Incredible Indiah!

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.

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”.

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.

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!!

"Slumdog Millionaire" the real Millionaire!

This country produces classes but in patches. When he comes he arrives to rule the world that is for sure!
We had just one Gandhi, Truly a masterpiece, a torchbearer of world peace, an incomparable miracle, a man of principles, and unparallel creation of the God who was born never to have a figure like him. We are still searching his shadows to alleviate the polity of our country but alas…cancer has never been so incurable and we have none so far.
May be then one Indira Gandhi who is known as iron lady of India. May be but this lady of iron would then had undergone scrutinizing through our generation but had never an opportunity to rationalized hr achievements and drawbacks.
Luckily we are living in the era of Sachin Tendulkar who has been being named as the god of cricket often. I sometimes think if h is the god what had been the honours for Sir Don Bradman then? Still he is the one of the greatest master.
Then just few days back we happened to be the part of achievement in the field of cinema. From nowhere a movie arrived like a meteoroid and soon it griped the nation in an euphoria of winning the Academy award finally, forgetting what it was all about. Than as told and anticipated, it swept the floor with 8 Oscars out of possible 10.
India went hysterical. In the busy street of Santacruz in Mumbai, I saw even the poor labourers telling each other in “Bhojpuri” that India won some award in “Bidesh”. News channels shouting at full throttle like they are awarding the Oscar to India!
To some extend it was justified to celebrate, afterall we are the largest producer of movies each year and each year passes by without any international presence felt. What goes wrong? We market well for our films. It is a billion rupees industry which waives the dreams for full 3 hours taking you all along to the beautiful rivers, mountains, sweet girls and drama like any other film made in Hollywood or in France. Or to some plot involving lot of action, motion and ultimately hero either winning or dying the death of martyr.
Forget for full three hours you are battling the common problems of day to day life.
But my question was is it justified to hype the success of “Slumdog Millionaire”? I do not know much about making of movie but all I know that the plot is nothing that could be called something as new. There is already a movie on the same subject with the name “Dharavi”. Have you heard about it ?No I hope!
It was not heard, not because it did not deserve! It was because it was made by an Indian!! If I say more bluntly, may be had same movie been made by the same Mr. Danny Boyle he would have got the same Oscar years back! I just wanted to ask the question what was something in “Slumdog Millionaire”? that India does not make? I still wonder what was wrong with “Lagaan”. “Swadesh”? Or TJP?
I must be frank enough that I fully endorse the view of Mr.Amitabh Bacchan what he wrote is his blog that we need not to look west to get the approval or recognition. When we indian will understand that afterall there is something called national pride. Remember Kalpana Chawala? Only because she studies in India made her star overnight and none bothered what she did for India? All she did was for herself and her genius and other services were for US.What she did for India that we sing her, I still ask?? Really I do not understand why we go ga-ga over something which in ultimately making us laughing stock??
“Slumdog…” is nothing but a portrait of the penury of 350 million people of India who are forced to live in that way. And one director from west comes to India, knowing that what the stuff actually world wants to see and he makes the mockery of poverty for his finical gains. He knew that what a movie made by a white skinned director can achieve; none of any Indian would achieve it, anything he tries. Are you convinced that he showed to spread some message? He was here because for him it was just his business. And he got what he thought of.
And we are celebrating the success of “Slumdog Millionaire”? because at last we are rewarded for our poverty! Yes that is what the message went worldwide.For the rest of the world we are not 4th largest economy, largest democracy, neuclear power country,one of the highst growth rate economy but we are just the country of poors, beggers asking for help?? Whom to blame? Think we Indians will remain like this only. We do not value ourselves till someone out from our sphere blesses us and approves our work. I call it joke because we are appreciated for out poverty and we are happy because world is laughing on the living standard on Dharavi. Proud moment of India isn’t it?
We shold have celebrated only for 3 Oscars because that is the numbers we won! It was the solo music of AR Rahman and lyrics of Gulzar which could not be Danny Boyled! But then again they won because they worked with Danny boyle. May be that has been the reason that despite winning Oscar, AR Rahman did not mention the music of “Slumdog Millionaire” as his best creation as asked by Timsnows because deep in his heart he knew that he won it only because this was the movie of someone who is a white and not hails from India! He knew that he had given better performance in other movies.
Come on India we will wait for the day when a movie made in India by indian wins oscar. Jai Ho!