Thursday, May 27, 2010
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Outsourcing Wombs
Want to rent a womb, come to India
Increasingly NRI are flocking to India to find a womb on hire in India.
Many couples in India see it as an opportunity to cash on and have some nice kitty in bank.
I don’t know how to respond to the trend. Indian women who are ready give womb on rent get about $ 15000 to $ 25000 and seem to be happy about it.
Some couples are so much sold on the idea that they have moved out from joint family and taken up the venture.
There are stories that parents do not know about it, it’s a secret shared between husband and wife alone. Then the time to deliver the baby comes they will move to other city. After delivery of child its handed over and couple goes back and announce delivery of a dead child or some thing of that sort.
There are few families where whole fertile women folks have taken to hiring wombs.
Foreigners are lining up to rent a womb in India. But they will soon have to face legal regulations being planned by the ministry of women and child development (WCD).
Surrogacy, an area unregulated till now, meant that childless couples from abroad as well as in the country could get away with renting a womb at terms often to the disadvantage of a needy women who stood the chance of being exploited.
Women and child development minister Renuka Chaudhary said that the ministry was considering a law to regulate the business of surrogate motherhood and sperm banks on the lines of similar laws in other countries.
Women's organizations have long been demanding a law on surrogate motherhood and hiring of wombs in India.
"The sensitive issue of surrogacy in the absence of laws or regulations has become a free playing field for unscrupulous intermediaries who lure and push uneducated and poor women into surrogate motherhood," a WCD ministry official said, emphasizing the need for the law.
It is argued that there was every possibility of misuse of children born out of surrogacy for terrorism, prostitution or unethical genetic engineering research as the foreigners who pay for the child would not have any emotional bonding with the kid.
India is emerging as a major destination for surrogacy as childless couples from US and Europe are lured by the prospect of a surrogate child for around Rs 100,000 ($2,250) to Rs 225,000 ($5,060) each pregnancy compared with some $40,000 or even more in the US. Many say the country can become a centre of "reproductive tourism".
Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman agrees to carry a pregnancy, which is genetically unrelated to her, to its full term. She delivers the child and hands it over to the genetic parents. Since couples fear that strangers who act as surrogates could pose legal problems, they often rope in relatives or friends to carry the pregnancy.
In one case, when a couple needed a surrogate for their child, it was the man's mother who carried the pregnancy. Strange and inconceivable but true as such things do happen in various parts of India.
There are some unbelievable incidents too, a woman in labor was brought to a hospital for the delivery.
But a couple who accompanied her informed the hospital that the pregnant woman was only a surrogate for their child, so her name should not appear on official records.
The ICMR clearly states that a woman, carrying a child biologically unrelated to her, must register as a patient in her own name and mention that she is a surrogate mother.
http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2503791,prtpage-1.cms
Increasingly NRI are flocking to India to find a womb on hire in India.
Many couples in India see it as an opportunity to cash on and have some nice kitty in bank.
I don’t know how to respond to the trend. Indian women who are ready give womb on rent get about $ 15000 to $ 25000 and seem to be happy about it.
Some couples are so much sold on the idea that they have moved out from joint family and taken up the venture.
There are stories that parents do not know about it, it’s a secret shared between husband and wife alone. Then the time to deliver the baby comes they will move to other city. After delivery of child its handed over and couple goes back and announce delivery of a dead child or some thing of that sort.
There are few families where whole fertile women folks have taken to hiring wombs.
Foreigners are lining up to rent a womb in India. But they will soon have to face legal regulations being planned by the ministry of women and child development (WCD).
Surrogacy, an area unregulated till now, meant that childless couples from abroad as well as in the country could get away with renting a womb at terms often to the disadvantage of a needy women who stood the chance of being exploited.
Women and child development minister Renuka Chaudhary said that the ministry was considering a law to regulate the business of surrogate motherhood and sperm banks on the lines of similar laws in other countries.
Women's organizations have long been demanding a law on surrogate motherhood and hiring of wombs in India.
"The sensitive issue of surrogacy in the absence of laws or regulations has become a free playing field for unscrupulous intermediaries who lure and push uneducated and poor women into surrogate motherhood," a WCD ministry official said, emphasizing the need for the law.
It is argued that there was every possibility of misuse of children born out of surrogacy for terrorism, prostitution or unethical genetic engineering research as the foreigners who pay for the child would not have any emotional bonding with the kid.
India is emerging as a major destination for surrogacy as childless couples from US and Europe are lured by the prospect of a surrogate child for around Rs 100,000 ($2,250) to Rs 225,000 ($5,060) each pregnancy compared with some $40,000 or even more in the US. Many say the country can become a centre of "reproductive tourism".
Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman agrees to carry a pregnancy, which is genetically unrelated to her, to its full term. She delivers the child and hands it over to the genetic parents. Since couples fear that strangers who act as surrogates could pose legal problems, they often rope in relatives or friends to carry the pregnancy.
In one case, when a couple needed a surrogate for their child, it was the man's mother who carried the pregnancy. Strange and inconceivable but true as such things do happen in various parts of India.
There are some unbelievable incidents too, a woman in labor was brought to a hospital for the delivery.
But a couple who accompanied her informed the hospital that the pregnant woman was only a surrogate for their child, so her name should not appear on official records.
The ICMR clearly states that a woman, carrying a child biologically unrelated to her, must register as a patient in her own name and mention that she is a surrogate mother.
http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2503791,prtpage-1.cms
Recruitment Mayhem
So it has happened again and will continue to happen across India. Two people including a tourist got killed in mayhem created in CISF recruitment drive at Jaipur. It seems authorities never learn and organize such recruitment drives totally unmindful of these horrors. I still remember horrific events witnessed during an earlier Army recruitment drive few years ago. They come from all over, from distance towns and villages and spilled over around army area. All the rattling buses to city had to bear large burden of hopefuls with out tickets occupying the roof top and no one could dare to object.
The fate of trains was no different with large youthful crowd singing and sitting on the curved dangerous roofs. The moment these trains entered the city limits the youth took out stones from the pockets and bags and bombarded the houses near railway tracks. The glass panes got shattered, earthen pots vanished with bangs and few child, aged and women got hurt. The crowds in our Mera Bharat Mahan have mind of their own and reaction pattern feared by all, larger the crowd heinous crimes go unpunished forever. It has become too safe for many to let out the boiling prejudices, thrash and even kill any one and do collectively whatever one could not have guts and opportunities to indulge in alone.
The large crowds confer the coveted unanimity which propels some to indulge in unimagined violence and gore. Its is very disturbing that how simple, otherwise docile people get attracted to such violence, some of it reserved for young girls and women. The new recruitment for men was scheduled the next day. The army area near by was surrounded by the eager, starry eyed young men looking for a career in Indian army, one of the coveted occupations for many of the sturdy youths. But there has been stampede and deaths resulting for the huge unmanageable crowd. But the lesson has been not been learned and the area of city was slowly filled by large number of youth. They come with one Rexene bag, a leaking plastic water bottle, and papers.
For more compelling were lots of dreams and hope to make it and change their uneventful life for ever. Being a solder in India army remains one of the best career options for so many. The allurements are heady and dreamy aura about being a part of a glorious occupation, defending the nation, being able to wear a dashing uniform, postings in faraway exotic places and other material benefits pull the strings. The residents of the area were rudely shaken by crowd of boys occupying the space of both sides of the roads. The space to walk, park vehicles was gone with boys sleeping there and singing mournful ballads. Early morning jogger many of them women hurried back home to escape the loud leering, whistles and cat calls. Come hot afternoons and the boys opened gates and perched under shed of drive ways and cool lawns. The lame objections of the residents were ignored with contempt such city bred indifference deserved.
They banged doors and asked for cool refrigerated water again and again till such supplies were no more possible. The girls and women of the house were imprisoned in back rooms, far away from being able to hear the bawdy rustic jokes and lusty songs they sung with clear purpose to make their intensions as naked as possible. The air got fouled as the crowd eased themselves sitting on high walls of many empty plots. There were no solutions in the offing as the crowd grew large and every open space was filled by these harassed boys. The police was not foolish to try to restore any order in the huge unruly mob. The vendors smelled business and converged to sell refreshments and sundry merchandize sought by the hungry youth. Few greedy vendors were given a befitting thrashing because of over the rampant pricing and rudeness shown to would be defenders of the borders.
The large administration teeming with highly educated snooty officers was blissfully unaware of the havoc being played in the capital. News papers reported that the long awaited recruitments were due next day but forgot to tell the whole story. They some how had no idea of the inconveniences experienced by the residents of the area. Most of the people were forced to stay indoors as the dangers were so large and it becomes impossible to walk or take vehicles out on roads. Every inch of space got filled with swarm of young hopefuls spilling in every hour. They ransack the small and big railway stations, looted whatever comes their way. The vehicles got turned; people got beaten by the surging and rampaging mob with patriotic objectives. The interview time neared, the fences were pulled down, and barricades were run over.
The recruitment drive to Indian Army was now in the full patriotic glory. Out of blue two young girls riding a scooter materialized from a side lane and stood still, undecided. They were shown the way to enter the crowd and assured of a safe get away. They were too naives. The hungry crowd pounced on them, their cries lost in the shouts of young men eager to feel, grope and maul female bodies. People watching from nearby house tops were too stunned to react. An army officer noticed and took out his gun on the hoodlums and shouted them to leave the girls. The cowards trying their luck to defend borders just ran away. They loathed leaving those two young girls crouching on tar road, every piece of cloths they wore were gone, stripped naked by the large demented crowd. They had blood oozing from nose and scratched flesh all over. Only a few yards away a young woman driving a car was also incited to enter the crowd and she met the same gruesome fate.
Her sari was pulled away making her turn in the car surprised with mortal fear. They pounced on her with naked depravity and she too turned it to mass of blood and bruises. A rifle aimed from a retired army man from rooftop made the ruffians ran away. These were too gory sights to forget but were never reported in news papers, reasons still unknown. Fate of a school bus filled with deaf and dumb children was no different only the occupants were helpless kids barely able to comprehend what was happening. The school management and parents perhaps misjudged the depravity of the crowd and made a big mistake their wards will not forget easily ever. The bus was made to halt and hungry young men boarded the bus with clear objectives in mind. They snatched away the tiny Tiffin boxes of wide eyed challenged kids with ferocity reserved for enemies of Mera Bhara Mahan. They looted as the teachers and crew sweated in fears, the lady attendant was groped with intense severity. All these people will never forget the scars of these beastly behaviors ever. Do the army top brass is aware of severity of these repeated incidents across country and have the lessons have been learned? Why can't they plan the small recruitments aimed at cluster of villages and towns? I do not know but do read such incidents repeatedly and go over those horrific moments witnessed.
The fate of trains was no different with large youthful crowd singing and sitting on the curved dangerous roofs. The moment these trains entered the city limits the youth took out stones from the pockets and bags and bombarded the houses near railway tracks. The glass panes got shattered, earthen pots vanished with bangs and few child, aged and women got hurt. The crowds in our Mera Bharat Mahan have mind of their own and reaction pattern feared by all, larger the crowd heinous crimes go unpunished forever. It has become too safe for many to let out the boiling prejudices, thrash and even kill any one and do collectively whatever one could not have guts and opportunities to indulge in alone.
The large crowds confer the coveted unanimity which propels some to indulge in unimagined violence and gore. Its is very disturbing that how simple, otherwise docile people get attracted to such violence, some of it reserved for young girls and women. The new recruitment for men was scheduled the next day. The army area near by was surrounded by the eager, starry eyed young men looking for a career in Indian army, one of the coveted occupations for many of the sturdy youths. But there has been stampede and deaths resulting for the huge unmanageable crowd. But the lesson has been not been learned and the area of city was slowly filled by large number of youth. They come with one Rexene bag, a leaking plastic water bottle, and papers.
For more compelling were lots of dreams and hope to make it and change their uneventful life for ever. Being a solder in India army remains one of the best career options for so many. The allurements are heady and dreamy aura about being a part of a glorious occupation, defending the nation, being able to wear a dashing uniform, postings in faraway exotic places and other material benefits pull the strings. The residents of the area were rudely shaken by crowd of boys occupying the space of both sides of the roads. The space to walk, park vehicles was gone with boys sleeping there and singing mournful ballads. Early morning jogger many of them women hurried back home to escape the loud leering, whistles and cat calls. Come hot afternoons and the boys opened gates and perched under shed of drive ways and cool lawns. The lame objections of the residents were ignored with contempt such city bred indifference deserved.
They banged doors and asked for cool refrigerated water again and again till such supplies were no more possible. The girls and women of the house were imprisoned in back rooms, far away from being able to hear the bawdy rustic jokes and lusty songs they sung with clear purpose to make their intensions as naked as possible. The air got fouled as the crowd eased themselves sitting on high walls of many empty plots. There were no solutions in the offing as the crowd grew large and every open space was filled by these harassed boys. The police was not foolish to try to restore any order in the huge unruly mob. The vendors smelled business and converged to sell refreshments and sundry merchandize sought by the hungry youth. Few greedy vendors were given a befitting thrashing because of over the rampant pricing and rudeness shown to would be defenders of the borders.
The large administration teeming with highly educated snooty officers was blissfully unaware of the havoc being played in the capital. News papers reported that the long awaited recruitments were due next day but forgot to tell the whole story. They some how had no idea of the inconveniences experienced by the residents of the area. Most of the people were forced to stay indoors as the dangers were so large and it becomes impossible to walk or take vehicles out on roads. Every inch of space got filled with swarm of young hopefuls spilling in every hour. They ransack the small and big railway stations, looted whatever comes their way. The vehicles got turned; people got beaten by the surging and rampaging mob with patriotic objectives. The interview time neared, the fences were pulled down, and barricades were run over.
The recruitment drive to Indian Army was now in the full patriotic glory. Out of blue two young girls riding a scooter materialized from a side lane and stood still, undecided. They were shown the way to enter the crowd and assured of a safe get away. They were too naives. The hungry crowd pounced on them, their cries lost in the shouts of young men eager to feel, grope and maul female bodies. People watching from nearby house tops were too stunned to react. An army officer noticed and took out his gun on the hoodlums and shouted them to leave the girls. The cowards trying their luck to defend borders just ran away. They loathed leaving those two young girls crouching on tar road, every piece of cloths they wore were gone, stripped naked by the large demented crowd. They had blood oozing from nose and scratched flesh all over. Only a few yards away a young woman driving a car was also incited to enter the crowd and she met the same gruesome fate.
Her sari was pulled away making her turn in the car surprised with mortal fear. They pounced on her with naked depravity and she too turned it to mass of blood and bruises. A rifle aimed from a retired army man from rooftop made the ruffians ran away. These were too gory sights to forget but were never reported in news papers, reasons still unknown. Fate of a school bus filled with deaf and dumb children was no different only the occupants were helpless kids barely able to comprehend what was happening. The school management and parents perhaps misjudged the depravity of the crowd and made a big mistake their wards will not forget easily ever. The bus was made to halt and hungry young men boarded the bus with clear objectives in mind. They snatched away the tiny Tiffin boxes of wide eyed challenged kids with ferocity reserved for enemies of Mera Bhara Mahan. They looted as the teachers and crew sweated in fears, the lady attendant was groped with intense severity. All these people will never forget the scars of these beastly behaviors ever. Do the army top brass is aware of severity of these repeated incidents across country and have the lessons have been learned? Why can't they plan the small recruitments aimed at cluster of villages and towns? I do not know but do read such incidents repeatedly and go over those horrific moments witnessed.
Creative Smoking
Creative Smoking
So at last Mr. Shah Rukh Khan has decided to quit smoking.
But he might continue to use his so dearly held creative freedom to smoke on the screen.
He may not even smoke a real cigarette during film shooting and yet will surely influence his teen aged fans to imitate him in real life.
How ever there are few important points to be noted:
1. The Health Minister is not wrong in suggesting to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and
Mr. Shah Rukh Khan to avoid smoking in movies.
2."Creativity just cannot escape public scrutiny and even admonishment, if it tantamount to social evil. In this case, it is an unadulterated invitation to death itself," Shekhar Salkar, General Secretary, National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), said reacting to Shahrukh's contention.
Shahrukh, had earlier responding to Union health minister Ambumani Ramadoss's appeal to Amitabh Bachchan and Khan to stop setting bad example by smoking in public and in films citing that children have their first puff due to celebrities, said that actors could not be asked to curb their 'creative liberties'.
3.Now lets get back to the basic question of the Creative Freedom.
How important it is to use smoking character to make a point in a film scene?
It is in fact an easy stereotyped tool to project a macho image and other variety of dramatic elements.
4. The film directors and actors use it as a handy prop so often.
The concept again revolves around few stereotypes:
a. A smoking man looks macho.
b. A smoking woman looks liberated.
c. A smoking woman also project promiscuity.
c. A smoking character looks really thinking hard.
d. A smoking character projects being in control.
There are other variety of scenic needs which are immediately solved by putting a cigarette in hand.
5. Lets have a look at the definitions of the words create and creativity:
Create
: to evolve from one's one thought or imagination to make by investing with new character or functions.
Create
: author, bring into being, compose, conceive, parent, form, give rise to, throw together
Creative
: generative, ground-breaking, innovative, originate, handmade
Creativity:
creativity creativeness, formativeness, innovation, inventiveness, originality, productivity, craftsmanship, authorship, creatorship
Creativity involves the translation of our unique gifts, talents and vision into an external reality that is new and useful. We must keep in mind that creativity takes place unavoidably inside our own personal, social, and cultural boundaries.
5. Now where is the creativity in real sense?
6. Creativity with out being innovative boils down to stagnant stereotypes and pathetic repetitions.
7. And we also know Hindi films and so called creative film makers love repetitions and proven formulas to produce a hit and most of times they fail.
8.So what ever creativity Mr. Shah Rukh Khan may be referring to is in fact enveloped in thick layer of easy formulas.
But then Hindi films are rarely known to be creative in real sense.
It also seems quite clear that these hugely popular film stars have little or no sense of any social responsibility.
But if they are found to be otherwise we will all only benefit.
So at last Mr. Shah Rukh Khan has decided to quit smoking.
But he might continue to use his so dearly held creative freedom to smoke on the screen.
He may not even smoke a real cigarette during film shooting and yet will surely influence his teen aged fans to imitate him in real life.
How ever there are few important points to be noted:
1. The Health Minister is not wrong in suggesting to Mr. Amitabh Bachchan and
Mr. Shah Rukh Khan to avoid smoking in movies.
2."Creativity just cannot escape public scrutiny and even admonishment, if it tantamount to social evil. In this case, it is an unadulterated invitation to death itself," Shekhar Salkar, General Secretary, National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE), said reacting to Shahrukh's contention.
Shahrukh, had earlier responding to Union health minister Ambumani Ramadoss's appeal to Amitabh Bachchan and Khan to stop setting bad example by smoking in public and in films citing that children have their first puff due to celebrities, said that actors could not be asked to curb their 'creative liberties'.
3.Now lets get back to the basic question of the Creative Freedom.
How important it is to use smoking character to make a point in a film scene?
It is in fact an easy stereotyped tool to project a macho image and other variety of dramatic elements.
4. The film directors and actors use it as a handy prop so often.
The concept again revolves around few stereotypes:
a. A smoking man looks macho.
b. A smoking woman looks liberated.
c. A smoking woman also project promiscuity.
c. A smoking character looks really thinking hard.
d. A smoking character projects being in control.
There are other variety of scenic needs which are immediately solved by putting a cigarette in hand.
5. Lets have a look at the definitions of the words create and creativity:
Create
: to evolve from one's one thought or imagination to make by investing with new character or functions.
Create
: author, bring into being, compose, conceive, parent, form, give rise to, throw together
Creative
: generative, ground-breaking, innovative, originate, handmade
Creativity:
creativity creativeness, formativeness, innovation, inventiveness, originality, productivity, craftsmanship, authorship, creatorship
Creativity involves the translation of our unique gifts, talents and vision into an external reality that is new and useful. We must keep in mind that creativity takes place unavoidably inside our own personal, social, and cultural boundaries.
5. Now where is the creativity in real sense?
6. Creativity with out being innovative boils down to stagnant stereotypes and pathetic repetitions.
7. And we also know Hindi films and so called creative film makers love repetitions and proven formulas to produce a hit and most of times they fail.
8.So what ever creativity Mr. Shah Rukh Khan may be referring to is in fact enveloped in thick layer of easy formulas.
But then Hindi films are rarely known to be creative in real sense.
It also seems quite clear that these hugely popular film stars have little or no sense of any social responsibility.
But if they are found to be otherwise we will all only benefit.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
The Hidden Underbelly of a Famed Destination
The Lapkas: The Hidden Underbelly of a Famed Destination
The coffee house was now nearly devoid of the hordes of indomitable Lapkas. Murari Lal the expert story teller, roaming consultant and linguist of the local dialect has coined the term. He was delighted when it was picked up by the newspapers during a war between two Lapka gangs and made famous.
The term Lapka loosely means a snatcher, member of a group of officious tourist hunters, who would try to influence and divert tourists from their set plans, by offering friendship and expert guidance badly needed by their prey. They exploited foreign tourists, by luring them to buy artifacts at selected emporiums and stay at hotels, where rigged up prices earned them fabulous commissions and much more, if the ladies were willing.
Their attempts to rape certain otherwise intoxicated but unwilling foreign girls in a secluded farmhouse on Aimer road made newspaper headlines. Hundreds such cases were never reported due to inherent difficulties involved and if they were, the files were promptly closed by pay rolled pot bellied, rose cheeked policemen. As tourists went to their countries, rarely traveling back to identify culprits or stolen goods.
Lapkas are aggressive bunch of youngsters from variety of back grounds. Some of them are fluent in English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese with elementary knowledge of monuments and local history. They were easily identifiable by their over friendly manners, alert, probing eyes, pony tails, motor cycles and increasingly attired in trendy cloths. They are so many of them, prowling around popular tourist destinations, hotels, and showrooms of artifacts, frequented by hordes of their preys. They guarded their carefully marked territories ruthlessly and trespassers were suitably dealt with. Always ready to pounce on foreign tourists. They used to avoid Indian tourists like plague and concentrated on the foreigners. But that too was changing now and some gangs were branching out to take care of the equally clueless Indian tourists lost in maze of numerous hotels, monuments, artifacts shops, markets, lanes and by lanes in the pink city.
An unescorted herd of young white females could ignite an intense battle of wits and muscle power between competing gangs, often befitting the attires, expected purchasing power, attitude and alluring physical assets of members of the target group. Details of purchases, particular interest in certain items and style of negotiations of the group are immediately noted along with car number, expected rout and other relevant information and passed on efficiently, for maximum returns on mobile phones and also on Internet. A handsome purchase is immediately relayed to the managers of various upstart, ambitious shops, who would then try to influence the concerned guide on mobile phone and try to divert the target to his shop with promise of ready presence of items of interest to save time and maximize returns for all the people involved.
Few competing gang lords with ample muscle and political patronage control the operations. Foolish antics by brash newcomers and intrusions by greedy archrivals have resulted in few shootings, violent fights, ruthless amputations and contract killings. It led to opening of further vistas of employment to the poor youths with desired adventurous inclinations and talent to give precise thrashings to the offenders caught in act of mischief. But some daringly violent amputations and killings of rivals exposed the so far hidden activities of these unknown Lapka gangs. Front-page coverage in newspapers compelled sleepy authorities to take some feeble actions and reluctant acceptance of the existence such undesirable organizations in the Pink City.
Gang lords were forced to huddle together and jointly shun the tempted violence by the boys and solve problems silently, secretly with out attracting attention of the wretched press and greedy policemen. One musclemen turned noisy politician cum builder cum transporter was roped in to mediate between rivals and dispense justice. He possessed all the qualities and resources needed to shoulder such an onerous responsibility. In return of his noble services a respectable percentage of monthly turnovers of each gang lord were handed over to him in cash, regularly.
Lately, taking cue from the politics, gang lords have started to align on cast and religious lines for protection and faster growth. Some have ventured in to convenient front businesses of transport fleets, hotels, antique showrooms, exports and imports, which jell with their present operations, increased earnings and added much desired legitimacy.
New recruits were deputed to do the tedious legwork, while bosses sat in suits of five star hotels and plush modern offices, munching chicken legs, dry fruits with endless whiskeys. The trusted deputies, mostly close relatives took care of daily operations and collection of cash. They were usually school dropouts from poor families, hungry for easy money and easier white flesh. For some of them, in the beginning the priority was of later variety and former was a bonus to keep their aged parents happy. Slowly they got hooked and most of them made and lost money fast, in the new exciting trade that required little education and investment. Most born in tin or thatched roofed houses with out toilets, they were now rarely out side an air-conditioned, perfumed space. The lucrative trade has lately started to attract youngsters from rich and well-placed families. They hit off well with foreigners because of good English, gleaming new cars, expensive perfumes and branded personal accessories.
Such mushrooming activities form a part of hidden under belly of a famous tourist destination full of colorful past, modernizing infrastructure, booming reality market and vibrant foreign trade in precious stones, handicrafts and natural stones.
# All Rights Reserved@tunnelvision
Disclaimer:
It’s a dramatized version about a part of pink city tourist trade environment.
It forms a part of the novel about the interplay of international terrorists, antique smugglers, undercover agents and Maoist guerrillas.
Any resemblance to any person dead or alive and any actual event is purely coincidental.
The coffee house was now nearly devoid of the hordes of indomitable Lapkas. Murari Lal the expert story teller, roaming consultant and linguist of the local dialect has coined the term. He was delighted when it was picked up by the newspapers during a war between two Lapka gangs and made famous.
The term Lapka loosely means a snatcher, member of a group of officious tourist hunters, who would try to influence and divert tourists from their set plans, by offering friendship and expert guidance badly needed by their prey. They exploited foreign tourists, by luring them to buy artifacts at selected emporiums and stay at hotels, where rigged up prices earned them fabulous commissions and much more, if the ladies were willing.
Their attempts to rape certain otherwise intoxicated but unwilling foreign girls in a secluded farmhouse on Aimer road made newspaper headlines. Hundreds such cases were never reported due to inherent difficulties involved and if they were, the files were promptly closed by pay rolled pot bellied, rose cheeked policemen. As tourists went to their countries, rarely traveling back to identify culprits or stolen goods.
Lapkas are aggressive bunch of youngsters from variety of back grounds. Some of them are fluent in English, French, German, Spanish and Japanese with elementary knowledge of monuments and local history. They were easily identifiable by their over friendly manners, alert, probing eyes, pony tails, motor cycles and increasingly attired in trendy cloths. They are so many of them, prowling around popular tourist destinations, hotels, and showrooms of artifacts, frequented by hordes of their preys. They guarded their carefully marked territories ruthlessly and trespassers were suitably dealt with. Always ready to pounce on foreign tourists. They used to avoid Indian tourists like plague and concentrated on the foreigners. But that too was changing now and some gangs were branching out to take care of the equally clueless Indian tourists lost in maze of numerous hotels, monuments, artifacts shops, markets, lanes and by lanes in the pink city.
An unescorted herd of young white females could ignite an intense battle of wits and muscle power between competing gangs, often befitting the attires, expected purchasing power, attitude and alluring physical assets of members of the target group. Details of purchases, particular interest in certain items and style of negotiations of the group are immediately noted along with car number, expected rout and other relevant information and passed on efficiently, for maximum returns on mobile phones and also on Internet. A handsome purchase is immediately relayed to the managers of various upstart, ambitious shops, who would then try to influence the concerned guide on mobile phone and try to divert the target to his shop with promise of ready presence of items of interest to save time and maximize returns for all the people involved.
Few competing gang lords with ample muscle and political patronage control the operations. Foolish antics by brash newcomers and intrusions by greedy archrivals have resulted in few shootings, violent fights, ruthless amputations and contract killings. It led to opening of further vistas of employment to the poor youths with desired adventurous inclinations and talent to give precise thrashings to the offenders caught in act of mischief. But some daringly violent amputations and killings of rivals exposed the so far hidden activities of these unknown Lapka gangs. Front-page coverage in newspapers compelled sleepy authorities to take some feeble actions and reluctant acceptance of the existence such undesirable organizations in the Pink City.
Gang lords were forced to huddle together and jointly shun the tempted violence by the boys and solve problems silently, secretly with out attracting attention of the wretched press and greedy policemen. One musclemen turned noisy politician cum builder cum transporter was roped in to mediate between rivals and dispense justice. He possessed all the qualities and resources needed to shoulder such an onerous responsibility. In return of his noble services a respectable percentage of monthly turnovers of each gang lord were handed over to him in cash, regularly.
Lately, taking cue from the politics, gang lords have started to align on cast and religious lines for protection and faster growth. Some have ventured in to convenient front businesses of transport fleets, hotels, antique showrooms, exports and imports, which jell with their present operations, increased earnings and added much desired legitimacy.
New recruits were deputed to do the tedious legwork, while bosses sat in suits of five star hotels and plush modern offices, munching chicken legs, dry fruits with endless whiskeys. The trusted deputies, mostly close relatives took care of daily operations and collection of cash. They were usually school dropouts from poor families, hungry for easy money and easier white flesh. For some of them, in the beginning the priority was of later variety and former was a bonus to keep their aged parents happy. Slowly they got hooked and most of them made and lost money fast, in the new exciting trade that required little education and investment. Most born in tin or thatched roofed houses with out toilets, they were now rarely out side an air-conditioned, perfumed space. The lucrative trade has lately started to attract youngsters from rich and well-placed families. They hit off well with foreigners because of good English, gleaming new cars, expensive perfumes and branded personal accessories.
Such mushrooming activities form a part of hidden under belly of a famous tourist destination full of colorful past, modernizing infrastructure, booming reality market and vibrant foreign trade in precious stones, handicrafts and natural stones.
# All Rights Reserved@tunnelvision
Disclaimer:
It’s a dramatized version about a part of pink city tourist trade environment.
It forms a part of the novel about the interplay of international terrorists, antique smugglers, undercover agents and Maoist guerrillas.
Any resemblance to any person dead or alive and any actual event is purely coincidental.
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
In Company of Women-Unfinished Story
They would come go out smiling, with bowed heads like obedient children reveling in expected tantrum of a lovable senile elder. Some would telephone tenants to keep an eye on her and keep them informed of her well-being; their only purpose of troubling them, they would never forget to state. Every one tried to be sure that they would be the first to know and beat others, to be with her in last defining moments.
Indra picked the red plastic mug from the blue bucket of cool water and wet the brush. The cap less toothpaste tube laid crumpled and squeezed flat of its contents. Indra put the index finger on its orifice and squeezed hard at the neck. The effort reluctantly produced a small crusted bar of dry paste with a soft tail, enough for his present needs. He started to rub teeth carefully, not to let the crumb of dry paste drop on the darkened, cracked mosaic floor.
‘No, I don’t believe you at all. He may be a fool, but a fine boy, an artist. They are a different lot and prone to brood over certain important social matters late in night. Don’t you see his name and photograph appear in newspapers regularly? It requires lots of talent to have your activities mentioned, so frequently. These newspaper people are not fools to write about activities of vagabonds and wastrels. For us, our name is in print only after deaths in small obituaries columns. I know how boys are, of his age and temperament. So many things trouble them. Kamal was just like him, an artist. You foolish man, you won’t under stand theses finer things at all. Didn’t you assure to find a reliable tenant for the room at ground floor? Have you done any thing about that bloody promise of yours or not? So don’t try to impress me by telling such crazy things, get lost and mind your own patty business of adulterated cooking oils.’
Indra stopped rubbing teeth and tried to go over, what Ganga Bai has said so eloquently to that crafty rascal. It would have been indeed a treat to watch his crestfallen ape like face.
Therefore, the cat is out of the bag.
He resembled her late son, also an artist.
Suddenly things looked quite brighter. Perhaps he can look forward to take little liberties with her. Like late payment of rent, use of her secluded roof top for rehearsing his lines and may be for an impending rendezvous with Prerna. It too seemed like an old, stale movie scene, repeated millions times over by the dream merchants of Bombay . He decided to find a tenant for her and beat crafty Chauthu.
‘What happened, Tai?’
He could recognize the husky voice of Prerna. The attractive and bright elder daughter of Ghaasi Ram Meena, an office superintendent in the lucrative public works department. Indra felt attracted to her husky voice, large eyes and dusky complexion with well-endowed body. Prerna reciprocated his attempts to find her alone and talk about art and theatre. He has helped her act in a few plays to get over her stage fright and improve public speaking skills. Indra was amazed at her carefully organized and well-planned life style; in contrast to his happy go lucky ways. Whenever his name and photograph appeared in the newspapers, she would send her kid brother to wake him up from his drunken stupor and have a look.
She selected in the state administrative services. Primarily because of her talent and to some extent her birth, which surely must have come handy to score over, equally, placed general candidates. She has already started to behave like a pompous civil servant. Moreover, no body protested for obvious reasons. They were all too happy to have a pushy young civil servant in their crumbling old building. She has organized that the street and open over flowing drains taken care of properly. It was a rare thing to happen in the narrow back lanes of the old city.
Indra, not impressed by her selective indulgence, teased her a lot and punctured her pomposity occasionally, and that may be the reason to set him apart from the fawning, adoring crowd around her. She listened to him and talked about various common interests.
‘Saab, He is still sleeping. I wonder---.’
Chauth Mal addressed Prerna with utmost caution, being aware of her friendship with Indra. Lately she and liked ‘Saab’, an expression of masculine power and authority.
‘So….. what? How are you concerned about him?’
Prerna’s curt and sharp authoritative tone was music to Indra, and it produced an abrupt silence out side.
‘No. I mean-------- I said----No I didn’t mean to-- Saab--“.
Indra smiled, he could picture a fumbling Chauthu with relish. Every body wants to develop and maintain good relations with a civil servant. You never know when it will come handy to further own interests, business and god knows what not.
The silence out side was broken by Chauthu’s inglorious exit from the scene. His new camel skin shoes made sharp creaky noise. Sheepishly he must have bowed his head and carefully climbed down the narrow, darkened, and worn out winding stairs. Such occasional insults would not change him a bit in his crafty maneuvers and would surely try to hit back and evict Indra from his cheap, centrally located room, who has powerful friends in Prerna and Ganga Bai. Chauthu was indeed fighting a battle he will perhaps never win. Nevertheless, there was other more compelling reason-he didn’t like Indra talking so frequently with Shanno, his wife and daughter of the richest man of his village. Shanno ignored his objections with contempt and continued to be friendly with Indra. It was a rumor that she had been hurriedly married off to Chauthu, to put an end to the troubles created by her. She was prone to vanish from home at night with her various paramours. Many village elders have made their disapproval known to her father, rather meekly due to his stature and money. Her troubled father had to find a suitable match fast before she could bring further infamy and damage to the fragile family pride. The tedious job entrusted to a reliable barber Naththu, famed for fast results. He quickly produced a befitting match, a poor but promising prospective groom for a rich man's wayward daughter. Greedy Chouthu and his foresighted, deaf mother were too happy to overlook her past for a sizable dowry of cash, house hold goods and a motorcycle along with a well stocked oil shop in Jaipur. Shanno was excited to live the in the famed PickCity .
‘He never slept so late.’ Ganga Bai’s concerned voice assured Indra further. He continued to brush silently and listened carefully.
‘He is up and brushing teeth.’ It was Prerna’s kid brother.
‘Pintoo…. too bad,… you should never peep in any one’s room.’ She snapped at her mischievous little brother. Whose investigating eyes must have found an uncovered hole or a crack in aged wooden door?
‘That’s bad Beta, we all are so worried and you didn’t say a thing to assure us, that you are up and all right.
‘Thank you- auntie. I am all right. Let me have a bath please. And Pintoo, you can come after half an hour, OK! I have a surprise gift for you.’
The message to Prerna was communicated.
‘What’s it? Tell now? …. Is it a comic book or a chocolate bar?’ Pintoo was eager.
‘Oh now come on. He said half an hour. Didn’t he? Come on now, complete your homework first.’ Prerna was tough with her naughty young brother.
‘No. No. No. I want that chocolate now.’ Pintoo’s protesting voices and tantrums trailed off. She must have dragged him upstairs. He might have made usual veiled threats of exposing her gory secrets. Nevertheless, Prerna surely knew how to deal with her mischievous young sibling. He was the sixth and latest offspring of her parents, who went on producing five daughters, every time desperately expecting a male child, the heir and lighter of their funeral pyres, assuring their place in heaven.
#All Rights Reserved
Indra picked the red plastic mug from the blue bucket of cool water and wet the brush. The cap less toothpaste tube laid crumpled and squeezed flat of its contents. Indra put the index finger on its orifice and squeezed hard at the neck. The effort reluctantly produced a small crusted bar of dry paste with a soft tail, enough for his present needs. He started to rub teeth carefully, not to let the crumb of dry paste drop on the darkened, cracked mosaic floor.
‘No, I don’t believe you at all. He may be a fool, but a fine boy, an artist. They are a different lot and prone to brood over certain important social matters late in night. Don’t you see his name and photograph appear in newspapers regularly? It requires lots of talent to have your activities mentioned, so frequently. These newspaper people are not fools to write about activities of vagabonds and wastrels. For us, our name is in print only after deaths in small obituaries columns. I know how boys are, of his age and temperament. So many things trouble them. Kamal was just like him, an artist. You foolish man, you won’t under stand theses finer things at all. Didn’t you assure to find a reliable tenant for the room at ground floor? Have you done any thing about that bloody promise of yours or not? So don’t try to impress me by telling such crazy things, get lost and mind your own patty business of adulterated cooking oils.’
Indra stopped rubbing teeth and tried to go over, what Ganga Bai has said so eloquently to that crafty rascal. It would have been indeed a treat to watch his crestfallen ape like face.
Therefore, the cat is out of the bag.
He resembled her late son, also an artist.
Suddenly things looked quite brighter. Perhaps he can look forward to take little liberties with her. Like late payment of rent, use of her secluded roof top for rehearsing his lines and may be for an impending rendezvous with Prerna. It too seemed like an old, stale movie scene, repeated millions times over by the dream merchants of Bombay . He decided to find a tenant for her and beat crafty Chauthu.
‘What happened, Tai?’
He could recognize the husky voice of Prerna. The attractive and bright elder daughter of Ghaasi Ram Meena, an office superintendent in the lucrative public works department. Indra felt attracted to her husky voice, large eyes and dusky complexion with well-endowed body. Prerna reciprocated his attempts to find her alone and talk about art and theatre. He has helped her act in a few plays to get over her stage fright and improve public speaking skills. Indra was amazed at her carefully organized and well-planned life style; in contrast to his happy go lucky ways. Whenever his name and photograph appeared in the newspapers, she would send her kid brother to wake him up from his drunken stupor and have a look.
She selected in the state administrative services. Primarily because of her talent and to some extent her birth, which surely must have come handy to score over, equally, placed general candidates. She has already started to behave like a pompous civil servant. Moreover, no body protested for obvious reasons. They were all too happy to have a pushy young civil servant in their crumbling old building. She has organized that the street and open over flowing drains taken care of properly. It was a rare thing to happen in the narrow back lanes of the old city.
Indra, not impressed by her selective indulgence, teased her a lot and punctured her pomposity occasionally, and that may be the reason to set him apart from the fawning, adoring crowd around her. She listened to him and talked about various common interests.
‘Saab, He is still sleeping. I wonder---.’
Chauth Mal addressed Prerna with utmost caution, being aware of her friendship with Indra. Lately she and liked ‘Saab’, an expression of masculine power and authority.
‘So….. what? How are you concerned about him?’
Prerna’s curt and sharp authoritative tone was music to Indra, and it produced an abrupt silence out side.
‘No. I mean-------- I said----No I didn’t mean to-- Saab--“.
Indra smiled, he could picture a fumbling Chauthu with relish. Every body wants to develop and maintain good relations with a civil servant. You never know when it will come handy to further own interests, business and god knows what not.
The silence out side was broken by Chauthu’s inglorious exit from the scene. His new camel skin shoes made sharp creaky noise. Sheepishly he must have bowed his head and carefully climbed down the narrow, darkened, and worn out winding stairs. Such occasional insults would not change him a bit in his crafty maneuvers and would surely try to hit back and evict Indra from his cheap, centrally located room, who has powerful friends in Prerna and Ganga Bai. Chauthu was indeed fighting a battle he will perhaps never win. Nevertheless, there was other more compelling reason-he didn’t like Indra talking so frequently with Shanno, his wife and daughter of the richest man of his village. Shanno ignored his objections with contempt and continued to be friendly with Indra. It was a rumor that she had been hurriedly married off to Chauthu, to put an end to the troubles created by her. She was prone to vanish from home at night with her various paramours. Many village elders have made their disapproval known to her father, rather meekly due to his stature and money. Her troubled father had to find a suitable match fast before she could bring further infamy and damage to the fragile family pride. The tedious job entrusted to a reliable barber Naththu, famed for fast results. He quickly produced a befitting match, a poor but promising prospective groom for a rich man's wayward daughter. Greedy Chouthu and his foresighted, deaf mother were too happy to overlook her past for a sizable dowry of cash, house hold goods and a motorcycle along with a well stocked oil shop in Jaipur. Shanno was excited to live the in the famed PickCity .
‘He never slept so late.’ Ganga Bai’s concerned voice assured Indra further. He continued to brush silently and listened carefully.
‘He is up and brushing teeth.’ It was Prerna’s kid brother.
‘Pintoo…. too bad,… you should never peep in any one’s room.’ She snapped at her mischievous little brother. Whose investigating eyes must have found an uncovered hole or a crack in aged wooden door?
‘That’s bad Beta, we all are so worried and you didn’t say a thing to assure us, that you are up and all right.
‘Thank you- auntie. I am all right. Let me have a bath please. And Pintoo, you can come after half an hour, OK! I have a surprise gift for you.’
The message to Prerna was communicated.
‘What’s it? Tell now? …. Is it a comic book or a chocolate bar?’ Pintoo was eager.
‘Oh now come on. He said half an hour. Didn’t he? Come on now, complete your homework first.’ Prerna was tough with her naughty young brother.
‘No. No. No. I want that chocolate now.’ Pintoo’s protesting voices and tantrums trailed off. She must have dragged him upstairs. He might have made usual veiled threats of exposing her gory secrets. Nevertheless, Prerna surely knew how to deal with her mischievous young sibling. He was the sixth and latest offspring of her parents, who went on producing five daughters, every time desperately expecting a male child, the heir and lighter of their funeral pyres, assuring their place in heaven.
#All Rights Reserved
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