Who is a true Maharashtrian ?

 Though haven't seen 'Me shivaji raje bhosle boltoy', this question plagues 'me' who was born in Mysore, to Tamil Iyengar parents  whose forefathers had migrated to Karnataka years back from Tamilnadu. Now my parents spent their marital life in Bhilai then in Madhya Pradesh which was a township housing people from almost all states of India and  who worked for the mammoth Bhilai Steel Plant. I grew up in an environment where people connected as Bhilaians irrespective of the languages they spoke or the religion they followed. As for my identity I didn't fit either into the Tamilian category or the Kannadigas for that matter. My parents were members of the 'Kannada Sangha' where I heard people speak 'English' especially the peer group thus appearing hypocrites. The 'Tamil samaj' where I had to go with dad once or twice, didn't appeal either because the uncles wore white 'Panche' and the aunties appeared too much 'God & Pooja' prone more out of fear than the customs and the kids had white 'Namam' (white ash lines on forehead). The friends I interacted with were mostly Central and North Indians especially Punjabi's And I thought in Hindi, I mean I used to think in Hindi and later only in English. I wanted to marry a Punjabi because I thought they were 'Bindaas' (at least those in Bhilai were) but ended up befriending a boy who matched the mind and who cared for the psyche enough to contemplate a life to spend with. He was a Maharashtrian, a community  I had never been exposed to.

Back to the question 'Who then is a true Maharashtrian?' My folks (in-laws) also from Bhilai, were cosmopolitan, never imposed anything 'Marathi' on me except that the food I was taught to cook was Maharashtrian, which was o.k. to the palette, me not being too fussy about eating. Beginning married life in Pune, a place I had always liked as a child when we stayed during summers with my aunt in the Defence colony, made me fall in love with it all the more and I geared up to become 'a Maharashtrian' by choice as I liked the customs/traditions which were similar to those I was exposed to at home but  which had never interested then but now with the role of a wife/daughter-in-law etc. made sense. Wonder how certain phases of life ties one down, putting the wilder side at bay. Life had other plans and we shifted to Gujarat and with that all my plans of being a 'Maharashtrian' was gone. For once again I landed amidst people from various states. Nevertheless I followed Ganesh puja, Gudi Padwa and Satyanarayan puja on rakhi purnima and whatever I could read and understand from 'Sampurna Chaturmas' the Marathi book that talks about the festivals and the likes in Maharashtra for, the Mom-in-law had told me to look after the house, the kid and the husband, which she felt was the true religion when I asked her the festivals/pujas she wanted me to do in an year. They all communicate with me in Hindi and in Marathi amongst themselves. So I don't speak Marathi with them though have started now in Pune, with the maid, the auto driver etc. Am I a Maharashtrian ? Legally yes but I don't feel like one as I don't feel like a Tamilian or a Kannadiga either for that matter. The brother-in-law once remarked 'Identity crisis' and I used to feel that way too but not anymore. After having studied in Madhya Pradesh, worked in Karnataka, stayed in Gujarat for 13 full years and now in Maharashtra, I feel an Indian, and a proud one at that. I just cannot stand 'navu kannadigaru' (we are kannadigas) or 'amhee Marathi' ( we are marathis) or anything of such sort as I feel its only the weak who need to shout to be heard. The strong work, do something and make their presence known.  Shivaji had to do it, erect formidable forts, shout slogans in order to create the spirit to fight and hoist flags so that he could oust the British. Why do we need to do that now? The president is a Maharashtrian.  Did she land up the post because she hailed from Maharashtra? I have this debate in the classrooms I teach and I salute the passion writ on Marathi faces, only wish they who need to proclaim their Marathiness in their own state go out and live in some other states for sometime and redirect their passion to something worthwhile. Will some one be a true Marathi then if they

1.  Speak Marathi.

2.  Cook/eat Marathi food.

3. Follow Maharashtrian festivals/beliefs about religion.

4. Read and write Marathi.

5. Live in Maharashtra.

6. Shout current slogans

7. Abhor people from other states

8. Earn in Maharashtra, not send money to their parents residing in other states (Is the

     President doing it I wonder)

Can someone answer?