Recently I attended a discussion by a panel of "eminent Mumbaikars"; the topic was related to the future of Mumbai and how it was positioned currently. While most panel members expressed happiness that Mumbai was now better than it was in the previous decade, a few (actually, only one) panel members disagreed. Those who disagreed were from the "anti-Bihari / anti-UP illegal migrants" camp.
A little while later I got fed up of the discussion and walked away. I wondered later why we attach so much importance to these people's opinions. No doubt they are highly educated and well connected and all. But I wondered if their opinion should really matter. After all, these people hardly travel on the bus/train. They have hardly wandered out of their cars and out of their cosy castles. They would never have walked on the roads (try walking around Andheri station) and would never have taken a Virar fast from Dadar (and got off at Mira Road). They would never dare to walk alone in the dead of the night on the streets of Mumbai.
Yet these very people were talking about how life in Mumbai has become safer, how conditions have now improved, etc. Of course, if by "conditions", they meant "malls and brands", definitely things have improved. And by "safe", if they meant travelling in a car at night zooming over the flyovers, things have improved.
And the funny part was that the others (commoners) were listening. It should really have been the other way around! The commoners should have been talking and they (the people who could influence the authorities) should have been listening.
Monday, January 01, 2007
A new year...a new semester
The first day of the New Year is here and close on its heels is the start of the semester. Time again to slog it out for the next 4 months; time again for all the exams, quizzes, tests, reports, homeworks, assignments. Time again to choose courses (subjects) wisely.
Like many of the recent years, this New Year's eve too was no different for me...no celebrations and no partying for me. However, the eve fell on a Sunday...I went to ISKCON Juhu just to see what was the scene was all around along the way.
The wine shops were full of customers...some wine shops had opened "additional counters" so that they could service more customers at the same time. Those who did not want to spend money drinking in restaurants chose to buy the drink and consume it directly on the streets (the drinks wrapped in black plastic carry bags). Not to lose an opportunity, the "boiled-egg" vendors also positioned themselves close to these shops so that they could provide cheap snacks to such drinkers.
Those who had the money to spend chose to dress up in choicest (party) clothes and headed off to the party of their interest. Many of these would no doubt will still be in bed at the time I write this.
Like many of the recent years, this New Year's eve too was no different for me...no celebrations and no partying for me. However, the eve fell on a Sunday...I went to ISKCON Juhu just to see what was the scene was all around along the way.
The wine shops were full of customers...some wine shops had opened "additional counters" so that they could service more customers at the same time. Those who did not want to spend money drinking in restaurants chose to buy the drink and consume it directly on the streets (the drinks wrapped in black plastic carry bags). Not to lose an opportunity, the "boiled-egg" vendors also positioned themselves close to these shops so that they could provide cheap snacks to such drinkers.
Those who had the money to spend chose to dress up in choicest (party) clothes and headed off to the party of their interest. Many of these would no doubt will still be in bed at the time I write this.
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