"Beyond the Obvious- Part 1"

In this 21st century world, we have been exploded with all kinds of data ranging from GDP numbers to the inflation figures, gross revenue to net profits, export numbers to cricket scores, and much more. But to most of the ordinary mortals, this data is either incomprehensible or irrelevant without the requisite human side or human touch to this data. Take for instance the GDP number. India’s GDP grew at 7.9% in the second quarter of the current fiscal year, which is a very strong growth figure for the economy and makes India the second fastest growing economy in the world after China. Now try telling this to an old lady, who is living in a slum, can barely walk and is far satisfied with the world if she gets three meals a day than anything else. The relevance of the GDP number to this old lady, who is living in a crotchety shanty, is the same as for a rainbow to a blind man. You can keep praising the beauty of the rainbow but to a blind man even the beautiful rainbow is nothing but the ubiquitous darkness.

Over the years, I have met many people who say nothing or very little has changed for them since India decided to adopt liberal policies towards trade and began opening its economy to the outside world( or should I rather say the inside world). But it is equally true that I have witnessed great successes with my own eyes. I have got a lot of motivation through some of these success stories, so I think it would be appropriate for me to write a true story which inspires us to never give up, no matter how bad the circumstances get. This is a true personal account of how one can escape from the clutches of poverty to a much better and prosperous life. The story is beyond the facts and figures we often see and quote in public.

The story:
The time is 1987, and this woman works as a domestic help. She is only 20 and has a lean body with only a hint of fat. Even though she is 20 she appears like she is 30 already. She is a mother of a three year old son and is pregnant again with a 7 month old fetus growing inside her womb. She can barely walk with her pregnancy but rather than resting at home, she decides to go to work. She knows that she has to go and work, or else she would not be able to feed her 3 year old son and the coming baby. She works at five different households on a given day. She goes to work, reluctant or otherwise, lest her children might have to beg. She is illiterate and gets an average of Rs.20 per household that realizes an income of Rs.100 per month for her. The income is barely enough to satisfy the family ration for a month but still she makes it a point to save some money. She has one thing which makes her stand out amongst the crowd. What is it? She is a visionary in a true sense. She is ahead of her peers in understanding the world and the state she is in. Her husband also shares the same vision, albeit a bit reluctantly. Their vision, their hard work and their ability to work under adverse conditions, even though they have no rainbow in sight, is remarkable and is symbolic of the true Indian spirit.

With one hand on her bulged stomach, she mops the floor with the other hand, barely showing the pain and uneasiness we expect a 7 months pregnant lady to show. She works relentlessly, talks to the memsabs cheerfully where she works and, during this time, quietly gathers useful information about how to raise a child. She is determined to use the information given to her and help her children get a better future. The atmosphere is not always amiable in these households and she has to put up with all the pestering she gets every now and then. But, in spite of all this she is pleased. What is it that makes her so pleased? It’s the vision. What vision?

She mops, she washes she cooks. She believes and she knows she’s right with her vision. She understands the world as good as a bureaucrat, politician or an educationist. She knows that tomorrow will be better than today. This thought pleases her to an extent that she forgets her present day hardships in the hope of a better tomorrow. Her vision is not a complicated jigsaw puzzle. Her vision is simple enough for mortals like you and me to understand, but the means she has to employ to realize the vision is way beyond our comprehension. What is the vision??

Read the full story- “Beyond the obvious”- part 2. Next post……………….