thats precisely why i feel that everybody in India must know Hindi so that every Indian can survive in any part of India. In Maharashtra, we people are so accommodating that we adjust as per others. So we don't mind speaking in Hindi or English to others. We are an Indian first. You better do the introspection about your state whether you people are courteous enough that way......I also have visited chennai many a times and found that even though some people know Hindi, they won't speak, making the life all the more difficult......
In interior maharashtra people generally do not speak hindi and hindi is not understood. Sooner the hindi zealots drop this universal imposition of hindi, the better for all. Of course, those who want to learn for geographical, professional, or just for the pure love of the language are welcome. An Indian need not be a Hindian. Hindi was adopted just by chance, by the single vote of the chairman (who should not have voted) when there was a tie.
India is a federal set up and all Indian languages must have the same status.