia diboloi ase, gwtei
khone pisa khai xex korile, etia moi ki poisa nekhai dhormo judhishir hoi
thakim ne, mwr Upai Nai, beya nepaba dei, poisa khaboi lagibo, Joi Ai Oxom.
It shows that the Assamese society is gradualayy getting into into Upai
Nai culture from a Hobo Diok culture.
Somebody will say it all GOI's
fault.
I say
Hobo Diok Kokaidew.
RB
-----
Original Message -----
From: Ram Sarangapani
To: ASSAMNET
Sent:
Monday, January 02, 2006 3:12 PM
Subject: [Assam] Upaai Nai Culture -
Sentinel
Now, here is something from today's Sentinel, The 'Upaai
Nai culture'. Unlike the 'hobo diok culture' this one indicates that people
have just about given up on getting anything solved. Ain't it great to see
people take things in their stride?
The Upaai Nai
Culture
In this column the other day, we talked about the "me first"
syndrome in our society. Another ugly aspect is the upaai nai culture
prevalent today. Upaai nai ! One would say so any time, anywhere in Assam.
No way out? It is as if we have already surrendered our conscience and sense
of dignity to 'uncontrollable' forces. There is no wonder then that there
are so many callous souls here who would shamelessly say upaai nai when it
comes to an issue as serious as that of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants!
These souls do not want to work because they feel that all their work is
meant for the illegal work-force. This apart, when it comes to traffic
snarls, they would again say upaai nai. It is as if we have become so rich
as to have any number of vehicles on the road, and as if our traffic
'experts' too should have their own share of upaai nai. As to the concrete
jungle that Guwahati has become, it is again upaai nai. They would have us
believe that the concrete jungle is so natural, given that there is such
urbanization. And when it comes to random repairing of roads and the drain
mud that floods as every summer, they would still say upaai nai; after all,
the PWD must also have its own share of upaai nai. All this reflects just
one thing: what a decadent culture we have helped create!
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