‘India is the guru of the world. Who asks the guru why? Ask the chelas (pupils/learners).’
India…World…
I am approaching the local grocery store in a 5-10-rupee small town with a muddle of information in my head.
In the 21st century, Ukraine and Russia are at a prolonged war with a potential nuclear threat.
In the seven years since Brexit, the United Kingdom is onto its fifth Prime Minister—as many as in the previous 37 years.
France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Belgium, China, Austria, Bulgaria, alongwith African countries like Congo and Muslim-majority Chad, have imposed a ban on the burqa—not just in educational institutions but public places.
With a rise in fatal killings of Black Americans, Black Lives Matter has become a major movement in the United States.
Recession and inflation are now common references to the economies of the US, UK and the European Union. With countries like Hungary shutting down heating even in kindergartens.
No wonder headlines about India are a bit startling…unexpected.
The World Bank says that with 1.2 billion people, India will be the world’s third-largest economy in purchasing power parity terms.
That India is better positioned to navigate global headwinds than other major emerging economies.
That India is already the fastest-growing economy in the world.
The International Monetary Fund even claims India is one of the potential superpowers of the world.
All these are definitions/phrases from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
In the grocery store, now bordering on a super-market, the words India and World make the rounds of the two owner brothers (B1, B2) and three staff members (S1, S2 and Mr Hang Man…coming to the last one soon enough.)
B1 has a grand, exaggerated style, a combination of his innate personality and high birth caste status. On the move, as he grandly walks away, he says, “India is the guru of the world.” Why guru, I ask. “Just because…” But why, I ask persistently. He continues with “Just”. Finally, when I ask vehemently, he turns from the far end, again walking away grandly, answering, “Who asks the guru ‘why’? Ask the chelas (pupils/learners).”
As I lean to S2 with the two words, I see the youngest one, maybe about 16-17 years old. “Call him, call, him,” I request with urgency. He is already passing through a dividing door as he mumbles. I ask about what he said. Everyone laughs as they say in unison, “He is saying the question is invalid!”
All through, I try to catch him again and again with “Why invalid?” He just kept turning away with his great smile. I believe later, he told everyone, “Maine Aunty ko hang kar diyaa.” Loosely: Aunty got hung. As in mobile phones, you know.
So back to S2. He ponders and says, “Why don’t you speak to S1 first?”
S1 it is, a floating employee, on a little-above minimum wage. He is serious and keeps looking deep into my eyes as his thoughts formulate. The speckled thoughts come out in bits and pieces.
“We are a nation of kindness, generosity. See how we are helping Turkey now in the time of a horrible earthquake. They have not been friends of India. They have better relations with Pakistan.” For starters, this was certainly a bit of a shocker.
I wait, he thinks, I prod. “We are not just the largest and greatest democracy in the world. We are diverse, secular. There is no other country like that in the world.”
“You really think we are a great democracy?” I ask. “Definitely. Dr B. R. Ambedkar gave us a Constitution to be proud of. I don’t know how many countries of the world have a Constitution that protects every section of society. It is because of him.” Though very tempting, it seemed wise not to ask if he belonged to a Scheduled Caste.
S2 is hiding, avoiding me. I trail him and pin him down. He blurts out, “We have import-export, have always had great trade.” I am a bit stumped. Truly. “You think that is something to mention when you hear the words India-World?” I ask. “Yes…you see, we send out so many things the world needs. And whatever we need, we import. So people can get what they need, wish for.” Clearly, it is a very simple Ministry of Finance for S2.
Time to catch the younger owner brother B2. He speaks great English. Standing behind the counter selling products and counting money is not really his thing. In his mid-thirties, he is ready to “retire”, to chill, as he says.
B2: “India is great…in a lot of ways. Our problem is attitude. You see, all this land around the store, it is all ours. So, let me give you a hypothetical situation. When we want to clean up, we’ll make sure the cleaning is done…but we will say, throw the muck on the other side of the road. Even though the road and the land across is all our terrain.
“That’s our problem. Keep my house clean, forget what happens elsewhere.” “Are we parochial?” “Of course. We just cannot think about anything but ourselves. We really don’t care about anyone else.” “Will that affect our growth and progress?” “Naturally. How can we progress with such thinking, this attitude?”
From somewhere at the back, the voice of B1 booms, “But we are the world guru…remember that…Ask the chelas,” he says with a booming laugh.