Before I start writin, i should admit that I realise how lazy a person I am. The frequency of me posting has been decreasing day by day. Anyways I am sorry to people to like to read and up yours to guys who dont care... hehe.. .
The last few of my posts have been quite sad. There have been people who have cried reading it. If not no one I can assure Khushi would have cried.. hehe.. Anyways so no more sad time.. no more talking about the guys who have left Chicago.. Oh by that I just remembered that Ashiq has also left Chicago and is being missed.. So this post shall be dedicated to him.. And the best topic I could relate to him is GUJJU.
Yes guys, this post is going to be about Gujjus, the guys who belong from the land of food, food, food, and Narendra Modi.
A few people I have seen have that misconception that gujjus are stingy. Let me clarify that first. Making money, I mean a lot of money, and being stingy are two different things. Having a lot of money in you bank account doesnt mean that you keep saving and dont spend. Infact, it means that even after spending , you are saving so much.
New Jersey. I guess jsut writing that much is enough to make you smile. Its a part of Gujarat. I mean 9 out of 10 gujjus you ask, they would want to go to the US. They dont say the US. It is said as "States". And more than half come n settle in this sister concern state of Gujarat called New Jersey. I mean all a gujju thinks and works hard, when he is back home in India, is about how to reach the "states". All the time, money and energy if channeled somewhere else would make Gujarat a better place than New Jersey.
People get married to citizens, childs get adopted by uncles, some walk through the borders of Mexixo or Canada. For what? Some card they refer as "Green card". And what is that card for?? To do some labor job here in the US. But thats the story of a very small portion of the crowd. Even after working hard for years, gujjus here know what the finally want. It will be either a gas station, motel, subway, dunkin, convinient store, restaurant or a liquor store. The choices are limited. And its not limited because we dont venture anywhere else. Its because we only fall into businesses that will give you back huge profits.
The punchline of Dunkin Donuts is "America runs on Dunkin". I say "Dunkin runs on Gujjus". More than half of the countrys Dunkin are owned or operated by Gujjus. Just a quick glance at the reality. Of the 9 Motels here at the exit where I work, 6 of those are owned by Gujjus.
Anyways let me come to some eating habit of gujjus. I guess people in this world eat to live. And we gujjus, we live to eat. hehehe... The gujju ladies, married aunties, who are housewives, which most of them are. The only thing they do is cook cook cook. Before they go to sleep, they prepare everything for the next days lunch. Not to forget the huge dabbas filled with different snack items for breakfast, with "chai". Just as we guys finish having lunch, the first sentence we speak "chalo bav khavai gayu, ave thodu unghi jaiye". When translated this means "I have eaten a lot today, let me sleep for a bit". Trust me on this guys, the best of businesses remain closed in the afternoon in Gujarat for a simple reason- Afternoon sleep. We work less hours than you, but still make more money... hehehe... Around four in the afternoon-"bav bhookh laagi che, chalo vada paav mangavye".... translated version " I am hungry again, lets order some vada paav". And then dinner around 8. you guys must be thinking thats it.. No its not over yet... post dinner "chalo ice cream khava jaiye"..."come lets go eat ice cream". And than later at night people like me ashiq... start searching the fridge for left overs, for a simple reason, we cant just sit and watch TV... we always need something to munch on.. hehe... And the meals are not just one or two items in the plate, its like a lot of it... If gujjus stop eating, hunger from India will be gone hehehehe..
Let me take this opportunity to talk a lil bit about typical gujju dressing sense also. The generation which you see now is much better. But rewind a few years back, and you would see wierd dressing combination like formal trousers and sports shoes, Coloured tshirt and formal trousers, jeans and a collared shrt which is buttoned till the top, not to forget full sleeves not folded. Hair properly combed with partition. jeans and leather chappals.. not the flip flop kinds.. but the gandhi kinds hehehe... And believe me or not, we think we are the most happening hehehe... huge huge misconception. And gujju's way of speaking English is also the best. It the most hilarious accent you will ever listen to. Ever imagined a gujju speaking "yo wassup man, whats going on"... think about it.. you will laugh on it..hehehe...
How can forget to mention about a Gujju wedding. Its a celebration, a celebration for life. A gujju wedding is the best occasion you would ever see.. Its bright, its lively, its colorful, its happy. Irrespective of the fact that gujju females overdress themselves, it is one of the best things about the gujju culture. Its like a holiday, a four to five day program, with everyday showing you different colors of the gujju culture. And OMG.. gujju gals... they are beautiful. Its a saying in Gujarat "Never fall in love with someone during a wedding or Navratri".. this is because all the gujju gals loook hotttt with their backless cholis and elegant saaris. hehehe....
Anyways I have made a lot of fun about gujjus. Not to forget that I myself am a gujju. No matter what people may say, i believe that gujjus know how to live life to the fullest. Even after so many incidences like the earthquake, riots, flood, plague, etc etc.. Gujarat stands as the most developed state in the whole nation. From Australia to US, gujjus have been successful everywhere, and still have not seperated from the roots. A gujju will always remain a gujju no matter which place he goes. You would find a gujju in the most unexpected of places, cities, countries.. and there too he would be doing his business. Its in the blood. We dont need a MBA to do a business. Without any formal education, huge companies have been set up.
From Gandhi and Sardar Patel to Narenda Modi, great leaders have been born there. From Relaince and Nirma to Adani, great businesses have flourised there. Gujarat has developed and continues to. And this would not have been possible without the gujjus who you have been laughing on through out the whole post. We might eat more, we might dress different. Our accents might be funny. We might not have the knowledge of anything else other than the business we run. But at the end, all these qualities makes us what we are. And I can definitely say without a doubt, I am very proud to be a GUJJU.
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Comments welcome
Lovee...... Aavjo.. Jai shree krishna.... :)
