United in diversity: When Himachal met Punjab

All it a quirk of fate of my ‘state’ for I’m neither a full-fledged Punjabi nor a pahadi (from the hills) with my father belonging to Himachal Pradesh and my mother tracing her roots to Punjab.

- UN Upadhaya

all it a quirk of fate of my 'state' for I'm neither a full-fledged Punjabi nor a pahadi (from the hills) with my father belonging to Himachal Pradesh and my mother tracing her roots to Punjab. Around three-and-a-half decades ago, my parents, not even in their wildest dreams, would have foreseen their nuptial knot was going to put their son into a fix, leaving him wondering about his native state.

Torn by my divided loyalty between the two neighbouring states, I find myself on a sticky wicket when someone tosses the clichéd question, "Which state do you belong to?"

My lanky build makes acquaintances conclude I'm a Himachali and my birth certificate endorses their assumption. Over a period of time, the same people don't hesitate labelling me a hardcore Punjabi, courtesy my penchant for songs and slangs in my mother tongue.