Hybrid Theory

Met my Konkani neighbors in Gurgaon this morning. It so happens, their son works in the same company as I do. I wasn't keen on knowing anything more but this elderly lady said to me with a hint of sadness that her son is going to get married to a Punjabi girl. I jumped and replied "how wonderful, your son is doing his bit of keep India together, you must be very happy/proud". Confused, she gave me a quizzical look as my reply was not on expected lines.

Often I hear from pseudo-nationalists that India is going to disintegrate and China has long wanted it to achieve complete dominance in the region. It doesn't end there; they say America wants India to stay together as India is the only credible counterweight to China's hegemony in the region and eventually in the world. We were Bharat first. After the idea of nation states took hold, we got rechristened as India. From hundreds of princely kingdoms evolved India (version 1) which was divided on the lines of language - Punjab for Punjabis, Tamil Nadu for Tamils and Assam for Assamese etc.

As bizarre as it may sound, all the single Indians can keep the dream called India alive and solve America's problem. All they have to do is marry someone from a completely different part of India than their own. By marrying between cultures today, we are going to have hybrid Indians down the road that will not cling to one state in search of their identity. Caste lines will get diluted rendering vote bank politics redundant. My fertile imagination stretches further to think that this might lead to better governance. The issues which make a strong case for further division of some of the states today will become non-issues.

Don't get me wrong, I am not against states. They are important to achieve good governance. Our government has not done much since 1947...so here is what I propose for India version 2. Consolidate India into 5 states; South India, North India, East India, West India and Central India. Union territories will get along just fine.