Chennai, even in the last week of my stay is completely drenched up in rain. I had been unfortunate or fortunate enough to witness the heaviest rainfall in Chennai in recent times, last year. For the last one year, in my stay, I found that Chennai is not a dry place as local people crib or outsiders have an image. Though, water scarcity is self-made problem in Chennai. No wonder, many people suppling water tanks and cans are proliferating from this business. Most surprising thing for me is that Chennai is the only metro having no municipality water distribution system. There are no pipelines. Its really hard to think of any small town without their pipeline for water distribution but Chennai competes with outskirt villages in this.
When I came to Chennai, I heard this a lot that Chennai doesn't have proper rain for many years and underground water is finishing out. In short, Chennai was supposed to be facing huge water shortage. It was last year June. After that Chennai had little rainfall in August and september, I thought water shortage is real. But soon I realised that as per Chennai weather, rainy season, itself start up in november, which is winter in north. In october end, sky had started bursting, november soaked everyone completely and in december, it was flood in many areas. It was a surprise for me, as heavy rainfall and flood was unexpected, also I had seen even more heavier rainfalls in Bombay without floods. Flood in Chennai was not due to very heavy rainfall but due to complete breakdown of drainage system. Most of the roads were flooded, vehicles stranded, trees fallen and complete electricity black out. Many people were happy as they got extra holidays and many were completely broke as rising water took all of there belongings. As people ignore the people in slums, these news of loss didn't make big headlines. Though, when relief process started, entry of politicians making huge donation, showing their upmost kindness and large heartedness for the poors grabbed the headlines.
Other then, farcical water problem and fat, thick headed politicians, other thing, I have noticed in Chennai is the anti-feelings for outsiders. Initially, it was surprising as Chennai doesn't have many outsiders, but then I realised that its built up in the local society from the past. Local tamils are far more godfearing then I have ever seen anywhere. In the same place, they are so simple as well non-questioning to authority. Criticsm of anything is subdued and is not well accepted. So, as an outsider, its very easy to deal with local tamil people. In words of a rajasthani businessman, "ye log chutiya bahut easily bante hain", meaning tamil people are very easy to fool. Tamils also use generalisations far more than anybody else. Outsiders, coming from anywhere, find this behavior as huge business opportunity and have cashed in for many years. No wonder, local regard outsiders with skepticism. Added with it, outsiders who regard locals as pot of money, with no questioning of their hard or unreasonable money squeezing behavior become arrogant and cheap. Soemtimes, they are ready to go any low for money as nobody going to point that out to them and their is no shame if eveyone ignores their stupidity.
For the local tamil culture, I found very few things which can be called their own. As priest (brahmins) class came from north, they brought their value system with them. They were the only one to write the traditions and pass them among commons. Attachment to north for these priests seem to be very strong as they have hardly written anything specific about these local people. What has been written includes their impression of these people, not the original. Most famous hindu epic, "Ramayana", mentions about south as land or demons, devils, black, big, bad people. This image of black demons just passed on to south india with the priests from north who were following this epic as religious, sacred text. Their hatered and lack of written history about tamil's past resulted in inferiority complex. Again, no wonder, how political parties here use these feelings to stay in power. Riots against brahmins and Hindi language in 70's look more reasonable now. Many political leaders, highlight the tamil history of before the northern priest came and rip it for their benefit. In tamil society, powere distribution is completely scrued in elite favor. Elite here is composed of mainly, brahmins (coming late from north) and business classes (like periyar). Its not just economic power, its same for religious or political power. Tamils had been long ignored and made to feel low about themselves that they find new political power which came through democracy, amazing. Popularist, here really cash in for this. People are so exasperated by their humiliation by elites that they are ready at the first instant for supporting the person, movie star or anyone who shows them a little kindness. Other misgivings about that person become ignored as even being regarded by a popular personality is considered as a huge reward.
So far, I am moving out of Chennai for now but I have my fingers crossed as I may lend up here again in future.
When I came to Chennai, I heard this a lot that Chennai doesn't have proper rain for many years and underground water is finishing out. In short, Chennai was supposed to be facing huge water shortage. It was last year June. After that Chennai had little rainfall in August and september, I thought water shortage is real. But soon I realised that as per Chennai weather, rainy season, itself start up in november, which is winter in north. In october end, sky had started bursting, november soaked everyone completely and in december, it was flood in many areas. It was a surprise for me, as heavy rainfall and flood was unexpected, also I had seen even more heavier rainfalls in Bombay without floods. Flood in Chennai was not due to very heavy rainfall but due to complete breakdown of drainage system. Most of the roads were flooded, vehicles stranded, trees fallen and complete electricity black out. Many people were happy as they got extra holidays and many were completely broke as rising water took all of there belongings. As people ignore the people in slums, these news of loss didn't make big headlines. Though, when relief process started, entry of politicians making huge donation, showing their upmost kindness and large heartedness for the poors grabbed the headlines.
Other then, farcical water problem and fat, thick headed politicians, other thing, I have noticed in Chennai is the anti-feelings for outsiders. Initially, it was surprising as Chennai doesn't have many outsiders, but then I realised that its built up in the local society from the past. Local tamils are far more godfearing then I have ever seen anywhere. In the same place, they are so simple as well non-questioning to authority. Criticsm of anything is subdued and is not well accepted. So, as an outsider, its very easy to deal with local tamil people. In words of a rajasthani businessman, "ye log chutiya bahut easily bante hain", meaning tamil people are very easy to fool. Tamils also use generalisations far more than anybody else. Outsiders, coming from anywhere, find this behavior as huge business opportunity and have cashed in for many years. No wonder, local regard outsiders with skepticism. Added with it, outsiders who regard locals as pot of money, with no questioning of their hard or unreasonable money squeezing behavior become arrogant and cheap. Soemtimes, they are ready to go any low for money as nobody going to point that out to them and their is no shame if eveyone ignores their stupidity.
For the local tamil culture, I found very few things which can be called their own. As priest (brahmins) class came from north, they brought their value system with them. They were the only one to write the traditions and pass them among commons. Attachment to north for these priests seem to be very strong as they have hardly written anything specific about these local people. What has been written includes their impression of these people, not the original. Most famous hindu epic, "Ramayana", mentions about south as land or demons, devils, black, big, bad people. This image of black demons just passed on to south india with the priests from north who were following this epic as religious, sacred text. Their hatered and lack of written history about tamil's past resulted in inferiority complex. Again, no wonder, how political parties here use these feelings to stay in power. Riots against brahmins and Hindi language in 70's look more reasonable now. Many political leaders, highlight the tamil history of before the northern priest came and rip it for their benefit. In tamil society, powere distribution is completely scrued in elite favor. Elite here is composed of mainly, brahmins (coming late from north) and business classes (like periyar). Its not just economic power, its same for religious or political power. Tamils had been long ignored and made to feel low about themselves that they find new political power which came through democracy, amazing. Popularist, here really cash in for this. People are so exasperated by their humiliation by elites that they are ready at the first instant for supporting the person, movie star or anyone who shows them a little kindness. Other misgivings about that person become ignored as even being regarded by a popular personality is considered as a huge reward.
So far, I am moving out of Chennai for now but I have my fingers crossed as I may lend up here again in future.
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