Humanities Information

A Maiden Trip


I belong to a hamlet called 'Konthai' which is in South Tamil Nadu, India. Twenty years back I was there as an unemployed graduate hunting for a job. Among the competitive examination the one conducted by the Staff Selection Commission for the non-gazetted posts was popular as it was the only mass civilian recruitment by the Central Government. Even petty shops one can find the application form. So as a annual ritual, I used to appear for the examination but never bothered about the results.

One day to my surprise, I got a letter from Defence Ministry with a posting in Delhi (Capital of India). The moment I saw the letter, I felt that as if I were on the top of the world. My joy knew no bounds. Without knowing my handicaps ( I was knowing either Hindi or spoken English), I decided to accept the offer. All my relatives and friends expressed their apprehension about my ability to manage in Delhi due to its erratic weather condition as well as language problem. But the very though of 'getting a job' made me to push aside all the other things to the back seat.

The day when I boarded Grant Trunk Express at Madras Central Station, almost all my relatives and friends wee there to see me off as if I were going for a 'bon voyage'. I also became nervous after seeing the hub of activities that were going there at the Central Station as it was my first visit to that place.

After arriving at Delhi, when I went through its wide roads, beautiful lawns, parks, sprawling bungalows, high rise buildings, I though that I am really luckn enough to get a job in a beautiful city. Next day when I went to join my office, I got a first jolt and exposed to the stark reality. First time I felt that I landed in a totally alien land and considered myself as a 'foreigner'.

I was completely startled to see such a situation where everyone was talking in Hindi, cracking jokes in Hindi, exchanging greetings in Hindi. When they were talking about me I was not knowing whether they were appreciating me or abusing me. Somehow, I managed to join my duty by signing the required forms that were given to me. From that moment onwards I started working as a 'Robot' doing my work without communicating to anybody.

After having seen my trouble, my colleagues started speaking to me in English. Even office peons after having seen my agony tried their best to convey their feelings to me in a broken English. So in office I had managed somehow to pull on, but outside I still struggled a lot to manage without Hindi.

Once I told my friend that I am finding it difficult to board DTC bus, as the conductor asks too many questions which I don't understand. To reduce my problem little bit, my friend advised me that whenever you board a DTC bus ask the conductor a ticket by tendering the exact coins. So the conductor would give the ticket and would not ask any questions. According to his advice, when I boarded a DTC bus asked the conductor a ticket by tendering the exact fare. But to my shock, the conductor asked me 'Kahan Jana Hai? Since I was not prepared for the question I started blinking. But fortunately one of my fellow passenger who happened to be a Tamilian came to my rescue and saved me from embarrassment.

After so many years of service, having exposed to Delhi's climate, life style & language when I walk back the memory land - I really feel the difference me.

Today, almost 2000 kms away from my home district in South Tamil Nadu - I really feel at home.

V. Ramasamy


MORE RESOURCES:

Poet, author at Humanities Center
Enterprise-Record
CHICO — A professor emeritus of English at UC Davis, a guest of the Humanities Center at Chico State University, will present "Modern Death, ...



Boston Globe Columnists to Speak at Huntington Humanities Forum, 3/21
Broadway World
... the play and examine other love and relationship issues at the post-show Humanities Forum on Sunday, March 21 immediately following the 2pm performance. ...



RIA Novosti

"Chinese is an important part of my life," says Russian sinologist
Xinhua
Maria Rukodelnikova, 45, deputy head of the Confucius Institute under the Russian State University for the Humanities, said her father's love for China has ...
Interview: Interregional cooperation cements Sino-Russian ties, says vice ...TMCnet

all 70 news articles »


UAB Haddin Humanities Forum Lecture Rescheduled for March 26
UAB News
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Haddin Humanities Forum lecture "Theatre and the Challenge of New Technologies," originally scheduled for ...

and more »


WFCR awards honor museums, singer and painter
MassLive.com
The 2010 WFCR Arts and Humanities Award will be presented on May 4 at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House in Holyoke. ...



Washington Post

Book clubs for doctors show human side of medicine
The Associated Press
Humanities courses are now required in many medical schools. "The humanities can remind them that they're dealing with very complicated, whole individuals ...
Book clubs for doctors show human side of medicineNewsday (subscription)
Doctors, Nurses Find Insight In LiteratureKWTX
Book clubs for doctors show human side of medicinePennLive.com

all 343 news articles »


Washington Post

Obama honors leaders in arts and humanities
Washington Post
The humanities citations went to prizewinning authors and historians Robert A. Caro ("The Years of Lyndon Johnson: The Path to Power, Means of Ascent and ...
Obama honors pioneers in the arts and humanitiesUSA Today
Obama Honors Arts & Humanities Award WinnersABC News (blog)
President Obama Awards 2009 National Humanities MedalsArt Daily
MyStateline.com -UPI.com -Chicago Sun-Times (blog)
all 20 news articles »


Institute for Arts and Humanities to honor Toni Morrison on April 7
Media Newswire (press release)
Penn State's Institute for the Arts and Humanities will honor Toni Morrison, renowned novelist and Nobel laureate, with its 2010 Medal for Distinguished ...
Author Morrison to speak at Penn StateCentre Daily Times

all 2 news articles »


Garrison Keillor
NewOrleans.Com
He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and was presented recently with a National Humanities Medal by the National Endowment for the ...



Globe and Mail

A 'rare moment of recognition' for a pioneer of social history
Globe and Mail
U of T president David Naylor said the international recognition is a "fantastic boost" to the school's arts, social science and humanities faculties, ...
U of T scholar wins $768000 Holberg PrizeCBC.ca
U of T scholar Natalie Zemon Davis wins US$700500 Holberg PrizeThe Canadian Press
American historian wins Holberg PrizeThe Associated Press
AFP -Princeton University -Norway Post
all 135 news articles »

Google News

home | site map
© 2006