Archive for Social

Bangalore Boys

April 10, 2008 at 1:18 pm · Filed under Social ·Tagged , ,

I missed my daily shuttle last Wednesday and took an auto to office. The auto stopped near Forum. A small boy not more than 4 years old asked for money. He was too tiny to beg. Dirt on his face and a drop of tears in his eyes. I couldn’t take my eyes off this little boy. He had a twinkle in his eyes which reflected his innocence. I simply nodded my head for a no when he asked for money. I was tempted to take a picture of him but I didn’t. Minutes after he left the place I realized that I had chocolates with me and I could have at least given that to him. I missed my bus on Thursday and Friday as well. I looked out for him thinking I could give him a bunch of chocolates and see him smile.

I left for home on Friday evening. I was traveling with my husband and two of his colleagues to Hosur in our car. The road was blocked. We were afraid there might be riots because of the Hogenakal issue. Many vehicles tried to take a different route. We were stuck in the service lane. There were around four kids on the main road hitting every lorry and taxi with a stick. I was not aware what exactly is happening. They started hitting vehicles, lorry drivers and cleaners. The drivers never returned the blows they received. These kids should be around 9 to 13 years of age. Their strategy soon unveiled before my eyes. These kids were backed up by adults. Even if one of the lorry drivers or cleaners would hit those kids back, the riots would begin. I took a small video of the scene from my mobile phone and until I crossed the place, I had my hands in my bag clutching my swiss knife.

I should appreciate the drivers who were patient and did not turn violent in that instance. They should have gone through a big emotional crisis and dishonor in that moment. Riots benefit corrupt politicians and individuals who try to take advantage of the riot to go against law. The purpose is a mask to these people, be it “Hogenakkal issue” or “Rajkumar died and we’ll hit Tamilians because a terrorist who kidnapped him years before is a tamilian” or “Cauveri issue”. None of the barriers that separate Karnataka and TamilNadu will vanish in the next few years. I only wish that few years later, the innocent little boy near Forum doesn’t take a stick.

P.S: My Video – not clear in my mobile phone camera but still if you look close u can see 2 kids climbing up the lorry.

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KA 21 N 1234

March 6, 2008 at 10:49 am · Filed under Social ·Tagged , ,

It was around 8:30 p.m. I was going back home in my office shuttle. I was engrossed with my new mobile phone’s features. The shuttle stopped in a traffic signal. Few buses and lots of bikes waiting for the signal. A traffic policeman came closer to an Activa, took the keys, rattled it in front of the scooter owner and signaled him to come aside. I was shocked at the way the policeman behaved. I wanted to take a video of the policeman asking for bribe(Of course, with my brand new mobile :) ). To my dismay, a KSRTC bus came in between and hid the entire scene from my eyes. No, from my mobile phone camera. My blog would have been another tehelka.com if I had captured that video ;)

24 Feb 2008, It was around 11:30 a.m. I was going back home on a Sunday in Hosur Road. Traffic jam on the way. A three road signal blocked by vehicles coming from all sides. Banker’s algorithm will not help in clearing this deadlock. May be common sense will. (I still remember OS fundas I studied in College!!). All of a sudden, one guy got down from his car and started hitting another guy who was on a TVS 50. The car driver tore the other man’s shirt, hit him badly and pushed his TVS 50 down with a bang. All for the sake of a scratch on his new car. Doesn’t he realize he doesn’t have any right to even touch the other person’s vehicle, if he’s worried about a scratch in his car? The TVS 50 guy tried to resist but someone in the crowd convinced him to leave the place immediately. I could read his face. He was very self conscious when he left the place. His TVS 50 didn’t start properly.

I do not know how I’ll react if I was in the Activa guy’s situation. It depends upon the urgency I’m in to decide if I should bribe or not. But in the second case, what would I do if I were the TVS 50 guy? Will I call the police and complain? When there’s no traffic policeman there, to whom will I complain? Probably, what if the traffic policeman demands for a bribe taking away my keys? :) Will anyone from the crowd come as a witness if I file a suit against the car driver? May be I will break all his car glasses for damaging my vehicle. Tit for Tat. That will satisfy my ego. I wish the TVS 50 guy had done this.

A common way to start a conversation with a stranger is inquiring about health or weather. If you stay in Bangalore, here’s one more topic to begin a conversation. Traffic. :)

Who do we blame for this insensitive traffic?

(a) Attitude of drivers (b) Traffic Policemen (c) Government authorities

I’m sure any citizen of Bangalore would say All the above. A few examples of the eccentricities of these classes are:

- The ultra smart decision from the authorities to occupy half of MG road for Metro Rail Project.

- Traffic Policemen who thrive on bribe

- Drivers who fight in the middle of the road.

- Drivers who have forgotten there is a horn in their vehicles.

I leave it to you to discuss the rest with the next stranger you meet.

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January 26, 2008 at 4:41 am · Filed under Social, Thoughts ·Tagged , , ,

You see someone on the road and remember the person and the entire scene for sometime. Be it a cute child, a playing kid, a kid working instead of studying, a honest seller, a cute girl or a handsome guy. You can get this picture on your mind whenever you want for a span of few days or months or sometimes, forever. I came across one such individual today while waiting for my bus. I cannot predict how long I’ll get the picture of this individual. But I couldn’t resist thinking about this person for at least an hour after this encounter.

Wearing a pink sari, a handkerchief turned into a scarf, walking over the road and demanding money to every single person on the road. Most of them succumbing to the demands of this individual. Of course, I gave my share of 5 bucks too. A gentleman who passed by asked me with irritation “Why are you giving money?”.

“I do not give money to beggars unless they are old. I do not even encourage those women who come with a small child and ask for money on the roads. India becomes a beggar country only if we encourage begging. A lady with a small child sells ear buds. With so much appreciation for her efforts, I bought them. Realizing they were of low quality, I decided to buy only things I really want. For the sake of thinking that I saved a young woman from her plights with 10 bucks, would I want to make me or my family members deaf?” Emotional blackmailing.

In this instance, I didn’t give money out of fear but guilt. The guilt of being a part of the society which has recognized this individual for nothing more than belonging to Homo Sapiens. Haven’t we classified a part of Homo Sapiens as ‘Eunuchs’? When we can accept dishonest and opportunistic people for our leaders, Why can’t we accept these people into our daily lives? What kind of support have we given for people with transgender problems? A person identified as male by birth and having XX chromosome is not his fault.

What have we provided them to lead a normal life? A Chinese proverb says “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”. Even if someone teaches this individual how to fish, Who will buy fish? Or Who will ever sell fishing equipments to this person? The government has recognized them by adding another option E to gender in Indian Passports. The media acknowledges beauty competitions among them and publishes a big picture of the beauty queen on newspaper. How is this going help earn their own bread and butter?

“God doesn’t have gender. So do you”. Dumb Talk. The only recognition of belonging to the human race is also lost. Untouchability will not erode from this country unless we accept all human beings as our equals.

P.S: I’m leaving this post title less to represent the inequality we as a society impose on few human beings.

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