I have observed the prices of many essential commodities, cab and auto fairs have gone up considerably since I was here last time in 2018. Inflation is that kind of ghost I can see but not feel much of the pinch - partly due to the fact that I am not buying any high ticket items and thanks to the 1:73 ratio of Dollar vis a vis Rupee (Indian Currency) has its own advantage.
It reminded me of this incident from summer of 2012 when I took my son Sidhant to a local fish market during the morning hours to get him a first hand exposure to an environment he wasn't familiar with. For a 7 year old everything around him seemed confusing and amusing as he continued gaping at his surrounding.
He was intensely watching our fish being cut and cleaned up, until his attention was diverted by a lanky kid of his age who approached us with an extended hand, his tiny palm semi folded. The poor kid was extremely thin and malnourished, covered with dirt from tip to toe, clad in a torn soiled pant.
Sidhant gave him a curious look, as if he is looking at an Alien from outer space. He had earlier seen a homeless guy in America clad in jeans, jackets, wearing Nike shoes, smoking Marlboro, a beer can by their side and standing on the sidewalks near a stop light - often with a Doggie giving curious look around by his side (a pet by the side invariably increases the chance of getting a few bucks from a good samaritan). But what he just saw was far cry from what he saw before. Soon he realized that this little boy is just a kid like him.
My son asked me - "Why the kid is asking for money ? Why don't you give him money" ? No sooner I grabbed whatever I had inside my pocket and handed over to the poor kid than Sidhant repeated again "Why he is asking you for money ?" I said - "Because he is poor". He asked "Why is he poor" ?
Being seven year old is an interesting stage in life when the kid is old enough to ask questions about stuffs which get his attention. The child at that age is not yet mature enough to understand a lot of things in life, asks incessant questions to quench his thirst of curiosity. I had no simple answer for his simple query.
As I was scratching my head to find an answer for his simple mind to comprehend, his attention was diverted by a cat who was feasting with its eyes closed on the discarded fish bones, gills, tails and scales at a corner. Sidhant asked "Won't the kitty cat's throat get chocked ?" He has seen cats at his friend's house feasting on organic boneless chunks of salmon lest their throat get chocked. It was surprising for him to see a cat gladly munching away fish bones and scales, trying to scavenge some fish flesh.
Sidhant had enough experience for the day. I was glad my fish was cut and ready. It was getting hot and muggy. No sooner the fish seller handed me the plastic pouch, than I rushed towards home.
As I was scratching my head to find an answer for his simple mind to comprehend, his attention was diverted by a cat who was feasting with its eyes closed on the discarded fish bones, gills, tails and scales at a corner. Sidhant asked "Won't the kitty cat's throat get chocked ?" He has seen cats at his friend's house feasting on organic boneless chunks of salmon lest their throat get chocked. It was surprising for him to see a cat gladly munching away fish bones and scales, trying to scavenge some fish flesh.
Sidhant had enough experience for the day. I was glad my fish was cut and ready. It was getting hot and muggy. No sooner the fish seller handed me the plastic pouch, than I rushed towards home.
Today it was raining on and off throughout all afternoon and evening due to a tropical low pressure formed in the Bay of Bengal. A la the hurricane season in USA starts in June and peaks in September, cyclone season in India starts in September and extends into November. Tropical storms and cyclones aren't uncommon at this time of the year in India which acts as catalyst to monsoon. City dwellers are known to complain against too much rain, but prediction of more rain must be music to the ears of the farmers due to a scarcity of monsoon rains this year.
Sun came out for a few minutes during the late afternoon. I went to balcony on our first floor to take a peek outside. A bird was sitting on a mound of sand, picking up insects. A cat started stalking it from behind, a la a tiger on prowl. In Odia there is a saying - "BAGHA NA DEKHILE BIRADI DEKHA" (If you can't see a tiger, watch a cat). The crouching stalking motion of the cat reminded me of crouching tigers I have seen on National Geographic.
Suddenly a stray dog started chasing the cat. In the commotion the bird flew away. The cat jumped to its comfort on top of an adjacent wall with the frustrated dog giving up the chase, gasping for breath.
It is nature's order for big fish to eat the small fish, big animal chases the smaller animal. We humans do the same but under the cloak of civility and hypocrisy. More later...
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