Vikram Vij, owner of Vij's Restaurant and Rangoli. Photo courtesy of the Indian Summer Festival

Food and clichés are but two aspects of Indian culture that are well known, and both can be found at this year’s Indian Summer festival, which runs until July 15.

With over 5000 years of history, India can teach a young country like Canada a lot of things, and Vancouver is fortunate to have cultural ambassadors in our midst.

“I came to Canada in 1991,” says the owner of Vij’s Restaurant and Rangoli, Vikram Vij. “A woman compelled me to come.”
That last line was a joke, of course – maybe.

Vij is charismatic and approachable and these characteristics have probably contributed to him being a popular figure in Vancouver’s culinary circuit. Through his restaurants on 11th Avenue, he is able to share one of India’s most venerable traits – hospitality.

“It’s all about giving to people with a lot of love and making sure that people are well taken care of,” says Vij.

Paul Lazarus (left) with girlfriend Stephanie Jean. Photo courtesy of Paul Lazarus

“It’s about making them feel at home, instantly. You give them tea and something savoury to munch on. It’s an extension of who we are as human beings.”

Of the different cultural teachings that India has to offer, Vij says there is only a limited amount of things that he is able to bring to people in Canada. His approach to life is to bring awareness to others, and, specifically, an awareness of Indian roots that dig deep into a firm cultural ground.

“It’s not that I can bring India’s political awareness to people here, but what I can do, through the culture of cuisine and food, is to give a small taste of India and inspire people to visit the country and everyone blossoms, in the end.”

Vij, as a cultural ambassador, does everything he can to highlight India and educate others on his homeland.

There are others alongside him who are not fully Indian and have been born and raised in Canada, who help raise and praise the virtues of India.

Paul Lazarus is a 34 year old assistant director of an ESL school. Standing at over six feet tall, with tanned skin, a shaved head and a Canadian accent, it’s tough to know that he’s Indian. He could be from just about anywhere. Lazarus is diversity incarnate.

“If people ask what my background is I usually say that I’m Indian or half-Indian.” says Lazarus.

“I think I usually respond that I’m Indian because when people ask me I know they are thinking ‘ok so you’re not white, what are you?’”

Lazarus has lived, on and off, in Vancouver for 10 years, but he was born, and spent his formative years, in Burns Lake, B.C., a town of just over 2000 people.

He remembers growing up in an environment where he was not fully accepted and even felt a little embarrassed about being Indian.

“It was really tough…I was the only one who was half Indian. There were a few other Indian families and we were very close family friends with them, but I experienced a lot of racism during my childhood.”

Like many others, it took some travelling and different experiences for Lazarus to embrace who he is and what he has to offer.

He says that the combination of traveling, education and a trip to his father’s homeland (India), have made him a more confident half Indian.

On his trips to India Lazarus experienced first hand, and can confirm, Vij’s assertion that hospitality is India’s greatest export.

“If you go to their home they will treat you like you are a Maharaja [great king]. You will never leave an Indian person’s house hungry or thirsty, that’s for damn sure,” says Lazarus.

He and Vij are cultural ambassadors who come from different backgrounds, work in different industries, and hold different claims to India. But events like the Indian Summer Festival give them the opportunity to bring to light some of the best aspects of a culture they can both be very proud of – even its clichés.

“Where do I start with the Indian clichés?” says Lazarus with a laugh.

“Just watch [comedian] Russell Peters and you’ll have everything you need. Indians are cheap, won’t buy anything without getting a deal, all sound like they are fresh off the boat etc. Of course clichés are clichés for a reason.”

Vij agrees. He says that clichés, like haggling, are just a small example of another aspect of Indian culture that is true.

He says living in India is tough. It’s a country where every penny saved is important. Presenting this reality in a humorous way is a mere extension of who they are as a people.

“I think it’s great and cute” says Vij. “I could have a billion dollars and I would still haggle over a car. It’s fun.”