:) - Finally arrived at my sweet home and feels I was never away for 3 years.
Not sure how to put this in words but it feels strange - like a stranger among friends - like a lone person in a houseful of people.
Things have not changed drastically but I have noticed certain trends that have crept up -
One thing I was so disappointed with was the THE HINDU paper !! - They have reduced the number of pages and the material is just the basics - The additionals used to be such a wonderful timepass -now its more like THE METRO in UK - where are THE HINDU standards gone ?
I am happy about Hyderabadi people more casual about Girls wearing Jeans, less complaining about traffic ,pollution - I am not talking about places like Himayatnagar, Ameerpet and Panjagutta where this is the norm - This is the outskirts of Hyderabad where milk is still supplied after fresh produce from buffaloes and not milk packets - where a weekend doesn't mean shopping but a good lunch and an afternoon siesta :) .
TV serials and movies - south India - especially Kerala channels are based on 3 things
1- women either as oppressed or as cunning villain for the whole serial- a Vamp.
2- singing competitions ( too many of them )
3 - GOD - from Swami Ayappan to Devi.
I have not even forayed into the channels like Start plus gold and all- scared that I will become a Zombie in front of the TV like many others in India.
Food is a great thing - ask any Indian anywhere in the world. A simple Aloo fry with Mom's touch is heaven - no words or expressions will justify that.
India - The land of Call centres - is a norm now - I remember the time Aunty's used to gossip about the so and so ki beti is going in a cab at night and working in a call centre - the Stigma is still there for a middle class family but the call centre trend continues - Of course has ups and downs but people are living with it - no one frowns or becomes ecstatic about a call centre work.
This one is I think a little funny but I am quiet happy with this trend- Foreign returned Girls or Guys no longer get the AWE from people- Not because they are jealous or anything- Because literally each family has got one person who has gone to the West. They know the Dubai Waiting times nightmare- The luggage problems for which they will sympathetically nod - the Indian Instant food we get abroad - The webcam to webcam chatting on laptops....
Coming to which - Mobile phones - the first thing my friend asked me when he picked me up was which mobile am I using - My servants daughter has a mobile phone which my mom calls incase she is late!! (This is not an exaggeration)
This is not to portray there is no poverty here or that the country has developed and there are no woes -
Traffic, Poverty still prevails but the degree of poorness has come down -
A middle class family with a four wheeler and one of their children abroad is UPPER middle class :) - a 'poor' family with a mobile phone - What do I call them ?
India and Traffic - Horrendous is the best word to describe it - Its the usual but the 2 wheelers replaced by 4 wheelers now - I have not seen a single Cycle or a Luna on the roads - its Cars, MotorBikes and HondaActivas now - Women Drivers are a norm -
I can go on writing about each and everything but do not want to overamplify little things here - the above things are mere observations of mine - At the end of the day I am glad I am back.
