Welcome to nature’s heaven (once upon a time?), the land bequeathed with nature’s beauty and charisma of backwaters, a small state with diligent people (diligent only outside the boundaries of their native land).The meandering rivers and the roads alike, speak of the skewed march towards urbanization, rivers are on the verge of death due to undue exploitation and transforming to high-rising flats and multistoreys, proclaiming aloud the influence of land mafia and powerful real estate dealers. Nila/ Bharatapuzha is no more than a trickle even after heavy monsoon showers. The river bed is exposed resembling fine sands of desert. The richness remains in the imaginations of the poets and writers of the past. (similar to R.K Narayan’s portrayal of the Vaigai river of Madurai in ‘The River’). The roads pathetically become rivers after the slightest showers. A blend of revolutionary thinking and conservative approach? The land of most literate and politically active people shines equally well in male chauvinism and parochial attitude towards development.
Welcome to Kerala, God’s own country with lush green vegetation, nostalgic mossy, wet walls and tiled mansions. Huge hoardings on the highways welcome us to 'God’s own country'. Even the trains to Kerala bear the pictures showcasing the natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of the land. Yeah, we depend on imported money, money from foreigners or tourists and that from the gulf. Aah, here comes the chain of advertisements when you open the idiot box for entertainment. A series of jewellery shops advertising day and night for loads of gold to be purchased. One even goes to the extent that womanhood itself is about possessing gold and ornaments (‘Pennayal ponnu venam’ in Malayalam meaning 'a girl should own gold'). Hoardings on the highways, roads, railway stations, bus stations, junctions and everywhere…..as some great poet has remarked 'turn and see any where you will find'……, instead of 'trees in bloom', advertisements for gold jewellery shops and sometimes textile shops. In railway stations, in between the announcements of arrival and departure of trains, bangs in the advertisements of gold jewellery shops. Film stars are busy inaugrating jewellery and textile shops that have mushroomed in every nook and corner of cities. The popularity of cine stars can be judged by not the cinemas they have acted in, but by the number of jewellery shops they have inaugurated. Palatial luxurious mansions are marks of the inflow of gulf money into the state.
What will one do after buying gold? Eat it? Kerala is predominantly a consumer state. For the day-to-day necessities like food grains, vegetables, milk, eggs, flowers etc, the state shamelessly depends on the neighbouring states, those which are not blessed with natural resources as the state .
Kerala has many virtues and firsts to its credit, high literacy rate, low female infanticide, so and so.... Wonder if it is our optimism which makes us feel that everything is fine. We stand first in health care and law-enforcement as per the reports of a national weekly. True, these are the things Kerala should be proud of, as there is a silver lining somewhere .The political awareness of the people is far high when compared to any other state. But isn’t it also true and equally odd that the same politics is eating into the very economy of the state that, implementing any development programme is never possible in the state. No entrepreneur is willing to start any thing novel in the state. Keralites do very well in every sphere but only outside Kerala. Those who get bugged up by the system move on to make their fortunes elsewhere. Competition is very tough and being confronted with severe challenges, we are confident of winning the toughest outside.
Regarding female literacy, it’s true that women are educated and respected in our societies, but what’s the reality? Shashi Tharoor’s article in the Sunday magazine of “The Hindu” ‘Kalyanikutty’s Kerala’ is worth mention in this context. Is the same education helping us to reduce the number of cases of molestations or verbal abuse or gain regards from the male counter-parts? Impolite people dominate, impolite in attitude, behaviour and speech. In some families ladies are the sole earning members of the family who take care of every need of the family inspite of being abused by their drunken husbands. Ladies never go out alone after 6 P.M, for safety matters. Kerala is one of the states where scandals in which high-profile politicians are involved are prominent, thanks to the highly alert and competitive journalism. The liquor mafia continues to put the life of many at stake with the whole-hearted support of our politicians whose vote banks and bank accounts are on the rise. Kerala tops in suicide rate. Domestic violence and divorces are increasing. Such contradictions are in plenty. We receive education at least till the age of 25 years. This is to be considered a boon when we compare with those of our kin in other parts of the country, where a girl child is killed before birth and the spared ones do not have a voice but to live a life equivalent to death. But what after receiving that education? To be married with loads of jewellery to some one as something is being sold out? It is ridiculous. Young girls become a prey to the filthiest dowry system. The system is not so severe but still exists. Marriage is a display of the false pride, power and pelf of the families than a union of two individuals/ families.
Things surely ought to change, rather the attitude needs immense discretion and change. Truly “gold’s own odd country”!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment