The Brute Question

Once at an interview with Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala at IIT-M, I asked him why India lagged behind China in development. Everyone I knew at that time was visiting that country and raving about Shanghai and Beijing, the flyovers, the smooth traffic, the works...

He said in reply (not verbatim) - I don't know... The way they work, the government simply assigns lands and if your property happens to be there, then too bad. Whereas in India, that can't happen. Would we want someone to take away our lands without our consent even for development?

The answer for most of us would be a big, resounding NO! Even if it is not "my" land, I don't like my neighbouring haven for birds and animals being taken away for the metro. But a court case on that matter has been dismissed. Which is fine - at least we have the freedom to register our protest. The outcome is never in our hands, in any case.

An addendum to the matter on China, last night a neighbour said that apparently, in Shanghai, as part of plans to expand the roads, multistoried apartments have been marked yellow. Those with the mark have to be demolished by the owners, who are to relocate 80 km away in designated land. If they don't, then the government will demolish at the owner's cost.

India, please remain a democracy.

Revenge

As we sit wondering about the explosion in the nuclear reactor, I cannot help wondering if this isn't nature's way of getting back. There is a Tamil word that fits our attitude to nature appropriately - sorandarathu. Literally dig our nails into the last available resource and grab every iota of it in our greedy hands.

But having got used to our comforts, where is it that we can cut down? Will we stop killing trees, reclaiming land, mining, poaching, drilling, populating and therefore restarting the entire cycle? In retrospect, is industrialisation a boon or a bane?

Getting Used to the Luxury

When the recession hit sometime in 2008-2009, Economic Times Chennai did a supplement on banking and I was roped in to do some of the articles after interviewing heads of nationalised banks. I met the chairman of Karur Vysya Bank, a very senior man, close to retirement or past.

He said: I am not worried about the recession or how India escaped. I am more concerned about the youth of today. My wife and I, we have seen tough times; if we lose money, we can still do without luxuries. We can sleep on the floor, we can walk distances and make do with what we have. But the youth of today, what will they do?

It set me thinking. Even my contemporaries would have seen tough days - when everything was budgeted and we knew to accept "No" from our parents. But do our children know it? My daughter wants to know when summer will start so that she can start using the AC - it's a strict no-no right now because even in Chennai it is not summer yet though the nights are warm. I never take them walking even short distances - preferring to zoom on my bike or take the car. Though they don't get everything they see and ask for - I am still probably old fashioned - nothing is beyond reach for them and they are aware of that.

No harm done...we earn better and to live better on hard-earned, honest money is no crime. But what if life goes topsy turvy? Are we prepared? Do we prepare our children? Can we prepare ourselves for it?

When I see the indulgence some children get - mobiles at 7 and 8 years, branded clothes and what not...I shudder for this generation. Birthday parties in five-star hotels, event managers stepping in to manage the event...is simple living, high thinking a thing of the past?

Never Say No

My mother says that. Let me start with this...in movies, there will be this hero or heroine who will keep quoting his or her mother/father and I have always wondered about such "quotable" people.

I was thrillled that I could start with this quote. "Never say no, for that is what you will get," meri maa kehti thi...truly. Though she said it only in one context which I won't get into here.

But it applies so well to certain things in my life. I said: I will not study literature, become a journalist, learn to type or use computers, or become a teacher.

Graduated in BA Literature
Second job onwards, been in a journalistic set up.
Have to use computers to type in stories, and am pretty fast with typing.
The only thing I managed to achieve till last year was not become a teacher. This year was a dance teacher at my kids' school.

Each has been a satisfying experience. On Mar 12, when the annual day happened, the applause to the show my six kids put up was heart-warming... Will do it again, and again, and again...

Glad that you sometimes get what you don't want. Or else, how will you know how satisfying an experience it can be?

Incoherent Expression of Shock

The deep shock on hearing of the earthquake and the following tsunami still lingers. Just seeing the steady inflow of sea water into the land and the helplessness of the "highest creation" of god on earth... how can words convey what one feels. And to think of those caught in the tragedy...!

It is ironical that water, the source of life, can be so unforgiving as a cause for death and loss too.

Always wary of the sea, the 2004 tsunami had been a shock for me. And yet, we have grown up on stories of the submerging of Poompuhar in ancient times and Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram in more recent times - as latest as pre-independence India. Atlantis probably met the same fate, if it was indeed a reality.

But not just the sea. Last year, I got a message from a friend in the middle of the night - at 2 am - saying: Please pray for us.

Shocked and disoriented, I messaged back but got no response. I called first thing in the morning and her mother picked up. In the persistent rains on the preceding few days, a water reservoir had been opened and the water flooded the city. My friend lives in a low-lying area and water flowed into their streets - into their homes, through the windows.

Just hearing this sent shock waves through me. Imagine water flowing in at 2 in the night at window level and no signs of stopping.

Except for loss to property, there were no loss to lives, thankfully. But the moment must have been as scary as a tsunami.

That's an aside.

For those caught in the tsunami, was this the moment of reckoning, the end of world, the Pralaya, the great flood? Words, emotions - they are too small to be coherent to express what one feels.

The Discount

"What is your cell bill for this month?" hubby asked wifey.

"250. Why?"

"I got this message from our service provider. If your sms bill is for 450, you get additional sms' for 10% off."

"Oh!" That set the wife thinking...

When she saw a great discount next week, she sent a message to all her contacts - err...the friends in her phone list. She had bought herself a capri for 900 just the month before, for her birthday. But the capri at the discount - at 15 percent off, was a dream. She picked it up but found the size didn't fit her.

She picked up another colour, different material. She saw a buy one get one offer in the tops counter and went to check out. The ones there seemed too loud. She moved on and found this top to die for. She added to the bag, and added a kurti that would look just perfect with her purple parallels that she had bought a few months back.

She had to rush to pick up son from school. She rushed to the billing counter. Capri - 1200, no discount as this was not from that counter; the top - 500; and the kurti - "no ma'am, these two are not from buy one get one free section. This will be rs 450," the sales girl informed her as she billed. Wife hesitated, then picked out her credit card. Rs 2350 - what the heck. It was a scream!

On the way, she saw the hypermarket screaming out discounts on purchases made up to Rs 1000...she had to buy provisions.

She dropped her son home with the nanny and rushed back. She picked up her grocery and queued up. Her bill - Rs 1200. "Sorry ma'am, we have specified that the discount doesn't apply if you have rice and oil in your purchase."

She glared but paid up and rushed home.

That month, her phone bill stood at Rs 1200; smses alone cost her Rs 900. She had got the 10% off on messages over and above the Rs 450 mark.

A discount offer that worked for her. Or, did it?

**

Just got a message: Spend More, Save More. Huh!

The New House

Priya waited with bated breath for her vacations to begin. They would be visiting her grandmother in Coimbatore. It was such a contrast to their own flat - a large hall, a large dining room and two small all-purpose rooms with an inner courtyard made up the house. An extension had been created in the backyard where her uncle and aunt retired at night. Their children rolled freely on the floor with the grandparents most of the times, when they managed to rebel against being cooped up in their parent's room.

With Priya and her parents will come the other uncle's children too. They would spend the day playing hopscotch, skipping, climbing trees, being naughty.

Priya clapped her hands in glee just thinking of the summer vacation.

*

It turned out to be just as she had imagined! The five cousins had a whale of a time, playing, fighting, listening to stories. Only the adults seemed tense! As they always were. Heavy discussions that were so boring! Why couldn't they play for a change, too!

The cousins promised - pledged in fact, on their favourite toys - that they would be back next summer and continue playing four corners.

*

A year now, Priya waited with bated breath for the vacations to come. For she would be going to her grandmother's house.

"No, we are not going this year," her mother told her as she busied herself in the kitchen.

"But why!"

"Construction work. The house is being converted to four flats." Her mother turned to look at her and smile. "Next time we go, we will have our own house to live in. Would you like that?"

Priya frowned. "But we already do that here."

"Yes," her mother said patiently, "and uncle wants to do the same too. Have a flat of his own for his children, aunty and himself. Grandparents will use another flat. The other uncle and we will have a flat each.

"Oh! But will we all play together?"

Her mother shrugged. "You can play in one of the houses, I am sure. But the courtyard won't be there."

*

The new house was a dream house - lovely coloured walls, matching pictures and hangings, a showcase full of curios. The sofa set was a pleasure to bounce on - till aunt ticked everyone off. Priya loved this house the best.

"Priya, come to bed," her mother called as she lingered near the gates with her cousins later in the evening.

"Ma, can I please stay with them?" she asked, pointing to her cousins playing near the gate.

Her mother whispered, "See, your aunts are calling their children home. You can play with them in the morning."

Priya frowned, "But I want to hear grandma tell a story!"

Her mother looked at her mother doubtfully.

"Send them to me. Come, come," she gathered her grandchildren around her and took them in.

One aunt came in. "When they finish listening to the story, please send them home."

"Let them sleep here," grandma said smiling.

The aunt frowned. "No ma, my son has to go for cricket coaching in the morning, and daughter is in swimming class."

*

"Ma, are we going to grandma's house this year?"

"Why? I am not sure."

"I want to stay back. All my friends are here," pouted Priya.

"But your cousins will be there!"

"They will be busy. Also, I want to go swimming with my friends. Please take me to one of these classes."

Her mother stood undecided. Priya was old enough for these classes. She called her neighbour and took down a number.

That night she called her mother. "This year, Priya has joined two summer camps, ma. One is for art and craft. The other has some fun activities. Plus, I have to take her for swimming. She is very keen. Let me see if I can manage a weekend."

Priya hesitated, wanting to go to her grandmother for a story. But she realised that in the second camp, there was a storyteller who would tell them interesting stories.

She clapped her hands in glee as she thought of the fun she would have.