Plain Indian?

I've made it a policy to tell people that I have no religion, no caste, no linguistic or regional background and that I am just an Indian. It is irritating that in 21st century India, educated people are obsessed with such things.

I've heard quite a lot of arguments about regional pride and pride in one's culture and one's religion etc but the simple answer from me is that "if you are proud of your background, good for you. My own is personal and really none of your business."

One of the extra-curious kids wanted to know whether I was a Muslim and she then guessed by my first name that I'm not. The 17-year-old went on a tirade about how much she hated Muslims and wanted them out of India. When I told her that variety always enriched India, she told me that she couldn't be tolerant towards intolerant people.

She narrated a story to me about how Muslims living in her housing society slaughtered goats in the common compound and the goat's blood was all over the compound. Apparently when the Hindus complained, the Muslims said, the compound was as dirty after the Hindus celebrated Holi, the festival of colours. The narrator was furious that goat blood was compared to coloured water.

I told that in this day and age, we need to compromise somewhere and reach an understanding. She refused to budge and said her family moved to a society that banned membership to Muslims.

I am not going to judge this girl or the Muslim goat-slaughterers. There has to be a better way of solving such conflicts.