Mohali Mike

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Earlier I posted about Dell opening an office in Mohali, by Chandigarh. This photo of the billionaire proprietor wearing what is either a tika or a large, fleshy mole, standing next to a jolly sardarji who’s Chief Minister of Punjab, is priceless:

38 thoughts on “Mohali Mike”

  2. Punjabi Boy, you’re right. The “jolly sardarji” is not only the Chief Minister of Punjab but:

    1. He served in the Indian army during the conflict against Pakistan during the ’60s.

    2. He is also of royal lineage. He is a descendent of the Maharaja of Patiala.

    But, to some people, perhaps there’s no need to describe him as anything but a “jolly sardarji”, given his appearance.

  3. … to some people, perhaps there’s no need to describe him as anything but a “jolly sardarji”, given his appearance.

    And your meaning is…?

    Personally, I can’t ID the chief ministers of Indian states on sight, but I welcome commenters who can.

  4. My meaning: most Indians are aware of the stereotypes that are applied to Sikhs. Calling any Sikh a “jolly sardarji” implies that he would be a source of amusement and entertainment, which certainly plays into that stereotype.

  5. That is a stereotype and even though we try to ignore the way we’re stereotyped in the movies, if its so easy to do that with Capt. Amarinder Singh, I guess those constant stereotypes aren’t as benign as we might think

  6. He’s also fat and smiling, which is probably why Manish called him jolly. That is, people who had no idea of Indian stereotypes might well look at him and say “What a jolly guy”.

  7. I’m familiar with the stereotype of the jolly sardar, but Singh looks jolly, and by golly I’m gonna call jolly when he’s jolly.

    And that’s probably one of the most benign of these stereotypes.

  9. Shivam: And I disagree with you now as then.

    The minute you decide to not describe things as they are because it’s a stereotype, the language becomes littered with smoking craters of off-limits phrases, lopping off brain cells and detaching you from reality.

    In your world, we must never describe a desi person as industrious, a white person as terpsichorean-challenged, an engineer as analytical, a dancer as passionate. That would all be forbidden. It’s an absurd standard.

    I am, to my chagrin, a walking stereotype. I’m a Punjabi with a wide nose. I’m a desi in computer science. I’m a rootless diasporic who will write a novel in the South Asian genre one day, like every other sad sack desi with literary aspirations out there. But I take no offense to you describing me that way, because it’s accurate.

    Stereotyping is about prejudging an individual inaccurately before the facts are in, based on generalizations about a group. It’s not about lying when you have the facts about that individual right in front of you.

    I ask you in turn to choose your criticism carefully or risk becoming enmeshed in denial.

  10. Interesting fight….. Just wanted to add my nobody-asked-for two paise.

    Manish – it’s the context that matters. You highlight the white boy as Billionaire Michael Dell. We’re sorry the sepia-toned guy is not as big a billionaire as Mike, but if you’re conducting a Sepia Mutiny, you should be a little better informed. There are 28 States in India (not provinces), and each has a chief minister – many of them were/are women. This stuff is easily located at http://www.nic.in (of course how were you supposed to know said Jolly Sardarji was a Chief Minister). You guys usually post stuff of quality, and the slip up in this case makes you look a little silly. Now the commenter makes a different point, but I think this is what is really bugging people. Michael Dell is Michael Dell, but the other dude is just a Jolly Sardarji. I’m neither offended nor pissed, but am trying to point out that it just seemed like a surprising oversight, simply because you guys are usually better informed. Lastly, as much as all of us like Jolly Sardarjis, you should note this one is cutting the ribbon so he must have some kind of importance. Unless of course there’s a new job opening I know nothing about:

    “Wanted: One Jolly Sardarji to cut ribbons at opening ceremonies. Grouchy Sardarjis need not apply. No college degree necessary. Contact Gurminder for further details”

  11. … the slip up in this case makes you look a little silly.

    Yup, it looked silly. Mea culpa. I’ve fixed it.

    But cut some slack. Every SM blogger grew up in the U.S. There isn’t a single CM whose photo I recognize on sight except Jayalalitha. Sure wish I did. Glad Punjabi Boy pointed him out.

    I’d be happy to ID Jane Swift for you sometime. She’s the governor of Massachusetts and one of the few female governors in the U.S. She’s also the only U.S. governor to give birth on the job, and she got her seat when the previous governor was made ambassador to Canada by President Bush.

    Though the words are synonymous, you’re right on states vs. provinces, thanks.

  14. Ordinarily I’d agree and say that the Jolly Sardarji comment doesnt sit right (I mean, just look at the upcoming Jo Bole So Nihal movie for India’s general portrayal of Sikhs). However, judging by Manish’s previous posts, you can tell he’s not the type to be making fun of us Sikhs. So give him a break and spend your free time educating someone who doesn’t know who Sikhs are.

  16. One small aside: This “jolly Sardarji” has too many corruption scandals and too much bad press for him to be really “jolly”.

    Secondly, about the comment that “you can tell he’s not the type to be making fun of us Sikhs”, refer to what I said when he condescendingly described someone as “a poor Muslim from Kerala”. I had said that such terminology, such stereotyping, enters our language subconsciously, and we end up accommodating in ourselves a discourse that we would objectively not be comfortable with.

    The stereotype of a desi as an IT guy probably doesn’t hurt, but here are some other stereotypes for Manish to consider. Middle class Hindu homes across north India insist that Muslims are “dirty” and unhygienic. Now for many Muslims who are tailors or carpenters, this generalisation holds. However, to say that “Muslims are dirty”, you presume a) that all Muslims are ‘dirty’ and b) people of no other community are ‘dirty’.

    Such stereotyping of Indian Muslims is obviously a part of the discourse of Hindutva.

    So if I write a posting about my carpenter, and I say that he’s a “dirty Muslim” or a “poor Muslim”… you get the drift.

    For you it was not important who that “jolly Sardarji” was; you didn’t care to Google to find out who it was who inaugurated Dell’s Mohali call centre. All you wanted was “jolly Sardarji”. And it struck me immediately because Sikhs are a community who have actually been persecuted in India. I once interviewed the people running santabanta.com and you know what they told me: Santa and Banta are not two sardarjis. To be especially careful about inter-communal relations in Punjab, one is a Sikh and the other a Hindu. Their logo shows that, and they consider it a symbol of communal harmony in the state.

    If you were in their place, you would have used two “jolly sardarjis”.

    “Province” by the way, is archaic colonial usage as far as India is concerned. Just as the British also used to indulge in shameless stereotyping of Indian communities: the way they organised the first census is an example of that.

    And this blog is ironically called Sepia Mutiny.

    I am happy with Sepoy Mutiny, Manish.

    By the way, I am also a Punjabi, but unlike the streotype of Delhi Punjabis, I am not an ostentatious rich businessman from Karol Bagh.

    “Passionate dancer”? Well, I am talking about communal stereotyping. But just as well: not all dancers are passionate! The dancer in the dance bar in Mumbai may hate dancing, but she has to do it to earn her jam. A girl may be a classical dancer just because her mom wants her to be.

    Diversity. Individualism. They donÂ’t exist in your dictionary, but IMHO, the world is a little more complex than how you see it.

    Just my fifty paisa.

    Shivam

  19. Its really strange how other people are weighing in the meaning of the “jolly sardarji” stereotype without thinking for a moment that Sikhs themselves have opinions on this stereotype. Its not anyone’s fault for using a stereotype, so I don’t think anyone would blame Manish — doesn’t seem like the type to stereotype maliciously. But, Sepia is sensitive to the effect of stereotypes of others, so this seems like a good place to bring that kind of thing up in a setting where it can be understood.

    I would caution that, on this topic, one may not want to trust all of one’s initial instincts, because on this issue a lot of people travel back in time to a place where they feel comfortable speaking for a community of which they might not be fully understanding of. And then, when you speak for said community, its a bit “o teri” to those of us who are more closely tied to these stereotypes.

    Some of the effect of stereotype is not the actual stereotype (who would object to “jolly” I suppose) but on the effect of being stereotyped. To have given over the power of self definition to an outside social force removed from the inter-personal dynamic

    And the fact that is the CM of Punjab, and he’s still “random jolly sardarji”, thats a bit demeaning in a way.

    Not blaming though

  20. Shivam you stated “Middle class Hindu homes across north India insist that Muslims are “dirty” and unhygienic. Now for many Muslims who are tailors or carpenters, this generalisation holds”

    Why would this generalization hold for Muslim tailors or carpenters ? Are tailors and carpenters dirty people ? This generalization will only hold if ALL carpenters and tailors were dirty and unhygienic! You are ranting against stereotyping while you believe that all tailors and carpenters are dirty and unhygienic.

  21. Good one Mujahid, I’m caught! Yeah, you’re right.

    Manish’s rant is having an effect on me, it seems, I’m imbibing his discourse!

  22. Shivam, I wasnt playing gotcha with you. I am now curious as to whether the middle class North Indian Hindu community considers tailors and carpenters to be unhygienic.

  23. Al Mujahid

    I remember you said that all Patel Motel’s stink so you are not immune to this stereotyping disease yourself 😉

  26. I am now curious as to whether the middle class North Indian Hindu community considers tailors and carpenters to be unhygienic.

    Nope, only ‘Muslims’, and that’s ALL Muslims, not just tailors and carpenters.

  27. In this discussion I think we need to draw a line between the terms ‘generalisation’ and ‘communal stereotyping’

  28. So if they dont consider tailors to be unhygienic at all and still consider all Muslims to be unhygienic, the fact that a good percentage of Muslims are tailors and carpenters is irrelevent. It means that the reason they are considered unhygienic has nothing to do with the professions (like tailoring and carpenting) that most Muslims are engaged in. Extrapolating on this logic, if most Muslims in North India were CEO’s of big companies and scientists, the stereotype that Muslims are unhygienic will still stick with them. Does it have something to do with the caste system where lower castes are considered unclean and where non Hindus become even lower than the lower class ?

  29. Shivam: If you tell me the two specific words ‘jolly sardarji’ are tainted by years of association with anti-Sikh racism, I will apologize for an unwitting blunder and fix the post.

    If you say in the context of not ID’ing the CM it looks bad, I’ve already granted and fixed.

    If, however, you claim any description of a Sikh as cheerful is wrong, that’s idiotic, misapplied political correctness. If itÂ’s about an individual and itÂ’s true, you have a duty to describe accurately.

    The crux is this: is it true of that person? YouÂ’re entirely glossing over this.

    Click the photo and look at the larger version. Does Amarinder Singh look cheerful or not? ItÂ’s a simple yes or no question.

    You cannot say, ‘yes, he looks cheerful, but you must not describe him that way.’ That would be stupidity of the highest order.

    … he condescendingly described someone as “a poor Muslim from Kerala”.

    Read the reply. There is nothing inherently condescending about describing someone whoÂ’s poor, Muslim and from Kerala as a poor Muslim from Kerala.

    you didn’t care to Google to find out who it was who inaugurated Dell’s Mohali call centre.

    1. The point of the post is Michael Dell’s tika, thus the title

    2. The post category is “short”

    All you wanted was “jolly Sardarji”. And it struck me immediately because Sikhs are a community who have actually been persecuted in India… If you were in their place, you would have used two “jolly sardarjis”.

    You’re stereotyping. My grandfather was Sikh. I knew gurudwara before I knew temple. Here’s what I’ve written on Sikhs:

    … itÂ’s not entirely cool to explicitly play to dismissive stereotypes — the official site begins with ‘He is cute! He is adorable!Â’ And using a religious phrase as a title was bound to chafe in a religion-obsessed country… Here are two stories of anti-Sikh discrimination… Amric Singh Rathour, a New York cop who happens to be Sikh, can now wear a turban as part of his official uniform. Sikhs have a long tradition of police and military service in the Mounties, UK police forces and regiments during the British Raj. Congrats to attorney Ravi Bhalla, a friend from UC Berkeley, for the legal victory, one of a ceaseless tide for religious freedoms… On Sep. 1, Sikhs will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the day their holy book was first brought to their most sacred site. In 1604, Guru Arjan Dev carried the Guru Granth Sahib into the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. The book is accorded such respect that a prayer is spoken before the book is closed, and itÂ’s swaddled in fine cloth and carried on the head. IndiaÂ’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, the first Sikh to hold that post, will preside over the 4 million-strong celebration. In a nod to modernity, Amritsar will host a laser show, very apropos since the inventor of fiber optics is a Sikh…. I’ve seen the photos of tortured young Sikhs, they’re incredibly disturbing. Justice still hasn’t been done in Punjab, in the anti-Sikh riots in Delhi, or more recently in Gujarat. These are the deepest stains in India’s recent history… Director Wes Anderson did right by Sikhs in his latest film… The director was very respectful of the handsome, turbaned actor / fashionista Waris Singh Ahluwalia: it was not a token role, the Sikh was a bona fide character. He had an American accent. He had a real name, Vikram Ray (though Ray is a Bengali name, perhaps a play on Satyajit). He was addressed by name several times, he had plenty of lines, he was an integral part of the crew. He even had three glamor shots in the submarine scene at the end, close-ups with light reflecting off his eyes. On the flip side, the marketing campaign cropped Ahluwalia out. ItÂ’s a shot of the submarine scene, where Ahluwalia was seated at far left. On the U.S. poster, the guy in the turban and the black guy are missing. … it’s not clear whether this is the same Waris Singh Ahluwalia who reported a hate crime in NYC a few months after 9/11… Are these Sikh actors being used as silent, exotic henchmen? Probably. But any exposure in a non-bad guy role is a good thing… Amardeep has a rundown of this harvest festival and Sikh New Year. Lohri is another favorite festival of mine: baking like the planet Mercury, searing bonfire on one side, frigid night on the other and bhangra all around the fire. HereÂ’s a snapshot I took at the 2003 Sikh Day parade in NYC… A Sikh-owned gas station in Chesterfield, Virginia was burned and defaced with racist graffiti last week… I sure do miss the good olÂ’ days when the racists werenÂ’t utterly ignorant… A new report on the anti-Sikh riots has been pushed back by two months… … requiring that turban color matches uniforms is fine, but pinning a logo on them feels sacrilegious. Would they require this of a yarmulke, for example, or would New York City Jews kick their asses up and down the 4 line? Here’s a really interesting video clip about the Mounties finally permitting turbans. They actually interview a loser who led a campaign against turbans, including anti-Sikh pins and calendars. Here’s what the turban looks like with the Mounties uniform, no logo required. Pretty sharp. Sikhs in the Indian army often wear khaki turbans, AFAIK. Interestingly, the army has clamped down on religious symbols in a bid against saffronization, but Sikhs are allowed their kada and pug… Nikki Haley, a.k.a. Nimrata Randhawa-Haley, won her runoff for a seat in the South Carolina state legislature last Thursday… Haley, who is Sikh, battled slurs both religious… and ethnic…

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

    “Province” by the way, is archaic colonial usage as far as India is concerned.

    Province is the most common way to refer to a regional administrative unit outside the U.S.

    Diversity. Individualism. They donÂ’t exist in your dictionary… the world is a little more complex than how you see it.

    You’re making some sweeping, lazy generalizations. TheyÂ’re especially absurd because youÂ’re a member of a majority ethnic group in the country in which you live.

  30. For crying out loud Shivam. I know the point you’re making, but it doesn’t fit here. You’re infering all sorts of deep seated biases from a simple short post, without having read any of the other things Manish has written on Sikhs, India or stereotyping. It’s a short post on Michael Dell, not a revelation about Manish’s attitudes towards fat smiling politicians that he didn’t recognize by sight and reside over a political unit that you wish he had named otherwise.

    Sheeesh.

  31. i maintain that – even enlarged – he doesn’t look very jolly

    the guy in the red turban behind him though, he’s jolly!

  32. i wonder…could shivam’s comments be deleted since they are content-free AND not funny?

    i agree with sonia; if someone is so preoccupied with righting wrongs against Sikhs, then choose a more necessary project than manish. to not do so betrays some bizarre vendetta against a man who shares the surname “Vij”. it also speaks volumes about priorities. grandstanding in comments? high. educating those who need it? low. very telling.

  35. Please everyone, I believe the ‘jolly sardarji’ comments have been done to death.

    To Al Mujahid, I’m not sure if the sweeping generalization of “Middle class Hindu homes across north India” muslims/muslims who are carpenters etc. made by Vij hold true. Please do not analyze it too much – as one belonging to that (Middle class Hindu homes across north India) ‘community’ I can certainly vouch for the non-universality of Vij’s perception. I mean its certainly possible that’s his experience of people’s perceptions he’s interacted with, but on the other end, I haven’t. In my experience, the defining difference has been the religion, no more judging beyond that as far as I can recall. At the same time, I haven’t noticed avoidance of muslim carpenters either, in all the work commissioned by members of my large extended family spread across multiple states over a long period of time.

    In summary, like any stereotype, this one also probably applies and does not apply at the same time.

  37. stereotypes will always be there. we’re almost even taught them by our parents, and one day we’ll subconsciously teach our own kids. its part of the human race, deal. check out how many stereotypes latinos have between themselves, mexicans are this…puerto ricans are that…

  38. Honestly, the white boy looks more ‘jolly’ than anyone else. Should have been “jolly whiteboy”. And both of them are just as fat/medium build. Difference is one is a Indian sardar and the other is white American.