Thursday, May 26, 2011

Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan

I haven't seen any other place with so much 'in your face' poverty. Millions go to bed hungry each and every night in this city.

A couple of days ago, a friend and I were going to have a sunset drink at AER, a fancy rooftop bar 34 floors above the ground at the Four Seasons in Worli. My friend had a sandwich she wanted to give away to a beggar and as soon we rolled down the glass and called a young boy of 8 or 9, he dashed towards us to take the sandwich, which probably would have been his only meal of the day.

At AER, expats and rich Indians were enjoying the sea breeze and great views by paying Rs 500 for a beer! Enough has been written about the gaps between the haves and have-nots, so I won't get into that.
But what irked the living daylights out of me was an article in the Hindustan Times this morning about a dog whisperer training program.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mumbai/Sudden-change-in-pet-s-behaviour-Learn-to-become-a-dog-whisperer/Article1-702463.aspx

It costs Rs 13,000 for the course, which helps dog-owners understand the behaviour of their canines. I am just amused that people might actually be ready to pay that kind of money for something as trivial as this when millions go to bed hungry!

No 1 person can solve the poverty issues in Bombay or India by himself or herself but wouldn't Rs 13,000 go a long way in helping several starving families?

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