The
Presumptuousness of the Privileged.
The idea that one can
demand and supply must happen.
Here and now. That
Time, is Money. That you can scream and abuse if things do not happen
immediately. That your life and the neighbor's, run on parallel lines,
never to meet. And if you get ahead, to the hell with the slower ones, and your win is all that matters.
I live in an environment, where we constantly look at our watches, or, today, our phones. If the traffic signal turns green and the car ahead has not moved, we
honk continuously. The crowd at one end of the road gets restless before the pedestrian sign comes on, and we push ahead ,
unwilling to wait. And the default look at the neighboring car is a
glare, except when you are busy with a phone , solving the nations woes.
With no idea about the nation, or woes , or both.I saw a different world recently.My father's family hails from a part on South Konkan (Western Coastal part of India), but comparatively inland. The oldest memories of visiting here , that I have, , are almost 52 years ago, when I vaguely remember traversing through some verdant green fields in a valley, accompanying my folks to the local school, wearing a black parkar polka.
I was nodding my head in agreement when I read your opeing paragraphs. cities are the same all over the world. And what a contrast your trip to south Koncan was. Simply beautiful. I loved reading about how the real India lives. How in fact all of us should be living. Far more simply and happily I daresay!
ReplyDeleteawesome pics and such a beautiful description of the contrast.
ReplyDeleteLoved, loved, loved the description and the photographs!! Reminded me of Mulshi!! I also was delighted to see so many girls in school uniforms, and all walking to school... we had given them lift and all had sung, 'sare jahan se achcha...' - your lovely post brought back delightful memories!!
ReplyDeleteReminded me of a place in the Konkan region where I had gone for a family friend's wedding many years ago, in more innocent times when my only worries were about studies at school. Your post has made me re-live those times and put me in a nostalgic mood. I can almost see the fields and roads you describe.
ReplyDeleteMany times I slefishly feel that Konkan should stay that way, and not be corrupted by the urbanity like Mumbai. It is good that technology has reached there without the bad side-effects (In my village too, only TATA works :) )
ReplyDeleteVillage life like this also gives more worth for your time. You feel you get more done (and saves cribing)
And yes it a shame that people will come down to Malvan and have only Paneer-Tikaa-Masala.
Regards
A fellow Konkani
Great post!
ReplyDeleteYes, it seems that there two completely different Indias- one in the cities and the other in such places- doesn't it?
Lovely post and lovely lovely pics Suranga :)
ReplyDeleteHope the villages remain pristine! Of course with just the right amount of technology/gadgets et al!
Here's the memory you brought back...http://indianhomemaker.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/a-drive-to-mulshi/
ReplyDeleteOpening para : What is the date today? :p
ReplyDeleteKonkan pics are very beutiful. :) Thanks for sharing them and interesting write up. :)
Best wishes, techno savvy granny. :)
Hi Suranga, I thoroughly enjoyed my visit today, the Konkan pictures show the area to be very beautiful... I also enjoyed the sound effects and music. What joy for the senses !
ReplyDeleteHugs Kate x.
Lilly Yes , the trip was wonderful,, and so were the contrasts....this was really nature at its most magnificent - nothing designed as such, but pure and simple natural beauty..
ReplyDeleteReema Thank you..
Sandhya yes, I still have those pictures at the back of my mind- such a huge contrast to this dreary messed up city :-)
Khalil Sawant Thank you.
Manju Thank you. And yes, there clearly are 2 India's....Terrainwise, and peoplewise too..
softypinkngloriousred Thank you !
Chandrika Shubham Yes, puttar ? :-) Thank you !
kate Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed a bit of my country ....!
IHM Thank you . The world outside our cities is so outstanding. There is so much respect for nature in Kokan.... simple but sturdy standards. And we saw more girls walking to and attending school than boys , which was surprising , but very welcome. Very basic schools, without any fancy facilities, and so many walk miles to school in the rain .
Loved your pictures of Mulshi . There are so many wonderful places just outside Pune. And you often see so many smiles on the faces of these girls going to school in these areas....
Beautifully written...isnt there loads of difference to that life and what we live here in the cities ??? But we still go on...
ReplyDeleteLoved your slideshows !!! :)
Glad u enjoyed ur trip. :)
UmaS Thank yo ! We are all so well set in our own individual worlds. But it is a revelation when you get some time to experience something outside that. I worry that we continue to lose our abilities to be downwardly compatible, when circumstances so require.....
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful place and D's family seems very nice.
ReplyDeleteHowever, having lived a long time in a village, I really enjoy city life, because the nature of human beings is the same everywhere in the end. In a village maybe you see more beauty... so long as you are part of the "reputable" people... then it's not so nice when trouble/poverty/bad luck comes your way or if you are considered as "different"... In a city people leave you alone, this is good and bad.