Tibetan man in Bengaluru speaks fluent Kannada in viral video: 'After drinking Kaveri water...'
In what appears to be a vox pop-style video, the young man speaks in fluent Kannada, expressing how deeply the language has become part of his life. 'I know a lot of Tibetans who speak Kannada more than their mother tongue,' he says in the clip. 'People respect me a lot when I speak in Kannada. They feel proud that an outsider is speaking the local language.'
What struck a chord with many viewers was his heartfelt statement dismissing the often-heard phrase, 'Kannada gottilla' (I don't know Kannada). 'There is no such thing as Kannada gottilla. After drinking Kaveri water, you speak Kannada automatically,' he remarks with a smile.
The video has been widely shared across platforms, with users praising his sentiment and calling it a powerful example of linguistic inclusivity and cultural respect.
The Tibetan man's viral video celebrating the Kannada language isn't an isolated moment. In recent months, several non-natives have earned praise for embracing Kannada, with one notable example being a German woman whose video speaking the language went viral on social media.
The clip, widely shared on X, showed the woman, identified as Jenifer, conversing fluently in Kannada with locals. Her efforts to learn and use the language were met with enthusiastic appreciation, especially at a time when language politics were flaring in Bengaluru.
One X user who shared Jenifer's video wrote: 'German citizen Jenifer, currently staying in Karnataka, learns Kannada and tries to converse in Kannada with locals. Look at the appreciation she gets for speaking in Kannada. If Germans can, why can't Indians learn and speak Kannada with Kannadigas?'
(Also Read: Bengaluru lecturer asked to resign for speaking in Kannada, issue later resolved)
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Hindustan Times
a day ago
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Time of India
2 days ago
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Is patriotism opposed to universalism?
Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian and spiritual master. He has founded The Art of Living, present in 180 countries, known to empower individuals through its unique breathing techniques and tools for mind management. LESS ... MORE A tree gets its stability through its well-nourished roots, but the roots are invisible. Unless you honour the root, the tree will not survive. A country's history and heritage are its roots. We must respect our roots, live in the present, and have a positive outlook towards the future. However, patriotism and pride in one's past are not opposed to the values of universalism. Today, you live in what is called a global village, so there's no doubt you have to be a global citizen. But that doesn't mean you can not be patriotic. Your patriotism need not oppose or put down any other country. Some countries support patriotism while frowning at other patriotic countries. Individuals of every country have a right to feel patriotic. They should feel proud of their languages. For example, Kannada is the mother tongue of Kannadigas, of which they should feel proud! Similarly, the French or the Russian should feel proud of their languages. Every province in India has its unique culture and identity. They have their unique food, music, and folk culture. It is necessary that individuals nurture their heritage and don't lose it. Patriotism and universalism aren't paradoxical. However, how we value patriotism and how we contribute towards universalism make the difference. For example, spirituality is for everybody. We can share spiritual wisdom universally. However, wherever it is coming from, we should welcome it wholeheartedly. We shouldn't say that spirituality originated in India, and so I will not practice it, or that the telephone was originally manufactured in the USA, and so I will not allow it in my country. Or, that the cell phone originated in Finland, and so I am not going to use a cell phone. In this age of technology, we share technology irrespective of the place where it was invented. Sir Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity. The law of gravity was already there, but the credit went to Newton, and it has been universally accepted. Similarly, India has gifted Yoga and Ayurveda to the world, and all countries should acknowledge this with an open heart. Sages of ancient India discovered Yoga and Ayurveda. They must be recognised as the rightful founders of these branches of knowledge. Universalism isn't the denial of diversity. Children should be encouraged to learn their mother tongues, especially learning to count in their vernacular languages. There are so many local songs in regional languages, and couplets with such deep philosophy in almost every province of India, and the same, I believe, in every part of the world. The diversity of local cuisines needs to be kept alive. For example, when I was in college in the 70s, I went to Kerala. At that time, only traditional food was available, and everyone would eat that healthy food joyfully. However, today, you don't see that variety anymore. With time, we have also forgotten much of the knowledge of Ayurveda. These traditional practices must be revived and brought back into practice. The unique cultural heritage needs to be preserved, and people should feel proud of it. Similarly, people should also spread the best practices of their culture universally without any malice and adopt whatever is best for them, wholeheartedly. National pride, and friendliness with the world, aren't two opposite sentiments. They can work together. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
