Marathi language row: How non-Maharashtrian Mumbaikars feel at home in the city

The language wars are upon us again Itrsquos been a tumultuous few weeks since the Maharashtra government brought out a government resolution on April 16 making Hindi a compulsory language for classes 1 to 5 Amid much public backlash the government backtracked on June 17Now cut to July 5 when Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT and Raj Thackerayrsquos MNS held a ldquovictoryrdquo rally in Worli expressing their joy at the rollback of a decision Raj labelled as a bid ldquoto erase Marathi identityrdquoOn July 5 Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT and Raj Thackerayrsquos MNS held a ldquovictoryrdquo rally at NSCI Dome in Worli expressing their joy at the rollback of a decision that Raj labelled as a bid to ldquoerase Marathi identityrdquo File picRane AshishEven as Maharashtrians balked over the ldquobackdoor impositionrdquo of Hindi shop owners in Mumbai were once again being targeted for not speaking the language of the region In a viral video from June 29 members of a political party were seen slapping a sweet shop owner at Mira Road for speaking in Hindi instead of Marathi This comes even as the city gears up for the longawaited civic pollsItrsquos an old debate for a city that has for generations embraced all irrespective of what language they speak Sunday midday speaks to families whose native language is not Marathi but who chose to make this city their home after falling in love with it How do they feel about being in the middle of this language row And what does being a Mumbaikar mean to them lsquoItrsquos my turn to show my love by learning MarathirsquoVaishnavi Kanugula 28Corporate communication executive Moved from Delhi to Dadar 8 years ago Speaks few functional phrases in MarathiLeft to right Vaishnavi Kanugula with the Parsi couple Adi and Banoo Kanga from whom she is leasing her flatWhen Vaishnavi Kanugula first moved here from Delhi eight years ago to join the BMM course at St Xavierrsquos College she lived on nothing but poha for a month It was the kindness of Mumbaikars that rescued her at a time when she was struggling to adapt to a new city and its unfamiliar cuisineldquoThere was a snacks vendor outside my apartment from whom I would buy poha every day After a month he jokingly asked me if I only ate poha for breakfast and lunch and I told him I didnrsquot know what else to eatrdquo she tells us The man directed her to a dabba service solving her food conundrum This kindness was not a oneoff experience ldquoSo many times I have asked people on the station platform for help A few times people have even accompanied to the platform explaining which train to catch then rushing off to catch their own train Mumbaikars are always rushing but they still make time to help peoplerdquo she saysItrsquos the same kindness that ensured she had a home to return to after the being away during the COVID pandemic years Her Parsi landlords mdash Adi and Banoo Kanga ldquotreat me like their granddaughterrdquo ldquoI was away for two years during the pandemic but didnrsquot want to give up the apartment They never gave it to anyone else accepting a small percentage of the monthly rent to keep it on hold for me Last Diwali they painted and did up the flat and surprised me with their generosityrdquo she saysKanugula admits that while she understands Marathi she doesnrsquot speak it too well despite having lived here for eight years ldquoI truly take it as my personal challenge In spite of that all I get in Mumbai is love Marathi people welcomed me by making an effort to speak Hindi now itrsquos my turn to learn it for themrdquo she saysldquoA lot of North Indians might not like what I am saying here but I think the expectation to learn the language is not unwarranted I just hope people realise I am tryingrdquo she addslsquoIt hurts when someone is aggressive towards usrsquoNeha SaharaRane 29Travel agent Thirdgeneration Mumbaikar with roots in UP Fluent in MarathiNeha SaharaRane grew up in Chembur and speaks chaste Hindi PicAtul KambleOne of the things Neha SaharaRanersquos husband loves about her is that she is as Marathi as one can get She married into a Marathi family in April and in homage to both her Uttar Pradeshi ancestors and her own Marathi culture that shersquos absorbed as a thirdgeneration Mumbaikar she wears both green bangles Maharastrian and red choodas north Indian ldquoI am North Indian but if you enter my home itrsquos just like any other Marathi home I grew up in Chembur and my friends neighbours and now my husband are all Maharastrianrdquo she says ldquoA lot of people including my husbandrsquos relatives are still quite shocked at how fluently I speak Marathirdquo she says with a chuckle She recalls how someone saw her bangles while she was on her honeymoon and asked if she was north Indian or Maharashtrian ldquoI said I am bothrdquo Itrsquos only in times like these when the language row flares up that she struggles with her dual identities ldquoI always tell people that you canrsquot force a language on someone When someone is aggressive towards north Indians it hurts We love this city too Why do people forget thisrdquolsquoFeels like a loyalty testrsquoMayank Mohanti 30Multimedia storyteller Moved from Bangalore to Ghatkopar six months ago Speaks few functional phrases in MarathiMayank Mohanti moved to Mumbai six months ago and knows functional Marathi PicKirti Surve ParadeMayank Mohanti has been here all of six months and life in Maximum City has been brutal And still he loves itldquoThe commute has been overwhelming and the rent for a tiny onebedroom is atrocious But Irsquom completely in love with Mumbaimdashthe local trains the culture the theatre the hustle vadapavhellip everythingrdquo says Mohanti who moved here to work on a project restoring the heritage of Mumbairsquos Koliwadas ldquoThis insistence on knowing a language anywhere feels like a loyalty test It shouldnrsquot be that if you donrsquot speak it you donrsquot belongrdquo he addsldquoSomeone fluent in the language might not necessarily cherish the culture I work closely with the Koli community yet not everyone who speaks the native language might fully grasp their way of life or their rich deeprooted history and stories I am not saying I donrsquot want to learn Marathi but it should be at my own pace No one should feel pressured or it just becomes homeworkrdquo he adds telling us that he knows only functional phrases to get around the cityBangda bhakri and buddiesShalini Bhattacharya 46Corporate communications executive Moved from Bengaluru to Powai Speaks functional phrases in MarathiShalini Bhattacharya loves her vada pav and cutting chai and more importantly she loves the city with all her heart PicAtul KambleThe first time Shalini Bhattacharya came to Mumbai for a training session in 2002 she fell in love with how easily she could walk around at night with no one judging or harassing herldquoI was walking around at Worli seaface at 2 am looking for some friends I was to meet There were people hanging out on the streets talking and laughing No one even looked at me it was so freeingrdquo she says In 2011 when she got a job offer in Mumbai she jumped at the opportunity ldquoI didnrsquot have to think twicerdquo she says chucklingLike most nonMarathi speakers who moved here as adults Bhattacharya knows only a few functional phrases of the language ldquoWhen they say you have to learn the language I personally find it a bit aggressive However I do see the flip side itrsquos important to be able to at least speak a few basic words and sentencesrdquo she saysldquoI donrsquot begrudge someone who asks us to learn basics like lsquoyesrsquo lsquonorsquo lsquothank yoursquo or how to ask for directions itrsquos more than fair to expect thisrdquo she addsWe play the devilrsquos advocate and ask her if she thinks not learning the language indicates someone doesnrsquot respect the local culture ldquoOh my god Nordquo she says with an indignant huff ldquoI am just not good at languages by nature but it has absolutely nothing to do with my respect for Marathi culture In fact most of my friends are Marathirdquo she saysHer voice quickly grows fond as she talks about them ldquoThey feed me bangda mackerel and bhakri I love it I love vada pav and this city its people are now my people I have never felt as safe or welcomed in my own hometown of Kolkatardquo she adds