Skip to main content

Bhopal to Mathura

Traveling through the heart of India presents a completely different picture of the country altogether. I have lived in the large metro cities of south India for most of my life. The last time I traveled, let alone lived in any small city in India was about 15 years ago. So, it is fair to say that I am a complete novice when it comes to the workings of a small city, its people and its culture.

This weekend, I decided to travel from Bhopal to Mathura to visit my Aunt and Uncle who moved there a few years ago. Picture this scenario when I got to the Bhopal railway station. Men, young and old are going towards the edge of the platform right where the train tracks are to spit out tobacco that fills their mouths. I look on in disgust also wondering what is this sickness, this addiction that holds an entire generation and hasn't spared even the next. I wonder what the oral cancer incidence rate is in this part of the country.

My train arrives, I get onto it and the older gentleman sitting next to me starts watching Aaj Tak. The current news that is gripping the nation is the recent conflict between India and Pakistan. Pakistan is releasing the captured Indian pilot today. It is indeed a huge thing. The gentleman next to me though is watching the news channel for the last 5 hours almost without break. The news media is trying to build up tension for the last five hours and giving minute by minute update of virtually nothing at all. Because there is nothing to report as such. There are only a few pictures of a few vehicle leaving for the Attari border. They are replaying these images nonstop with repeated running commentary. When it started raining over there, they commented that Indra (God of rain and thunder in Hindu mythology) is showering his blessings. I am amazed at the stupidity of the news channels and the stupidity of the people who watch the said news channels. I am trapped in this railway coach with no escape and no respite, as this gentleman is not the only one listening to this here. Whenever there is a break in transmission due to slow internet or a call on his phone, I hear the same thing coming from somewhere a few seats away from someone else's phone.

I have another half an hour before I reach Mathura. Hope the Indian God for madness does not descend over me before then.

xxRS

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A letter to the "smart" students

To the students who think they're so smart that they can fool the instructor: Sorry to break this to you, but no, you're not fooling anybody! In fact, you are the fool if you think otherwise. So, let me tell you something that might shine a light on your otherwise dead brain. Learning is a two-way street. If you want to learn, I am willing to teach over and beyond what is expected of me. I will still teach even if you don't want to learn because that is my job. However, like they say, you can only bring the horse to the water, you cannot make it drink.  When you leave the class, I notice. When you talk, I notice. When you don't bring a notebook or a pen and pretend to be attentive, I notice. So, to reiterate, you're really not fooling anybody. I frankly don't care. I am happier teaching a small class of students who are sincere and want to learn. In fact, that's better for me. As then, we are in sync and I don't have to worry about the distractor
8 comments
Read more

Tribute to Kankan Sir

Prof. Kankan Bhattacharyya was an eminent scientist and I'm sure his students will tell you about all the ways he trained them to become scientists. However, my interactions with him and memories of him are more of  a personal nature. I first met him in February 2019 right after I joined IISER Bhopal to begin my independent research career. In the dining hall of the Visitors Hostel at IISER Bhopal, there was one person who was the loudest, constantly cracking jokes, teasing people and taking the conversation forward. I was introduced to him, i.e, Kankan Sir, by one of my colleagues there and he immediately involved me too in the ongoing conversation. He was that person who instantly made you feel at home. Every day following this first interaction was a joy as he was constantly the life of the dining hall. Everyone  used to be clustered around him. He was such an enthusiastic person and so full of life that it was infectious. He also, in his own way, constantly tried to motivate us
Post a Comment
Read more

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee: A book review

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee My rating: 4 of 5 stars Pachinko is a story spanning four generations of a Korean family living in Japan during the tumultuous 20th century that saw the annexation of Korea by Japan and the two world wars. The story of the family is pretty tragic. They deal with poverty, discrimination, suicide, forced imprisonment, all consequences of war and hatred from Japanese. What I liked about this book is that it tells you a lot about what happens when people are displaced and try to make a new place their home in the time of war and chaos. I admit my ignorance in that I had never heard of the term "Zainichi" which literally means foreigners living in Japan. The Zainichi even though born and raised in Japan are not considered Japanese citizens. They were made to choose between North and South Korea after the Korean war of the 1950s even though they have not known any country other than Japan. These people have faced a lot of discrimination and negativ
Post a Comment
Read more