COMMENT | “Tangachi, come get some ambra fruit juice! Only RM4 a packet!” shouted a man at a Ramadan bazaar the other day.

I smiled and walked to his stall.

“Tangachi, I also have lemon juice, watermelon juice, sugar cane juice…” he continued promoting his products.

“Please don’t call me tangachi. Just call me adik or kakak, okay?” I said politely.

The man was taken aback but quickly apologised.

“I am so sorry! I will address you as adik,” he replied.

I appreciated his sincere apology and went ahead to get a packet of my favourite ambra juice.

Some might think there is nothing wrong with the man calling me tangachi. After all, tangachi means younger sister in Tamil. What can be wrong in addressing an Indian woman that way, right?