After the success of 'slum dog millionaire' at the Oscars ,the slum that is opposite to our line of middle class flats has suddenly become a hot tourist spot ,to be gazed at rapturously by foreigners-mostly western and Japanese tourists.
They don't need to pay hefty sums to tourist guides as their favoured destination is just few yards away from the comforting presence of their 5 star hotel. All that need be done is to hop out of their luxurious suites , cross the busy throughfare and they fill find themselves bang in the middle of Eldorado!
The rising tide of slum tourism is in full spate.I see a lot of young, middle aged and old ,white and yellow couples staring at the tenements ,the water pumps, garbage bins,stray dogs,goats ,cows, and hens lumbering around.Most of them invariably, photograph only the most dirtily clad persons near the filthiest part turning a blind eye to 100's of well dressed slum dwellers and cleaner spaces.
Why are the Westerners so enamoured of what they think is the other side of India?In fact all these slum dwellers are 100 times better of than their village brethrens!All of them live in concrete houses ,own gas stoves and have gas and water connections,T.V sets ,motor bikes and some of themeven cooltheir homes with split A.C's!They send their children to study in English medium schools and to Engineering colleges.
If these Westerners are influenced by Slum dog millionaire to see Indian poverty in its resplendent form they should visit remote villages where people build houses with mud , eat and sleep on mud floors, collect twigs from far and wide to cook the only meal of the day - supper.The best part of the day is spent in trekking miles to fill a pot or two of potable water .It is the very few lucky one's who can afford to send their children to schools run by the govt freely.
Why is dirt to which one is naturally revolted and poverty from which every one shies away is so attractive to Westerners? Are their motives sadistic are altruistic?
What will they do with these photographs of filth?Show case it in their cozy drawing rooms as a mute testimony to the other side of the rising super power and be relieved that their leadership over the world is still intact or mobilize funds to save [we] the poor Indians?
The white man is yet to shed his burden!
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4 comments:
Hi Vidat,
Its true that westeners come to India and often visit slums.But I also feel that it also helps them understand the realities of life and how gifted they are to enjoy the luxuries of the world.This comes from my personal experience as I have seen one of my western friend who realy shows empathy towards people like them and also complains how their country is exploiting the wealth for mere luxury.
Dear Nirmal,
I don't know which Nirmal you are -Vidat's colleague at Wipro or his college mate.
You are entitled to your view but I am not convinced by it.
your Western friend is shedding crocodile tears at the Imperialism practised by his anscestors who impoverished our once rich and prosperous country.
The population explosion has added
to our woes.
If he and his counterparts are over flowing with the milk of human kindness why don't they open the gates of their luxurious countries wide open so that millions of poor Indians can pour in and have a share of the pie?
This will lighten the load on our mother land and make it easily governable!
The world saw how indifferent the U.S govt was when hurricane Katherina devastated a state mainly populated by blacks.
Why don't they first uplift their poor blacks first than come here clucking their tongues in sympathy and clicking our pockets of misery ?.
Hi Vidat,
I am Vidat's mentor at Wipro.I completely agree with your views.99.999 percent of them are like that.
Dear Nirmal,
Your reference to 'Wn friends, confused me as I persumed that you were Chennai based and the other Nirmal is US based .
Being software specialist's, to you ,Vetri and Gayathri it would have been child's play to locate my blog ,nevertheless, kcsujata.blogspot.com [sujataism]
is the blog created for me by Vidat.It is more or less autobiographical.Do visit it when you can.
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