Comments on: In a puff of smoke

By: cicatrix

cicatrix — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 22:57:54 +0000

NotPC Uncle-ji (Aunty-ji?),

You are, like, not living up to your handle, yaar? Your comments couldn't be more cancerstick-up-the-butt PC.

and Manish, if this is an anti-smoking post, you really picked the wrong image to go with it. Look at that gal! Could smoking look any more glamorous than that!

off to light a ciggie while tossing my hair about

By: NotPC

NotPC — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 16:17:47 +0000

Couldn’t agree more with you, Amitabh. And check out the plight of the Pandits. Very tragic. Poonyin, As I said – at the risk of sounding anal. Manish, I get your point. However, you have listed the story above as “Humor”, not Political. So a little effort was warranted.

By: Amitabh

Amitabh — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 23:29:48 +0000

It is true that Urdu is the official language of Jammu and Kashmir. Much like Muslim Punjabis, the Kashmiris decided that their own language was not sufficiently ‘Islamic’ to be used as their literary language. Therefore, they learn Urdu and English in school, and not Kashmiri. Kashmiri is not taught AT ALL. Much like Punjabi in Lahore, Kashmiri in Srinagar is dying out among the educated urban younger generation. It is still strong among middle-aged and older people, and in the rural areas. Also, much as rural ‘Sikh’ Punjabi is considered to be the most pure, hard-core Punjabi, ‘Pandit’ Kashmiri (i.e the language as spoken by Kashmiri Hindus) is considered the most pure, hard-core Kashmiri (pure being defined as least amount of foreign vocabulary, highest amount of native idioms, expressions, grammatical features, and vocab). Muslim Kashmiri has a lot of Urdu/Persian/Arabic vocabulary mixed in. Languages are dying around us everyday and people don’t seem to realize the loss (forever) that entails.

By: Manish Vij

Manish Vij — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:09:06 +0000

For the third time: This usage is political, not ethnic. A Dogri resident of the state of Jammu and Kashmir can be described as Kashmiri in the same way that a Latino resident of California can be described as Californian.

By: Ponniyin Selvan

Ponniyin Selvan — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 21:07:11 +0000

Mr.Thakkar is a Dogri man, from Doda, which is a district in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. And does not even lie within the province of Kashmir.

I think you are being needlessly anal. Let's see, I won't get angry if I was called an Indian instead of a Tamil, because India is a bigger entity enclosing Tamilnadu. I do see your point which is similar to calling me a Telugu which is wrong. But I don't think many people know the difference between Ladakhi/Jammu/Kashmiri/Dogri etc.. Even I came to know of that only later. I was surprised to know that Urdu is the official language in Jammu&kashmir and not Kashmiri (??.. correct me if I am wrong..)

Lot of people have an opinion on the Kashmir issue inspite of knowing zilch about the region.. (that includes me too)

By: NotPC

NotPC — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 20:50:39 +0000

On the contrary, Manish, I have been trying to bring your attention, repeatedly, to the ethnic differences between the peoples of Jammu and Kashmir. And god knows, there are differences.

I could never understand why smart people are so reluctant to acknowledge their oversight and rectify it?

By: Manish Vij

Manish Vij — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 20:38:56 +0000

As I said, more is expected of you.

I appreciate the edumacation, but you're missing the difference between political groupings and ethnic ones.

By: Amrita

Amrita — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 17:58:28 +0000

donÂ’t pick up stuff by the side of the road and, like, smoke it.

SNAP!!

I would love to see FDA experiment with exploding ciggies.

By: NotPC

NotPC — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 17:37:33 +0000

Manish - As I said, more is expected of you. Esp, since you obvioulsy know the diff between Jammu and Kashmir.

By: Fall-staff

Fall-staff — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 14:58:19 +0000

Bunty risks getting his danda blown right off.

Oy, don't go giving them ideas.