“My name is Shalom, and I am from Jampuijala, a small village in Tripura. I am currently pursuing my Master’s course in Mass Communication and Journalism.
Having lived in Hyderabad for the last 5 years, I can say that people here are extremely friendly. They are also helpful in many ways. Hyderabad is by far the most pleasant city in India that I have seen.
Of course, the world-famous Hyderabadi Biryani is my favourite. However, there are a plethora of other mouthwatering dishes along with Biryani which I love. There is a famous restaurant in Secunderabad that serves Paya, Haleem, Kababs, Irani chai, and my personal favourite Golden tea.
I have also visited several other places like Shilparamam, Charminar, Hussain Sagar, Golkonda Fort, Chowmahalla Palace, Salar Jung Museum and a few other prominent places in the city.
Besides sharing my experiences in Hyderabad, I also wish to talk about our wonderful Northeast region, where I live.
Northeast is incredibly blessed in terms of food and culture, but it is not easily accessible to many visitors due to a lack of infrastructure and travel information.
Northeast people are a joy to be around since they are outgoing, less judgmental. They instruct you on love, tradition, culture, and ethnic diversity!
There are several tribes, dialects, traditions, cultures, and dance forms within a single state.
Bamboo shoots are our most common food because they are both edible and delicious. The inhabitants of the Northeast enjoy healthful foods. There are plenty of green leafy vegetables, and even the non-vegetarian meals are prepared with minimal masala and oil.
If you visit the Northeast, you must taste the bamboo shoot curry; it is both nutritious and delicious!
However, when we travel to different parts of India, a few people frown on us, calling us Chinkeez (chinki), Nepali, or Momo. We feel a racial epithet, which is quite offensive. We don’t appreciate being addressed with that word. People on the mainland compare us to Chinese people and created this name, which is incorrect and unpleasant. They bully us because of our skin colour, eyes, and overall appearance. I certainly feel people must demonstrate a sense of brotherhood by taking the time to learn our cultures and traditions.
My request to all my fellow people is that the Northeast is an integral part of India. It is varied, but it does not mean we should be alienated from our own people.
All of us are brothers and sisters. Otherwise, there is no meaning in reciting our Indian pledge.
Sikkim is considered as the brother lending and supporting his seven sisters’ hands (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura) towards the mainland. Allow the people to use this geographical relationship in a positive way to remove xenophobia directed at us.
Our land is endowed with natural beauty, and the seven sisters are an important part of our country’s history and heritage. We must respect one another and be sympathetic and respectful among each other.”