Monday Musings 224 Reporting from Cawnpore
The world outside the metro is an
education. Every time I travel to the
smaller towns of India I tend to notice the many India that jostle for space,
on the face of it competing and soon settling down at peace with each other. We
know for sure instances where the many India’s are not at peace with each other
and are at violent loggerheads for space – like the khaps and their convoluted
logic of honour amidst rural prosperity, not more than a 100 kms from the
borders of the nations capital. However there are also examples where an
understanding of sorts has been achieved. I witnessed two such examples during
my recent trip to Kanpur. I like the sound of its erstwhile name Cawnpore,
which incidentally is still what is written on its British era Kotwali, a majestic imperial
architecture. Why don't they build stuff like that anymore?
I was attending a meeting where
the prosperous and progressive Small and Medium Enterpirse owners of the town had come
together for an industry conference, to discuss key issues of their business.
Quite obviously most of these belonged to old, established and illustrious
families of the city. Most were old and middle aged and commanded respected
from the fellow participants, flowing not only from the net worth they
represented but perhaps because of conduct that may have lasted for more than a generation.
A man in the
fifties who was a dignitary on the dias came out and touched the feet of an elderly member
in the audience seeking blessings. Before I could get over it another young man
in his thirties at the most came over and touched everyones feet. I was only
consuming the sight and trying to come to terms with it is when another man in
his fifties brought his rather young son in his early twenties to meet the
seniors. What an amazing sight – the boy went about touching everyones feet in
the circle – almost a rite of passage of sorts. He was getting lesson i guess. Mind you this was happening in
the middle of a trade conference just outside the auditorium. I could not
help but wonder if my management education ever taught me anything even
remotely to deal with this milieu. I am sure each one in the room knew his
pennies and paisa’s as well as anyone else in any other city of India. The big
question I also wondered if we the city slickers were in any way prepared to
deal with them?
Earlier in the day someone in his
thirties and working as a professional for many years now was describing the rituals at his home, relationship with his father and his children. He was young,
modern, educated, sophisticated in every sense of the word. He described how even today he is woken up by
his father at 5am, a relaxation of an hour from the earlier deadline of 4 am in
the morning. He talked about how even today he so enjoys pressing his father’s
feet and legs, and he considers that his doing it actually the best ‘role
modeling’ he could do for his children. He was at least a decade younger to me
but at least a decade wiser than me. I was so blown away by his childlike
enthusiasm, simplicity and rootedness. He believed in what he said and even if
some of it sounded so anachronistic in this time and age for the city slicker
in me, I wanted to ape him. A case of reverse role modeling.
On the highway from Lucknow to
Kanpur there was a stretch where old village women were selling fresh guavas. Great joy in munching into the succulent flesh of the countryside guava.Big joy in small munches.
I met three retailers – two known
from the past and one in whose shop I just walked into, who showed me how the winds of trade were changing. The first one owned a
60 year old family shop which sold more than 20,000 SKUs in kitchen items,
accessories and electronic items. He told me that e-tailing was gradually
eating into the business and confirmed it even when I expressed dismay that it
was not possible in Kanpur. The second one was the owner
of a chain of beauty Salon’s – a first generation self made business person.
She taught me the magic of customer insight. She said that the third week of
March is every year a lean season for her because during this week most
housewives, which incidentally made up much of her clientele were busy in their
children's exams and would not venture out. This was also not a season where
Christians, Hindus or Muslims usually have weddings. Finally she told me that
she keeps track of the Shubh Muhurts probably more than anyone else – because
it means ache din for her. I walked into a leather shop whose owner gave me a
tutorial on leather, its type and speciality – he definitely knew his sheep from
his calves and goats!!
Class over.
Guru
