Here is Delhi. An aspect of Delhi, as is India. There is a fix for everything. Here is a young man fixing an umbrella. Rather than being thrown because it is cheaper to buy a new one and because we have lost skills to fix something.
While there are tested ways of 'really fixing something' there is also something in India called JUGAAD, meaning temporary solution, usually honest but can also sometimes mean 'not all that honest' but an 'innovative solution'. It ends up being temporary, but does the job and make things last long. The dishonest part is what people made it, as in 'do you know someone who can get me that gig, do you have a Jugaad?'. But India has had a long tradition of innovative solutions. Infact, it is the modernisation with a throwaway culture that is messing it up. Infact, someone even wrote a book on JUGAAD (click here)
PS: This is the street I grew up on. It is much crowded today than it was 25 years ago. But the fact is that we have 20 times more cars on the streets than there were 25 years ago...sad in many ways.
I usually take pics of these young, skilful 'fixer of all things-men' . For all the talk of environment, these are the people we need to invest in. I will share more photographs of shoemakers and shoe-repairers, and those who repair your televisions and radios and mixers and blenders --those who repair dresses, and know how to 'darn' a special skill of using threads in the fabric to cover a hole or a tear--If our expensive dresses, silk and brocade got a tear, we would take it to the dry-cleaners, who also had a special darning service. In a matter of days it would be fixed, given the fabric a new life.
These are the skills that need to be developed and these are the people that need to be honoured. They are the ones truly maintaining 'sustainable living'. Rather than brands like Eddie Bauer and others charging an extra dollar to your purchase to save the forests (they used to do that).
Jugaad and simple solutions were so common for us, that even as a teen I had learnt things like fixing a fuse, and old cables (sometimes a dangerous thing to do).
Then there is India, where all of this and all of the future exists at the same time.
Here is one on door to door service of food being sold. A Very Asian process!! I have seen that all over South East Asia and in South Asia. So, while you have malls and supermarkets these folks still come to your house to deliver your favourite fruits and veggies at a special cost. Imagine how much time it saves. But then again, imagine how much social it allows for those living alone. Then imagine the layered relationships that people have, with all sections of the society.
All of this Jugaad thinking is also propelling the nation into innovation solutions. After all it is all about the thinking. Remember the famous joke--'Americans spent millions on researching creating a pen to be used in space, where as Russians simply used a pencil?'
For those interested, you can learn more about JUGAAD thinking can lead to some innovative solutions even in technology and help many---in these ted talks. Enjoy and share your thoughts if you wish....and remember JUGAAD can fix anything --but broken hearts!! :) :( :)
No comments:
Post a Comment