URBANIZATION

                                 

 “Urbanization can be defined as the…”

I suppose that is not a proper way to start an interesting article. When a person of today’s society hears this 12-letter word, does it strike a bell?? The answer might be a big NO in most cases, and occasionally a yes too. If we think back a couple of years or in our school days, we would still remember this word in our history or economics text books. When Gandhi ji tried to bring urbanization to rural villages or when the Indian economy was urbanized which resulted in several TATAs and Birla’s? The word fitted its context. But if we spend a little more time spending thinking if it is a boon or a bane, we will be rather confused.

These days, urbanization means eating out in KFC’s and Amb’s, shopping in high end malls, using luxurious smart phones and so on. But I seriously don’t think that Gandhi wanted the rural peasants to eat out in restaurants or own a smart phone so that they too can be urbanized.

Now its time for you to answer the million dollar question,’ what is Urbanization?’ This time, it demands a formal explanation. Urbanization can be defined as the transformation of life of people who live in extremely devastated state to lead a happy life.

We may find this meaning when we look up in a dictionary. But in real life, this is not practical. Practically speaking, urbanization is referred as the never ending greed of humans. The most recurring problems are the increasing range of basic necessities.

 Let me make it more clearly by giving you the basic necessities of different people in different social statuses.

1. An indebted farmer – At least a couple of meals per day for the whole family.

The farmers debts are paid by the government and it gave him some money for a steady life and it made him a normal farmer.

2. Normal Farmer – Full meal and even snack refreshments between every hour of work in the field.

He gets a small profit and opens up an average income farm product shop making him a shop owner.

3. Shop owner – Television set, a mobile and air conditioner in at least a single room in his house.

He makes rather bigger profit which compels him to take few bank loans and opens up a new farm mill company. He aims to become a business tycoon in the country. Hallucinates the number of BMW’s he can own. Now he has become a business man.

4. Businessman – Latest model vehicles, a Smartphone for the whole family including his 12 year old son, at least a 42’ LED TV set, and all other luxuries he can ever dream of.

That was when lady luck struck hard on his face. Business collapsed!! Gone are those BMW’s, LED’s, smart phones, and all those goodies. And here he is, back where he started. The same old indebted farmer.

I hope you understood what I meant by increasing range of necessities.

Urbanization has sometimes given a blow in the face and sometimes it had been a boon too. It has some adverse clutches on our society.

New variety racing bikes, corner – to – corner café shops, girlfriend – boyfriend dramas and chicks exposing themselves in low necks and low waists were not common sights in a street in the early 90’s.

So, as the clock ticks, as time rolls by, in the long road of life, you either become part of the road or part of the steamroller.

I suppose that is what urbanization has done to us. If we think twice, we can still get to know that our good old pakodas and samosas are no match for pizzas and burgers. Same as in the case of desi ammas to high flying moms and so goes the list of disastrous variations that has occurred in a hell lot of twisted turn of events.

Thus, as we wake up from this illusion or a dream that took us to pinnacle, there still remains our life to live. And none of the experiences while inside the castle of glasses may help you survive in the outer world. At this situation, I’d like to quote the exact words of the good lord that “The road to success is filled with stones and thorns” and not AC restrooms and home theatres.

So please don’t become an urbanization freak.

        ADIOS READERS..!!!

-ARJUN SANTOSH