Of cell phones (mobiles) and the whole culture shift

Growing up I remember that we did not get our landline phone until around 1991/92. It was a really big deal for us, we could now keep in touch with the outside world, our friends could call us up and chat with us and we would not feel completely cut off from the rest of the world. We, however, did not feel that we had missed much. This is my 3^rd trip to India in 10 years. I was here in 1998, 2000 and then now in 2007. The trips in ’98 and 2000 did not have much of an impact by way of if/how India had changed. In ’98 our primary goal was to bury my mother-in-law’s ashes, in 2000 my brother was getting married, both trips did not entail much travel time. Also, I think I was too muddled…being newly married and such in ’98 and a new mother in 2000. Diya was only 4 months old in 2000!

Before we got here we had heard a lot about how much India had changed. I don’t think any amount of warnings could have prepared us for the number of changes that India has seen in a mere 7 years since our last visit. I was more taken aback by the cell phone culture than anything else. As soon as we landed in Delhi we went out shopping for a little bit. On the way back I saw a cart puller pulling a load of chopped wood, resting an elbow on that load of wood and carrying on a merry conversation on the cell. Picture a rickshaw (a three wheeled contraption that is used to transport people) only this one is adjusted to carry large loads. You would think that he was on his bed carrying on this convo! Understand that this person maybe makes a100 dollars a month IF that!

Then once we got to Kanpur my brother told me another mobile story. He stopped at a place to get some cheap (really cheap) not more than a cent worth of toys. Well this “place” was a man who was carrying the toys in a basket on his head. Anyway, so my brother started talking to him and said how he works for a mobile company, that the toys better be good, etc. Anyway, no sooner had my brother said this than the man pulled out a mobile from his bedraggled clothing and told my brother to make sure he got his number and told him about the toys! This man probably makes 10 dollars a month, maybe slightly more.

I have seen so many changes in Kanpur itself. People have a lot of liquid cash and the advent of cable has somehow necessitated that we emulate the west in every which way we can. Now we have malls and it’s become a big thing to just go to the mall and walk around, pretty much like it’s in the States. I don’t know, for me it’s just very different.

Congestion in Kanpur is at an all time high. I don’t remember it being this bad 7 years ago. The weather forecast also says it’s going to be a smoky day. Can you imagine? The smog is terrible, but people don’t seem to notice. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all bad! The food still tastes really good, and I realize how much I just miss everything about my city. I truly don’t care about all of the above, I just miss India so much. I am already getting so depressed thinking about going back to the States and going back to that same humdrum life. I truly don’t want to sound ungrateful, America is now my home…but regardless of anything, my roots and everything about me is all Indian!