Full of Life

Opposite to the Old Naval Airport in Kochi, there is a slum like area which everyone calls “Chinna Madras” because of a majority of Tamil speaking population present. That was my idea of slum till I was in Kerala, during my school and college. Then it was completely changed, four years back, when I spend a whole day in Mumbai . Unbelievably vast and large areas. Then for work, I came to Bangalore in June, same year. The slum area just across the road and our plush office this side was a contrast that I have never seen in my life. They are a part of the invisible life in any Indian city.

In a city which is developing in such a fast pace such as Bangalore, it’s pretty easy to observe these usually invisible and ignored sections. A BMTC bus-ride which takes at least an hour in the evening throws many images. Real images. Some young guys and girls in funky and modern dresses and always on their mobile phones. Smart looking professionals who didn’t even get time to remove their neck ties. Children returning after school. Men and women returning after a day of hard labour, who still carry the dust and sweat. The stinking smell of sweat, paan and cheap liquor. Some look content, some disappointed, some tired, some optimistic, some sleepy. Sometimes the inequality pains me, but I love to observe them all.

Money is a means, primarily required for transactions. After a point, normal greed takes over and everyone wants to accumulate it. The malls portray a rosy picture of the accumulated wealth one can spend and waste and throw away as he/she wishes. Then there are many migrant and poor mothers and children on streets who suffer from serious malnutrition. There are construction sites for five star hotels and luxury accommodations, where the workers don’t even have basic security measures. The one who will stay there is a high net worth individual. But who cares about the one who builds it. Sometimes I feel that even the A/C Volvo buses increase segregation.  Rich have no time for poor and Poor have no time for even themselves. Still life goes on.

The gross inefficiencies because of the usual age-old vehicles, traffic indiscipline, bribes, poor infrastructure etc plague Indian cities to an extent where everyone turns and is, so cynical and apathetic. But somehow, I feel that our cities are full of life. Or may be I feel so. I don’t know if it's real or not. But somehow, people survive. May be it’s because of our people who can absorb such inequalities, inefficiencies and irregularities, with such a liveliness and an adjusting mentality. Above all disappointments and sadness, I see lots of smiles around and I too smile at them. May be they have learned to live the hard way and think it’s the way of life and indeed it is the life.