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| Mounal in front of the cat made by ear buds. |
It has been a talk of the town “The Times Utsav” ( Times Festival). I was planning to be the part of it for last 10 days and pain in the neck with any festival or exhibition is that they run hardly more than 10 days, so if you were planning to visit to such festivals or anything like this, you will have to take decision within those 10 days to be there or stay at home. How unjustified! As per me they should continue throughout the year and you should have the freedom to choose any day as per your calendar.
From last fortnight, in my newspaper “The Times of India”, I will have a glance on this advertisement and I would make up my mind to visit the place “Bandra Kurla Complex”; the nucleus of Indian financial activities, everyday and that day did not turn up till today.
It was not that I did not want to go but you know, it is always the morning when you plan that you will visit place in the evening and the evening seems far away at that point of time. And to tell you, the sultry and oppressive afternoons of Mumbai in the most of the months never lets you out once you creep into your inviting bed ; which looks you with great anticipation and expectations after your gourmet lunch.
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| Here it is behind "King Kills" |
Today was Armageddon I thought; for it, as it was the last day and I had to either visit this much hyped festival or the remorse was going to eat me up till next big occasion around, I was sure. So after an uncomfortable afternoon nap, I jerked my wife, Sonal if she wished to be at the festival with me. Her response reminded me my maternal grandfather who did not cared what I was talking back in my teen aged days ; God know how rejected I felt back then. But when I suggested her that she may also get an opportunity to have some cosmetics and fashion sort of things, I could easily sense the springs at her back and ground beneath her feet seemed missing to me.
Anyway we were there. As expected, I could feel the vibrant environment there. Well organized event I would say. I saw how India was changing. New technology for new India or capable India; An India which has become a lucrative market for numberless MNC’s . Anyway, right from the entry I could smell the pungent perfume flavoured with the smell of money. The money has its own charm, no one can escape from it; you, I or Mr. Lalit Modi. These are the places you show off your purchasing capabilities you see. Basically I am sort of guy who loves to watch what technology has to offer us new things and gadgets, it is as simple as that. I did not see as such, however I could feel the refinement of technology here beautifully. Those gigantic TV screens were inviting and I knew I won’t buy them perhaps. Designer clothing was at it’s best but I pretended I was comfortable with my sweet “Peter England”.
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| It was actually "Smoking kills" the whole skull is made of Cigarette packets. |
I tried to look sophisticated and I did act beautifully. But these phony situations will make you face situations when you will run out of solutions. I was alert for such unwanted situations because there were occasions I was trapped in such bizarre situations and only the God saved me from those highly energised salesmen. I remember, I could feel the husk in their voices which could have been the result of those endless presentations they made irrespective of the result.
Here were two occasions noteworthy which, I did not believe could cost me energy to work out how to unleash myself from the claws of that old sale techniques. It was a stall offering the educational materials for the kids. I saw towards my daughter Mounal who was leading the way like a new knight of herd. I knew her zeal, her sense of humour and her quality of leadership. She is always restless child searching for something. A student of Kindergarten, she is always searching for answers, logics and often I went out of answers. So this stall must be end of problems, I assumed. Moreover; the product was from Germany, I was willing to have a look into it, as I always admired Germany from the era when Boris Becker won his first Wimbledon. You might have also gone through this phase of life; without any reason, there will always few countries and places you would admire. It was a package of books and mind games; well deserved to have one if you have a super smart kid back at home.
The guy who attended me, seemed as if he was just out from ‘Uniross” charger. He explained me everything in such a way that I thanked him for possible end of my problems when I would confront my daughter’s unanswerable questions.
And the smart guy hawked my interested eyes and when I asked the price of the package, I felt a shrill thunder down my spine when he uttered “Only $ 800”. I regained my composure immediately. What he did not know that my daughter was in a school where she was getting a quality multidimensional education with an annual fees of $ 300! And see; this guy was trying to sell me a set of 12 books and two set of games for whopping $ 800. I don’t know was he doing his job or he did not calculate that I was not the real buyer. I asked him if they had any outlet in Mumbai; a smart move enough to unclutchedElectrolux, Eureka Forbes, Amway, Tupperware etc. Those are simply hyped and I am immediately cautious not to loose my money onto these.
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| Inconvenience regretted for it was just 3.2 MPxl cell phone camera. |
The irony and funny happening was the situation when he saw my face after he told the price tag… I had a face like a monk.
You see whereas was busy in my thoughts that how to get rid of the situation and seller, he was to the conclusion that I was thinking how I am going to pay; in cash or EMI! Guys guess how could I am here; safe to share this experience with you.!
With a personal embarrassment which I did not share even with Sonal, I moved to another stall.
The second situation happened when I moved to another stall which, at first glance looked of the books. The moment I entered, one uncle charged to me asking me if I knew “Gujrati’’ ? “No hope” I replied. I am a typical north Indian and understand only Hindi and to some extend it’s dialects. He was a warm guy; at least professionally I must say. Before suggesting me the books he had a great lecture of vision of life in front of us; the two innocent people. By the time he finished, I had already realised that I am the person at wrong place at wrong time. He recommended me a book on how to control the mind. I thought he was suggesting me correct book for; if I could have controlled my mind I would not had been at that stall at first place. Further he asked me if I would like to read that book in Hindi or English to which I asked in which language the book was written originally; for I always felt that the actual flavour of book flourishes in the language it is written in. The cunning guy shouted with exclamation “Sir, you are the first man who asked me this question that in which language the book was originally written.” I could not figure it out whether it was a genuine admiration or a sales technique but I felt proud on myself for tossing him such a smart question; I definitely felt. I ended up there with a forced type purchase of book not for self-help but it was the price I paid for being to their stall.
This went on another two hours and after grueling three hours, we were in the so called fresh air which is always a messed up gases of Mithi river ( Nulah!) and fumes of diesel and other hydrocarbons in Mumbai!
Dharavi, the largest slum of Asia was nearby, On the way passing through Dharavi, I had a mixed feeling. Here was a vibrant India, full of endless opportunity where a seller was confident enough to sell you his product which would cost you $ 800 and for whom there were definitely people around who would buy this product just for their children without giving a second though to it. And here in Dharavi there are people who would earn that invaluable $ 800 in a full year.
This is why India is incredible you know!!
