From the Footpath is a story taken from a collection of stories (Half a Rupee: Stories) by Gulzar, and offered here as an independent read. It is from part two, which is about poor people, slum dwellers of Mumbai and perhaps of the largest slum known in Asia - although by standard US definitions most who call themselves middle class in Asia would be considered poor. Realities of lives of poor in city slums are comprehensible if one puts oneself in their position, but most of those in position to change their lives and make it better in fact do the opposite due to not doing that - not considering what they would like if living in those circumstances - and so the poor end up living far worse.
Surprise, surprise - a slum on ground with ill constructed huts might be far worse than an apartment block well constructed with small apartments and proper plumbing even if every apartment has a bathroom and toilet for its residents. For starters, in a slum with huts on ground people might have possibilities of sowing a plant or more, and in an apartment one needs to buy equipment and limit the plants to what can grow in pots, so most poor won't and so the place stinks.
From the Footpath is about poor that dwell on sidewalks of towns and cities in India, having arrived from rural areas for work that is necessary to survive - rural areas with political mishandling and corruption make it impossible to many to survive, whether they have land as a family or none. Housing in cities and towns is either not easy to find or far too expensive, which is the same for someone poor, and dwelling on sidewalks without even jobs makes it possible for them to find some work for themselves and survive.
One such woman living on sidewalks is the main character here, and she survives by collecting objects from garbage that could be sold for pennies so she can sell them. Her trials and travails what with various males around that would not let her alone or support her either is a major concern, and her dealing with all this and her heart as well is the story.
Gulzar to some extent and Sahir Ludhianavi to a far more committed extent were leftists - Sahir was about to be arrested for h in his chosen or default home in the other part of India as it was before independence, and had to escape to India as it is post independence, and yet he said it was lucky for Mumbai to have him, rather than admitting he was lucky he could get away and not be arrested to spend life in jail, rather than the respect and fame and prestige and satisfactory work he had during his life in India. Gulzar in that tradition sympathises with a suicide bomber who plans to blow up a prime minister, and writes a story and publishes it, apart from a film or more he made on the topic.
Wonder if they had courage enough to battle for Malala and her ilk. Easy to target a democracy, especially one that does not penalise you for being in minority politically.
Saturday, March 29, 2014.
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