With the German authorities nearing a consensus on the validity of my course and whether to pay heed to my solemn belief in my career choice, I’ve decided to take wind of the inevitable and use the time to run amok among the unsuspecting residents of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Day 1: Chapatis and something that was supposed to be Mutter Paneer. Now I know, why the mutter comes before the paneer.
Let me make it clear at the outset that I value myself as a dimwit. Case in point, I misread the timings on my train ticket to Kacheguda on D-Day. It doesn’t help that when I am in a dark-comedic situation, I’m always seeing it from a third person perspective and sniggering to myself.
So there I am running with a bag in hand, laptop and camera riding in my backpack, chasing down the now increasingly large drive way from H-Block to the final gate where I’m met by the power of circumstance when pipped against a most unethical proposal.
The cost of speed
250 rupees. Yep, that’s it. That’s how much it costs to get across Bangalore town through difficult traffic in record time. Off our trustworthy meters, it might land us a 170 rupee setback but that won’t count today. No it won’t. Today two autos, one piddle, and a magnificient 200cc LPG chariot will ride its dimwitted patron through narrow gullies, clogged junctions and a mighty final obstacle – a medium size hillock that clambers onto platform number 2 at Bangalore Cantonment Station. The steed smiles and queries, “Is it time yet?”
Adrenaline got me this far.
Day 3: Telangana and Towelhead
Hyderabad holidays have historically reverted back to food and sleep. And this time, it was no different. It takes 7 days in the temple of food to weigh yourself down a kilogram and collapse into a fit of laze. I blame the seemingly limitless culinary talent of my aunt.
We speak about the Telangana uprising extensively today. I’ve been thrown some insight on the issue by my uncle whose voracious habits of reading have led him to become among my favourite conversationalists.
Apparently post-independence there existed a Telangana state. One that, based on some political agreement with a myriad of conditions with regard to land ownership and government occupations, was merged with the Andhra state in the mid 50s. The agreement was most conveniently brushed aside in the late 90s by CM Chandrababu Naidu on his path to capitalistic supremacy, claim the Telangana activists. This disregard sent the lesser-developed Telangana brethren into a path to oblivion. The uprising now has probably been boiling for decades. While it seems like the Telangana has no ill will towards the migrants from other states there is a genuine distaste for their Andhra neighbours and their indifference. And some might argue it isn’t misplaced.
Be that as it may, KCR seems no closer to ending his battle with the centre. I got to hand it to him though. He braves the almost feverish amount of rumours that surround his reign from alcoholism to bribery. He is a celebrity.
Towelhead
I catch a viewing of Towelhead before I crash for the night. A coming of age story of a half-Lebanese, half-American teen from a broken home, Towelhead is vivid in its opinions and its sadness.
A clash of two distinct societies, both possessing an array of twisted ideals coupled with a few perks that the director doesn’t necessarily wish to focus on.
Jazeera, the protagonist, is portrayed as an above average confused teenager caught between the seemingly greener banks of Western culture and the patriarchal tendencies of her Lebanese roots. As the movie wears on, both cultures objectify her in different ways. Questions of sexuality and sexual inclinations are thrown up in the air for everyone to see leaving Jazeera increasingly disoriented.
The otherwise perky Aaron Eckhart is pretty great in the dark role of a paedophile/racist army reservist. A variety of disconcerting qualities to handle in about two hours of cinema. Toni Collette is welcoming as a voice of sanity and equality. And Summer Bishil reminds me of the kid in Malena.
The two movies have a lot in common in their bluntness and both are worth the watch. While not for the fainthearted, I maintain that teenagers should probably grab a watch.
I had only one query after watching Towelhead. What the hell are American kids doing, having sex at 14? Am I missing something? Found it a little strange that almost nothing was made of the fact, from the director’s perspective, that Jazeera was really big on having sex with an oddly older looking classmate. Masturbation is one thing, but c’mon?! A few thousand miles is all it takes and we are in a different world.
Day 5: Religiosity and tea.
There is a standing instruction for infinite tea consumption in this household. I’m a coffee person through and through, but I think it’s the weather or something, you can’t hold yourself back.
Annually, the Sabrimala Aiyappa temple on the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu sees a surge of over 5,000,000 visitors this time of year. The pull that this deity has on a predominantly male following, (The temple disallows women who are post-puberty, pre-menopause; the pretext being the history of said deity), is astronomical.
I’ve been to the Tirupati temple, a few years ago, and the masses that gather on a fairly average day, some regulars in an hour-long queue daily, are unimaginable.
But I watch, on TV, as news cameras scan the crowd of thousands that await a crucial moment in the season’s events – the glowing of a single light, or jyoti, at a specific point in the hills that shadow the temple. The energy that surrounds first timers and veterans alike, in what is not a mere temple visit but a journey, more than a pilgrimage, but a superior coming of age, an event like no other in the lives of these followers – it’s frenetic. The viewing of a single flame-like light in the dark twilight distance is an epiphany for some – they are suddenly in the presence of God.
I’m not overtly religious and I wouldn’t necessarily trek the hills of Sabrimala to view the deity, or the controversial light, on my own accord any time soon but what’s worthy of understanding and some reflection is the passion and deep sense of connection and devotion millions of men, women and children have to pursue an arduous journey to view a single idol, year after year.
I forgot to mention I saw a couple more movies in the past couple of days. In The Loop, a political satire, is worth a watch. It’s got a great couple of laughs. Makes the western political world look like a farce – suits us, in the critical ‘third world’, just fine.
Crossing Over, starring Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta, Jim Sturgess and the now ubiquitous Summer Bishil, is a fair watch. It attempts to bring out the experiences of migrants and hopefuls in post 9/11 America, an assortment of characters, some cliché, used adequately to bring out the director’s point. It’s a good HBO movie, not much more.
Also watched Avatar again. On a poor pirated copy. That’s beside the point. Kind of makes you focus on the story a little more though, minus the 3D glasses and the crazy CGI. And consensus – there isn’t one worth the mention. Pocahontas meets Jim Cameron’s wild visual imagination and wham! I sense the movie worked awkwardly in India with a lot of Bollywood fans lapping it up courtesy the hilariously predictable storyline, and a lot of Hollywood couch critics apprehensively quoting the computer-generated positives. Oh well, they’re probably going to grab a couple of awards for the technical side of things. I’d be disappointed if the commercial success reflects on the Academy’s bigger awards.
That's all for now. Watch this space. And other cool marketing lingo.
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