Aisa Bolte Hain Ki (That’s What People Say)
Linoprints
First in the conflict series, this project explored the ideological conflict in my life.
Imparting wisdom is parents’ second nature. But there’s a subset of this wisdom which has its origins in hearsay and inexplicably enough takes such a stronghold of one’s imagination that it becomes indisputable over years of belief and practice. Persistent, mostly unscientific and sometimes even stupefying, these advices have been proclaimed in every Indian household. And my case has been no different. However, what’s been left behind with me over the years is this unique phrase that invariably concludes every single piece of such advice – ऐसा बोलते हैं
And so for a change I decided to listen, attentively. The project catalogues ten such memorable conversations, like – what you do on your birthday you do the whole year; if a lizard falls on you one can expect a windfall; three is an inauspicious number.
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #1 (That’s what people say #1)
बेटा, पानी बैठ के पिया करो।
क्यूं?
ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(Son, you should drink water while sitting down.
Why?
That’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #2 (That’s what people say #2)
रात को नाखून नहीं काटना चाहिए।
क्यूं?
ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(You should not cut nails at night.
Why?
That’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #3 (That’s what people say #3)
बेटा, शुक्रवार को बाल नहीं कटाते।
क्यूं?
ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(You should not cut your hair on a Friday, son.
Why?
That’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #4 (That’s what people say #4)
खाने के बाद नहाते नहीं हैं।
क्यूं?
ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(You should not take a bath after eating.
Why?
That’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #5 (That’s what people say #5)
टूटा आइना, बंद घड़ी, और खाली फोटो फ्रेम घर में नहीं रखने चाहिए, बेटा।
क्यूं?
ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(Son, one should never keep a cracked mirror, broken clock, and an empty photo frame in the house.
Why?
That’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #6 (That’s what people say #6)
अरे! तीन का नंबर अच्छा नही होता!
क्यूं?
ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(Nooo! Three is not a good number!
Why?
That’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #7 (That’s what people say #7)
बच्चों की आंखों में काजल लगाओ तो उन्हें बड़ी आंखें मिलेंगी।
कैसे?
पता नही, ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(Children grow up with bigger eyes if you put kohl on their eyes.
How?
Don’t know, that’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #8 (That’s what people say #8)
छिपकली सिर पे गिरे तो पैसा आता है।
कैसे?
पता नही, ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(If a lizard falls on your head you can expect a windfall.
How?
Don’t know, that’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #9 (That’s what people say #9)
अरे उठो उठो! बर्थडे के दिन जो करते हो वो पूरा साल करते हो। सोते नहीं!
ये किसने कहा?
पता नही, ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(Get up! What you do on your birthday you do that the whole year, so don’t oversleep!
Who said that!
Don’t know, that’s what people say)
ऐसा बोलते हैं कि #10 (That’s what people say #10)
अरे कच्चा मत खा। पेट में दर्द होगा।
क्यूं?
क्या पता, ऐसा बोलते हैं।
(Stop it, you’ll get a stomach ache if you eat it uncooked.
Why?
Don’t know, that’s what people say)