I am a Hindu-Muslim-Punjabi-Manipuri

Mehnaz N *

So you are a Manipuri? Yes, I am. But then, why don't you have 'chinky' eyes? How can you speak Hindi so fluently? These are the common questions which I have been shot at wherever I go. Then the whole process of explaining my identity takes place.

It goes like...well, I am a Manipuri, born and brought up in Manipur, but my origin is of Punjab. As soon as they hear this word Punjab, their level of curiosity rises and before I could complete my explanation, they would shoot another one - Punjabi, you?

Yes, I am a Punjabi as well as Manipuri, I would reply every single time. My ancestors came to Manipur eight decades ago from a village called Majitha located in Amritsar, Punjab. Surprised to know my origin, they would react, 'Great! now, we know the secret of your Non-Chinky eyes'.

The curiosity of this inquisitive lot doesn't end here. They would question me more as if they are some CBI agents and I am an accused of some murder case or so! For instance, they would ask, Why your ancestors left Punjab? Why they came to Manipur? If you are a Manipuri then do you eat pork and dog?

Well, I failed to understand how they so beautifully connect Manipuri or any other Chinkies with dogs and porks. Perhaps, they might have come across people who enjoy eating those non-vegs or is it that Chinkies do not have any other unique features apart from their chinky eyes and being dog-eater ? I can only wonder.

May be, these lot aren't aware of the progress that these chinky eyes people have made. May be, World Boxing Champ Mary Kom, CWG Gold Medalist Suranjoy Singh are just another dog-eaters for them.

While wondering which one to answer first, one would again question me, Have you ever tasted dog meat or pork? Annoyed with their stupid questions, I would reply promptly that I am a Muslim and pork is haraam (forbidden) in Islam. Silence would prevail for some time, and I know what made them speechless. Yes, I being a Muslim is another shocker for them.

Even if they are confused with my identity so far, they would never stop inquiring. Now, their target is to find out what I speak- Urdu is what you speak, right?, they would ask. Big no is always my reply. I know it's a common confusion that Urdu is the language of Muslim.

Here, I would like to clarify that Urdu is not every Muslim speaks (though majority knows the language). I speak Manipuri as it's my mother tongue and a Muslim in Kerala would converse in Malayalam, same goes with Kashmiri Muslims, they would obviously talk in Kashmiri not in Urdu.

To satiate their curiosity of my origin, I would start explaining my family tree. Basically, my ancestors were Hindu of high caste from Undivided Punjab. Yes, they were Brahmin and converted to Islam way back in 19th century.

During the partition, my great grandfather preferred Manipur to any other place in India or rather Pakistan as Manipur then was a tranquilled land ('was' because the adjective is no more valid with the advent of militancy and incompetent government) and is really close to nature.

Shocker again for them, this time it's the Hindu connection that was surprising to them. Confused with the bombardment of information, they would ask me to stop.

And they would conclude by themselves that you are a Punjabi Manipuri Muslim now residing in Delhi. Ammm...No, I said and corrected- I am a Hindu-turned-Muslim-Punjabi-Manipuri now planning to settle in Delhi.

And that's my identity or is it an Identity in crisis? I wonder.