“Time has been transformed, and we have changed; it has advanced and set us in motion; it has unveiled its face, inspiring us with bewilderment and exhilaration.” Khalil Gibran’s words could summarise the various articles I keep reading about the changing face of India and the transformation that is underway. Two and a half years away from the country is time enough to pick out changes and so I decided that during my 3 week annual leave I will try to pick out changes happening in India.
Day 1 – 18th December 2011 –
IST (Indian Stretchable Time)
Land in Mumbai by Jet Airways 9W117. The first communication from the pilot informs us of a delay in landing due to “air traffic congestion”. My take – Welcome home mate – we just wanted to ensure you feel at home and that nothing has changed..
Score - No change 1; Change 0.
We disembark and have to wait for our buggy to be unloaded and hence are the last to reach the immigration line. The immigration line moves at a quick pace and we are aided by an official who hails us to the front since we have kids. This compares to the awful experience at Heathrow where the line takes forever (I remember spending 3 hours at in the queue on one occasion) and any human interactions are never humane. My take –Namaste India.
Score - No change 2; Change 0.
Argumentative Indians
After immigration we head to belt 9 to pick our baggage. We collect the first 4 pieces but the last one seemingly takes forever. Finally, we realised that our bags had not reached!!!! The damm bag happened to have all the clothes of the boys. That there was panic would be an understatement. After 30 minutes of screaming at the Jet Airways officials and cursing the baggage handling of Heathrow, a not so sheepish looking gentleman comes along and announces – “I have taken someone else’s bag by mistake”!!!! A long explanation followed but apologies were offcourse out of the question !!!!! My take – The English taught us lots of things but politeness was not one of them.
Score - No change 3; Change 0.
Day 2 – 19th December 2011 –
Comfort Cabs (pun intended)
I recall the last time I tried to call a Meru cab, I was told that “no cabs are available”. Hence, I decided to call a day in advance. This time I was told that I can book the cab online, which I did. My take – Gone are the days when the security guard was despatched to find a taxi and herd him to the apartment.
Score - No change 3; Change 1
Post Script - Upon our return from Delhi, I took a “pre-paid” Meru cab from the Mumbai Airport. Alongwith my bill, I was handed a “Sure for Men, Anti Perspirant”…..Well since the brand belongs to the company I work for, I refrain from commenting…..
The rat race
After a day of battling jetlags, I took the boys and my niece to the Hiranandani Gardens. The boys were having a ball climbing up a curved stairs and then sliding down. I was duly watching the kids when I overheard a mother tell her three year old “climb faster, those boys are reaching the top faster than you, you will always come second”!!!! Felt refreshing to hear the competitive spirit after almost being brainwashed with “it’s a sport and competing is what matters, winning is incidental” parenting tips. My take – In the land of a billion, life is a race – correction, was, is and will remain so.
Score - No change 4; Change 1
We reached the Domestic airport at Mumbai after a “crawl” thru traffic on the “Western Express Highway”. We entered the airport and I went looking for the big x-ray machines to scan our check in luggage. Alas, the x-ray machines have been replaced by the updated in-line scanning…..We enter the security check area and I was expecting nothing more than a few coffee vending machines. Instead I find a Landmark, a Croma, a baby care room, a shop to purchase neck ties, and hold your breath – a fully stocked bar. I was still recovering from the shock of the experience at the Mumbai airport when we reach Delhi. The Delhi airport – Oh man take a bow, what a fantastic airport, which would put a number of international airports to shame. The four lane highway outside the airport was just the icing on the cake. My take – The experience of domestic flying has transformed – for the better.
Score - No change 4; Change 2
Post Script - On the way back, I decided to observe more carefully the interiors of the Delhi airport. The waiting area had very comfortable chairs, which would put most business class lounges I have visited to shame. The presence of power sockets and a free wireless completed the ensemble. I noticed a Body Shop outlet, a Spa, a Mango outlet, a Reebok outlet, several designer outlets and hold your breath – a Porsche “canopy”.
Day 4 – 21st December 2011 – The Farm Effect
We took the boys out to buy some shoes for them. Five minutes into the drive I hear Vedant go “look look look there’s a donkey”!!!! A few minutes later it was Vihaan’s turn to go “look theres big piggy and baby piggy” and the crowning glory was when we reached the store, the boys sat in the car admiring the cows with horns. So far, they had seen animals only in farms (in London) or the Zoo (in Singapore) and the experience of seeing animals on the street was, well novel. It was novel enough to make Vihaan enquire “is this a farm” to which Moushumi (my wife) replied “No it’s a good gaon (village)” – the pun or the play on words (Gurgaon is where we were) were both lost on the 2 year olds. My take – The rights of animals on the roads of India are safe and I am sure are enshrined in the constitution of the Sovereign, Socialist, Democratic Republic of India.
Score - No change 5; Change 2
Day 5 – 22nd December 2011 - Comfort Autos (The ultimate oxymoron)
While roaming the streets of Gurgaon (ferrying my wife from one shopping venue to the next, what else), I noticed a red colored rickshaw which was branded “Radio Tuk Tuk” and was complete with a number to call and a website (www.radiotuktuk.com). I quickly checked out the website and found it is a site that provides “auto rickshaws on call”. My take – If booking taxis online was a change, this is a transformation.
Score - No change 5; Change 3
Day 6 – 23rd December 2011 – The Nano Revolution
For a while now, management journals have been abuzz with articles of the “Tata Nano” way of working and the revolution it will bring about in the Indian automobile market. And today I finally saw ONE Tata Nano on the road. My wife described it rather egregiously, but in my view accurately, as a “cockroach”. A google search revealed that the Nano sold only 1202 units in August 2011 in a market estimated at approximately 200,000 units a month i.e a market share of less than 1%. My take - Clearly, the revolution of the Indian car market never happened or it was really nano in its effect.
Score - No change 6; Change 3
Day 7 – 24th December – Where hitherto roads did’nt exist
We went to CR Park in Delhi to visit friends from a bygone era (we were meeting them after a full 12 years!!!). My memories of the trip from Gurgaon to South Delhi entailed dusty roads and never ending traffic jams. What we encountered were wide roads frequently lined by never ending stretches of the metro and absolutely no traffic. I was beginning to wonder where we were but Vedant (my elder son) rudely reminded us by screaming “man spitting on road, man yucky”!!! My take - The quality of infrastructure in Delhi has transformed dramatically over the years (for the better).
Score - No change 7; Change 3
Post Script – Philip (my younger brother) informs me that the Metro now connects Connaught place to the New airport. Infact, you can check in at the Connaught place station and handover you baggage as well even before boarding the train. Now that is something, I have not come across in any country that I have visited.
Day 8 – 25th December – Christmas a “Christian” Festival
As per the 2001 census, Christians constituted 2.3% of the population. The festive atmosphere in the malls and the coverage in The Times of India would clearly give the impression of Christians being a larger proportion of the population. Infact when we went to Church, the priest celebrating eucharist, felt obliged to say “members of all faiths are welcome to this service but communion is only for Christians”. Despite the best efforts of the politicians the truly secular fabric of the society remains intact. My take – Mark Twain once said “India has 2 million gods and worships them all.”
Score - No change 8; Change 3
Day 9 – 26th December – Winter Sport
Late evening, I peered out of the balcony at my brother’s place and lo and behold the kids were out in force playing badminton under lights. It is an old North tradition, one which I have taken part in as a child, to turn to badminton when the mercury drops below 25 i.e winter sets in (everything is relative!!!!!). My take - I am tempted to ascribe the enthusiasm for badminton to the success of Saina Nehwal but I think I know better.
Score - No change 9; Change 3
Day 10 – 27th December – Environment consciousness
I noticed a board saying “DLF Phase 4 is a polythene free zone”. It suddenly explained why the previous evening a shopkeeper had told me that if I needed a bag it would cost be Rs. 5. My take – The Panasonic eco ideas ad I had seen earlier in the day suddenly did not seem such a bad idea.
Score - No change 9; Change 4
Day 11 – 28th December – Celebrity Craze
While driving on the streets of Gurgaon, I heard an ad for a “Casper Internet” on radio. The only reason I noticed it was Sachin Tendulkar was endorsing it. In the space of one ad break which interrupted the rather interesting 3 idiots, I noticed three ads featuring Kareena Kapoor (hope I got the number of e’s and a’s in her name correct) – one was for Lakme, one for a brand of bags I cant remember and the last for a shampoo either Head & Shoulders or Clear, but all seemed to be talking about something related to black.. My take – The craze for movie stars and cricketing heroes to endorse brands continues unabated. 8 days into the trip and am yet to see a single ad featuring either Saina Nehwal or Deepika Pallikal who is now ranked 15th in the world in Squashf.
Score - No change 10; Change 4
Day 12 – 29th December – Brahminical Self Restraint
I went to the local super market to buy Boroline (khusbudar antiseptic cream Boroline). The thing that struck me was the number of cream filled biscuits on display including Oreo. From what I recall, the biscuit was either Parle G or Tiger or the quintessential Britannia Milk Bikis. The “bourbon” and "jim-jam" was meant to be taken out when “guests” came home. I recall having read an article in The Times of India on the biscuit industry stating that the cream filled segment was now worth
Score - No change 10; Change 5
Day 13 – 30th December – Demise of the “Scooter”
Looking at the 2 wheelers whiz around, I realised that I had not seen any Scooter since landing in India. A google search revealed that Bajaj had discontinued the production of scooters in December 2009 !!!!! I remember the day we bought a Bajaj Chetak (4 gears – 1 up, 3 down) it marked the pinnacle of achievement for a middle class family. It still proudly stands in the Raj household in Patna “hamara Bajaj, bulund bharat ki bulund tasveer…hamara bajaj”. My take – BV Pradeep (one of my bosses) often told me a tale of his days at a motorcycle company where he had predicted that at a certain income level motorcycles would overtake scooters. Clearly, we are past that day….
Score - No change 10; Change 6
Day 14 – 31st December – Running and Living
A heavy lunch of Mutton Biryani (from Noorani) necessitated a run for which I set off to the Hiranandani Gardens. I was pleasantly surprised to find several other runners including a MAMIL (middle aged man in Lycra). As I was leaving I noticed a poster for a 10Km run in Powai on the 8th of January. The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon has its 9th edition on the 15th of January 2012. The Standard Chartered Marathon was the first in India (less than 10 years ago) and now there are a plethora of events including an ultra marathon in Bangalore. My take – Clearly, running as an activity has come of age in India with organised run every week in most major cities.
Score - No change 10; Change 7
Post Script – Found that I had added to the runners list by inspiring my wife’s cousin (Rajeev) and his wife (Sunita) to run the half marathon in Mumbai this year.
Day 15 – 1st January – New Year Gift
I received an envelope from State Bank of India and in it was a cheque for my IT refund for the last assessment year. To say that I am shocked by the speed of response of the IT department would be the understatement of the year. My take – If e-filing of returns was a change, the speed of issuing refunds is a transformation.
Score - No change 10; Change 8
Day 16 – 2nd January – Roads of Mumbai
Moushumi and I went to meet Supriya & family and Ketki for dinner. The journey took us 15 kilometres from Powai to Andheri Lokhandwala and confirmed my memories of the awful state of roads in Mumbai. The papers have been threatening for the metro to open in December 2012. I would bet on December but not on 2012. My take – The state of play of the Mumbai roads is like the fortunes of the Indian Mens hockey team – a brilliant past behind, a brilliant future ahead but a challenge in the present!!!!
Score - No change 11; Change 8
Day 17 – 3rd January –Chindian
A visit to India is never complete without a “Chinese meal”. A visit to “Mainland China” in Powai fulfilled the gastronomical need of “chilly chicken” and other Chinese dishes that you would never find in China. My take – A visit to Bikanerwala in Delhi revealed new forms of vegetarian pasta (without cheese) and confirmed that the Indian cook’s ability to imbibe foreign foods and adapt them to the Indian palette is in sync with the times.
Score - No change 12; Change 8
Day 18 – 4th January –Murderous Rage
When Ketki’s Punjabi Dad and Sanjana, my Oriya- Bengali niece, start to hum hand lu glass u, glass lu scotch u, you can proclaim a Tamil song (Kollaveri Di – which translated means murderous rage) to be a national hit. To my untrained ears, the song has no intrinsic merit to bestow upon it the adulation it has received nationwide. While meaningless lyrics have been popular since the days of ek do teen they have always had the “get up and shake a leg” tune to them. Kollaveri has a repetitive and simple tune but hardly one that would scream out to you to hit the dance floor. My take – The fad factory does seem to be in overdrive.
Score - No change 12; Change 9
Day 19 – 5th January – Omnipresent Oxymoron’s
While shopping for banana’s for the little one’s, I noticed a couple coming out of a Toyota Innova (expensive car!!!). They proceeded to argue with the shopkeeper and bargain for what appeared to be Rs1!!! A few minutes later, I met the same couple at a medical store and I noticed the man whip out an American Express card to make the payment. My take – Its not a matter of Rs. 1, its as if it’s a matter of intellect - the Toyota Innova is a few thousand more in EMI and every rupee saved goes towards that EMI.
Score - No change 13; Change 9
Day 20 – 6th January – Weight lifting
Ran into two little boys who were carrying bags that were atleast twice their size. I asked them if they were coming back from school and pat came the answer “no from tution”!!!. My take – Another example of the rat race…..
Score - No change 14; Change 9
My holiday experiences would suggest that India would offer itself as a perfect case study for the validity of Karl Marx’s Theory of Dialectic which has two essential tenets (from what I recall from my days at Delhi University)
1. Peaceful Co-existence of opposites – The infrastructure of Delhi which sees wonderful roads and an excellent airport but incessant power outages is an excellent example within a city. The existence of world class airports in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi alongside an apology for an airport in Mumbai is a pan India exemplification.
2. Meeting of a thesis and an antithesis to create a new synthesis which preserves the core but allows for evolutionary changes – The demise of the scooter but the failure of the Nano is a classic example.
