Wapa-paav Wars
Wada-paav seems to be part of poll strategy down one road in Mulund (W). First, there is the oldest stall which has been there since the early ’80s, with no particular party affiliation as far as this diarist can tell. Could it possibly be the Shiv Sena, though? Two years ago, a daytime pakoda and wada-paav stall came into operation right across from the oldest stall and it was MNS-affliliated. There was already a chai-stall by the corner of the hospital, at the other end of this road. So at all times, there was wada-paav available and tea to wash it down with. Until a few days ago. In the middle of the night, the building watchman informed this diarist, a few young men came and set up a shiny new stall, which simply announced, ‘Khadya Padarth Vikri Kendra’ (foodstuff stall) and bore the legend Bharatiya Janata Party on top. The inauguration ceremony has been done, as was evident from the marigold festoons it bore two nights ago. One is certain this is the third frontier in wada-paav wars, all for the tastebuds and votes of those living along and adjacent to Mansadevi Agarwal Marg. One hopes that this splitting or sharing of business is amicable.
Good Night
Mumbai has an active nightlife. With its large number of clubs and an ever-enthusiastic youth, clubbing is a favorite Saturday night activity. While couples are rewarded in many of these clubs by providing them free entry, it is the stags (single men) who have to pay the price, literally, for not having a woman in their lives. This diarist was outside a popular club with her friends in Lower Parel one Saturday when she was approached by a stranger. The stout man, in his early thirties, was wearing a half-sleeved shirt, a pair of shorts and a British accent. His beard and a Rajput-style moustache made him look pretty intimidating and this diarist was unsure of the request he was going to make. Turned out that him and his friend did not have partners and were trying to ask this diarist if she and her friend would accompany them inside. According to him, we could enter with them and come out within two minutes. Not interested in helping two complete strangers, this diarist turned down his request. But he continued to insist and this diarist’s male friends had to intervene to make sure he left. A couple of hours later when this diarist was leaving the club, she saw the same duo still waiting to make an entry!
WW-I and India
There was an interesting programme of songs in English on World War-I to mark its centenary at St Andrew’s auditorium in Bandra recently. There was a lot of talent on display in the programme titled, Songs in a Time of Love, War and Peace. After some time, one realized something was amiss. There was no reference at all by the compere to the great contribution of Indian soldiers who fought on behalf of England. And these were not few men. They were more than a million.
True, the focus was on music but a reference to our soldiers would have made it more relevant and added to the general knowledge of the audience.
Oddly, there were posters displayed on the foyer of newspaper reports of war and they all were from the Daily Mail of England. Surely, they could have got something from the Indian media and elsewhere about Indian soldiers. And plenty is available.
Imagine how many opportunities there can be to observe the centenary from the Indian perspective. University departments of literature or film studies, theatre can organize discussions on works in their genres on the war. The political science and history departments can contribute a lot. But we are not as intellectually alert as we need to be.
`All is quiet on the Western front’, is the title of the celebrated novel on the war by Remarque. In India it seems all is quiet on the intellectual front. And more relevantly, there is Mulk Raj Anand’s novel on the war, Across the Black Waters, about a sepoy in the Indian army in the war. One doubts if English departments in universities are aware of this.
BEST Forgotten
Can one imagine the railways cancelling regular trains while running holiday specials? Mercifully, they are not doing that. But the BEST is doing that. During the Mount Mary Fair in Bandra it diverted buses from the regular 220 and 211 routes to special buses for the fair.
And then to add salt to injury, many of the special buses on way back from Mount Mary ran half empty mocking regular commuters who waited patiently for their buses. They did not stop to pick up these helpless people. The BEST could have at least made a little money by picking up the regular commuters.
There are clearly serious problems from the political management of the organization downwards. The steel bus stops are an insult to citizens. They are so badly designed. Clearly, those guilty need to be brought to book.
Eunuch Nuisance
Eunuchs are a common sight in Mumbai’s local trains. Dressed in bling sarees, accessories and heels, not to forget the garish make-up, they ask for alms in a way that is more threatening than pleading. This diarist’s experience with them has not been particularly pleasant. Once when she was travelling with a male friend on the Harbour Line, an eunuch entered her train. It came up to them and instead of asking for alms, started toying with the friend’s arm. Annoyed, the diarist and her friend moved away when the eunuch asked the friend, “Ye tera aurat hai ke item hai?” (Is she your wife or your girlfriend?) Embarrassed, this diarist could only manage to yell at the eunuch to go away.
In another incident, when this diarist was sitting at Marine Drive with a friend late one night, an eunuch came and started asking for alms. Since this diarist believes that eunuchs are physically capable of working or studying, she avoids giving them money. She did the same that day and asked the eunuch to leave. But either it had had a very bad day or was in desperate need of money. So when this diarist did not shell out any money, it said with tremendous frustration, “Yeh dekho hamari asliyat.” The diarist turned away just in time as the eunuch pulled down it’s salwar! Horrified, the diarist kept looking away until the eunuch went away, cursing her.
Preconceived Notions
We often have several preconceived notions, one being that a person doing a minor job would get nowhere in life. This diarist had shifted to a new locality and did not know much about the activities that took place in the vicinity. On a particular Sunday morning when she stepped out of her house to collect the milk carton, she saw a little boy collecting clothes from her neighbour for ironing. This boy seemed to be in the 5th grade. She immediately felt sorry for the young lad and categorized him as a child labourer. “In a seven-storey building going up and down the stairs every day must have taken a toll on him,” she thought. Feeling sorry for him, she inquired, “Do you go to school?” To which the boy promptly replied, “Yes, I do go to school.”
To get a better perspective, she asked, “How do I get ironing service from you?”
“ You can talk to my elder sister about it. I will ask her to meet you,” he said. The boy went down the stairs and knocked at another door and spoke confidently to the customers. Around 10 minutes later, there was a knock at the diarist’s door. The boy had bought his elder sister with him this time. The diarist asked the woman why she made such a child work. She smiled before replying, “ He only comes on Sundays to collect the clothes when he doesn’t have school. He likes to help me and the people in this building like him a lot.”
It stuck the diarist what she had learned as a child to help her elders at home with the household work and otherwise. This is one of the major values that one learns as a kid in India. She did not feel sorry for the boy anymore but was impressed with the boy’s confident nature.
Tailpiece
Son: Dad, who is Xi Jingping?
Father: He is the Chinese President.
Son: Then who is the original President?
Contributed by Geeta Bhagat, Tanvi Deshpande, Vidyadhar Date and Sneha Salian.
Compiled by Anil Singh.
[alert type=”e.g. warning, danger, success, info” title=””]
Nat Geo Tour
Have you ever fancied walking from one end of Film City to the another? It is quite a long walk, mind you, so before you fancy such a notion, make sure your lungs are up to it!
Film City is lush green around this time and if you love going on nature trails and being in the midst of the wild, head straight to the Conservation Education Centre (CEC) of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) which is housed in a campus of 33 acres.
“The BNHS Nature Reserve in the monsoon is like the Amazon. An Amazon like experience in Mumbai is difficult to believe, it is best experienced,” says V Shubalaxmi, Centre, manager at the CEC. While you could walk around by yourself if you like, it is best to try one of the many treks and trails that the CEC has to offer. This forested paradise is the best place to enjoy the monsoons in Mumbai. It’s a great place for study tours for schools and colleges and family picnics too.
The CEC has plenty of trails and treks tailor-made for schools and colleges, budding nature enthusiasts and families. You could go stream hopping or bird watching or even spot a leopard or two during these trails. Be sure not to miss the lovely Butterfly Garden that the CEC has developed close by. There are educational programs and online courses too, for those with a keen interest in nature.
Go be part of the clear gushing brooks and streams and crabs and butterflies and lilies before Mumbai becomes hot and dusty once again.
— Kanak Rajadhyaksha,
September 16, 2013
[/alert]
