!NCREDIBLE !NDIA

Amidst all the hullabaloo of the ongoing Commonwealth Games..... the corruption, the lackadaisical attitude of our authorities and the absolute debacle (that it was gonna be, but so far hasn't been.. THANKFULLY).... I thought I'd share my version on why India is truly Incredible and why we are "like this only" !


Amul, at their very best, yet again !!!

 We Indians are so cynical that, had those nincompoops (at the Commonwealth games) done at least a respectable job (at not only organising the CWG but also "hiding" the "under-the-table" business of theirs), we wouldn't have made a big deal about it as, the "supposedly brilliant" end-result is what would've mattered to us!!! Because, obviously, everyone in India knows the "what, where, why, how and when" of CORRUPTION..... we are like this only !!!
Anyways, back to my anecdote on why this country never fails to amaze me.
I'm currently preparing for my entrance exams and study at a library a l'il distance from home. The lib has a huge ground facing it and, according to my sources, there's a huge fair organised there every year during the Navratri/Dussehra festival. Currently this fair is in its "construction/organising" phase and I get a direct view of the frenetic activity happening there. Now this is your typical Indian "mela" replete with all sorts of see-saws, merry-go-rounds, giant wheels, mini-shooting range and what not. I guess you get the point....and am sure you've been to at least one such mela in your life ( the last time I went to one such mela was during my rural posting in Internship around a year ago, what fun!!!.....but that's another topic altogether ).


The Ferris-wheel in its "preparatory" phase with the "mango-people" working relentlessly 


Now getting to the point....... actually observing a mela take shape is, truly, a fulfilling experience, I must say. The amount of hard work one puts in, is truly undervalued, at least in our country. Just watching those puny little men from some remote village in north India sweating it out in the Mumbai sun, assembling that huge giant wheel and that huge "dome-of-death" ( or whatever that motorcycle-stunt thingy is called ) from scratch , piece-by-piece, WITHOUT A MACHINE...... and that too for what.....some measly 150 bucks a day..... WHO DOES THAT?.......... The "common man" in India.....the "aam-aadmi" or "mango-people" (as popularised by some Bolly movie)..... it may not be much of an experience, the way I've described it. But day in and day out watching these "invisible", "behind-the-scenes" men work really hard, so that the other "common-men and women" of our country have a great time, represents the true spirit of India for me. Despite inadequate lighting post-sun down, these men are still at it, working on that sheer monstrosity called a "giant-wheel" (which could very well be called India Eye by me, akin to the London Eye or Singapore Eye or whatever eye...have you). That is the "spirit" of this wonderful country called India.


Lo behold ! The Ferris-wheel all ready ! Also, don't miss the "dome-of-death" behind


And what astonishes me further is...... this library that I study in, is less than 50 feet away from this "site of action"..... and we are continuously exposed to the "din" outside..... and yet Indian students preparing for God-knows-which entrance exam continue to study, oblivious to that construction outside, maintaining an inner calm, not complaining..... but continuing to do what we do best..... EXCEL AT EVERYTHING WE DO WITH WHATEVER LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE !!!
And that's my !NCREDIBLE !NDIA for you.....
Kudos to the mango-people...... JAI HIND !