India Poised

After two weddings bursting with food, dance, and contagious viral infections, I would say my trip to Delhi was a success. Thankfully, I have recovered from the madness that ensued for ten days, and save for the henna on my hands (its fading and starting to look quite sickly now), you would have never known that I was sleep-deprived and high on oil saturated carbs for ten days of wedding madness.

I came back to Bhopal on January 26, India's Republic Day. Like the calm background music played in restaurants, patriotic tunes made their presence subtly known through the train's speakers. I smiled to myself - Yeh Desh Hai Veer Jawano Ka does not do well as an instrumental lullaby. The day before, Shah Rukh Khan sang the Indian National Anthem on Kaun Banega Crorepati, India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The show's old host, Amitabh Bachan, was not to be left behind in expressing his love for his country. Oh no, he was a step above the rest. Collaborating with the Times of India, he is marketing Indian pride through the six-week long "India Poised" campaign. You can watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiItWDN2Cs8&eurl=.

The first time I watched Mr. Bachan's eloquent monologue I felt proud, and excitedly showed the video clip to another volunteer at the clinic. Her response was not as enthused. How could such a well-made video receive anything but praise, I thought. I soon saw why.

The video starts off with the following statement:
"There are two Indians in this country.
One India is straining at the leash, eager to spring forth and live up to all the adjectives that the world has been recently showering upon us.
The other India is the leash....
...One India wants. The other India hopes.
One India leads. The other India follows.
But conversions are on the rise. With each passing day more and more people from the other India have been coming over to this side.
And quietly, while the world is not looking, a pulsating, dynamic new India is emerging.
An India whose faith in success is far greater that its fear of failure.
An India that no longer boycotts foreign-made goods but buys out the companies that make them instead.
History, they say, is a bad motorist. It rarely ever signals its intentions when taking a turn.
This is that rarely-ever moment. History is turning a page."

Poetic.

I know of the India Mr. Bachan talks about. An India that's changing, that's benefiting people like me. Yes, people like me- a satiated, educated, money-driven but content middle class that doesn't need to boycott goods. Because let's face it, we're not drinking water laced with mercury and lead. Our children are not being born with cleft-palates and deformed lungs. Our daughters don't have to worry about ostracization due to the status of 'gas-victim'. No, we don't need to boycott Tata products, because Tata is buying out companies like Dow- the same Dow that is legally responsible for cleaning up a factory still rotting in its toxic grave. But that's okay, because buying out companies is a good thing, right? We're showing them. Look at us! Who's the boss now?

I am proud to call myself an Indian citizen, and my heart swells with joy every time I hear the Indian National Anthem. Yet living in Bhopal, feeling both the pain and the passion of the people, I am ashamed of those of us who conveniently forget this part of India when priding ourselves on the progress our country is making. India has made great strides, but running ahead does not entail leaving your people behind, especially those people whose voice is not being heard.

India might be changing, Mr. Bachan, but some things still haven't changed.