Travel and Learning
This has to be one of the best parts of my job. I get to meet people from different walks of life, in different parts of the country. Rural,urban, metros, small towns, men, women, kids, families and so on. My meeting is not just a Hi-hello kind of meeting, but I spend a few hours at their place, understanding their lives better, their dreams , their aspirations, hopes, worries among other things.
Over the last one year I have met and lived with families in the villages of Andhra Pradesh, 'dehat' in Uttar Pradesh, affluent families, lower middle class families in Bombay, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh. I am intrinsically a person who loves to have conversations. I talk to cab drivers, auto rickshaw- wallahs, paan wallahs on any topic under the sun. So this part of my job, where I get to 'live the lives' of people, albeit for half -a -day/ one day from such diverse backgrounds, gives me a huge, huge kick.
I am in the midst of such a trip where I am traveling to Mumbai, Chandigarh and Madras to meet people for the current research. The single biggest thing that I found in my current trip and from all the previous researches confirms what I have read about so much. 'we are a Nation in transition'. Its not that people in the villages never wanted progress before, or small town folks never wanted to make it big in the metros and the people in the metros never wanted to ape the cities in foreign shores.
But what I find now, is that there is a palpable excitement in the common man. They feel that progress is tangible and realisable in the not-so- distant future. They are hopeful about their future. Cynicism with the political class is still as prevalent as anytime, but more and more people are now asking and demanding what is their right - a chance to make their life better, to progress, and they are willing to work towards it.
The single biggest focus of every family I have met in the last one year is to provide their kids with English medium education. Some Villagers are moving to towns for a government school or convent education. The parents have changed their professions from farmers to daily wage earners to shopkeepers just so that their kids can attend a good school and have a bright future.I have met only a small section of people, may be 100 or so in the last one year, but when you get the same pattern throughout, you can be assured that you are onto something bigger.
I wish, if I may say, I have a dream ,that every citizen of this country being literate and having studied atleast upto class 10. And I am like every one of the people I met, hopeful. It is realisable in the next 20-25 years. Am I cynical? Yes. Somewhat. However, I rather translate this wish into practical positive action that be an arm-chair commentator.
Another underlying theme that comes across these researches is the pride in India and the new emerging self confidence. Some say that it is only a matter of time before we regain our rightful place in the world and nothing can stop us. It is here that I do not agree.
I love the passion in people. How I wish that we have a leader of great stature and statesmanship, who could channelize all this passion and energy into a vision and build a resurgent India. I guess, this is the one thing we lack today. As I look around, I see few leaders and no statesmen. One who can conjure up a dream, build it into a vision, sell it to the people, energise them and take the country forward. I do not think we need one person. Each section can have their own statesmen. As long as they have a common vision and a shared dream it will work just great. Democracy.
Sorry I digress here. I can talk forever on the topics of business, society, government, public policy,economics and the 'khichidi' of this.
Over the last one year I have met and lived with families in the villages of Andhra Pradesh, 'dehat' in Uttar Pradesh, affluent families, lower middle class families in Bombay, Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh. I am intrinsically a person who loves to have conversations. I talk to cab drivers, auto rickshaw- wallahs, paan wallahs on any topic under the sun. So this part of my job, where I get to 'live the lives' of people, albeit for half -a -day/ one day from such diverse backgrounds, gives me a huge, huge kick.
I am in the midst of such a trip where I am traveling to Mumbai, Chandigarh and Madras to meet people for the current research. The single biggest thing that I found in my current trip and from all the previous researches confirms what I have read about so much. 'we are a Nation in transition'. Its not that people in the villages never wanted progress before, or small town folks never wanted to make it big in the metros and the people in the metros never wanted to ape the cities in foreign shores.
But what I find now, is that there is a palpable excitement in the common man. They feel that progress is tangible and realisable in the not-so- distant future. They are hopeful about their future. Cynicism with the political class is still as prevalent as anytime, but more and more people are now asking and demanding what is their right - a chance to make their life better, to progress, and they are willing to work towards it.
The single biggest focus of every family I have met in the last one year is to provide their kids with English medium education. Some Villagers are moving to towns for a government school or convent education. The parents have changed their professions from farmers to daily wage earners to shopkeepers just so that their kids can attend a good school and have a bright future.I have met only a small section of people, may be 100 or so in the last one year, but when you get the same pattern throughout, you can be assured that you are onto something bigger.
I wish, if I may say, I have a dream ,that every citizen of this country being literate and having studied atleast upto class 10. And I am like every one of the people I met, hopeful. It is realisable in the next 20-25 years. Am I cynical? Yes. Somewhat. However, I rather translate this wish into practical positive action that be an arm-chair commentator.
Another underlying theme that comes across these researches is the pride in India and the new emerging self confidence. Some say that it is only a matter of time before we regain our rightful place in the world and nothing can stop us. It is here that I do not agree.
I love the passion in people. How I wish that we have a leader of great stature and statesmanship, who could channelize all this passion and energy into a vision and build a resurgent India. I guess, this is the one thing we lack today. As I look around, I see few leaders and no statesmen. One who can conjure up a dream, build it into a vision, sell it to the people, energise them and take the country forward. I do not think we need one person. Each section can have their own statesmen. As long as they have a common vision and a shared dream it will work just great. Democracy.
Sorry I digress here. I can talk forever on the topics of business, society, government, public policy,economics and the 'khichidi' of this.
Anyways, the point where I disagree is that we have a rightful place in this world which should be given to us. We do not have any rightful place. The only righful place is the place where we want to be and for that we need to work hard. Really hard.It will not be given to us on a platter.
The part which I fear (I have commented on this in Mahogany's blog) is the fact that this new found self confidence should not turn in over confidence and arrogance. we have not even achieved the tip of the so called iceberg of development. There is a long long way to go and we need to keep going on. While pride in our achievements is required, smugness is an unwanted guest. Its in our interest to stay humble of our achievements and realistic about the long road ahead.
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Switching gears, I landed in Chandigarh airport and drove to my hotel. I fell in love with the city on first sight. And yes, the first sight was from the plane when I saw a beautifully planned, neatly ordered city. Over two days, as I drove around the city, the broad roads, wide avenues and arcades, lush green trees, neatness deified, orderly driving all put together just wowed me. The sector 17 market is the biggest 'plaza' or city center I have ever seen in any city.
The city is neatly planned with rectangular sectors and each sector having its own market which is self contained with a post office, bank, grocery stores, pharmacy and other stores. It was the city Nehru took personal interest in designing and building. His dream of building a city that was unfettered by the past and a representation of the New India has been successful, I would say.
However, after the initial euphoria wore off, some things came to my notice. Most of the sectors and their markets are similar. There seems to be little novelty across sectors and their markets. Chandigarh is the capital of two states and a union territory by itself. So the number of government offices in that one city is phenomenal. And hence the number of government quarters is also big. And hence similar looking buildings :). Also, the city reminds me a lot of the socialist era where government built everything. One example to my mind is the markets in each of the sectors which has buildings with fixed size shops allotted. Imagine if the entire area was to be converted to a mall or a shopping arcade by private parties. Each market/ mall would vie to attract the crowd by novel designs, shops, entertainment and so on.
Having said all of this, to me Chandigarh represents the fact that we do have the capability of making great plans and executing them with excellence and at massive scale (that of the size of city). It is one city where I would want to go back again an maybe again and again. :)
pssss:I also got a chance to go to Kapil Dev's restaurant for dinner one night. The food was good, ambience nice and it was filled with pictures of Kapil Dev with many of the stars of the era. For a cricket buff, this was neat. There was one picture that will be forever etched in my memory. Kapil Dev lifting the Prudential Cup in 1983. I was a year old then, but I have heard innumerable times about the significant that victory was for us from cousins, parents, relatives and friends. It inspired Sachin Tendulkar, and gave a generation, their heroes.
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I was at the Chandigarh station which was filled with countless pigeons and mynahs chirping away. It was a orangish yellow hue created by the setting sun. The sun light filtered through the eucalytups trees behind the platform. The station was also not every big. Only two platforms and very neatly maintained. It was picture perfect. We (me and my colleagues) were greeted by a swank train that rolled into the platform.
The part which I fear (I have commented on this in Mahogany's blog) is the fact that this new found self confidence should not turn in over confidence and arrogance. we have not even achieved the tip of the so called iceberg of development. There is a long long way to go and we need to keep going on. While pride in our achievements is required, smugness is an unwanted guest. Its in our interest to stay humble of our achievements and realistic about the long road ahead.
----------
Switching gears, I landed in Chandigarh airport and drove to my hotel. I fell in love with the city on first sight. And yes, the first sight was from the plane when I saw a beautifully planned, neatly ordered city. Over two days, as I drove around the city, the broad roads, wide avenues and arcades, lush green trees, neatness deified, orderly driving all put together just wowed me. The sector 17 market is the biggest 'plaza' or city center I have ever seen in any city.
The city is neatly planned with rectangular sectors and each sector having its own market which is self contained with a post office, bank, grocery stores, pharmacy and other stores. It was the city Nehru took personal interest in designing and building. His dream of building a city that was unfettered by the past and a representation of the New India has been successful, I would say.
However, after the initial euphoria wore off, some things came to my notice. Most of the sectors and their markets are similar. There seems to be little novelty across sectors and their markets. Chandigarh is the capital of two states and a union territory by itself. So the number of government offices in that one city is phenomenal. And hence the number of government quarters is also big. And hence similar looking buildings :). Also, the city reminds me a lot of the socialist era where government built everything. One example to my mind is the markets in each of the sectors which has buildings with fixed size shops allotted. Imagine if the entire area was to be converted to a mall or a shopping arcade by private parties. Each market/ mall would vie to attract the crowd by novel designs, shops, entertainment and so on.
Having said all of this, to me Chandigarh represents the fact that we do have the capability of making great plans and executing them with excellence and at massive scale (that of the size of city). It is one city where I would want to go back again an maybe again and again. :)
pssss:I also got a chance to go to Kapil Dev's restaurant for dinner one night. The food was good, ambience nice and it was filled with pictures of Kapil Dev with many of the stars of the era. For a cricket buff, this was neat. There was one picture that will be forever etched in my memory. Kapil Dev lifting the Prudential Cup in 1983. I was a year old then, but I have heard innumerable times about the significant that victory was for us from cousins, parents, relatives and friends. It inspired Sachin Tendulkar, and gave a generation, their heroes.
---
I was at the Chandigarh station which was filled with countless pigeons and mynahs chirping away. It was a orangish yellow hue created by the setting sun. The sun light filtered through the eucalytups trees behind the platform. The station was also not every big. Only two platforms and very neatly maintained. It was picture perfect. We (me and my colleagues) were greeted by a swank train that rolled into the platform.
I generally take overnight trains. Atleast off late that has been the case. I do not remember taking Shatabdi in the recent past. I entered my compartment to find it ultra cool. The seats were reclinable , big and totally comfortable. Each seat also had its own plug point which had square holes for foreign appliances. The overhead stowaway where we placed our suitcases were made of fibre glass giving the compartment a slick look. The service was nice. We were served with refreshments and three course meal and the food was good too.
I had the movie Blood Diamonds on my laptop which we saw and thanks to plug point, the battery never ran out :). Oh and btw, there was full cell network connectivity throughout the journey and as I have GPRS activated on my cell, I was connected to the net, surfing through and through. Unbelievable. I also was on Google talk and had a few conversations.
I am so totally impressed by the convenience. If you do have a chance to make train trips, do not miss them. I am pretty nostalgic about train journeys as I had written earlier here.
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In Delhi, we checked in to the company guest house by around 11 and after a some TV and small talk we crashed. I had my flight to Madras at 9.30 and was to leave the guest house by 8 for the airport. I was promptly woken up by the caretaker at 7.30 am with hot masala chai and biscuits by the bedside. While I finished my morning ablutions, I was served breakfast of toast, butter and cornflakes and some more brilliant masala chai. It felt so amazing. A great start with amazing chai. But more importantly, its been 7 years since I left home staying in hostels, with relatives and now by myself. I have been making coffee and breakfast for myself every morning. So for a few days when I visit home or relatives or guest house with attendant, I feel totally pampered and enjoy every bit of it. Small pleasures of life :)
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I am writing this post on my flight between Delhi and Madras. So looking forward to going to Madras. 2 out of 4 evenings in Madras will be spent at the beach :)
I had the movie Blood Diamonds on my laptop which we saw and thanks to plug point, the battery never ran out :). Oh and btw, there was full cell network connectivity throughout the journey and as I have GPRS activated on my cell, I was connected to the net, surfing through and through. Unbelievable. I also was on Google talk and had a few conversations.
I am so totally impressed by the convenience. If you do have a chance to make train trips, do not miss them. I am pretty nostalgic about train journeys as I had written earlier here.
---------
In Delhi, we checked in to the company guest house by around 11 and after a some TV and small talk we crashed. I had my flight to Madras at 9.30 and was to leave the guest house by 8 for the airport. I was promptly woken up by the caretaker at 7.30 am with hot masala chai and biscuits by the bedside. While I finished my morning ablutions, I was served breakfast of toast, butter and cornflakes and some more brilliant masala chai. It felt so amazing. A great start with amazing chai. But more importantly, its been 7 years since I left home staying in hostels, with relatives and now by myself. I have been making coffee and breakfast for myself every morning. So for a few days when I visit home or relatives or guest house with attendant, I feel totally pampered and enjoy every bit of it. Small pleasures of life :)
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I am writing this post on my flight between Delhi and Madras. So looking forward to going to Madras. 2 out of 4 evenings in Madras will be spent at the beach :)
5 comments:
Hi! Your post was interesting. I wonder what kind of job is yours, as you get a number of pleasure giving activities to do. At the same time you travel around the country, with hectic or better said, busy schedule. Your writing skills are good so I guess you are related to media. Travelling and pride of contributing to society are enviable. You gave the brighter side of your job, I am sure you must have been missing a few things. Don't you face hardships while dealing with such a variety of people. I have a poor joke for you, it says 'Mom said don't talk to strangers'. Haven't your ever come across criminals?
You know, after recently being in rural UP myself I realized that that was somehow more uplifting than working in urban. The rural folk I met were not yet jaded the way guys in Delhi or Bombay are.
hmm looks like u had an interesting research
I have sensed a similar confiderce & optimism over in people I have met ores The year, SpL. the mid-twenties bunch
I think we will pull through even without a leader - people in our towns & cities are seeirg through their own eyes what is possible & that seems to be Motivation enough. The downside of having strong charismatic political leadees invariably seers to be dynastic politics & an inability to escape the personality cults assoCiated with those leaders. the coalition era of politics may be doing Us a favor by preventing narrow basing of power.
Btw did u get to Sample good Kulchas? :-)
Sorry for the much delayed responses
empirical: Well we can talk more about my job and all over mail :) mail me whenever. About my job, I love what it is now. Hoping it stays the same in future.
Mahogany: Strong Agreer. Even small town folks come across as you call it 'less jaded'. One can actually sense the genuineness.
Anon:
Srinath? On leaders. Personality cult is inevitable. It happens across the world. As long as we dont become sycophants it is fine. And I still believe that strong leaders will make a difference. There is no stopping people power, but there can be catalytic action if we have good leaders or at the least good governance.
Dude...ur work sounds brilliant and good to see you are enjoying it!!!
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