Ennaalah moraikiraan? - என்னல முறைக்கிறான்?

Note: Pictures are only shown for illustrating my feelings. Accept or reject the opinion at your own will. Comments are welcomed.

I've always wanted to write or express about this 'phenomenon' among the local Indians. Frowning or staring at another Indian, when they are looked upon in public places. This is very evident among the middle aged Indians, both guys and girls. Walk along the corridors of Leboh Ampang, Masjid India or Tengku Kelana, you'll come across hundreds, sometimes thousands of Indians walking along you, apposite you or crossing your path and you'll see.

I have the tendency to smile at anyone who looks at me in public places (kira bertembung mata lah). It can be anyone, any age. In my mind, either they know me or have seen me somewhere before, if not there's no harm in throwing a simple smile at no cost, right? Look up while you walk, how many strangers (Indians) will return a smile if you smile at them? 10% or 20%?

In my personal experience, very few will actually smile back. Most will give us the look as though you are about to pounce on them, bite their trachea and rip off their ribcage. 

Why this kolaveri pandangan maut? If someone is looking at us, it doesn't always mean they are having any negative thoughts about us. There's no harm in looking back, and smiling at them. Nevertheless, 'pandangan' can sometimes can get us in trouble, especially if we 'terpandang' a multimillionaire, mega-busy, ultra-important vetti paiyens flocking around bus-stops like hungry crows, with cigarette in one hand and helmet in another. They will immediately inhale large amount of air, pump up their chest (look around if got other paiyens in the herd to help) then ask the macho question : Ennalah moraikiraan? Yarulah aven? Ajar panunom poleh irukku! - yenda yeeteh (duck) vaayah, summa unnai oruthan silap-pah parthaleh, nee ajar paniruvehyah? ondiya iruntha inteh karat petchi varuma? Yen unnai summa parka mudiyatha? Ni enna avulo periya super model-ah?  I'm sure some of us have this lines running in our minds when encountering these groups of 'unsociable' people. Beware, if you keep pandang, they can transform into ... 

In some occasions they may even confront you, most the time this happens in clubs / pubs ... typically after some 'hydration' and 'workout'.

Sometimes in temple festivals, you may encounter this ...

Among the girls there's also same issue (not all girls OK). If a stranger guy terpandang one or a group of girls, these sort of dialogues may appear among their peers : yey, aven ennaalah yenneyeh parkuran, seriyana teruklah, paaren appudiyeh parkuran, kaduppa irukulah - aana unmaiyil manasukulle odurathu "wow nambe make-up inaiki cikappa iruku poleh, ada orang tertarik you".

I have many Sikh friends whom I've witnessed on various occasions that they never fail to smile, sometimes greet another Sikh in public. I've asked them if all Sikh know each other in a town, half of the time their answer is no. Naturally they tend to be sociable and ready to greet anyone.

My dear Indian friends of any ethnicity and culture, it doesn't hurt ourselves or others, if we smile when we are looked at. Athukunu poreh vareh idam ellam ellareyum paarthu coca-cola kudiceh kuthirei mathiri pallai kaateh vendam lah. Nammai yaravathu etarchiyai paarthal, avargalai parthu punnagaipathil tavaru illei. Senyumlah seindah suria, jangan muka macam se-indah water :)

வாங்க பழகலாம் ;)