the land of "jugaad"

A recent gruelling experience left me with enough energy to come up with this post.I am dead sure all those who will go through it will relate it to their lives.In the land of "jugaad" which is known as India the world over, one really needs to be conversant with the tricks that will get him/her through the maze of officialdom that one has to encounter while doing just about everything.Each and every process involving the so called civil "servants" has been tailor made to accomodate the needs and greeds of the officials involved.Be it filing your Income tax returns , application of pan card , ration card , gas connection ; you just cannot get your things done without a "jugaad"(hindi for ingenuity or cleverness).This is applicable not only to government officials but it also encompasses officials in schools , colleges etc - peons in schools and colleges act with the authority of the principal - i remember one such peon called Rane in my school .. he used to pull up children routinely for no reason..how i wish I should have a meeting with him now ...u know...just to give him a taste of things...

India as we all know is the world's largest democratic nation and under the constitution of India , each and every individual is awarded the freedom of speech , freedom of expression etc.Apart from the Railways and the English language , the British will be remembered for giving the gift of Democracy to India.Now , the people of India (especially those in civil services) using their own smart ways have interpreted the freedom of speech to mean that they can ask for anything if u want them to do your work , treat you in whichever fashion they desire ...all this when they get paid to work for the citizenry...of course they always find ways to supplement the official income that they get..and apart from that there is always the constant threat of strikes , rasta-roko etc. for a pay raise and other fringe benefits...Recently the news about the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission made all the babus laugh their way to the bank...and to top it , the dearness allowance (DA) was also raised for all the govt employees including the Armed Forces...Who cares that it will cost the govt 0.4% GDP or Rs.20,000 crores and DA hike another 6,ooo crores ...the freedom of expression entitles people to express their desires(read greeds )as and when they wish ...Welcome to India ...
As Suketa Mehta very rightly says in his award-winning title "Maximum City" , "India is the Country of the No.That 'no' is your test.You have to get past it.It is India's Great Wall; it keeps out foreign invaders.Pursuing it energetically and vanquishing it is your challenge."

Jai Ho !!