The Girl who wanted to be Princess

Tilottama was a pretty girl-with dimpled cheeks and wavy black hair. When teacher asked her in school what she wanted to become when she grew up she promptly said,"Princess..then I will live in a huge palace and wear a shiny tiara!"

That day when she got home she rushed to Amma and asked her,"Amma, can I become princess?" Amma was busy reading her favourite column in the paper. "Of course"she said and went right back to reading. This Tilottama didn't like one bit. She told Amma in a voice not soft to put the paper away. Now Amma could sense the tantrum coming. She put the paper away,gathered Tilu into her lap and said ,"Of course my dear,when you grow up you can become princess."

"Now!!Now!! I want to be princess now" she said escaping from Amma's lap and stamping on the ground. As she rolled on the ground screaming as only four year olds can, Amma realised it was no use talking to her and went back to reading.

Tilottama suddenly saw a fairy in front of her. A fairy with a magic wand like the one she had seen in the Cinderella story. Wow! "Fairy ,fairy can I be princess,please?"she asked with folded palms.

"Oh!yes",said the fairy and whoosh.....Tilottama was seated in front of a mirror in a beautiful gown and tiara,her maids helping her dress. One was pulling her hair into a knot and the other was tightening her waistband while a third lady was making her wear high heels higher than the ones Amma wore..

Tilottama was getting irritated. She hated tying her hair or wearing belts. "Stop! I want leave my hair loose and the waistband is too tight", she ordered. Just then a lady appeared and introduced herself as  Governess Gutsy."I am in charge of Your Excellency's  appointments" she announced in a rather self important manner. " As of today, you have a ball to attend and then call on the Queen Mother after which you have to inaugurate the Turtle Walk..", she rattled on. 
"Wait! Does that mean  there is no playing in the  swing and slide or watching cartoons!
"Oh !My!"the Governess said  in a mocking tone-"Our princess here wants to play on a slide!" 
'No Dear!Its a full time job", the lady doing her hair whispered kindly. 
JOB! Is'nt that what Papa did or said he needed to do to get her her toys....
Tilottama was suddenly missing Amma and her bear hugs.

'Comm'on get up...."
When her eyes opened she was in Amma's arms. Amma was carrying her to her bed " Time for a nap, princess", Amma said.
"No, not Princess..Tilu is fine", Tilottama smiled as she hugged Amma..relieved that it was just a dream. 

Why Maklu inspires me

Maklu Tudu is a middle aged Santhali Woman. I met her ten years ago when my husband got transferred to Dumka as its 158th Deputy Commissioner. She lived in a world very different from mine. She cycled 10 km to work as domestic help  in the Deputy Commissioner's Bunglow (DC Kothi) in Dumka. Small built and wiry, she took life in her stride. Her family's sole bread winner, she tended her less than fertile land, gathered mahua flowers, mangoes and jackfruit during the season, sent her daughters to school, college and got them trained to be Mid wives. A previous mem saab couldnt pronounce or may be didn't like her name. So she became Meenu to the residents of the bunglow. She was nanny and  housekeeper; cleaner and masseuse rolled into one.

Multifaceted personality aside, it was her cheerfulness and progressive attitude that influenced me the most. She was a willing learner and never said no to work. In the midst of patriarchal mores, she calmly went about giving her two daughters whatever opportunities came her way. She was a woman with a lot of traditional wisdom and knowledge about local herbs and plants. She once drove away a cobra but it upset her when the gardener insisted on killing it!

Every time I feel misunderstood, when my efforts are not appreciated, I think of Maklu and decide to make the best of what I have. To be cheerful and carry on.......

Pedestrians’ Progress

The year long  stay in central London gave me an opportunity to walk and discover the city on foot. The wide and accessible foot paths and zebra crossings made the experience enjoyable. As I walked across Hyde Park and enjoyed the sun in Russell square, I could imagine how walks might have inspired Darwin to think about evolution and walks around Salzburg gave Mozart’s music the edge that retains its popularity even today.

Increased awareness about impact of vehicular pollution on the environment has made it even more important to nudge people to walk and cycle more. In developed regions of the world Pedestrians are given their due and a fair share of the road. Though etymologically the word pedestrian is from Latin and meant ‘plain and not versified’ with respect to prose in comparison to poetry and ‘on foot’ as opposed to ‘on horseback’ which was considered better, pedestrians have progressed and people now take pride in calling themselves pedestrian!

 On my return I still endevour to clock at least 15000 steps on my Fitbit. I pack my walking shoes when I travel for work as well as when am on holiday. However, I have realized that  pedestrians face infrastructural as well as attitudinal challenges in cities and towns as varied as Ranchi, Delhi, Patna and Kochi.

While many roads lack proper pavements, even when they are present, our lack of civic sense converts them into roads or parking spaces. Our love for street food and fresh vegetables spills on to our pavements and we have people hawking everything from chaat to bedsheets!

Where there are zebra crossings, drivers don’t consider it important to stop before the Zebra crossing. To be a pedestrian in India therefore one has to be adventurous to a fault.

On a more serious note, one hears and reads about people run over by bikes, trucks and autorickshaws as they were ambling on the side or worse, waiting to cross the road. A report in Times of India says  how in2017 , on an average 56 pedestrians got killed every day*. The number must have only increased since that time.

There is a serious need to increase awareness and make motorists be more respectful of pedestrians. Along with better enforcement, citizens too should play their part in trying to bring about change in attitudes. This state of pedestrians exists even as the National Urban Transport Policy states that pedestrians and cyclists must have segregated pathways to ensure their safety and convenience, which would also then serve as important feeders to public transport terminals in the city.

 It also recognizes the fact that the existing footpaths in our cities fail to provide safety or encouragement for pedestrians to walk as they are badly designed, without an understanding of what pedestrians really need. The latest Smart City Mission guidelines also state that walkable localities are a key feature in the making of a smart city. Organisations like Sum Net ( Sustainable Urban Mobility Network) are trying to make India more walkable through advocacy and outreach programmes.

With the hope that one day in the not so distant future I will walk on pavements lined with Jacaranda and Coral Jasmine, I walk to office ignoring the ‘Istriwali’around the corner and her comment, “Kya hua madam, paidal chal rahi hai...gaadi kharab ho gayi hai kya?”