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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Metro blues continue…
If there were a hundred reasons for the citizens of Bangalore to frown upon the ongoing metro work, I just found another!
Just yesterday in class, discussions as to how the metro rail works were faring was on and it all boiled down to the most essential problem – traffic, quite but naturally. Some call it the most overrated topic at present but also imperative in more ways than one. Hard to believe, but it took me over an hour to reach Rajajinagar from Malleswaram! (For those who are not aware of these areas and their distances; Malleshwaram and Rajajinagar are residential areas situated in the north of Bangalore and they are at a distance of about 4 kilometres!)
The auto rickshaw driver couldn’t hide his frustration and so couldn’t I! He made the following observations and they did make lots of sense:
1. The number of vehicles on road are just increasing and by 2012 which is supposedly the deadline for the Metro rails to begin functioning, the number is sure not going to decrease. Nobody is going to sell his vehicle and commute by these trains.
2. The Volvo buses running in the city currently have seen a decline in the number of commuters. By paying an amount more than the fares of normal buses; say they do not get a seat to sit, why would they want to take the Volvo then? They rather pay 5 or 10 bucks lesser and travel comfortably in our autos.
Travelling comfortably is what he claims and vouches for; safety I surely can’t vouch for! Anyway that apart, what he said did make sense to a large extent.
With all the collapses witnessed, Bangalore is sure apprehensive about the entire project. Moreover, my lecturer informed us that recently a study was conducted where it was found that the authorities in-charge were not even aware of who actually initiated the idea of having the Metro Rail in the city! Yes, we have the developers and the planning body, but under whose initiation, they were not aware of.
The 101st reason I was talking about came in the form of my domestic help. She lives in an area where the Metro work has to begin. The authorities have allocated houses for them in another locality and they are to move out within a deadline.
My domestic help is just 24 years old with 2 children; the boy who is 5 and is studying in an English medium school and a girl who is just 2.5 years old. It is a matter of pride that at 24, an uneducated woman with 2 growing children and an alcoholic husband is working really hard so that her kids can afford an English medium school!
Many domestic helps are sending their children to schools run by the government and due to lack of facilities, lethargy from the authorities’ side and so on, most kids eventually drop out and take to other odd jobs. But this lady from the very same community is ready to spend that extra hour, stretch that extra muscle to earn that extra rupee to send her kids to a good school. And here comes a railway project asking her to relocate.
Yes, one may say just ask her to get her children admitted to another school in the new locality. But we are all aware of how our system functions and I do not need to elaborate. It is not about questioning the system right now, but I really pity the poor woman. Her alcoholic husband and mother-in-law have absolutely no issues in relocating, but she fears the near future of her kids and rightly so. She says she’s rather look for a house in the same area again and pay rent by renting out the house which the government has allocated for her family.
It is first of all rare to see this section of our society coming forward and trying to brighten their kids’ future and now a project as this is just turning out to be a hurdle. Like adding feathers to one’s cap in terms of achievements, the ‘Namma Metro’ project is adding many feathers for the wrong reasons.
Just yesterday in class, discussions as to how the metro rail works were faring was on and it all boiled down to the most essential problem – traffic, quite but naturally. Some call it the most overrated topic at present but also imperative in more ways than one. Hard to believe, but it took me over an hour to reach Rajajinagar from Malleswaram! (For those who are not aware of these areas and their distances; Malleshwaram and Rajajinagar are residential areas situated in the north of Bangalore and they are at a distance of about 4 kilometres!)
The auto rickshaw driver couldn’t hide his frustration and so couldn’t I! He made the following observations and they did make lots of sense:
1. The number of vehicles on road are just increasing and by 2012 which is supposedly the deadline for the Metro rails to begin functioning, the number is sure not going to decrease. Nobody is going to sell his vehicle and commute by these trains.
2. The Volvo buses running in the city currently have seen a decline in the number of commuters. By paying an amount more than the fares of normal buses; say they do not get a seat to sit, why would they want to take the Volvo then? They rather pay 5 or 10 bucks lesser and travel comfortably in our autos.
Travelling comfortably is what he claims and vouches for; safety I surely can’t vouch for! Anyway that apart, what he said did make sense to a large extent.
With all the collapses witnessed, Bangalore is sure apprehensive about the entire project. Moreover, my lecturer informed us that recently a study was conducted where it was found that the authorities in-charge were not even aware of who actually initiated the idea of having the Metro Rail in the city! Yes, we have the developers and the planning body, but under whose initiation, they were not aware of.
The 101st reason I was talking about came in the form of my domestic help. She lives in an area where the Metro work has to begin. The authorities have allocated houses for them in another locality and they are to move out within a deadline.
My domestic help is just 24 years old with 2 children; the boy who is 5 and is studying in an English medium school and a girl who is just 2.5 years old. It is a matter of pride that at 24, an uneducated woman with 2 growing children and an alcoholic husband is working really hard so that her kids can afford an English medium school!
Many domestic helps are sending their children to schools run by the government and due to lack of facilities, lethargy from the authorities’ side and so on, most kids eventually drop out and take to other odd jobs. But this lady from the very same community is ready to spend that extra hour, stretch that extra muscle to earn that extra rupee to send her kids to a good school. And here comes a railway project asking her to relocate.
Yes, one may say just ask her to get her children admitted to another school in the new locality. But we are all aware of how our system functions and I do not need to elaborate. It is not about questioning the system right now, but I really pity the poor woman. Her alcoholic husband and mother-in-law have absolutely no issues in relocating, but she fears the near future of her kids and rightly so. She says she’s rather look for a house in the same area again and pay rent by renting out the house which the government has allocated for her family.
It is first of all rare to see this section of our society coming forward and trying to brighten their kids’ future and now a project as this is just turning out to be a hurdle. Like adding feathers to one’s cap in terms of achievements, the ‘Namma Metro’ project is adding many feathers for the wrong reasons.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
A very happy birthday indeed!
When in college, any friend’s birthday coming up will be preceded by tonnes of planning in terms of gifts, where to go out, where to hang out later and so on. Budgeting would creep in, testing both the friends’ and the birthday baby’s finance managing skills! I remember in school, it would just be a one-to-one basis; one buying a gift for the one celebrating his/her birthday and there was no concept of pooling in the resources! I am sure kids these days may be following it, but I am talking about say 6-7 years ago!
Eventually the brunt of paying the bill has to be borne by the one celebrating the special day! One’s own money or the dad’s is another matter. After the lovely college days, most of my friends got into jobs and the only time we’d catch up or at least I did so was during their birthdays! So we’d get together and spend loads of time at a coffee shop, meet over lunch and do the usual stuff!
Why talk about the money? It really doesn’t matter when it has to do with sharing lovely moments with the people you want to, but I think it would be great to channelize the financial resources in a meaningful way, at least on a day as this!
One fine day, three of us who shared our birthdays in the same month decided to spend our day, of course, with the rest of them as well, in an orphanage by providing a meal for all the kids. One tends to get emotionally weak while visiting orphanages, old age homes etc and so were we. The happiness on the kids’ faces of being able to eat a piece of cake, munch on yummy chocolates was a delight to watch. It seemed like an extravagant feast for them.
We all go out even otherwise to posh restaurants, on the umpteen movie tickets without thinking twice. On a birthday, the run of the mill going out and chatting sessions can surely be made different by spending time and other resources in other meaningful places.
An eye opener was when a kid threw a question at us. “Akka (sister), you all come just on one day and spend time with us, feed us; then for days you are gone! Why don’t you come more often?” It was not exactly a slap on the face but it definitely was something to think about. Today, where corporate social responsibility is being highly placed in every organization, various ways of helping the socially deprived has arisen. Some people fund children’s education for some years, some feed them on special occasions, buy them stationary and so on. But as the kid mentioned, we are there in a jiffy and gone the very next instant.
Yes, time is a big constraint but there are people who take time out and visit such places; read out the aged, write answers for the blind in exams and so on. We can start on our birthday and surely take time out on not so special occasions too and make a big difference in such people’s lives.
We started on our birthdays and will surely practice, to our capabilities, what I preached till now!
Eventually the brunt of paying the bill has to be borne by the one celebrating the special day! One’s own money or the dad’s is another matter. After the lovely college days, most of my friends got into jobs and the only time we’d catch up or at least I did so was during their birthdays! So we’d get together and spend loads of time at a coffee shop, meet over lunch and do the usual stuff!
Why talk about the money? It really doesn’t matter when it has to do with sharing lovely moments with the people you want to, but I think it would be great to channelize the financial resources in a meaningful way, at least on a day as this!
One fine day, three of us who shared our birthdays in the same month decided to spend our day, of course, with the rest of them as well, in an orphanage by providing a meal for all the kids. One tends to get emotionally weak while visiting orphanages, old age homes etc and so were we. The happiness on the kids’ faces of being able to eat a piece of cake, munch on yummy chocolates was a delight to watch. It seemed like an extravagant feast for them.
We all go out even otherwise to posh restaurants, on the umpteen movie tickets without thinking twice. On a birthday, the run of the mill going out and chatting sessions can surely be made different by spending time and other resources in other meaningful places.
An eye opener was when a kid threw a question at us. “Akka (sister), you all come just on one day and spend time with us, feed us; then for days you are gone! Why don’t you come more often?” It was not exactly a slap on the face but it definitely was something to think about. Today, where corporate social responsibility is being highly placed in every organization, various ways of helping the socially deprived has arisen. Some people fund children’s education for some years, some feed them on special occasions, buy them stationary and so on. But as the kid mentioned, we are there in a jiffy and gone the very next instant.
Yes, time is a big constraint but there are people who take time out and visit such places; read out the aged, write answers for the blind in exams and so on. We can start on our birthday and surely take time out on not so special occasions too and make a big difference in such people’s lives.
We started on our birthdays and will surely practice, to our capabilities, what I preached till now!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Lament of a concerned Indian!
The death of Nitin Garg, an Indian, working in Australia didn’t come as a surprise to me. It was to happen soon. My biggest surprise is that we Indians still want to get out of our own country and settle down in such places after being fully aware of such incidents.
Personally, my own childhood friend lost his eyesight due to a racial attack in Australia a couple of years ago and I was devastated. Being my own age, he had his entire life ahead of him. Even if it weren’t his own choice to go settle down abroad, his dad got a job offer which he couldn’t decline.
What is it that we Indians do not get here which entices so many thousands and lakhs of the citizens to move out? Is it the dough, the standard of living, pride or what? Frankly, I have not stepped out of my country in the 23 years of my living, which may not qualify me to talk about this topic, but after seeing so many incidents, reading about them and so on, my questions and curiosity just keep mounting!
When I was 15 or so, a whole bunch of older guys and girls in my apartment left their homes to pursue their higher education abroad. The whole apartment went silent and for about a few months, it felt eerie actually. Most of the fun was lost. However, there emerged two sets of parents, both proud of course! One not worried about the tons of money which has gone in the form of education fees and so on, but just the sheer pride of being able to tell everyone else that their sons or daughters were studying in an elite school. The other set, proud yes, but worried if all the savings spent on sending the kids would reap them any benefits, if any.
They are all well settled now but then the yearning to come back to their own country and homes is seen quite clearly. Initially after completing their education, they’d definitely want to stay back for some years to get back what they invested or maybe more. But at what mental and emotional cost?
Other than corruption controlling the country, I frankly think our country lacks nothing. You can walk on the streets with absolutely no fear of being attacked just ‘because you’re NOT FAIR! Here in India, only women cannot get out after a certain time for the fear of being raped or whatever. In other countries, even our much revered men have to watch their backs! Men are treated like God here and there, worse than a dog!
So what if you get a salary in mere Indian rupees? So what if you have to walk down the street and buy veggies in a broken wooden gaadi? It is not about earning in dollars or pounds, going to a mall every other day and being able to afford a Gucci or a Louis Vitton. When you’re not well, it’s about getting that hot cup of chai from your loved one and not having to make one yourself.
And why choose countries which are known for racial discrimination? Half the society must be behind bars by now for all the atrocity done. There’s no point in pointing fingers at wasted people. We’d rather live where we belong, where we are wanted and where there are no uncalled-for fears.
The direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance – Lord Buddha.
Personally, my own childhood friend lost his eyesight due to a racial attack in Australia a couple of years ago and I was devastated. Being my own age, he had his entire life ahead of him. Even if it weren’t his own choice to go settle down abroad, his dad got a job offer which he couldn’t decline.
What is it that we Indians do not get here which entices so many thousands and lakhs of the citizens to move out? Is it the dough, the standard of living, pride or what? Frankly, I have not stepped out of my country in the 23 years of my living, which may not qualify me to talk about this topic, but after seeing so many incidents, reading about them and so on, my questions and curiosity just keep mounting!
When I was 15 or so, a whole bunch of older guys and girls in my apartment left their homes to pursue their higher education abroad. The whole apartment went silent and for about a few months, it felt eerie actually. Most of the fun was lost. However, there emerged two sets of parents, both proud of course! One not worried about the tons of money which has gone in the form of education fees and so on, but just the sheer pride of being able to tell everyone else that their sons or daughters were studying in an elite school. The other set, proud yes, but worried if all the savings spent on sending the kids would reap them any benefits, if any.
They are all well settled now but then the yearning to come back to their own country and homes is seen quite clearly. Initially after completing their education, they’d definitely want to stay back for some years to get back what they invested or maybe more. But at what mental and emotional cost?
Other than corruption controlling the country, I frankly think our country lacks nothing. You can walk on the streets with absolutely no fear of being attacked just ‘because you’re NOT FAIR! Here in India, only women cannot get out after a certain time for the fear of being raped or whatever. In other countries, even our much revered men have to watch their backs! Men are treated like God here and there, worse than a dog!
So what if you get a salary in mere Indian rupees? So what if you have to walk down the street and buy veggies in a broken wooden gaadi? It is not about earning in dollars or pounds, going to a mall every other day and being able to afford a Gucci or a Louis Vitton. When you’re not well, it’s about getting that hot cup of chai from your loved one and not having to make one yourself.
And why choose countries which are known for racial discrimination? Half the society must be behind bars by now for all the atrocity done. There’s no point in pointing fingers at wasted people. We’d rather live where we belong, where we are wanted and where there are no uncalled-for fears.
The direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance – Lord Buddha.
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