HIATUS

Hunger cafes, really?

2008-06-18T08:23:00.003-04:00

A colleague from the New York office forwarded Anand Giridharadas' article from Tuesday's New York Times. The text of his email read "food at the price of dignity?".

The article, unfortunately, is a classic example of the lopsided journalism often evident in The New York Times’ coverage of India – journalism that thrives on sensationalizing the issues of poverty and inequality, rather than sensitizing the readership to reality.

What Giridharadas brands “a Mumbai variation" and "hunger cafe", is in fact an organization rooted deeply in Islamic culture, at least Indian Islamic culture. There are shops near mosques (and other places of worship) where people can buy meals for the poor, all over India. The obligation of "those who have" manifests in and across the different religious communities of India and it is a noble act to buy someone a meal after prayers. I would be surprised if even half of the donations at Mahim Darbar (the restaurant that Giridharadas refers to) come from golden Hondas that seem to arbitrarily rain Rs. 100 notes. Most donations in such places come from benefactors who walk there after praying at the neighbourhood mosque.

Giridharadas goes on to criticize Indians' unwillingness to embrace anonymous checkbook-style charity, but fails to acknowledge the underlying cultural reasons. In the developed world, the middle class does not encounter poverty on a daily basis, hence it makes sense to donate anonymously to organizations that create a conduit for the passage of wealth from the haves to the have-nots. As a middle class Indian, poverty stares you in the face all the time – through people you interact with every day. It is but natural then, to donate to a known individual rather than an organization without a face. Paying directly for your driver's operation or your maid's children's education -- a 'feudal vestige', per Giridharadas -- is in fact an ultra-efficient form of charity. You know exactly where your money is going, there are no overheads, and you can directly see and observe the impact of your charity - all desirable qualities, especially when you have little to give to begin with.

Islam, in fact, ordains two kinds of voluntary giving: (1) zaqat –a fixed percentage of the donor’s wealth, which is meant for the general benefit of the community; and (2) sadaqat - where the bequest is made directly and spontaneously from one individual to another and the amount given is at the discretion of the giver. Mahim Darbar is but one of the dozens of similar institutions in Bombay that facilitate sadaqat.

To quote another colleague, "(In the development world...) we often talk about the importance in charity of a feeling of connectivity. It's powerful because it makes giving more tangible. Part of the appeal of microfinance is the loan to the individual - a specific, real person. Kiva's entire model is based on connecting you to this specific individual. Time and time again it has been shown that the emotional connection to real people, lives and circumstances makes you more likely to give - and give more. So what is the problem if Indians want to connect to the people they are giving to?”

As for the question of dignity, begging in any form is demoralizing. It isn't specifically linked to sitting on a sidewalk. As the Lady put it yesterday, in all of her characteristic literary eloquence: the poor, deprived and maimed have for long exhibited their poverty/disease/debilitating deficiencies to solicit sympathy and spare change. By sitting outside the restaurant, these men are (in a somewhat perverse way) “earning” their lunches (by desert, even if not by physical labour) -- perhaps, paradoxically, a more dignified way to eat than eating from invisibly-bestowed handouts whose unseeing givers do not understand the import of what they are doing.

Colours in Cochin

2007-05-16T16:44:00.000-04:00

Some five years ago, at the tail end of a week's backpacking in Kerala, I spent a night in Cochin. The highlight of that stay, without doubt, was the late night trip to Pai brothers, a 'thattukada' off MG road in Ernakulam. A thattukada (or 'thattu', as the Cochinese masses refer to it) is an open air roadside fastfood joint - a dhaba on steroids if you will. Pai brothers stays open late, dishing out 36 varieties of dosa in the wee hours of night. While my judgment may have been shrouded by the fact that I was inebriated and hungry, I found the dosas to be very well made. And if the number of locals that throng the place even at 1am is any indication, I cannot be too off the mark.

I was back in Cochin for 4 hours last weekend, and not being in the mood for dosas, I found myself navigating the alleys of Jew town. Once the center of Cochin's spice trade, the ancient quarter is now lined with shops selling antiques, souvenirs, dried fruits, handicrafts and trinkets. While the market has clearly evolved to cater to tourists, it has retained a lot of old world charm. Jew town offers to the eyes (or the lens) what Pai brothers offers to the tastebuds. Am putting up some pictures from my shutter-happy afternoon.

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P.S. On a side note, you know you've been back in India long enough when the 'u' in colours does not come as an afterthought...

Miracle mania

2006-08-21T21:09:00.001-04:00

The sea water near Baba Maqdoom's dargah at Mahim in Bombay miraculously turns sweet! Thousands of Muslims flock to taste the 'holy water' ignoring health warnings issued by local authorities.

Three days later, in a miraculous (retaliatory?) coincidence, idols of Lord Ganesha in Hindu temples around the country remind the populace of their powers by 'drinking' milk offered to them by devotees.

...

Makes me wonder, if Ganesha was offered the sweet water from Mahim, would he drink it?

No entry

2006-08-13T19:14:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back I was on the proverbial (in consultant-speak) beach, so I walked around Boston with a camera. I'm not much of a photographer so I thought I outdid my small self with this one here...

This is Hanover street in the North End, home to the most delectable Italian food north of Torino and the craziest post world cup party I've ever been in.

broken

2006-07-21T04:55:00.000-04:00

sometimes, your faith gets shattered.

then, you pick up the pieces and piece it together again.

a little more fragile it is, this time around.

slowly, it gathers strength, the wounds heal.

and then, someone comes and knocks it over again.

Answers to the World Cup Quiz

2006-07-12T08:08:00.000-04:00

Since its been about a month and I haven't posted on my blog, I'm going to post answers to the world cup quiz.

1. Footix - the mascot of France '98 was named so as a tribute to the role of Asterix comics in French heritage.

2. South Africa

3. They took a vow of chastity... didn't pay off though.

4. Landon Donovan

5. Pele

6. Milan Baros

7. 1 match

8. Spain, and that remains true in spite of their spirited performace this time around.

9. US: quarterfinals; Czech: did not qualify

A World Cup Quiz

2006-06-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

As the world cup is on, some of us at work are organizing some soccer fun - match screenings, a world cup betting pool and a fooz-ball tournament among other things.

The screenings have been pretty successful, though I suspect that it's the free food/beer (and not the soccer action) that draws people downstairs to the cafe where the games are being screened. After all I'd go down for free beer even if they were showing men's lacrosse.

Anyway, a couple of us ran a little world cup quiz during the USA vs. Czech republic game earlier today. Most of the questions were rather easy - one has to keep in mind that in the US, 'football' refers to an oblong object thrown around by a bunch of men with padded shoulders, and World Cup is an event where a bunch of baseball teams from the US and Canada compete against each other (okay okay, it's called the World Series, close enough...)

I've modified some of the questions to make them worthy of the (few) folks who read my blog. Answers are googlable, so you're on your honor.

(Email answers to gautambay at gmail)

1. What is Goscinny and Uderzo's (indirect) contribution to the Soccer World Cup?

2. Sitter. Which country will host the next Soccer World Cup in 2010?

3. World Cup teams sometimes use less traditional methods to ensure victory. Mexico’s coach encourages his players to use hypnosis to improve their game. France’s coach used astrology to refine his lineup. Ecuador sent a shaman to exorcise evil spirits from all 12 World Cup stadiums in Germany. What is the Costa Rican team doing in order to ensure victory at Germany '06?

4. Who is the highest paid player on the US team ($900,000 per year)?

5. (Shamelessly lifted off an IITD quizzing club egroup post 4 years ago.) This guy is known for sinking teams in the World Cup by predicting that they'll go on and win. In ‘94, he was rooting for Colombia, who were knocked out in the first round. In ‘98 it was Spain, again not getting to the knockout stage. And ‘in 02 his joint picks were Argentina and France who suffered the same fate. Who?

6. Which Czech player was the top scorer at Euro 2004?

7. How long was US manager Bruce Arena’s international soccer playing career?
(a) Never played internationally (b) 1 match (c) 5 matches (d) 12 years

8. Another sitter - Which of these teams has never won the world cup?
(a) Uruguay (b) Spain (c) Italy (d) England

9. How far did the each team get in the 2002 World Cup? (0.5 points each)
US: semifinals – quarterfinals – round of 16 – round of 32 – did not qualify in ‘02
Czech: semifinals – quarterfinals – round of 16 – round of 32 – did not qualify in ‘02

Dear Old Blighty, but I'm back!

2006-04-25T01:33:00.000-04:00

I'm back in the US after six weeks of vacation. Six weeks spent in four countries across three continents.

An overwhelmingly common thread runs through the fabric of the four nations I visited. India, Kenya, Tanzania and England. Each continues to be affected (in various wonderful ways) by her own colonial past.

Yes, even Old Blighty* has retained shades of the colonial hangover. While no Kenyan hotel worth its salt would forget to include in its tarriff a "full English Breakfast", bohemian cafes on London's high streets see locals ordering chicken tikka sandwiches at lunch. I used to think New York is the ultimate melting pot of cultures. Only until I saw London. The truth is that while New York brings together a multitude of cultures and places them side by side, it is in London that boundaries begin to blur and cultures fuse together.

Stories from my vacation? There are many. I will try and narrate some here in the coming days. Also, today was my first day in a new job and I am hopeful my experiences here will spur more writing. All of which means, you may actually start seeing some content here. In the meanwhile, I have renamed my blog in recognition of how difficult I have found it to keep it regularly updated.

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* In fact, even the adoption of 'Blighty' as a slang for England is attributed to the Urdu word bilāyatī, meaning foreign. Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the subject.

"Blighty is a British English slang term for Great Britain, deriving from the Hindustani word bilāyatī (विलायती), meaning "foreign", related to the Arabic word wilayat, meaning a kingdom or province...

...the word came to be used, in British India, for several things the British had brought into the country, such as the tomato (bilayati baingan) and soda water, which was commonly called bilayati pani, or "foreign water". During World War I, "Dear Old Blighty" was a common sentimental reference, suggesting a longing for home by soldiers in the trenches..."

Valentine blues

2006-02-14T18:28:00.000-05:00

Its Valentine's Day. A time to be with your loved ones, they say.

Isn't it ironic then, that this is the day I pick to part with the love of my life?

...

In case you didn't 'get it' and are wondering what the hell I'm mourning for, click on the link above. (Had to add this footnote after one person too many did not 'get it'.)

Umm... Penne!

2006-02-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

Its 10:20 pm and I'm craving carbonara. So I decide to walk the 30 minutes to my favorite restaurant in town. For those who are familiar with my apathy for American suburbia and its plentitude of restaurant chains, Edo's Squid is the anthithesis of the suburban restaurant chain. For one, it isn't in American suburbia. Add to that an original ambience and super friendly waiters and bartenders. I could write an entire post about their clams in red sauce and wine, but we'll let that be for another day. In a nutshell, Edo's is one of the (few) things I will miss about Richmond when I move out.

Its 10:55 pm when I'm greeted by a familiar smile at the entrance (the kitchen closes at 11).

"Table for two?"
"Just one... I'll get the carbonara please."
"Spaghetti or Penne?"

(20 seconds of confounded silence)

"ummm... penne."

Its 10:57 pm and the waitress - B - is out with my food. Huh? Edo's Squid is no McDonalds (in fact it hurts even to take both names in the same sentence). Like any restaurant worth its salt, they take a good 10-15 minutes before they bring your food out. B picks up on my state of confusion. Turns out that even as I was tossing between penne and spaghetti, the chef was tossing penne into a carbonara sauce. Penne carbonara was what the Edo's staff was having for dinner tonight.

The food was great as always. I followed it up with a half bottle of pinot noir at the bar. If you go in at a late enough hour at Edo's, you can join the staff at the bar - they're a fun lot.

11:45 pm and I'm thinking of the long walk back home.

"Can I have my check please?"
"You don't have a tab."
"No... huh?"
"Can't charge you today. Your choice of pasta was like ESP. Especially the flash of brilliance when you were choosing between spaghetti and penne..."
"But... I must pay for the wine"
"Naah... you're all set."

...

Well Mr. Friedman, free lunch I don't know, but turns out there is such a thing as free dinner. :)

That was easy!

2006-02-13T01:54:00.000-05:00

Finally I've taken the plunge. I've gotten myself blog-space. Far easier than I had imagined.

Now to wait for something that makes me want to write...