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Now I love this phrase, it epitomises Indian fatalism.
Or the appearance of Indian fatalism, to be more accurate.
It’s used so much – often after some apparent small disaster; the car’s not arrived, the floors flooded, people can’t come to your party.
And as news of this trauma seeps in, there will be a slight shrug, a shake of the head, and then staring slightly at the floor, you will hear ‘what (pause) to dooooo?’ The what is a rising tone, the dooooo is a falling tone.
What makes this particularly delicious, is that there is almost always a vast array of things to do (call a cab, get a mop, change the date), but no, there we are surrounded by opportunity and here we stand staring at the floor bemoaning the lack of possibilities. Fabulous.
A dear friend of mine, raised in London and now married to a delightful Keralan chap, has told me that since their marriage he’s started adding her into this as well ‘what are we to doooo?’ Her general feelings on this being summed up by, ‘don’t draw me into this, I’m off for the mop’.
And as we all three fell about laughing on the subject, he made the salient point - we all know there’s things to be done, but really it’s a bit unfortunate to have to go and do them at all.
Quite.
-:–:-
This post is one of the more popular on the blog, for reasons that slightly baffle me. If you’d like to read the ones, I personally think are the best of the blog page. Why not hop over and check out some more foolishness there?
Or go straight to the good stuff here:
And please do add your own tales of blank fatalism. I love to know I’m not alone in finding them odd…
I see a book in the future…Madame, Let Me Tell You 131 Things. Keep’ em comin’…
Oh sir, you’ll make me blush. But I like it!
Carry on commenting…
I really like your writing style, superb information, thankyou for posting : D.
I conceive you have mentioned some very interesting points , appreciate it for the post.
Regards for all your efforts that you have put in this. very interesting info . “There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.” by Michel Eyquem de Montaigne.
You are a very smart person!
Enjoyed examining this, very good stuff, regards .
Enjoyed looking through this, very good stuff, thankyou .
have you heard of “aiyyo what to doooo”
Ooh, I haven’t! I shall listen for it…
Actually, thinking about it, when I say it out loud, yes, yes I definitely have. I’ve even begun to hear myself begin to make the aiyyo sound occasionally. When I lived in Kerala I caught the Mallu ‘eh’ sound quite badly… I should right a post about that… thanks for the thought
Yes Liz it actually goes aiyyoooooooo what to doooooooo
, sometimes it goes what to do yaaaaaaaa
Do you like kerala or bengaluru?
Well I do like Bangalore – but if I’m utterly honest, my heart is in Kerala. I love the ocean so much and anyway you look at it Bangalore is an 8 to 12 hour drive from the nearest bit of seaside. And I really love Kerala people – even more kind (and polite – yes, I do think so!), than most Indian people, and the place seems full of shy smiles and lovely things. Sigh… you’ve made me want to go back ‘home’ to Kerala right now…
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This blog, madam, has a different type of style, not normally my type. But it does give a fresh, fun twist to the everyday things I am used to reading… when I am wondering, what to doooo… I’ll know where to come for an interesting read
Oh why thank you! Do come again
I really enjoy reading on your blog. This article really tickled me.
Glad you liked it!