Kolkata Woman’s Experience With 'Hindi Speaking' Colleagues In Chennai Office Turns Into Reddit’s Hot Topic

Viral Reddit Post: A woman from Kolkata recently shared an honest account of her cultural shock after joining a central government office in Chennai, one filled mostly with colleagues from North India. What she thought would be an exciting mix of languages and traditions soon turned into a confusing experience that left her questioning people’s awareness of India’s own diversity.

In a Reddit post titled, “I don’t want to generalise but the people of the Hindi-speaking belt truly live in a world of their own,” she opened up about the surprising things she encountered in her new workplace. While she appreciated the diversity around her, she also faced moments that exposed casual casteism, sexism, and a surprising lack of understanding about regional cultures.

Recalling one such instance, she mentioned how a colleague from Ghaziabad innocently asked her, “Tumlog ghar pe bhi Bengali hi bolte ho kya?” The same person went on to say, “Pata isse pehle mujhe lagta tha sabhi ko Hindi aati hai India mei, aur sabhi Hindi mei hi baat krte hai, regional languages optional hai. Yaha aake mere myth toota.” For her, this simple remark summed up how limited people’s cultural exposure could sometimes be.

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Her post also mentioned how her co-workers couldn’t understand why she’d skip Diwali leave to return home for Durga Pujo, "I told them that I went for Durga Pujo. They didn't understand that Durga Pujo can be somehow more important for a Bengali than Diwali. They said, Maine kabhi nhi suna ki koi Diwali nhi manata hai."

Watch The Viral Reddit Post:

I don't want to generalise but the people of the Hindi speaking belt truly live in a world of their own.
byu/syrax007 inindia

Expressing her disbelief, she wrote, “What I don’t understand is how these people become adults without knowing that people who speak, eat, wear different things exist?” Her words struck a chord online, sparking conversations about how cultural ignorance still exists even in diverse workplaces.

Many users on social media resonated with her experience, sharing their own encounters with similar cultural misunderstandings. "People coming from highly conservative backgrounds always behave like this. Their conservatism isn't limited to one sphere of life. It transcends through caste, religion, language, food, etc, so no surprises," a user wrote. "I was once asked by a Haryanvi girl why South Indians are weak in Hindi," a second user wrote.

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"Yeah, I think I agree with the majority of people from Hindi Hindi-speaking belt have casual misogyny. And a Lack of Understanding on how to talk to women. It becomes apparent when these people come into the workplace," wrote a third user.