(29 Aug ’10)
In the locality I live in, in
Mumbai, I’m sort of sandwiched between the headquarters of Shiv Sena on one
side and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on the other. Friends from upmarket
areas like Powai feel it’s some sort of a ‘backward’ area. I gave it thought:
if I lived in any of the high-funda skyscrapers, I wouldn’t have been able to
move around in a synthetic, glittery-shiny mass-Surat-produced, deejhayner
sari. Here, I can wear my jeans, my neighbour can flaunt her ghunghat, or nine
yards or burkha, and it’s ok. Firstly, wearing short tops or skirts doesn’t
make you a progressive thinker, and neither does living in my neighbourhood
make one a Hindu horror. There are plenty of moderate, mild, balanced people
around here without vitriolic opinions about any caste or creed. Indeed, one of
the things I love to write about is 6 Dec, Ambedkar’s punyatithee, when lakhs
of dalits from all over the country converge to this park. It’s a sign of
fourth-generation urban hospitality that they go back pleasantly surprised at
the smoothness of their stay. None of the newer neighbourhoods would be able to
manage that. This is one place where one can loudly say we need to rid
ourselves of non-Maharashtrian people… and the very next day, the
non-Maharashtrians get a chance to declare that this is their homeland, has
been so for the past four generations. Where a Gulf-rich neighbour said: I
could have a bigger car, but it would look out of place here. Talk of
sensitivity…We’re pretty much tolerant of even the intolerant here.
Another anti-opinion: schools in
India must be doing something right. The Olympiads, for physics, chemistry,
maths and biology have thrown up world champions year after year from India.
Not from the fancy city schools, but from government vidyalayas and private
ones with names like “Jai Hind Higher Secondary School”. Since my son studied
in schools where the fees were barely Rs 15 for a term, in several states in
the country, I can speak from some experience. In Rajasthan, I was possibly the
only literate mom of my son’s class. In Goa, too, he studied in the T B Cunha
HS school. Products of these schools don’t have the impression that ‘they know
it all’ and that those who ‘don’t belong’ are in any way inferior. So also,
whilst we must take in the good from the West, we aughtn’t to throw away all
our processes. Learning by rote has its advantages: vocabulary, dictation,
spellings, tables, colours. Rote has its limitations, but one can’t or
shouldn’t do without it. I’m told by those who’ve lived abroad, that they
appreciate the discipline that our children display. I recommend ‘A Road Less
Travelled’ for those who believe that discipline is not required. In the long
run, good habits taught in time help a person, a community and a nation. Even
small things matter: calling an elder by the first name isn’t part of our
culture. A mark of respect is appreciated the world over. Our schools do teach
that. If we have so many Indians making their mark across the planet, we have
several invisible, unsung teachers to thank for that.
A third: my job requires me to work
with the disabled. I know it’s politically incorrect to say anything but
‘special’ child, but blind is blind, deaf is deaf, and all of those need extra
care, extra effort, extra everything…. From Normal people. Parents and family
of course, but teachers, bus conductors, everyone. Seldom do I hear any of the
differently abled persons or their families thanking those that are reaching
out to them, spending a lot of time and energy to make their lives easier and
as close to normal as possible: doctors, nurses, technicians, wardboys,
educators, friends, relatives, strangers who donate money….. I have many
instances of people who walk into my office to donate a part of their salary
for a deserving patient. Rarely has a patient come to thank the anonymous
benefactor or even track him/her. Sad.
It’s important to fight for one’s rights. It’s also important to
recognize timely help and show gratitude. It’s not demeaning.
Fourth: my favourite: we blame the
government and the municipality for things we don’t do for ourselves. On this …
some other time.
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