Different perspectives of work and politics


The day after Holi, there was Shivaji Jayanti being celebrated in Maharashtra according to the lunar calendar. The city was full of orange flags. Shiv Sena and MNS were celebrating it in a big way. So if the candidate had won BMC elections in that area, that party would spend lavishly with a live band or dinner or lights crackers n sweets. Basically this was Mumbai s second Diwali of 2012 and the year has barely started. The first was as BMC election results were announced and the burst of crackers for the winning candidates.

Our driver had a different take on this. He said that "Rashtrawadi waalon ne date badal diya." Later I could figure that he meant that the Congress party at the centre declared a date which doesn't match with what a Maharastrian thought of the date of Shivaji s birth for years. He said it so passionately that I realised how so many must be feeling about this change of date.

The cab driver was so upset the day there were raids at the Kripa Shankar s house. He said now the Congress won't need a North Indian at the helm for the next 5 years.Till the next elections, they do not have to worry about the North Indian vote bank.

The Jain housewife with 3 kids told me that MNS n Shiv Sena people both don't want to work or let anyone work. The hardworking people who respect work are North Indians. According to her Mumbai runs because of them so let it move smoothly without these pro Marathi interruptions. Had been to JJ hospital for a happy event. During the loud party at one of the common rooms , I went out to quench my thirst. Cold drinks and mocktails were galore at the party and I wanted to avoid them. Spotted a tender coconut vendor ie nariyal paani waala right outside the main gate of the hospital. He is from Jharkhand. The location of the vendor is so fabulous that he would be minting money. And I thought only South Indians are tender coconut sellers in Mumbai.

I asked the watchman who was the building gardener. He pointed to someone and I said I think he is the assistant who waters plants but not a maali by profession. The Marathi watchman says, Bhaiya log! yeh log kuch hota nahin hai par yahaan aa ke sab kaam kar leta hai. What he meant was that they are unskilled labour but they pick up any work that comes their way. They acquire skills in the process. He sounded as if he grudged them.
Suddenly I understand the school teacher telling us Work is worship.





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