Ignorance
Yesterday evening, I was driving back home, as usual, and was stuck in some traffic in Koramangala, when I was suddenly witness to a typical multi-storey house, by the road, and the extended family that was resident within it. It was around 7:30 in the evening and, since I was stationary on the road outside, I could easily catch a glimpse of everything that was taking place in the basement and on the first, or should I say, mezzanine floor.
The first thing I noticed, in the basement, was an elderly woman stationed in front of a gas, cooking something in a large vessel. From the steam that was rising from it, it appeared to be some form of rice. There was another vessel placed near by, which I guessed housed either sambar or some form of dal. Not very far from this place, a group of guys who could be easily classified as 'teenagers' had started a game of cricket, on a small virtual pitch. The guy who was fielding closest to the kitchen, was even helping the old lady move and clean stuff.
As I moved upstairs, I saw the elderly men of the family gathered around with a smoke in their hand, indulged in some sort of deep discussion. No one, however, bothered to volunteer to help the old lady cook.
The mezzanine floor was also the childrens' play area. There were quite a few children running around while their mothers' were busy cleaning the place. One infant was fast asleep in his or her cradle, while another little guy had gotten a little cranky and was being entertained by his elder sister.
A typical Indian household isn't it?
Only difference being that this was not their house. What I saw was yet another construction site and the people I described above were the workers who were probably helping build it.
- The old lady below, was cooking rice on the gas that was lit between 4 neatly placed bricks and the two vessels were the only things that were available at her disposal.
- The teenagers playing near-by could not even afford a decent shirt on their bodies and the elderly guys were smoking bidis'. The deep discussion they were indulged in was probably when the next pay day would arrive.
- The little infant who was asleep, was sleeping in a cradle made up of cloth which was hanging from a protruding steel rod and the other infant was probably crying due to the lack of any sort of nutritious food.
In due course of time, the very place they were constructing, would sell for a few crores and some of the richest families in Bengaluru, would make this their home, while this family would move onto the next construction site in town.
Looking at all this, I couldn't help but think of how poor our country really is. I cursed the education system in my mind, but as soon as the traffic cleared, quietly rode back home as if nothing had happened.
The first thing I noticed, in the basement, was an elderly woman stationed in front of a gas, cooking something in a large vessel. From the steam that was rising from it, it appeared to be some form of rice. There was another vessel placed near by, which I guessed housed either sambar or some form of dal. Not very far from this place, a group of guys who could be easily classified as 'teenagers' had started a game of cricket, on a small virtual pitch. The guy who was fielding closest to the kitchen, was even helping the old lady move and clean stuff.
As I moved upstairs, I saw the elderly men of the family gathered around with a smoke in their hand, indulged in some sort of deep discussion. No one, however, bothered to volunteer to help the old lady cook.
The mezzanine floor was also the childrens' play area. There were quite a few children running around while their mothers' were busy cleaning the place. One infant was fast asleep in his or her cradle, while another little guy had gotten a little cranky and was being entertained by his elder sister.
A typical Indian household isn't it?
Only difference being that this was not their house. What I saw was yet another construction site and the people I described above were the workers who were probably helping build it.
- The old lady below, was cooking rice on the gas that was lit between 4 neatly placed bricks and the two vessels were the only things that were available at her disposal.
- The teenagers playing near-by could not even afford a decent shirt on their bodies and the elderly guys were smoking bidis'. The deep discussion they were indulged in was probably when the next pay day would arrive.
- The little infant who was asleep, was sleeping in a cradle made up of cloth which was hanging from a protruding steel rod and the other infant was probably crying due to the lack of any sort of nutritious food.
In due course of time, the very place they were constructing, would sell for a few crores and some of the richest families in Bengaluru, would make this their home, while this family would move onto the next construction site in town.
Looking at all this, I couldn't help but think of how poor our country really is. I cursed the education system in my mind, but as soon as the traffic cleared, quietly rode back home as if nothing had happened.
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