Back in Mumba - 48 hours till we run

I thought I knew something, I thought I did something, I thought I made a difference. I know nothing, I understand nothing, I affect nothing. The greatest democracy on earth is a contradiction too wide, too deep and too far to explain. A few days ago I was beginning to think that India was a Country in the process of imploding. Today we spent the day touring the business, banking and government districts of Mumbai. It’s huge, it’s powerful and it’s expanding at rates we would find unbelievable in Canada.

We spent the day in broad 6 lane avenues graced with palatial homes and new steel and glass office towers. I thought I understood how this works. A student of economics, business, political science and commerce I was taught to believe in the democractic/capitalist miracle of the majority middle class. It’s not here. I see only the super elite/super rich, a modest managerial/technical middle class and a majority of desperate poor. Why? Where is the trickle down of capitalist wealth? Why are so many millions completely outside of this economic rebirth and when will they be included? The contradiction hits us full in the face as we sit at the beautiful city centre in traffic gridlock and children appear, as if from no where (and everywhere), and thrust their hands through the windows to hawk something or simply to beg. We stop at a swanky Bank to cash some travelers cheques, first I’ve ever seen a guard with a double barrel shotgun at the door (he would NOT let me take his picture…). Then we walk around the corner to the vehicle and there’s street barber where you can get a shave and a haircut for 5 or 6 rupees (yup, that’s right, “shave-and-a-haircut-two-bits” is still a reality here).

I was encouraged to learn that the poor are a political force. In Dahvari, largest slum in Asia, the land has become valuable for development. To protect the slum residents the government has passed laws that include the limiting of hi-rise developments to only certain heights unless developers build new homes for the poor and relocate them. There are also laws protecting the displacement of slum residents unless they are relocated at the developers expense and give new housing.
Nonsense Journal (2)…
We did a very touristy thing today and took a ferry to Elephanta Island. About a 45 minute ferry ride South of Mumbai on an Island in the Arabian Sea. Although the Island has no elephants, it is named for a life size carved stone elephant that was discovered on the Island. However, the Stone Elephant has been moved to the zoo in Mumbai. But there are still the carved stone caves from the 7th century. Fantastic structures that were well worth visiting. We discovered that they also had amazing acoustics and Luke had a little fun with rap beats and scales! (see the youtube post Cave Rapper - above)
I bartered again today and I think I made a good deal as well. A 2GB SD Card for the camera for about $45 ($2,000 rupees). This will really help with all the video snaps I’ve been trying to take. But there’s really no joy in the bartering when you do it from a position of relative wealth. It makes some sense to me when it’s between individuals of relatively equal economic position. But it seems ridiculous for me to be wanting to pay less than Canadian prices just because I can. Not to mention that I’m here for the purpose of promoting fair trade. So, I guess I’m part of the contradiction that is India.

Sorry these pictures are all messed up - Luke is in bed fighting a sore throat, how can you tell!