Indian Diaspora: Problems and complex process of assimilation with the culture of adopted land with special reference to short stories of Bharati Mukherejee

Diaspora was initially used for the dispersal of Jews when they were forced in to exile to Babylonia. Today, it has been used for any sizeable community of a particular nation or region living outside its own country and sharing some
common bonds that give them an ‘Ethnic Identity’ and resultant bonding. In migration two unique factors need to be recognized. Migration does not mean the mere physical movement of the people. Migrants carry with them a socio cultural baggage which among other things consists of a predefined social identity, a set of religious beliefs and practices, a framework of norms and values governing family and kinship organizations and food habits and language. This paper discusses migrants’ complexity of problem which they face in the adapted country. The Diasporic community try to retain physical or mental relations with their home land at the same time they try to adapt some of the traits which are very important to settle there. This dual identity and cross culture interaction creates problems like culture shock, sense of
otherness and rootlessness. Bharati Mukherejee, an Indo-North American writer discusses these problems in her short stories. In most of the stories protagonist fights with problems and shows struggle and trauma in the minds of migrants. She beautifully draws characters and creates situations which show the process of assimilation.