Celebrating History and Heritage

Here in Stateside, one sees celebrations for founding days for many cities, big or small. I have even come across trips being advertised for a city's founding day. This city had apparently turned 166 years old (I am unable to recall the exact age). One can also see people enthusiastically celebrating such anniversaries.

Looking at this, one can only wonder why can we not celebrate founding days or birthdays for our cities in India? Most of these cities we know of in India are al least 200+ years old, with some venerable 'senior city-zens' amonsgt them. Some notables here (figures in years): Delhi: 900+? Patna: 2000+? Bangalore: ~1000. There are innumerable cities that are as old or older than the above-mentioned.

One might cynically say that 'celebrating city birthdays' are another Western import. True enough, but remember one thing: anything that is plenty is often taken for granted. Food is taken for granted in the West, and history is, in India. We do not need to celebrate a city's birthday to emphasize its importance. But such a celebration creates awareness amongst people from other places, and a sense of pride amongst residents. One the whole, such celebrations could create a shared feeling of pride for all of our history (ancient as well as modern).

In this context, I would like to mention the Madras Day celebrations, due to be held in the third week of August. This festival is to celebrate the 369th founding day of modern Madras City. The city was established on August 22, 1639, and was the first Presidency in British India. Such celebrations need participation from all, hence my post here. Of course, I can hear people say that the British colonized us, and so there is nothing to celebrate. Let me mention here that history includes everything that happened in the past, good and bad. The establishment of a city was definitely a good thing. So, instead of acting like an ostrich, sticking one's head in a bush, let us acknowledge our past and cherish it with pride.

369 years might not sound too old, compared to the cities I mentioned above. True, but one needs to start someplace. Let me also mention that though Madras might be 369 years old, two of its localities are much older. Mylapore is around 500 years old, with some inscriptions dating as early as 1250 CE. Also, it is believed that the saint-poet Thiruvalluvar was born here, anywhere between 100-600 CE. To celebrate Mylapore's rich cultural history came the annual Mylapore Festival. Another locality called Triplicane or Tiruvellikeni is also at least 400 years old, and has its own local festival, based on the Mylapore festival.

I hope people recognize where they come from and have pride in that, and continue to celebrate and value the heritage left with them. I have mentioned celebrations in Madras only, for I am most familiar with that city, and would like to know more about similar festivals elsewhere. I do believe that such celebrations are widespread and growing in our cities.

Happy Birthday Madras!

A long standing Indian icon

One of my friends mentioned this article about the Ambassador in the L.A. Times, and I was curious to find what the columnist had to say about one of India's icons. So, I wound up at this page, thanks to the ever obliging Google.

Being from a family that used to sport not less than three Ambys (as the car is fondly called) at home, I admit I had some nostalgic memories when I navigated to this site. Not surprisingly, I was quickly disabused of my notions about expecting some nostalgia-evoking sentences. One phrase about the car not being able to overtake even a wandering cow made me shout 'b****y murder'. Now, we all know that the line was an exaggeration, but still I could not help but feel strongly about it.

Ambys are good or bad members of India's automobile fraternity, depending on where you are positioned within the same. When you are on a bike, you want to shout at a bad (Amby) driver, who does not move, nor lets any body else move. One point to note here is that an Amby is a pretty big car for Indian roads, so it commands a lot of premium road space. There have been times when I myself have screamed my frustration at an Amby that sits on the middle of the road like a (deaf) buffalo.

Now for some positives. If you sitting inside an Amby, you feel like the king of the road. And usually, you are not alone in the car. There have been plenty of instances when entire families (some families like mine can stretch to 10+ people) share a ride on a single Amby! I have seen with my own eyes, ten people of various shapes and sizes, fitting into a single Amby, and the car actually ferried them with ease! Also, I must admit that I was once a member of such a party! If you are in an Amby, you get a comfy ride (by Indian standards of old) on any typical battered road. Maybe that is why tourist taxis still prefer to get Ambys over Omnis (a minivan), though an Amby is not much of a competitor to a Qualis (an SUV). I can recall more than quite a few long trips in Ambys, and I have fared none the worse for them. Needless to say, we did successfully overtake a few 'wandering cows'! One more advantage: if somebody rams your Amby, chances are that the somebody has a problem, and not you. This can be attributed to the predominantly lower speeds and that the Amby is so heavy and sturdy that it can probably handle the situation without any safety features like crumple zones of airbags. Of course, one needs these safety features on all cars, regardless of speeds, etc., so I hope the manufacturers do include them in the future.

Amby is a dying car today, as it has to compete with Toyotas, Fords, Hondas, etc. and it does not stand a chance against them. However, for those who recall the old magic of this icon, those who call her 'the Queen of Indian roads', the Amby will forever reside in memory for years to come. It certainly shall, in mine.

The Ambassador - An Indian icon.

Whither goes thou?

Whither goes thou? I remember reading this phrase somewhere, but cannot remember where. Probably The Hindu, where I learned most of my English. Whither, for the uninformed, means, "where to", and is not use in everyday English.

To answer my own question, I do not know. Maybe I will start pondering the meaning of life, and thinking of a good answer to this question twenty or thirty years down the road of life, but I am penning my thoughts now for my memory, which, I suspect would become progressively leaky over time. Time is the great healer, one hears people say, but, sir, time also deletes many things as part of this acclaimed healing process. A small digression here, if I may. The 'sir' in the previous sentence is a mere expression, and not sexist in anyway. I am afraid I have to clarify this right away, or I would be assailed by a bevy of people beginning with my dear sisters! That 'sir' (again) is the nature of this world today. One must not in the least insinuate that the fairer sex is weaker in any way, lest be verbally assailed by all and sundry.

You might wonder what I am trying to convey here. Quite frankly, I am still trying to figure that one out. I was filled with this irresistible urge to write something, after witnessing my colleagues blogging away to glory. Well, me too! Also, starting on philosophy, which is a profound topic on a good day, guarantees that one can let one's thoughts wander all over this world and how many more there are out there.

Whither goes thou? I really do not know. Maybe I will, one day, and I hope to be young enough to write something in whatever technology that advanced age spawns.

See you soon..!!