Two ladies. Two worlds. One land.The shot above is the first of a number that are going to crop up from our recently completed trip to Jharkhand where we lived at the turn of the millenium.
In the pic above a billboard image of a Bollywood starlet reaches out to a drop-beaded bottle of fizzy sweet black water that one of our friendly multinationals is flogging in our country. The expression on her face is puzzling. Is is joy? It looks more like a kind of awe. Perhaps the bottle looks messianic to her. Anyway, it is presented as the object of her desire - and hence the worthy object of our desires (and the lightener of our pockets).
Below and behind this image sits a tribal woman beside the road. An old bed is being used to dry something and she is at work - seemingly in a world of her own. How much does she look at the images our ad boys (and girls) are trying to feed her. Does she have the Rs. 13 in cash that a bottle of black fizzy joy will put her back (Rs. 15-20 if consumed in a 'restaurant')?
Some of the constant contrasts we are presented with in our poverty-shot land of plenty.
We saw the scene above when we stopped for lunch at the famous 'Bihari Dhaba' on the road between Ranchi and Chandwa - just outside the slightly morbidly named place of Kuru.
The great thing about BD is that it is still there - doling out piping hot rotis to go with various vegetable subjis. I had often stopped in while on the 3.5 hour motor-cycle ride between the Nav Jivan Hospital and Ranchi. As with any dhaba worth their salt, you can relax on the row of charpais that are laid out for passing truckers and other travellers who prefer to eat their food biblically (Jesus 'reclined for diner' as was the Greek-influenced culture of the day - e.g. Luke 22.14).
Our intrepid crew used the charpais to sit on rather than taking advantage of the opportunity to eat in bed!
P.S. Though the state of Jharkhand was split off from Bihar in 1999 - some places are still called by their old names. A lesson for some of our friends in Bombay-land (oops make that Mumbai-matra-bhoomi)?
BD seems to be very interesting..very good writing, Andi. Why do you think it was Greek culture that made people recline while dining?
ReplyDeleteMuch of Jewish culture in Jesus' day was heavily influenced by the Greek culture. Jesus probably spoke Greek with his friends - in addition to the Aramaic dialect - just like across the world many speak English (including for example many who are reading this) while also speaking their own mother tongues. As I understand it, Greek aristocrats and free men took to dining while reclining - and the Romans extended this. There is a fascinating book by Matthew Roller on Roman reclining customs called "Dining Posture in Ancient Rome" of which you can read the intro here: http://press.princeton.edu/chapters/i8190.pdf.
ReplyDeleteNice article. I am a local from that area and in fact I studied in Chandwa until class Xth.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you have lived in those places for a while as you know the Navjeevan Hospital (Tumbagarha)?
Where are you these days?
Thanks Anand - always great to know that folks from Jharkhand are on the move! Chandwa has a special place for me since I knew one of the Fathers there well. In the days when I would drive a Yamaha 100 cc between Tumbagrah and Ranchi - I would often make a short break at Chandwa - and he always welcomed me for tea and long conversations.
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