THE WAY WE INDIANS WORK
Everyone in Delhi is anxiously waiting for the Commonwealth Games in October. The clock is ticking fast. The infrastructure development being done for these games is going on at top speed according to the officials of the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games.
Last week a professor friend from London was visiting Delhi. It was quite an eye opener for me and him as I took him around town. I have always marveled at the way Delhi is a host to a colorful mix of people and delicacies from all over the country. It gave me immense pleasure to see the reactions of the wandering Britisher who in my view had no insight into the real India. It is important that a foreigner in town must get to taste delicacies right from the Kashmiri Waswan to Tandoori Chicken, Hyderabadi Biryani and then delicacies from Southern India. He was at home dining at a five star hotel but it was when he went to the Sagar Ratna which is the favorite haunt of politicians like Chief Minister Hooda, Union Ministers and Rahul Gandhi that he was truly excited. The ambience here is simple but clean and hygienic. The variety of Dosas and Idlis here are absolutely original. He could not get enough of the Badam Halwa either.
Driving out of Lutyen’s Delhi into Jama Masjid and Chandani Chowk was what left him aghast and wondering what the real India is today. Two extremes he witnessed as he drove from the Rashtrapati Bhawan built during the British Raj to the Red Fort of the Mughals. Foreigners visiting can hardly believe the architecture of Lutyen’s Delhi and the drive from Rashtrapati Bhawan on Raj Path to India Gate leaves them in awe of it’s splendor. Drive them to the Nizamuddin Dargah to the Gurudwara at Rakabganj and Birla Mandir. They are left so confused. The variety of culture and religion that we all survive in happily and unceremoniously together. It was difficult for him to believe when the rest of the world suffered recession, India was hardly affected by it. He could not believe that we would complete our stadiums which are only one fourth built till now; our parkings for the Commonwealth traffic which seems no where in place and our roads are all broken due to the metro stations been built in different locations will all be ready (or atleast almost) in next five months. He was wondering if our hotels and private accommodations will be geared for the traffic of the players and visitors. He did not seem to realize that we all are also keeping our fingers crossed that our Government and the official machinery will not let us down and goof-ups will be minimum. We may not be very systematical but we do have something called ‘Jugaad’. But obviously he did not quite understand the Indian ‘Jugaad’, on a first trip.
The ordinary Indian today has his pride and would do whatever to make sure that the Games are a success. We are very hopeful. So, we do hope that the infrastructure for the Commonwealth Games will be ready and all the foreigners who visit will go back after touring different parts of our city tasting our food without any mishaps. As of now most foreigners who come to India go back amazed at the confidence of every Indian, at the progress that India is making internationally and the kind of democracy that we all live in. Infact it was suggested by this professor that given what we have managed we could send a couple of our politicians to U.K to tutor them now, on how to run a coalition Government. What an idea Sir ji!
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