A glimpse of India - through the characters of “Peepli – Live”

2023: I HAAVE NO CLUE WHY I WROTE THIS POST; PLEASE IGNORE THIS

How beautifully can the dynamics in Indian villages be summarized in less than two hours. I found Peepli to be a perfect instance of the class “Indian Villages”. Lets look at some of the characters of the movie and illustrate it. Your additions/disagreements are most welcome !!!!
Just a disclaimer – Even though the focus here is villages, I have departed at occasions and have drawn a comparison with the urban India.

1. Natha’s children – For the little children, the dream of having a better place to live in, having a better education, having more money for daily living is more important than the fact that their father will die. Actually, truly speaking, they were too young to realize whats going on. Most children in India who are below the poverty line doesn’t understand the implications of the kind of work they are forced into. The possibility of having a good daily living drives them to enter the “No Entry” zone. This “No Entry” can be anything from forced beggary to child labour to working for some mafia etc etc. By the time they get an idea of whats going on, they have already crossed the “Point of No Return”.

2. Natha’s mother – A typical four-father generation lady who believes that whatever evil is happening in her family’s life is due to her daughter-in-law. Doesn’t have the power to sit properly but still abuses her in the worst possible way. The tradition in the Indian villages does not allow a man’s mom to bend in front of his wife. Leave the villages, this is so prevalent even in joint family structure that half the daily serials are based on the saas-bahu issue. The practicality of Natha’s mother’s role can be justified by the popularity of Ekta Kapoor !!!!


3. Reporters – Probably the characters with whom we can easily relate to. Most of us today in the business world keep ethics aside and then work. That is portrayed beautifully through the reporters. Competition to reach the place first, somehow get the interviews of the most important people, get whatever information about the ‘highlighted’ guy. We all do similar stuff in our respective work places. We even highlight shit when nothing else works. Here, I would like a special mention of the guy called Rakesh. He was the one who started airing the news of Natha’s possible suicide…………by the end he realized that what they are doing does not make sense………he represents some of us who gets awakened in the middle of everything……….but still continues to carry on (simple reason – fight for earning and basic living). His character is similar to that of an ambitious actress who does not have any idea about “Casting Couch”.

4. Politicians – We all can write 100 blogs on them. Excuse me for not breaking the parallel thinking to write something so redundant.


5. Farmer Mahato – These are the people who are typically tagged as “Hard Workers” across industries. One feels sad for the guy who dies working. But, did he have any option? Our economy is so much driven by the agriculture sector that one bad monsoon makes the poor poorer. Then, either he suicides or dies off trying to work extra. None of the politician or reporter actually talked about his state of mind, so ironic !!! But, that’s reality. The difference between him and Natha is that of a worker who works hard to earn incentives but gets them only when he announces his resignation !!!! Not saying that Natha ended up with the incentives, but on a lighter note, he atleast got a hand-pump and free nation wide publicity :)

6. Natha’s wife – Her character is beautifully summarized at the end, when Budhia returns with the information about money (following Natha’s death), she first serves him water and then asks about the proceedings. Respecting and following a culture is different and justifiable, but just imagine the amount of traditions Indian women needs to follow……..she actually holds Budhia responsible for the entire tragedy, lost her husband……..and still no clue of money………you would expect her to grab his collar but instead serves him water when he returns home. Really, worth giving a thought !!!!


7. Budhia and Natha – Can we really blame Budhia for the entire episode ???? Even at the highest level in the Indian industries, brothers have fought for business and money……….these two were just farmers for whom earning daily living was the biggest challenge. The greed for money entices Budhia to entice Natha to announce his suicide. But, was it really greed for money ???? Or just a step to ensure that the future of his family is secured. And, just give a thought to the fact that Natha did not even realize what he was going to do………when he realized, it was already late. The possibility of getting a lump sum money had eaten a major share of their brains.

One can feel Natha’s happiness when the CM announced the cancellation of his suicide. The twist thereafter made him run away from his home. Assuming he never returned, he still continues to work as a construction worker……….he strongly represents the section of villagers who leave farming and migrate to cities. In a country where agriculture drives the economy, this is a shame !!!!

I am not sure about the developed economies, but for a developing one like ours (where problems only increase because of corruption, over-population, unemployment, child labour, and many others), it is safe to say that “ITS ALL ABOUT MONEY, HONEY”

Planning a Euro Trip ?

Acknowledgement:

One of my dear Consultant friends gave me this idea of jotting down everything that might be of help to all those planning a Euro Trip.

Few tips:

• Suitable time: September - November or March - May
  
• Suitable duration: 3 - 4 weeks
  
• Suitable landing and take-off destination: Paris (at night)

Starters:

The first and foremost thing is to book the flight tickets. Preferably Emirates. Dubai duty free shopping is something worth experiencing. So, ideal route would be Mum/Del/Kol/Chn -> Dubai -> Paris. Please make sure your flight reaches and leaves Paris at night.
Once this is done, you should book accomodation. For that, your itinerary should be fully planned and you should book youth hostels (google "Hostelling International" and do your bookings).

The most important task now is to get a Visa. Apply for Schengen Visa. Get in touch with the closest "Alliance Francaise" office, call there and get the details for applying for Visa. There are two types of Visa - short term (<=90 days) and long term (>90 days). For all tourism purposes, short term visa is issued. Apply for the same, fix an interview date with the "Alliance Francaise" office. Please keep in mind that there are specific photograph requirements for the Visa and that should be met otherwise Visa processing might take a longer time.

Europe cannot be enjoyed without the Eurail paas. Once Visa is stamped, apply for a suitable Eurail paas (chk out the options in the net). Train reservations are very expensive in Europe, so it is mandatory to have a Eurail paas.

Approximate budget for a month trip for one person would be 2-2.5 lakhs depending on your lifestyle and priorities. This includes the flight tickets and the Eurail paas expense. Keep some Euros in cash and some in the form of Travel Debit Cards, ICICI Card has good features.

Be physically fit and mentally ready to eat anything !!!!!

Main Menu:

The actual itinerary:
Well, it actually depends on how much time you have for the trip. I will assume a 2 month duration and proceed. You can prioritize based on your interests.
One tip: Take the local map and "Tourist attraction guides" from the hostels that you put up in.

• Paris - 2 days and 3 nights. Day: Notre Dame, Sacre Couer, Opera area, Saint Michelle, Louvre Museum, Jardin de Tuilleris. Night: Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, L'avenue de Champs Elisee.
• Belgium - 1 day in Bruxelles, 1 day in Brugge. Have HOT CHOCOLATE WAFFLES in Belgium.
• Amsterdam - 1 day and 1 night. Its a different city, enjoy !!!!
• Scandenavia - 10 days. Cover Kopenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Interiors of Norway and Finland. There is a cruise from Sweden to Finland over the icy cold sea. Dont miss that.
• Berlin - 2 days and 1 night. City of Modern history.
• Prague - 2 days and 1 night. Have an excellent old city look. Dont miss out on the Prague Castle, Tyn Cathedral, Charles Bridge and the astronomical clock.
• Austria - One week. One of the most beautiful countries. Cover Vienna, Salzburg and Innsbruck.
• Munich - Go if and only if October beer fest is taking place at that time.
  
• Switzerland - One week. Needless to say; awesome, awesome, awesome. Cover Interlaken - Jungfrau, take a PANORAMIC train from Interlaken to Lucerne. Spend 3 days atleast in Lucerne.
  
• Italy - One week. Venice and Rome are a must. You just cant miss out on Rome. You can cover Milano, Cenque Terra, Napoli, Mt Vesuvius if you have plenty of time and if Italy excites you.
• Greece - Acropolis makes a trip to Athens worth the time and money, but train and ship route takes a lot of time, if you can afford a flight to and fro Athens, its worth watching. There are other islands like Mikonos and Santorini which makes the Greek proud. But again, take flights if you do want to go to these places.
• South France - 2 days. Monaco, Cannes and Nice. Amazing beaches.
• Barcelona - 2 days.Amazing beaches with the hottest girls.
• Back to Paris

Please keep inquiring about the cruises and other Surface transport options as most of them are free in the Eurail paas that you have. Best thing is to enquire every city's nuances from the receptionist of the hostel that you stay in. Also, remember to take 2 days rest after every 10 days of trip. And yes, do experience a German train somewhere.
Very Important - Keep the number of the Indian Embassy in France with you and never lose your passport anywhere. Keep adequate photocopies of your passport.

Desserts:

Once your trip is done, you would like to shop and get loads and loads of stuff back home.
Do remember to see the Indian customs website so as to what all stuff is banned and what are the limitations on the purchase of alcohol, perfumes, etc. This is important as the Customs in India will check your bags and charge heavy duty if any such thing is found. Alcohol can be bought from the duty free shops in Paris/Dubai.
Also, keep a check on the weight of the stuff purchased, if ots more than the allowable limits of the airline, they charge a very heavy amount.

You can be rest assured that if planned meticulously, this will be the most enjoyable and memorable trip of your life.
Get in touch with me for more specific information.