Changing India! The incredible and frustrating India!

Posted on May 21, 2010
Filed Under Blogging, India | 4 Comments

It has been quite a while I left my cocooned office and witnessed the world around me. Fortunately, I got a chance this week as I was hitting on a journey to a close by hill station to escape everything, firstly the heat. My journey to narrate began in the Shatabdi train where I could closely spectacle the life of changing India, chiefly the elite higher class Indians!

I am travelling on Shatabdi for the first time. Trust me, it was my best train journey ever. It was very clean, spacious and beautiful. Around me were people of all colors. I could probably write a novel on this experience of mine. It made me really wonder if India was drastically changing for good or bad. Is this the change that our forefathers anticipated even before urbanisation, industrialisation and sustainable development crept into our souls? Is the paradigm shift India witnessing constructive and positive?  I am befuddled here, sure we all have varied views on this…some raise their thumbs up while others minimize its value.

Unlike my usual boring long train journeys, this was one that kept me engaged…one that led me to some serious rumination. Behind me sitting was a young man in his 20s showing off a cavalier attitude. Front of me was a pretentious couple from Kerala who were overly conscious of English and to the left of me was a very educated man who could not stop bragging of New York and to the right of me was a lady at her 60s reading Judith McNaught’s popular romantic novel “Paradise”.

Like I said, it is the richie rich I see around me and its about my experience with them not the poor. It makes me wonder if the rich mainly represent India? And if the rich represent it, is it such haughty people that could bring the change in the lives of the poor. Take for example the young man who could not stop flaunting his blackberry and other gorgeous gadgets. And his loud “dudes” and “excuse me” over the phone made me wonder if he is also flaunting his illustrious English, sitting with a sunglass inside an evening train. Sure represents the modern youth. But with this epitome of pride, I doubt if he represents the real India known for its hospitality and generosity or the downgrading West where morality has lots its stand.

Now the couple before me is quite interesting. Both of them although had their English in clutters, proudly communicated with their cute daughter only in the Queen’s language. I was pretty happy to find someone from my native land, but trust me the only word I heard in Malayalam was when the wife gestured to her husband “eniku vayya” (am tired). The craze for English sure has caught up with many Indian families who raise their children with no knowledge rendered on their rich heritage or language, but making sure their kids were better than others in English so they could claim a better job, money and status for years to come. I am not against parents talking in English to their children, but to a 5-year-old kid? English? oops..that sure is eccentric. Or is this the result of British colonialism in India? Sample this: I asked the kid her name in Malayalam and she was better off telling that in English than in Malayalam. You should have seen the pride on the parents face when the little lady sang and danced “Shakira Shakira”. Sure, India is changing, but how is it changing. Imagine the scenario after couple more years. We would have no generation to carry on the pride of this country. India would fade away only to be recorded in history as “once upon a time”. Please dont mistake me. I am not XENOPHOBIC.

The middle-aged sitting to my left was more than just interesting. He had a question for everything. They offered a welcome rose and he was like “what kind of rose is this…is it the one found in sunny areas?” The humble attendant was clueless. The juice comes and he is like “Is this orange juice?” The attendant responds: “No sir, it is mixed”. But the pseudo-literate guy has another question to that: “Then does it contain grapes? if it contains grapes…is it black or green?”. What is he? Food inspector? Or is he just making a point that he is conscious of what he takes. The result of his New York living? He goes on to brag: I am that…am this…I lived in NY for 20 yrs…I got felicitated there…bla bla bla…At least does he behave like one hell of an educated guy? No way. You should hear him scream: “Arey kitnaaa time huaa..meiney samosa mangaya thaaaa”. As if he deserves to be served two samosas unlike his co-passengers. And is there a Thank You? No way. Typical pseudo-educated.

Now the lady to the right. She sure is some sort of diplomat. She had a servant travelling with her. And what is more funny? She is quite old and yet she is reading Judith’s romantic novel. Does not matter. But what really struck me was when she scolded her servant for dropping her purse. Now this is not diplomatic. Education sure should root out our colonial behaviours or such class hegemony. This is one thing I hate in India. The ancient senseless caste system. It has divided the society into different class. The rich and powerful rule the poor and weak. There is no appreciation of talent, will or desire. They finally get confined, all because of the class system.

There were pretty other exciting scenes but the pick of all has already been described. Now you tell me how is India changing. As the second largest country with an average annual GDP economy growth rate of 5.8% for the past two decades, it is time for India to showcase morality along with the other boastful components. The India I envision is that which stands clear of human rights violations and stands tall for characterness. It is the Gandhian vision of holistic development and respect for all forms of life. Otherwise the Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam will soon loose its value. Finally, let me conclude reminding you this. We are sure in an INCREDIBLE INDIA! Thanks to our Tourism dept ;-)

ADIOS~

Comments

4 Responses to “Changing India! The incredible and frustrating India!”

  1. Macha on May 22nd, 2010 2:48 am

    doi macha are you not in the 21st century. What you have written is just a small part there is much more to see. How about I show you a better India? You have no idea how Bangalore has changed. Well come out of your office and start meeting me macha.

  2. Simran on May 22nd, 2010 5:16 am

    You better not meet my daughter Sammy. She is not that old quite girl you knew. She only loves watching English movies and talks only in English. Of course am very proud of it but at times I force her to talk in her mother tongue.

  3. Sunny Thomas on May 22nd, 2010 4:08 pm

    Yes, India has changed a lot. Our youths lack any education on manners. Do you watch those shows in V channel where these guys use all f words and sometimes even fights. These shows must be banned by our government. It is a bad example for our future.

  4. Sam on May 22nd, 2010 5:20 pm

    Sunnyyyyy bhai..long time no see..about the tv channel yes even iam bit shocked as well..saw that all tv channels are having some sort of reality programs that are both outrageous and flabbergasting.

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