Jhumpa Lahiri Indian Culture

India constitutes a large number of diaspora all over the world. Migration of people in various countries is no longer a surprising issue. Immigrants endeavour to settle in adopted land. Though they adapt foreign way of life and culture yet the pull of past intervenes in their life. They become nostalgic and feel alienated. If out of these immigrants some choose writing as their profession, they consciously or unconsciously give vent to their diasporic experiences in their writings. They attempt to focus on pains, dilemma, discrimination and conflicts they have to face there. Through their imaginary characters they catharsise themselves. In the fleet of diasporic writers Jhumpa Lahiri is one such name. She can be acclaimed as one

Now they are adapted to the foreign land. On the other hand Ashima and Ashoke want them to retain their Indian heritage. They force them to learn the lesson of Bengali language and culture. Ashima, like Lahiri’s mother make every possible effort to keep their children in touch with Bengali culture but children don’t take interest in it. Both children Gogol and Sonia show little interest in Indian heritage. They feel more at home in host county in contrast to India. Gogol always considers himself as an American not an Indian. But other Americans do not take him as an American, they always treat him as an Indian living in America due to his colour and culture. This American attitude brings Gogol in ‘no-where’ situation which aggravates his sense of alienation. Jhuma lahiri has also suffered same sense of exile and outsider in all country. Despite being product of three countries - India by heritage, U.K by birth and United States by immigration; she feels homeless. While growing up she often visited Calcutta with her parents because her mother wanted her children to know everything about her Bengali Culture, language and inheritance. But she does not feel at home in that country either. In her interview with Barbara Kantowitz to News Week, she told, “I’ve often felt that I am somehow illegitimate in both cultures. A true Indian does not accept me as an Indian, and true American doesn’t accept me as an American”