Guest guest Posted September 5, 2009 Report Share Posted September 5, 2009 That is one of the reasons I have not been to India in 15 years! I should go for my father's 75th Birthday in 2010; but really don't feel like it. I would then go to MGIMS too  Gauri 83 Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgims > Cc: sandipdg@..., arvind6077@..., aggnav@... Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM  A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Dear Bharat from your scathing portrayal of a Hindustani....I think it is such a mix of the good ,bad and the ugly which makes the country so unique...... and even then I love it so much that I want to go back every year.....What it needs is an overhaul of the political leadership and it can be done only if the educated middle class gets involved in the politics of the country rather than being just a bystanding assesor and critic....in todays malice towards one and all column of kushwant singh he quotes Twain... " The American humorist Mark Twain (1835-1920) came to India ostensibly to write about it. He did a few articles on what he saw and the people he met but what he had to say about the country, he summed up in the following words:“This is India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendour and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genie and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of a hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birth place of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great grandmother of tradition, whose yesterdays bear date with the mouldering antiquities of the rest of the nations — the one sole country under the sun that is endowed with an imperishable interest for alien persons, four-lettered and ignorant, wise and fool, rich and poor, bond and free, the one land all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for all the shows of all the rest of the globe combined. Even now, after a lapse of a year, the delirium of those days in Bombay has not left me and I hope it will never will.â€..............Maybe because I live abroad and go back to India once in a while......I love the complicated relationships of India rather than the ostensity laden loneliness of huge homes.... I love the one on one quarrels and fights rather than the power struggles through Libel attorneys.....hey thats just me....I am having the best of both the worlds I guess or may be I am just one who loves life and its experiences as they are.....unadulterated!!! From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM  A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2009 Report Share Posted September 6, 2009 Dear Bharat could not help but ponder more on your remarks......You have amongst so many others on this site always stood out with your writings... .......I think how people develop their civic sense of responsibilty and social conduct is quite dependant on their socioeconomic state, The strength of the oversight on their conduct and the maramari for the day to day survival.....which becomes compounded by population..... ...............But I think we should be actively trying to change things at a micro level amongst our teachings in the family, school, work and then hope that their is a translocation of that from the disenchanted educated class to the other folks in our society...I think I find the same malady in most of the third world ....would love to hear from the others......I have pondered about the state of the American state may be 50 yrs yore when the Latinos and other third world populace will be in majority here.......a different sense of civic sense(an inherent one) takes over when you are in majority............... Ashish '83 From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM  A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 I agree, Ashish. Much as I love my country, it remains a mix of the good, better, bad and ugly. Having said that, there is still no where else I'd rather like to stay.  That apart, my take on corruption is that we, as citizens, are responsible for it. We are more than willing to feed the greed of whoever if it facilitates things for us.  Bharat, I do see your point of view, and agree with it as well, but it is so easy to point fingers - I am sure all of us - at some point in time - have greased the machinery some where - for something as mundane as getting a railway ticket - or anything else equally mundane. We need serious housekeeping at an individual level (Gandhigiri, if you will) before we can blame a system and a society that we are an integral part of. Prabha'84 From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM  A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 7, 2009 Report Share Posted September 7, 2009 The recent debate about mera Bharat has prompted me to forward a essay written by my son. Parag 1980 Naman P Shah, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, India CLASS: C 4. A distant cousin who lives in a very different Commonwealth country is coming to visit for the first time. Write a letter introducing yourself and your home. Keen Observer, Mumbai, India. 15th August 2008. To, ABCD Canada. Hi ABCD, Your last letter brought great news. As you are sure of your visit to India, I thought that I should tell you something’s about me and my country, information that you cannot Google! I love the street food of Mumbai, like Pav Bhajji, Samosa, Vada-Pav, Pani Puri and Schezwan Dosa. We will have a gala time together. It is seven in the morning and I am lazing off on my bed. It is a luxury to be in bed at seven in the morning, a privilege I am availing after months, today being Independence Day. I am dreaming. Dreams are not those thoughts that I get while sleeping. Dreams are those thoughts that don’t let me sleep. My bedroom follows an open plan. It is glass walled from all sides giving me a three sixty degree view of the world around me. I look out of the window towards the west and see merry school children furling the national tricolor. There is a general feel of festivity. The streets are chock a block with auto-rickshaws, taxis, double-decker buses, and all sorts of modern cars. The flyover’s are under construction for the past ten years and continue to make progress at snail’s pace. I look towards the east and see the magnificent St. s church, the famous Hindu temple of Mahalakshmi and the mid sea dargha of Haji Ali. India is a country full of mysticism; a sea of people and myriad traditions, languages and cultures. Here there is unity in diversity. Indian culture encompasses more than 500 languages, 330 million Gods and Goddesses and festivals which outnumber the days in a year. The rice we eat, the dress our women wear and the dialect we speak, changes every hundred kilometers in this country. The last National elections were won by an Italian woman of Roman Catholic heritage who made way for a Sikh to be sworn as a Prime Minister by a Muslim President, in a nation that is 81% Hindu. I now gaze towards the south and am disturbed. There is a sea of humanity living in filthy slums. India has educated the world’s second largest pool of trained scientists and engineers but 40% of the country is still illiterate. It is a place where bullock carts are still an indispensable mode of transportation; yet its rocket and satellite programmes are amongst the most advanced on earth. Four out of the top ten richest men in the world are Indians yet one-third of the world’s poor live in India. There is no bread in one India and cake for the other. Thousands of people in the urban centers are rushing to weight loss centers. Millions of other Indians are desperately trying not to lose any more weight. I will take you for a sightseeing tour around the city of Mumbai which is the city of hopes. We would travel in my car but you may encounter disabled beggars at the traffic signals tapping the windows of the car. I don’t want to upset you but that is just how the world here is. Poverty and affluence, life and lifestyle, the past and the future simultaneously coexist in India. My vision turns north and I visualize the vastness of the ocean. I appreciate the cultural diversity. But the paradoxes distress me. When we take off our slippers at the entrance of our homes, we do so out of the sense of not dragging the dirt from the streets into the sanctum of our house. Yet there is no other nation that is obsessed with ‘spitting’ as ours. Stairwells of our buildings are blotched with ‘paan’ stains. But the greatest ideological divide between Indians and the rest of the world is that, the ‘Wipers’ (who use toilet paper) are uncaring of personal hygiene according to most Indians. For the ‘Washers’ (Indians), cleanliness is next to godliness. Although we will keep the ‘Wipes’ (toilet paper) ready for you, you may have to be ready to convert into a ‘Washer’, because for us Indians cleanliness is next to godliness, but inside our homes! Your loving cousin, Keen Observer Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Bahut hi sunder likha hai,.... mazaa aa gaya!! reminds me.....The power was out during our recent visit to Bareilly...I went to the terrace and was watching all the kites being flown around and just by fleeting a glance from one terrace to another I felt a warmth...a story could be written about each and every house hold and how they were all interacting with the center piece of the plot ...it being the kite flyer...the uncleji taking an evening stroll on the terrace , the child sitting and reading on the terrace, the sisters flocking and watching the brother flying the kite...I was totally mesmerised by such a simple scene...the noice of the generator blanketing out any other possible sound was also musical in a way and I thought to myself how can we punish our parents who come to visit us in the west being isolated and secluded in our " mansions " ...when this is all they want and crave for... to be in the mix of things!!!Ashish From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I agree. It is very nice in India- the sense of belonging...... Your son writes well. Could picture the images he had drawn. Well done him! Just out of curiosity- I read somewhere that the fees in Dhirubhai Ambani school are 350,000 per annum? From: mgims [mailto:mgims ] On Behalf Of ashish sachdeva Sent: 08 September 2009 07:02 To: mgims Subject: Re: Mera Bharat Mahan Bahut hi sunder likha hai,.... mazaa aa gaya!! reminds me.....The power was out during our recent visit to Bareilly...I went to the terrace and was watching all the kites being flown around and just by fleeting a glance from one terrace to another I felt a warmth...a story could be written about each and every house hold and how they were all interacting with the center piece of the plot ...it being the kite flyer...the uncleji taking an evening stroll on the terrace , the child sitting and reading on the terrace, the sisters flocking and watching the brother flying the kite...I was totally mesmerised by such a simple scene...the noice of the generator blanketing out any other possible sound was also musical in a way and I thought to myself how can we punish our parents who come to visit us in the west being isolated and secluded in our " mansions " ...when this is all they want and crave for... to be in the mix of things!!!Ashish From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 Well said and very well written-- whatever you are spending on his education is worth it!! Archana '82 To: mgims From: lakora@... Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 18:59:00 +0100 Subject: RE: Mera Bharat Mahan I agree. It is very nice in India- the sense of belonging...... Your son writes well. Could picture the images he had drawn. Well done him! Just out of curiosity- I read somewhere that the fees in Dhirubhai Ambani school are 350,000 per annum? From: mgims [mailto:mgims ] On Behalf Of ashish sachdeva Sent: 08 September 2009 07:02 To: mgims Subject: Re: Mera Bharat Mahan Bahut hi sunder likha hai,.... mazaa aa gaya!! reminds me.....The power was out during our recent visit to Bareilly...I went to the terrace and was watching all the kites being flown around and just by fleeting a glance from one terrace to another I felt a warmth...a story could be written about each and every house hold and how they were all interacting with the center piece of the plot ...it being the kite flyer...the uncleji taking an evening stroll on the terrace , the child sitting and reading on the terrace, the sisters flocking and watching the brother flying the kite...I was totally mesmerised by such a simple scene...the noice of the generator blanketing out any other possible sound was also musical in a way and I thought to myself how can we punish our parents who come to visit us in the west being isolated and secluded in our " mansions " ...when this is all they want and crave for... to be in the mix of things!!!Ashish From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 8, 2009 Report Share Posted September 8, 2009 I agree with you Ashish. When day to day existence is a struggle- it is easy to forget the niceties. Also the inherent need to be ahead to avoid having to do without is characteristic of all from the third world. We were recently in Singapore. A new country about 44 years old. Population consists of predominantly Chinese followed by malays, Indians etc. The immigrants originally were from working stock who came to help in rubber plantations etc. All modern modcons are available in this country. But there are inherent problems that need addressing- no queuing, when there is something with a crowd all rush in without waiting for their turn. I found that interesting. We were queuing for the night safari animal show. It was mayhem once the barrier was removed. Everyone rushing around to grab the best seats. This is different to the UK. Here even in rush hour if you are ahead in the queue- you go first...... Interesting human behaviour. Malini (82) From: mgims [mailto:mgims ] On Behalf Of ashish sachdeva Sent: 06 September 2009 22:24 To: mgims Subject: Re: Mera Bharat Mahan Dear Bharat could not help but ponder more on your remarks......You have amongst so many others on this site always stood out with your writings... .......I think how people develop their civic sense of responsibilty and social conduct is quite dependant on their socioeconomic state, The strength of the oversight on their conduct and the maramari for the day to day survival.....which becomes compounded by population..... ...............But I think we should be actively trying to change things at a micro level amongst our teachings in the family, school, work and then hope that their is a translocation of that from the disenchanted educated class to the other folks in our society...I think I find the same malady in most of the third world ....would love to hear from the others......I have pondered about the state of the American state may be 50 yrs yore when the Latinos and other third world populace will be in majority here.......a different sense of civic sense(an inherent one) takes over when you are in majority............... Ashish '83 From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks Ashish & Ip k for the encouraging words. Like most International private unaided Schools, fees at DAIS are steep. Begins from 1L & goes upto 5 L as you go in higher standards /grades. But is inclusive of Lunch, School transport, extracurricular activities & stationary / books/files/ calculator/laptop etc. Usually one need not spend on extra tuitions for academics. Parag 1980 Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Sounds good. Is the pressure of kids high? As is in the Indian system? Malini (82) From: mgims [mailto:mgims ] On Behalf Of parag@... Sent: 09 September 2009 02:51 To: mgims Subject: Re: Mera Bharat Mahan Thanks Ashish & Ip k for the encouraging words. Like most International private unaided Schools, fees at DAIS are steep. Begins from 1L & goes upto 5 L as you go in higher standards /grades. But is inclusive of Lunch, School transport, extracurricular activities & stationary / books/files/ calculator/laptop etc. Usually one need not spend on extra tuitions for academics. Parag 1980 Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 It is a beautifully witten essay, with a lot of insight !  Prabha '84 From: Bharat Sharma <bharat_7910@ yahoo.com> Subject: Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 What a mature essay.So much insight...and in one so young.How old is he.Well I think a lot of the credit is his...posh school or not this is a unique talent. I have been reading with interest Ashish's and Bharat's and Prabha's observations too. For things to change its gotto happen on 2 fronts-the individual and society as a whole.One could argue well society is a group of individuals.But no -its when a opinion reaches a sufficient level -to make things acceptable/unacceptable.And this will vary across segments of society and also will be more marked in India becoz we are such a diverse society.Urban;rural/North;South/Rich;poor-so much variance is there. As a people we have 2 malaises...we do not respect our fellow humans and we are selfish.This reflects itself in our behaviour and attitudes. Yes we wash after our toilet but we leave the toilet wet and soggy and difficult for the next person to use.We see this at home;in public toilets ..and I am sorry to say all this reflects is a disregard for the next person ...a lack of respect.What we dont realise is that person could be me. And education/affluence is no solution.I have seen the same behaviour in all segments. Drink Driving is very unacceptable here ...not only by law but socially...and is smoking..but it took a long time for public opinion to reach where it is..as people realised that one day it could be them or their child who would be killed.Same with seat belts.Its usual for one driver to be nominated at an outing so that every one else enjoys their drink.But until I came here I was used to people saying 'one for the road please'.Same way speeding is dangerous but not reached the status of a taboo yet...the speed cameras keep things under control but generally people dont consider it a bad thing. What really upsets me is even in highly educated families -the treatment of the girl child.One extreme is obviously female foeticide and infanticide...then it gets less black...when people celebrate a boy child more than a girl ...and then a more subtle difference in educational opportunities ...to a dowry demand ...or subtle..aap posh reception de do..humne kuch nahi maangaa...lets ask ourselves in our families how many of us got married at the expense of the girls father and why...If we cant come up with anything better than 'aisa to hota hai beta' then we've got to work to change to 'aisa kyon hota hai'. These are aspects of our culture I am less than proud off...and would like to change. More later- have to work now. 82 To: mgims From: parag@... Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 20:27:04 +0530 Subject: Re: Mera Bharat Mahan The recent debate about mera Bharat has prompted me to forward a essay written by my son. Parag 1980 Naman P Shah, Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Mumbai, India CLASS: C 4. A distant cousin who lives in a very different Commonwealth country is coming to visit for the first time. Write a letter introducing yourself and your home. Keen Observer, Mumbai, India. 15th August 2008. To, ABCD Canada. Hi ABCD, Your last letter brought great news. As you are sure of your visit to India, I thought that I should tell you something’s about me and my country, information that you cannot Google! I love the street food of Mumbai, like Pav Bhajji, Samosa, Vada-Pav, Pani Puri and Schezwan Dosa. We will have a gala time together. It is seven in the morning and I am lazing off on my bed. It is a luxury to be in bed at seven in the morning, a privilege I am availing after months, today being Independence Day. I am dreaming. Dreams are not those thoughts that I get while sleeping. Dreams are those thoughts that don’t let me sleep. My bedroom follows an open plan. It is glass walled from all sides giving me a three sixty degree view of the world around me. I look out of the window towards the west and see merry school children furling the national tricolor. There is a general feel of festivity. The streets are chock a block with auto-rickshaws, taxis, double-decker buses, and all sorts of modern cars. The flyover’s are under construction for the past ten years and continue to make progress at snail’s pace. I look towards the east and see the magnificent St. s church, the famous Hindu temple of Mahalakshmi and the mid sea dargha of Haji Ali. India is a country full of mysticism; a sea of people and myriad traditions, languages and cultures. Here there is unity in diversity. Indian culture encompasses more than 500 languages, 330 million Gods and Goddesses and festivals which outnumber the days in a year. The rice we eat, the dress our women wear and the dialect we speak, changes every hundred kilometers in this country. The last National elections were won by an Italian woman of Roman Catholic heritage who made way for a Sikh to be sworn as a Prime Minister by a Muslim President, in a nation that is 81% Hindu. I now gaze towards the south and am disturbed. There is a sea of humanity living in filthy slums. India has educated the world’s second largest pool of trained scientists and engineers but 40% of the country is still illiterate. It is a place where bullock carts are still an indispensable mode of transportation; yet its rocket and satellite programmes are amongst the most advanced on earth. Four out of the top ten richest men in the world are Indians yet one-third of the world’s poor live in India. There is no bread in one India and cake for the other. Thousands of people in the urban centers are rushing to weight loss centers. Millions of other Indians are desperately trying not to lose any more weight. I will take you for a sightseeing tour around the city of Mumbai which is the city of hopes. We would travel in my car but you may encounter disabled beggars at the traffic signals tapping the windows of the car. I don’t want to upset you but that is just how the world here is. Poverty and affluence, life and lifestyle, the past and the future simultaneously coexist in India. My vision turns north and I visualize the vastness of the ocean. I appreciate the cultural diversity. But the paradoxes distress me. When we take off our slippers at the entrance of our homes, we do so out of the sense of not dragging the dirt from the streets into the sanctum of our house. Yet there is no other nation that is obsessed with ‘spitting’ as ours. Stairwells of our buildings are blotched with ‘paan’ stains. But the greatest ideological divide between Indians and the rest of the world is that, the ‘Wipers’ (who use toilet paper) are uncaring of personal hygiene according to most Indians. For the ‘Washers’ (Indians), cleanliness is next to godliness. Although we will keep the ‘Wipes’ (toilet paper) ready for you, you may have to be ready to convert into a ‘Washer’, because for us Indians cleanliness is next to godliness, but inside our homes! Your loving cousin, Keen Observer Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Just wonderful insight from a mind so young...............kudos.... to Naman..........and.......to the parents who have kept open the spectrum of creativitiy  in a mind so young. aasawari91 wondering at the paradox thats India................but still loving it the most.................. ________________________________ To: mgims Sent: Wednesday, 9 September, 2009 5:51:00 AM Subject: Re: Mera Bharat Mahan  Thanks Ashish & Ip k for the encouraging words. Like most International private unaided Schools, fees at DAIS are steep. Begins from 1L & goes upto 5 L as you go in higher standards /grades. But is inclusive of Lunch, School transport, extracurricular activities & stationary / books/files/ calculator/laptop etc. Usually one need not spend on extra tuitions for academics. Parag 1980 Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 9, 2009 Report Share Posted September 9, 2009 Thanks for the compliments Malini, Prabha & . I will pass on the message to my son Naman who is studying in Std. VIII. He is in the IGCSE stream. As regards study pressure & competition I believe that it is we parents who create an environment of pressure. Naman has lot of project work & is quite busy with activities (Academics, Football, Squash, Round Square, Model United Nations Etc.) As regards private tuitions he has one to learn Tabla. Naman is busy but enjoying his activities. Only threat that we give him, as a punishment of sort & which works is that " We will change your school " ! That should give you a hint about the 'school pressure'. Parag 1980 Mera Bharat Mahan To: " mgims " <mgimsyahoogroups (DOT) com> Cc: sandipdgyahoo (DOT) com, arvind6077yahoo (DOT) com, aggnavyahoo (DOT) com Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 2:41 PM A Reader’s Digest-conducted survey a few years ago showed Bombay (or Mumbai, if it pleases the Shiv Sena) in a very poor light. These findings were enough to rattle up a lot of people. That survey was based on very simple things (that we do or do not in our everyday life). There were numerous angry responses to the world’s opinion about our best city. Despite our self-proclaimed cultural predominance in the world, we had neither the grace nor the guts to accept the facts presented through that survey. I happened to pass a women’s college yesterday. There was a big commotion as the students poured out. Different types of vehicles, parked haphazardly, added to the chaos. Not very far from the gate of the college, was a man nonchalantly urinating against the wall. Opposite the gate, a couple (it was difficult to establish their marital status) was beating up a rikshawallah. The woman was more aggressive; she slapped the poor man after precisely calculated intervals. As it happens all over India, a group of people watched the proceedings with much interest. This group included a policeman (in uniform). All the three incidents occurred simultaneously. These were absolutely disparate activities but taking place at the same place. However, it perfectly encapsulated our social life. I like to study human behaviour and our social activities. I have my own theories about what we see every day. And, I do not differ much from what Reader’s Digest had to say about us. I have an abbreviation which I feel describes us aptly. It is: DCCC (dirty, chaotic, callous and corrupt). The three activities which I described were enough to prove the first three characteristics I just mentioned. We can talk about the corruption later. A true Indian is absolutely unaffected by any remorse or guilt for his undesirable actions. Are you a true Indian? I hate to be one. Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here http://cricket. yahoo.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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