Romantic comedies of the Hollywood kind are so full of the word `sunshine'! Watching these films in India, I never got why the love of your life must be called sunshine of all things. Forget honey, sugar, sweety, cutie-pie and other such chocolates for the romantic feel. Sunshine?
The word suddenly became something I had to come to terms with over the last three months, just as the words spring cleaning do this week. Indians know what sunshine is all about - it can be anything but romance. Unless it's the peak of winter and you're waiting for those rays of sun to pierce through clouds.
Ask a Chennaiite what sunshine means - sun that burns your skin. She would rather not have some sun if divinity permits. It means losing the last drop of what could be called water, from your body - through day and all night. Panting for breath, cursing the government for power-cuts and wanting to escape. To the mountains.
Bangaloreans relate better to sunshine - winter sun. Winter sun is welcome. Summer sun? No way. It means sweat and hate traffic more and more!
Sunshine that's soft is best saved for those sunrise-sunset moments in India - maybe a bit of romanticism can be allowed then.
Out here in the northern half of East Coast, USA - sunshine has such a dramatic and different connotation! It is as if, in my dictionary, it got a new meaning entirely! It means romance!
A strong morning sun in peak winter need not mean you forget your heavy coats for that precious walk outside. Not at all! You would freeze anyways! Still, your mood lightens when you see morning sun bless your living room carpet, through the porch door. Sunshine means smile.
`Vitamin D Vitamin D - bless my day, bless my health'
Sunshine means, people dare to step out of their homes that are otherwise shut for most part of winter. It means welcome. Happiness. Sunshine means softness! It means warmth! What a contrast from the `burn my skin' feel back in India!
Am yet to experience summer sun. I bet it will not be half the dog days' torture of Chennai!
Spring cleaning!
One hears that so much among Indian English language speakers! I have used the words too. Without quite getting why a season matters so much to cleaning. I knew that in the West, spring cleaning had a lot to do with the weather, or maybe ushered in the arrival of spring. Not so in India! With every festival - be it Varalakshmi pooja of August, Sankranti in January, Diwali of November or Ugadi/Gudi Padwa/ Tamil New Year's day of April, there is a whole new round of cleaning! It's so much a part of festive culture!
Spring cleaning - it is used by Indians, but has an alien context. Spring is so short in India that it's almost like a door to summer.
This weekend, spring will arrive officially, or so I am told. The USA clock will move an hour ahead and somehow the day will get, longer. Daylight Saving Time. Absurd logic, but people out here are used to it. I look forward to longer days.
People have begun cleaning their balconies and homes. Retailers and wholesalers were ready about three weeks back, with outdoor furniture, shelters, camping material, cleaning products and more.
It really means putting your winter clothes in, and getting the spring/summer clothes out! It means the end of a season and beginning of another! Spring cleaning, actually means spring-cleaning!
The big question then - why do we Indians have to use it?
The word suddenly became something I had to come to terms with over the last three months, just as the words spring cleaning do this week. Indians know what sunshine is all about - it can be anything but romance. Unless it's the peak of winter and you're waiting for those rays of sun to pierce through clouds.
Ask a Chennaiite what sunshine means - sun that burns your skin. She would rather not have some sun if divinity permits. It means losing the last drop of what could be called water, from your body - through day and all night. Panting for breath, cursing the government for power-cuts and wanting to escape. To the mountains.
Bangaloreans relate better to sunshine - winter sun. Winter sun is welcome. Summer sun? No way. It means sweat and hate traffic more and more!
Sunshine that's soft is best saved for those sunrise-sunset moments in India - maybe a bit of romanticism can be allowed then.
Out here in the northern half of East Coast, USA - sunshine has such a dramatic and different connotation! It is as if, in my dictionary, it got a new meaning entirely! It means romance!
A strong morning sun in peak winter need not mean you forget your heavy coats for that precious walk outside. Not at all! You would freeze anyways! Still, your mood lightens when you see morning sun bless your living room carpet, through the porch door. Sunshine means smile.
`Vitamin D Vitamin D - bless my day, bless my health'
Sunshine means, people dare to step out of their homes that are otherwise shut for most part of winter. It means welcome. Happiness. Sunshine means softness! It means warmth! What a contrast from the `burn my skin' feel back in India!
Am yet to experience summer sun. I bet it will not be half the dog days' torture of Chennai!
Spring cleaning!
One hears that so much among Indian English language speakers! I have used the words too. Without quite getting why a season matters so much to cleaning. I knew that in the West, spring cleaning had a lot to do with the weather, or maybe ushered in the arrival of spring. Not so in India! With every festival - be it Varalakshmi pooja of August, Sankranti in January, Diwali of November or Ugadi/Gudi Padwa/ Tamil New Year's day of April, there is a whole new round of cleaning! It's so much a part of festive culture!
Spring cleaning - it is used by Indians, but has an alien context. Spring is so short in India that it's almost like a door to summer.
This weekend, spring will arrive officially, or so I am told. The USA clock will move an hour ahead and somehow the day will get, longer. Daylight Saving Time. Absurd logic, but people out here are used to it. I look forward to longer days.
People have begun cleaning their balconies and homes. Retailers and wholesalers were ready about three weeks back, with outdoor furniture, shelters, camping material, cleaning products and more.
It really means putting your winter clothes in, and getting the spring/summer clothes out! It means the end of a season and beginning of another! Spring cleaning, actually means spring-cleaning!
The big question then - why do we Indians have to use it?
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