REWIND Different Stroke
had legal documents to prove it, they could become a citizen of the country. So, India was robbed of many of its Anglo-Indians,” he adds. What remains is a guesstimate of 25-28,000 people in Chennai, apart from the other cities.
Though they were influenced quite a lot by the British, members of the Anglo-Indian community have carved a niche for themselves over the years in the country Food: While the cuisine remains Western, there is a lot of Indian-ness, thanks to generous use of our typical masalas. “If Europeans ate our Beef Stew, they would find it pungent. The Vindaloo is a typical Portuguese dish, but they might not be able to recognise it if they ate what we make,” smiles Harry. As for delicacies, Coconut Rice, Meatball Curry and Deviled (red hot and spicy) Chutney is what you’d be served. Music and Dance: Eight of ten people jiving on the dance floor are sure to be Anglo-Indians because they just have a knack for it! Whether it is music or dance, the community has made a mark for itself in both these fields. English: English being their mother tongue, the Anglo-Indians have a great track record for establishing schools (142 of them in Tamil Nadu itself!) that are much-sought-after by people of all communities. Nostalgia: Keeps them going! “If you meet any of the older generation Anglo-Indians abroad, the first thing they talk to you about is their days in India—whether it is their schooling or life in the railway towns, they have very fond memories of the place. Most of them want to come back and live in the country, though they are too old to travel,” smiles Harry.
left the country. “Since they had jobs with the British government, the Indians were quite hostile to them and this drove them to identify more with the British way of life. They worked with and married the British and even had British names so I guess they felt closer to their culture,” Harry tells us. Besides this, the ousting of the British rule meant that a lot of reservations, quotas and jobs that were reserved for this community had been snatched away and many of them had no
means to make ends meet. “During the British rule, even an uneducated AngloIndian got a job in some government set-up or the other. But, once they left, there was a lot of competition from all other communities and the ones who had to leave their jobs really suffered,” he grimaces. “The worst period was between 1960 and 1980 because the United Kingdom announced that if any Anglo-Indian could trace their lineage back to England and
However, the economics have started to look up as many youngsters are in highly-paid jobs and are doing well for themselves. “Most people think that Anglo-Indians are poor, but that’s not true any more,” he says. But, their numbers in the city/country, however, aren’t on the rise. “They are migrating abroad for jobs, and looks like there will be fewer and fewer of us left in this city/ country,” he says. So, does that mean the community is dying? Harry pauses for a moment and says, “Many people say we can survive, but I have my doubts. We’re getting integrated into other local communities/cultures and since AngloIndians are stateless people, chances are the children will feel more part of the other culture than ours. It might take 40 years or so, but I feel we may not have many Anglo-Indians left in Chennai or India soon.” And, flourished they did. —KARUNA AMARNATH
VIEWPOINT What are Anglo-Indians best known for? And, are they a dying race?We ask some of the city’s faces… Andrea Jacob, Dancer
Craig Gallyot, Stand-up comedian
Jeffrey Vardon,Choreographer
An Anglo-Indian child dances before it walks… we’re best known for our dancing! If it’s a party, wedding or any celebration, jiving is a tradition, so if you can’t, it’s a shame! As far as the community dying out is concerned, I guess it’s true because a lot of people prefer to live abroad (in Australia, Canada, UK and now the middle East) because they connect more to that culture. So yes, there are lesser and lesser AngloIndians in the country these days.
Anglo-Indians, in my understanding, are the vision of living life large. We’ve mixed so much over the years, that we now know how to be the life of the party with any culture. And that’s because, chances are, it’s a part of our culture as well. So, we’re not a dying race after all.
Just because the Anglo-Indians are migrating, it does not mean they are a dying race! To answer the first question, I think we are best known for our communication skills, and by that I do not mean just speaking English. Our diction, vocabulary, etc is very good and that’s why you see many AngloIndian teachers, receptionists, air-hostesses, etc. I must add that I am very proud to be part of this community!
WWW.RITZCHENNAI.COM | APRIL010
31