Love India, Love Hindi

This is a dedication to all who love Hindi. I wanted to write this post in Hindi and after a couple of attempts, i am quite aware i am no good at my own mother-tongue ( I mean not good enough to do justice to the matter here).....Apologies!!!!!!!!!!!!!



A few weeks ago we were gone to a trip to Paris. On our last day of stay, as we were rushing back to our hotel to pack and rush to the Airport. But on our way back from sight-seeing we realized we hadn't had much of a lunch and so we popped in to an eatery for a sandwich or some snack. As we ordered and waited for our panini to be heated, me and my husband chatted and were promptly interrupted by the shopkeeper (a Parisian by looks). We were truly in for a surprise when he started convering in 'Hindi' and was quite good at that.

Here's a part of what was said and which i wanted to share:

Myself: Ek coffee bhi le lena.
Hubby: Ok, par tumhare pas change hai?
Myself: Haan hai.
Hubby( to the: Excuse me, We'll take a coffee as well....Please!
shopkeeper)
Shopkeeper: Sure....Aap log India se aaye hain??
Myself and Hubby: ????????????????
Hubby: Yes, aap Hindi jaante hain???
Shopkeeper: Haan, aur mujhe ye dekh kar bahut achcha lag raha hai ki
aap log aapas mein Hindi mein baat kar rahe ho. Yehan jitne bhi aate hain , foreigners ke saath saath aapas mein bhi English mein baatein karte hain , as if, unko bhi Hindi nahi aati.
Myself(curious): Well, Yes that's sad. But tell me, aapne Hindi kahan se seekhi??
Shopkeeper : Jahan aapne English seekhi.
(smiling)

All the three smiled to that and then promising to meet if we stayed or came back we left.

We were sure left with the thought of the impression ,we and others like us ,left on these foreigners when we ourselves showed preference to a foreign language over our mother-tongue.
But, glad that people all over the world are loving Hindi so much as to make an effort at learning and speaking in Hindi.