India...Magic, Mystery and Mayhem

India's magic, mystery and mayhem enjoyed with a cup of tea

A billion plus people strong, a democracy, a young population hungry for growth, multilingual, multiethnic, but most of all, a mystery. What makes this country work? India has many issues, yet it is racing ahead and is the fifth-largest country by GDP.

Once known as the land of snakes, when you travel to India, you realise it is so much more than its myths, mystics, monuments, and masalas. India is on the cusp as its young population discovers the joys of materialism, and its industry pushes forward, modernising the old and creating more opportunities for the country to make its mark.

India today is known globally for its IT industry, which is considered world-class; yoga asanas, which are practised the world over; food and spices, which are feted; an aspirational movie-making industry whose actors are recognised across borders; cricket craziness with its superstars; and, of course, its spirituality.

As many books, articles, and people travelling across India have tried to explain, India has many contradictions. In this country, many languages are spoken, different faiths followed, various cuisines enjoyed and differing philosophies adopted. India is a democracy that gives its citizens their voice. Young Indians are navigating their journeys from the drive for modernity balanced with still following traditions, the need for global experiences which are often Indianized to suit sensibilities and the consumerism and flamboyance of new money with the value and savings mindset that used to prevail. This usually results in chaos and confusion as the country navigates through consensus to become a superpower.

As the country's infrastructure struggles to keep pace with its growth and aspirations, you can expect that nothing in India will proceed according to plans. Mayhem defines most of the city experiences. To understand the mayhem in India, you only need to drive down Gurgaon, a major emerging city, and observe how the traffic is navigated. The wonder is how, despite the chaos, traffic continues to move(inch) forward. Different forms of transport, from rickshaws to cars to big trucks, coexist with pedestrians rushing across the road. At the same time, cows and dogs sit calmly and observe the commotion. Traffic is expected to flow the wrong way as drivers try to take shortcuts. Yet, no one seems perturbed by this medley of elements, all vying to reach their destination quickly and disregarding all traffic rules.

But mere words are insufficient to capture the wonder of this country, its paradoxes, and its variety of places, people, policies, thought processes, and aspirations. As someone who spent my first 20-plus years in India, I have witnessed its vagaries and many complexities firsthand. I grew up in Calcutta, now Kolkata, studied in Gurgaon, now Gurugram, and lived and worked in Delhi (still Delhi) and Bombay, now renamed Mumbai. These places have shaped me and influenced my thought process on topics disparate as education, politics, capitalism, communalism, secularism, and democracy. The books that captured the essence of India I grew up in and the cities that paved my journey are reviewed below.

In Spite of the Gods by Edward Luce

I picked this book up at an airport on my visits after moving out of India. Despite being over 15 years since I read this book, the observations regarding India remain insightful. Each chapter highlights a part of India that remains a facet and paradox in its continued growth. The title itself, ironic, hopeful and tongue in cheek, describes the author's observations and details the many contradictions that seem to hold the country back, yet it propels it forward. Vijay Kelkar's quote that 'The twenty-first century is India's to lose' is alluded to by the author, and he has an entire chapter on this topic. It is written with the affection and critique that only someone who believes in the country despite seeing its issues can provide a must-read to understand modern India.

Maximum City by Suketu Mehta

Whose city is Bombay? Asks the writer in Maximum City. The story of a city is the story of its people. We get to see Bombay through the stories of the party worker, the policeman and the gangsters, the bar dancer and the Bollywood producers, the stars and the diamond merchants. Bombay is a city; you can make your own by making the adjustments you need to survive. Through the stories and the journeys of its residents, we see the dreams, hopes, and individuality of the different protagonists, as well as how the extreme character of the city influences the lives of those who live in it. While the author doesn't sugarcoat any of the challenges of living in this brutal city, the warmth of the people and their stories showcase why Bombay retains its charm for all those who continue to flock to this city of dreams.

The Epic City

Kushanava Choudhury's 'The Epic City' explores the streets of Kolkata, examining their significance to a city that seems stuck in time. Through it emerges the city's character, chaotic, maudlin, frozen, literary, bursting with delicious street food, mired in the adda culture, coming to life during the Durga Pujo festival when its para clubs transform the city into something magical. We also get glimpses of history and its impact on the city from partition to the Naxal movement. As the author examines the new developments in Kolkata, from the South City Mall to giant new high-rise apartments, the question of how this clash would impact the character of this city arises. A rounded look at Kolkata, this book covers the past and the present and leaves the future open to possibility.

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