India it is

India’s pretty intriguing. Even for Indians.

When you travel the length and breadth of the country (which I haven’t) I guess you’ll be surprised every inch. The latest incident that surprised me was the episode involving the rickshaws.

I remember traveling in rickshaws in Madurai during my initial school days – when I was maybe ten years old. That was the age when you don’t really know what sympathy means. All I wanted back then was a game of cricket every evening before crashing into the bed. I was then was transported to richer places like Coimbatore and Chennai (occasionally) and Bangalore. I almost forgot about the existence of rickshaws coz there were none in these places. Almost 12 years later, I traveled in rickshaws that are driven by men – sans motors – in Delhi and I’m pained. Not that I didn’t know about its existence, but traveling in them was like really tough all of a sudden.

A couple of us took the Delhi metro for the first time this weekend. It was AWESOME. It beats most of the metros that I’ve seen in Hollywood movies. The thing works like a breeze – with zilch noise and terrific acceleration. The whole station, metro, escalator – everything – is clean like crazy. Hell, you wouldn’t believe you are in India. It just costed seven bucks for like a 7 Km ride. I wouldn’t’ve minded paying 35 bucks! Once you are out of the metro, you see the rickshaws. Loads of them. I’ve come to realize that this is the first thing that strikes a foreigner. A life of contrasts. Five star hotels, and rusted vehicles outside. 1st class trains and platforms filled with people without shelter. Flashy cars and bullock carts squeezing for the same space. The place we wanted to go was two streets away, and we didn’t want to walk in the Delhi afternoon sun. Rickshaws seemed to be the answer. I couldn’t believe that we were going to take a rickshaw. We hesitated to walk, and are we going to make that guy pedal a huge thing with two bullies inside? Sounded like the 1900 master-slave culture. I really couldn’t make up my mind. But not using the rickshaws would also mean no business for those folks. My friend said: “Well, this is India, and this is their livelihood. Let’s take it. Give them some business”. I gave in. I couldn’t convince myself that not traveling in it was a solution, simply because it wasn’t. It was one of those moments that really put you on hold with no way to go.

It was even more painful to see the guy pedaling on slopes. He literally had to put the whole body load on the pedal. Fortunately, the road was pretty much even throughout, and that saved him. We didn’t have to get down either. I gave him 15 bucks instead of the 10 bucks as agreed. I really don’t know why I did it. My extra five bucks isn’t a solution to anything. We aren’t going to change India through charity. But still, it kind of gave a satisfaction. Maybe I thought he deserved it.

Even worse was the next incident. We were walking along a small pavement with soft drink bottles in hand. The place was pretty rotten and smelling real bad. We were pretty much scrambling out of the place when a rag kid asked us some alms. We were in no mood to give charity. After realizing that we aren’t going to give him anything, he cursed us… loud enough for us to know. I was pretty depressed for a moment. For such kids, it’s almost a right to claim for alms. Wonder what that kid would become if he grows up. It would be no surprise if he goes out of the way. For him, it’s just his life and everything he does is justified. You really can’t straighten out guys these later after having grown up in an ambience like this.

All this makes me think of another issue. Lots of people I know give alms, which is a short term solution to a long term problem. A lot of them don’t because they believe alms would just encourage these folks. For me though, it remains a tough question. For once, both parties seem right.