Amitav Ghosh and Shashi Tharoor heat the stage at Tata Lit Live 2016

A crowd of more than 600 was gathered at the iconic National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) theatre at Marine Drive for the inauguration ceremony of the 2016 edition of Tata Literature Live. This year’s festival kicked off with the literary musings of noted author Amitav Ghosh and political thinker, non-fiction writer- Dr. Shashi Tharoor. The presence of these two eminent personalities added to the charm of the magnificent NCPA that afternoon on November 17, 2016 as the duo swayed the audience with their wit and bountiful knowledge.

Amitav Ghosh and Shashi Tharoor at the inauguration ceremony of Tata Lit Live 2016

After the opening speech by the Tata Lit Festival’s Founder and Director, Anil Dharker and Harish Bhat of Tata Sons, Ghosh and Tharoor were welcomed upon the stage. Their Persona and the aura which they carried with themselves was enough to mesmerize every single person present in the theatre hall, right from the very beginning. Despite of having lived abroad many years, both Ghosh and Tharoor seem to be proud of their origin and Indian culture as they were dressed in an elegant yet simple Indian attire of Kurta, Pajama and vest.

Ghosh and Tharoor immediately managed to engage the audience with their enthralling conversation about the legacy of the British Raj in India. Tharoor, then, gave an insight to his recently launched book, ‘An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India’.

Further, in conversation with Ghosh, Tharoor says that the Railways was a very big colonial scam. There is often a perception that Indians should be grateful to the British for giving the country the facility of Railways. But that is not true. The purpose of the Railways was merely to serve the British, promote trade and acquire profits for the East India Company. More so, there was a great deal of racism involved. Indian passengers were given only the third class carriages whereas Europeans were the number one priority and were given first class treatment. Every mile of the railway was built for nearly £18000 while railway network developed around the same time in South America or Britain itself cost only £2000 per mile.”

Contradicting to what most Indians believe, Ghosh added that the British did not give India a legal system, instead it established a two-tier system, clearly dividing the Indian society into the Haves and the Have-nots; as it is prevailing today.

“What’s surprising is that the citizens of UK today are largely unaware of this part of history as they have been fed an altogether different version of their history,” said Tharoor. In a 45 minute literary- political debate, Ghosh and Tharoor created a kind of political undercurrent. The session left the audience with something to ponder upon and urged us to revisit our colonial history.  

Meet the women behind the wheels

With old Hindi songs playing silently in the background, an orangish-black auto rickshaw catches my eye. What strikes me first and foremost is the person at the wheels. Dressed in a simple Salwar Kameez, with a bindi on her forehead, green bangles on both hands and a bright smile on her face is Ashwini Dongle, a lower- middle class ordinary housewife turned ‘rickshawali’ from Thane.

In 2014, Anamika Bhalerao became the 1^st lady auto rickshaw driver in Thane. Today, there are as many as 10-12 lady auto rickshaw drivers in Thane. According to Rekha Gadgil, a B.COM graduate and also an auto rickshaw driver, “the credit mainly goes to Anamika. She has been our source of inspiration and the pillar of our support ever since the beginning. Anamika had the guts and dared to do something which we never thought women might do”.

Ashwini Dongle

The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC), with the help of the Deputy Commissioner Of Traffic Police (DCP) Dr. Rashmi Karandikar has implemented a new policy wherein some percentage of seats would be reserved for women auto rickshaw drivers. Dongle says “I decided to make the most out of this policy. Long back, my husband who is also an auto driver, taught me how to drive an auto. I used to practice just for fun. But looking at Anamika and how she drives inspired me to take the auto onto the roads and work as a professional. I now see it as a kind of a social service.”

When I started, recalls Gadgil, I paid an amount as commission to the owner of the auto I was driving. Later, I realized that half my income only went in this. Then I thought that maybe it would be more profitable if I were to buy an auto myself. If I need to make a mark in this profession, I need to dedicate myself to it entirely. The savings I kept from my job enabled me to purchase an auto. I believe in being independent and in a way driving an auto gives me a sense of freedom.

On asking how these women manage to work in a male dominated profession, they say, that while most men are supportive, some do pass snide comments. There is a lot of politics involved too. Though we have a lot of supporters from our area, drivers from other areas of Thane do not like us women driving and even parking our vehicles in their stands. Sometimes they cut the line and think its fine just because we are women. It hurts the male ego when we overtake them and go ahead. Then they curse and abuse us. But we are here for a reason- to serve people. We merely ignore the comments and stares we often get from passers- by.

Adding to it further Dongle says that it does not matter what others say about her as long as her family supports her. She says that the kind of encouragement provided by her husband and in laws is incredible and that is what keeps her going. All that hard work otherwise would have just gone down the drain!

It is women like Gadgil, Bhalerao, Dongle and others that are attempting to change the perception of people that women can’t drive autos and can’t enter certain restricted professions. They say, when women can fly planes, why can’t we drive autos? 

Assam: The land Unknown

Driving  through  the  zigzag  roads,  the  breeze  in  my  hair  gently  tickling  my  face,  I  woke  up  to  the  first  rays  of  the  sun  in  the  lush  green  valleys  of  Assam . The  iconic  tea  gardens  on  both  the  sides  of  the  road,  made  the  view  across  the  horizon  more  fascinating.  While  the  rest  of  India  was  still  deep  asleep,  I  was  surprised  to  see  an  elderly  Assamese  woman  with  a   basket attached  to  her  back  making  her  way  towards  the  tea  plantations,  all  set  to  work.  Hell it was  only  5 o’clock!

Tea Garden Estates Of Assam

It was  then  that  our  bus  driver  decided  to  halt.  He  spoke  something  in  Assamese-  a  language that  was  completely  alien  to  me.  I  asked  a  fellow  companion  sitting  next  to  me  what  the  driver  had  said.  The  kind  gentleman  explained  that  the  bus  would  halt  for  15  mins.  Sighing  and  stretching  my  legs  for  what  had  been  almost  a  6 hr.  journey  from  Guwahati  airport  to  Tezpur,  I descended  from  the  bus.  I  couldn’t  wait  to  reach  my  aunt’s  house  in  Tezpur. I was  tired,  hungry  and  extremely  thirsty.  From  across  the  road,  I  decided  to  watch  a  woman  picking  out  tea  leaves.  Maybe  she  could  sense  me  for  she  turned  around  and  smiled.  With  a  flowery,  colourful knee  length  dress,  and  beads  around  her  neck,  I  was  mesmerized  by  her , innocent  big  blue  eyes  and  fair  complexion

After  a  pleasing  nature  bound  ride  through  the  dense  forests  of  Assam,  slightly  touching  the  border  of Meghalaya  on  the  left,  I  reached  Tezpur - “ The city  of  blood ” as  the  locals  say.  Situated  on  the banks  of   the mighty  river  Brahmaputra,  Tezpur   is  a land  of  mythology  and  archaeological  ruins.  Upon  reaching  the  bus  depot  at  Tezpur,  I  took  a  rickshaw  to  my  aunt’s  house  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  The  city  was  filled  with  traditional  bamboo  longhouses  of  colourful , vibrant  colours.  Every  other  corner  of  the  street,  had  shops  selling  sarees  and  the  “gamcha”-  a  thin,  coarse,  traditional,  Assamese  cotton  towel.

Bihu,  the  unique  festival  of  Assam  which  portrays  its  spirit  and culture  is  like  many  festivals  of  India   associated  with  farming,  as  Assam  is  predominantly  agricultural.  Bihu  is also  used  to  represent  the  traditional  folk dance  and  folk  songs  of  Assam.  Men  and  women  together  perform  the  Bihu  dance  to  welcome  spring.  Men  wear  a  dhoti  and  the  traditional  gamcha  while  the  women  wear  a  clothing  item  draped  as  a  saree  called “ mekhala”  with  an  off-white  base  and  red  borders.  They  also  wear  ornaments  and  flowers  on  their  heads  to  add  to  the  festive  look.  Luckily,  when  I visited  Assam,  I got  to  witness  this  first  hand  and  even  tried  a  step  or  two  for  fun,  wearing  the  costumes!

Being  passionate  about  the  wildlife,  I  was  really  looking  forward  to  visiting  the  famous  kaziranga National  Park.  Unfortunately  it  was  closed  for  renovation.  So  I  ended  up  visiting a  couple  of places  in  and  around  Tezpur  instead.  Bamuri  Hills,  Agnigarh  are  some  places  which  one  can  visit if  interested  in  the  mythology,  history  and  culture  of  Assam,  which  give  from  a  height  give  splendid  views  of  the  city  and   the  Brahmaputra.  Nestled  in  the  valley  of  Brahmaputra,  Tezpur  is  a  very  beautiful,  tranquil  place,  away  from  the  hustle  bustle  of  city  life  with  a  unique  mark  of  its  own. 

Life’s Like That

 Through the hustle and bustle of daily life in the city of Mumbai, like every other working day, I boarded my usual CST-bound local train from Thane station. As I attempted to make my way into the train, crazy estrogen-fuelled ‘species’ began pouncing like animals on me! Through no fault of my own I ended up hurting a lady. Her irritated expression and mutters said it all. To calm her down and not to worsen the matter further, I apologized immediately.

It was after I descended from the train that I pondered upon what had happened a few minutes ago. Why did I apologize to this woman? What had I done? Perhaps just to be kind? Perhaps just to soothe her pain? I couldn’t figure out.  

It is always easy to apologize to random strangers whom we may not probably meet ever again. So what’s the harm in admitting our mistake and let go, we think. Like when we bump into someone at a crowded public place, or hurt someone accidentally, “sorry” is spontaneously uttered. But what happens in case of our loved ones when we unknowingly hurt them? Do we act the same around them? We most likely don’t. Our ego comes in the way and stops us.

Same goes for gratefulness. On a daily basis, I make it a point to thank every single person who helps me in some way or the other- be it the rickshaw driver, the guy who brings coffee to my desk every day at work, or my colleagues. If I can thank the person who has been serving coffee to me for the past 1 month, why don’t I thank my mother who has been feeding and nurturing me for the past more than 20 years? For that matter why don’t I thank my father for providing for us?

In a family everyone’s role is carved out. In a typical Indian family, it is the primary responsibility of the woman to cook and look after the well-being of the members of the family. Whereas the man supports financially. So why should we thank these people if they are only abiding by their duty? We think it’s their responsibility and they are not doing any favour. And that’s where we go wrong. We end up taking each other for granted. Everyone likes to be appreciated and thanked for their work, even if it’s their duty.

Be it any relationship, gratitude plays an important role. Always remember, what goes around comes around! Be grateful to others, and you will receive the same. 

Lost Somewhere....

Having turned a graduate just recently, I am often asked with the typical dreaded question 'what next'? Always the systematic, organized goal oriented girl, who even had clothes picked out the night before for the next day in college to wear, I now find myself at cross roads. I am in a dilemma. I have absolutely no clue as to where i am headed. And this scares me!

One thing i have learnt though, is to never depend on a friend. As in if he/she is with me, then only i will go. Or else i wont even try. Sure there is a level of comfort, but in the end you gotta look up for yourself. Good friends are with us through thick and thin. There comes a time when you should make your own decisions, set priorities and stick to it.

People who know me since my BMM graduate days say that i haven't changed a bit in these 3 years. Physically i haven't. But mentally i have. My passion for reading, for learning and teaching french has somewhere been swept away. 

Now as sit on my bed, writing this blog, i don't feel at ease. What i would really like is to go on a soul searching journey somewhere far away from the hustle bustle of everyday life.

The 1^st step...

Right since the moment I woke up in the morning, I knew today would be different. The time had come for me to step into the ‘adult’ world. Encouraging my inner self, I was all set to seize the day. With a positive attitude, I made it all the way to Lower Parel for my 1^st internship interview.

The cool breeze of the office AC had not only wiped away the sweat beads off my face, but also somehow managed to boost my confidence as well. This place was an office like no other I had ever seen! Being, a media company it screamed creativity! The walls were splashed with shades of orange and green. On it hung beautiful, elegant works of art, and high digital resolution pictures which looked as though they were cut out from the cover of a magazine!

Overcome with a bit of nervousness, I wondered if the girl sitting beside me could hear butterflies churning loudly in my stomach. As the clock ticked I became increasingly nervous as to how I would fit in if I ever would get selected. My mind began wandering places. After what seemed like eternity, I heard my name being called out.

I followed the HR manager into a pretty, small yet stylish conference room where I was bombarded with many questions. Since I had mentally been prepared for the interview, I looked him in the eye and began with my answers, calm, composed and confident. What threw me off, I admit was the test I needed to undergo. I had no idea that I was to give such a test. However I gave my best and now hope for the best! I walked out of the office with a smile on my face and an enhanced confidence. Now I await eagerly for the outcome. 

DISCONNECTED FROM THE WORLD…

Lying on the banks of river Narayani, with the soft warm summer breeze in my hair, a sense of calm and tranquility filled me and a smile appeared on my face as I reminisced the last few days. Having come from Mumbai merely for 5 days on vacations, the trip to Chitwan national park in South Central Nepal was not something I was prepared for. Right from the boat ride across the river infested with crocodiles to the bath with the elephants, the trip had been an adventure I had experienced never before!

Chitwan Jungle Lodge- Nepal

Nestled in the Inner Terai Valleys of The Himalayas, right amidst the jungles, Chitwan Jungle lodge is a very beautiful place with small cottages enface river Narayani. After an appetizing lunch, we were shown to our cottages. There was just one problem, there was no TV!! After a while of cribbing and complaining on my side, we were called out in the evening to gather around and get to know the other tourists. My brother and I, the tech-addicted youngsters that we are, were busy trying to find cell phone range. Not able to find any, we reluctantly joined the others outside. To my surprise, the lodge had arranged a special tribal dance for the guests. I found myself enjoying the company and dancing with the Tharu tribes. It was almost 7 pm, when the lights went out! “Wow, Just like Mumbai”, murmuring under my breath. We then heard one of the staff telling us how normal it is for the power to go off around this time and how now we would have to make use of kerosene lamps all night. I looked at my mother and smirked.

The next morning we woke up at 5 am for the Jungle Safari. We hiked through the fog laden jungle and were delighted to see some rhinos, deer, birds etc. We spent almost the entire day in the jungle. Trekking, picnicking, and later bathing with the elephants!

After spending one day in the jungle, with no electricity and cell phone range, I began to truly enjoy the vacation. We were completely shut off from the rest of the world and it felt really good! I became acquainted with a couple from Australia, played cards, scrabble with a few other guests. In a way, it brought my family closer as well.