The Land of Bhaarat

Desis in USA, specially those who have been staying here since a long time, are a strange lot. I have been fortunate to know many of them personally. They are all quite successful materially, with big house, multiple cars, and well-educated children. Talk to them, and they would sing paeans about the better quality of life here compared to in India. But that’s just the surface. Scratch the surface, and one would find the agony, the pain inside them. Oh, how many of them long to go back to their own country, to their own motherland, in middle of their own people. How they feel complete strangers and un-loved and un-belonged in the land of opportunity. How most of them interact and live just within a desi community, akin to a ghetto, to provide them the emotional support. And despite all their yearnings and desires, they cannot go back. Because their kids are now Americans. And they won’t go back to India.

During my stay in Nashville last year, I closely came to know a couple, both doctors. Very nice couple and nice kids. As we started talking about life in USA, their defense mechanism ticked in, and they were singing praises about the quality of life in USA. But after talking for a few minutes, they said to me in an exasperated tone, “The initial charm in life here was money. And that is gone. Now we want to go back. But my 6 yrs old son won’t. He does not even eat Indian food now”. I met them subsequently many times. It was quite evident that they were completely bored and disinterested with their life. Another person in Boston mentioned that he is waiting for her daughters to graduate from college before he moves back to India. "Bhaarat is the only place where you live peacefully. USA is fine for a few years", that's what he told me. On being asked how can he leave his children behind, he said jokingly with a tinge of despair: “Well they have their own life now.” Another gentleman from New Jersey said that he is “stuck” here.

To make my point, here is a comment from a desi in USA from an article. Look at his longingness:
“Anyone who has lived in the USA, coming from India, if they are at all sensitive, will tell you that India is unique in Her ability to let one feel relaxed inside, in spite of often extreme turmoil outside. I'm not talking about familiarity of language or culture or food, but rather a feeling inside that cannot be described very well. Many Indians will tell you that in the US, they cannot sleep, they fall sick for no reason, and when they return to India, in spite of the terrible health conditions in some places, they get well, and sleep again.“

I have a pretty good experience of living in USA. I have learnt a lot and I have enjoyed a lot. But having said that, I miss my country, and I want, maybe within a few years, to go back to the land of Bhaarat—my janmabhoomi, my matrubhoomi, and forever my karmabhoomi.

P.S.: I am not saying all the desis want to go back, but definitely a majority. Some of the desis are quite happy and blissful with their life here. Also, I am talking about desis who have been settled here for a long time, not relatively fresh migrants like myself.