Young India

Last week, as I was browsing through different channels, I saw an interesting discussion on young people of this generation. The panel discussion was basically to show how amoral, insensitive, callous, westernized youth of India today are. ‘Experts’ passed their comments for one hour(do not know if they are based out of informed or uninformed opinions though). I started retrospection if what they had said about today’s youth was indeed true.

Some key points of discussion were – Dressing (‘westernized’ dressing), attitude (I do not care what others think about me), habits (spending, drinking, smoking). Each and every point of discussion revolved around these three aspects.

After a lot of self-exploration I thought I should pen down, some positives about this generation, which probably get over shadowed by petty points like the above.

(most of these have been penned down on self-experience, which I am sure, every young person would have experienced in his or her own life at some point in time)

The most striking positive point is, friends helping each other unconditionally during the most needed times. This help covers a spectrum starting from booking a bus ticket to beating up the ‘common enemy’. However, if one looks at the darker shades of the spectrum, like most elders do, they can find only friends smoking together, or some of them indulging in a petty scuffle. The most common complaint from many elders is, that the kids today are addicted to internet or cell-phone. But, it is the same perceived irresponsible friends who use one single facebook status message to find a donor for a needy patient.  One message from a friend is enough to pass it on hundred more and the result, an unknown person is at the hospital donating blood within two hours of posting the message.

Similarly, when there is a crisis, be it financial or emotional or anything else, it is only friends that one relies upon (In some cases, it could be even before the immediate family members) Today, friends are an integral part of our lives and are increasingly replacing the position of relatives in our lives. Be it a wedding celebration, or a cremation, it is friends who stand next giving immense strength.

Second most striking point is, attitude. The common complaint from ‘experts’ is that today’s generation has become selfish and does not bother to understand the needs of others. I wish such experts noticed scenes like traffic regulation by young IT professionals, volunteering at blue-cross and carrying out a peaceful candle light walk against corruption. Yes, one may argue, there is a strong counter movement like the Telangana movement. But, what should be noticed here is, it is still the young people who fight just for the cause without any motives unlike many middle and old aged political leaders. If there is anything that changed drastically in attitude then it is respecting others’ choices. The voyeuristic nature which is very inherent in our culture is being challenged and young people do not just say, ‘ I do not care what others think of me’, but also feel it is none of their business bothering about others’ choices and attitudes.

The last (but not the least) positive point that I would like to mention here is the aspirations and unflinching hope with which they are moving forward. The whole country is stuck in dirty pool of scandals and issues. While the older generation is very pessimistic about this situation in the country and feel that our nation is now not even worth a dime, it is the younger generation that’s unabashedly marching forward with set of goals and objectives. The direction could be positive or negative, but what is interesting is that every person is oriented in some direction and is not resolving to his or her fate. Despite 2G, CWG and Soniaji, the young hearts have burning desire in them to create their own destiny and write their own tales.

Why caste and class system wouldn't perish in India?

It was a pleasant evening. The drizzling made it perfect. Kids in my apartment complex were playing cricket. Perfect photography composition, i thought. I stepped out of my home to click some moments. A   6-year old girl, my neighbor and her friends came and asked me if i could click their pictures. I was more than glad for having found enthusiastic subjects. So, i started clicking them playing, clicking them running around etc.

After some time, i noticed a small boy standing behind me mused. I stopped clicking and initiated a conversation with him. When i asked if he would like to be clicked, he instantly said a yes with a beaming face. I asked him to come and stand in front of the camera. As he came, the other kids pushed him away and the 6-year old girl, came and put her hand in front of the camera, blocking the lens. The girl insisted that i should not click the boy. When i asked why, she said, "akka, veedu, chaakali vadu, pichi battalu vesukuntadu... vedni photo teeyodhu" ( it means, this boy belongs to dhobi community and he wears rags, so you shouldn't click his photo)

I was startled by her words and immediately chided her. She was still adamant and insisted that no one clicks the boy's photos along with the other kids like them. when i asked her, who told her, she said she knew it by herself. When i asked her how, she responded that she learnt it from the television and movies. In the television and movies, people like servant maids and dhobis who work for us, are always treated indifferently. I told her that its not the right way to treat people and one shouldn't be judged based on what he or she wears. Anger was evident on the girl's face and she said she doesn't like to be told like this. She said, because i clicked his photo, she would now not talk to me as well. So, she said a loud "Kattif" and left from that place.

I did not know how to react, so quietly continued clicking the pictures of the boy.
I do not know if she told it in ignorance or casually, but i know for sure that with 6-year olds like her, who will be tomorrow's india, it is very difficult to dream of a caste and class free society.