“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
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