India captain Rohit Sharma and batter Shreyas Iyer have been two prominent and constant faces during the wdding festivities of all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Having got engaged to childhood friend Mittali Parulkar 15 months ago, the two will be tying the knot on Monday.
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Much like Thakur, Sharma and Iyer also represent Mumbai in domestic cricket. Hence, a close camaraderie between them is understandable.
Iyer, in particular, is all over social media platforms because of his singing and dancing videos on Thakur’s Haldi and Sangeet ceremonies. The 28-year old player himself posted a photo alongside Sharma on his Instagram handle. Both the right-handed batters can be seen looking sharp in Indo-Western outfits.
Worli Ke Chapri meaning
“Worli ke chapri,” read the caption of Iyer’s post. The caption, however, has left a large majority of Iyer’s fans, especially the ones who don’t live in Mumbai, puzzled.
For the unversed, Worli is a high-end locality located in Central Mumbai. In addition to Sharma and Iyer, former India captain Virat Kohli and former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also live in Worli.
“Chapri”, on the other hand, has successfully found a place in the Mumbaiya slang language. In simple words, anyone who tries extraordinarily hard to look showy or snazzy or just “pretends” to be so is often referred to as a chapri. Although largely used informally among mates, the usage of the word does have an unsophisticated vibe attached to it.
Therefore, Iyer’s caption “Worli ke chapri” means Chapri people from Worli.
What is wrong in using the word Chapri?
Comments on Iyer’s post, even from verified handles, are mostly appreciative of the caption. It is only that a handful of people on Twitter have found fault with Iyer’s caption. With the word part of rap songs as well, it is fathomable why people treat it so lightly.
If not for Sidharth Monga’s piece on caste privilege and oppression for ESPNcricinfo last month, one would’ve continued to perceive the meaning of chapri as just another casual-harmless-normalized slang.
abbe yaar @BCCI give your players a little sensitivity training. they’re full grown adults who day in and out take a knee for racism but are absolute dolts when it comes to using casteist terms https://t.co/o6gs6Lj0aX
— baloo the cocaine bear (@MrNarci) February 27, 2023
However, now knowing that Chapris are people belonging to a caste-oppressed community known for repairing temporary roofs (chapars), one feels Iyer should’ve been more careful with his caption. Not that Iyer did it to hurt someone intentionally but this is where there’s a general need across the nation for more education and awareness with respect to a sensitive topic such as casteism.
