Politics and me
I am unable to form an opinion on a political party in India. Just when I think one party is good, I hear some bad things about it. Heard lot of stuff in the elections and its results in Delhi. The research showed something and the results are not that at all. If people say AAP won due to social media, then is every auto driver in India net savvy? We believe only what we are fed. As a child, I thought Indira gandhi was such powerful lady Prime Minister. I thought the same about her sons. Wonder who is taint free? Every ideal gets shattered as I grow older. May be there is something wrong with the ideals I look up to. Or it is just times which move and every great man is bad too. I have friends who are not fond of the Father of the Nation. My friends have a completely convent school view of the political parties and for them, all that we have been fed for generations against India and Indians is true.
There is a small shop of a book seller which sells old books and fakes. By Fake books, I mean the photocopied versions of the original book. I am tempted to buy a four hundred rupee book for just a hundred but then I resist. Because someone in my life, buys only original DVDs of films and doesn't do free movie download from certain sites. This shopkeeper is from Uttar Pradesh, he pronounces the names of the books correctly. He knows the authors and what kind of books they write. He claims to have a large collection of books more than the British Library in Mumbai, is what I overheard him saying to another customer. The new books are there as soon as they are launched. There is a small wooden seat which is offered to regular customers by the footpath . I can't sit on it as women in Mumbai can't do this type of stuff. I just stand and look at some Mills&Boons which are given for Rs30 each. When I return them he takes ten rupee reading charge and I borrow more books. I am impressed by his knowledge and selling skills. In his shop too, the new age self help books are displayed prominently. Do they sell the most? His is a small little shop stolen from the pavement. The same pavements which are diminishing at an alarming speed.
Yesterday some friends came home at brunch time. The friends had a guest along with them. All friends removed their shoes outside the entrance. This man did not bother to. The maid had just cleaned the house and left. I just could not believe why he would not do it. I could not say a word as I did not know him and had never even heard of him. I was disgusted with myself for being quiet. The shoes were dirtying the just cleaned mopped shiny floor. I realised that even in my own house, I was scared of telling a friend s friend something. I could not get over his uncouth behaviour. In Mumbai or even Dhanbad, the norm in all households is to remove the shoes outside and then walk in. I don't know if the man who is very much Indian and living in Mumbai did not understand this or chose to be arrogant. My friends did not tell him to remove shoes and I did not want to offend my friends in any way. Friends would not have got offended but it is all about me and my fears.
Fear brings me to more trees being cut all over Matunga. This time they are really chopping them bad. The glass facade buildings in the area have increased the heat in the atmosphere. Trees are chopped pre-monsoons, pre-Ganpati, pre-Durga Puja and one round in the spring. This time the trees are being cut pre-Christmas too. What is this with festivals and cutting of trees? Abroad all those Christmas trees cut and decorated, just go waste. Its either cutting trees or cutting animals and birds for festivals. Some part of the nature has to be sacrificed for human beings to celebrate their lives. Why?
Am yet to start feeling festive this season.
There is a small shop of a book seller which sells old books and fakes. By Fake books, I mean the photocopied versions of the original book. I am tempted to buy a four hundred rupee book for just a hundred but then I resist. Because someone in my life, buys only original DVDs of films and doesn't do free movie download from certain sites. This shopkeeper is from Uttar Pradesh, he pronounces the names of the books correctly. He knows the authors and what kind of books they write. He claims to have a large collection of books more than the British Library in Mumbai, is what I overheard him saying to another customer. The new books are there as soon as they are launched. There is a small wooden seat which is offered to regular customers by the footpath . I can't sit on it as women in Mumbai can't do this type of stuff. I just stand and look at some Mills&Boons which are given for Rs30 each. When I return them he takes ten rupee reading charge and I borrow more books. I am impressed by his knowledge and selling skills. In his shop too, the new age self help books are displayed prominently. Do they sell the most? His is a small little shop stolen from the pavement. The same pavements which are diminishing at an alarming speed.
Yesterday some friends came home at brunch time. The friends had a guest along with them. All friends removed their shoes outside the entrance. This man did not bother to. The maid had just cleaned the house and left. I just could not believe why he would not do it. I could not say a word as I did not know him and had never even heard of him. I was disgusted with myself for being quiet. The shoes were dirtying the just cleaned mopped shiny floor. I realised that even in my own house, I was scared of telling a friend s friend something. I could not get over his uncouth behaviour. In Mumbai or even Dhanbad, the norm in all households is to remove the shoes outside and then walk in. I don't know if the man who is very much Indian and living in Mumbai did not understand this or chose to be arrogant. My friends did not tell him to remove shoes and I did not want to offend my friends in any way. Friends would not have got offended but it is all about me and my fears.
Fear brings me to more trees being cut all over Matunga. This time they are really chopping them bad. The glass facade buildings in the area have increased the heat in the atmosphere. Trees are chopped pre-monsoons, pre-Ganpati, pre-Durga Puja and one round in the spring. This time the trees are being cut pre-Christmas too. What is this with festivals and cutting of trees? Abroad all those Christmas trees cut and decorated, just go waste. Its either cutting trees or cutting animals and birds for festivals. Some part of the nature has to be sacrificed for human beings to celebrate their lives. Why?
Am yet to start feeling festive this season.
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