Sunday March 4, 2001

Memories from Mumbai!

An early start, but after two days of relaxing, rekindling and recharging the batteries, it was with a touch of sadness that we flew out of Mumbai today. My memories will remain happy ones of this complex city, although they will be memories of two worlds. One world is of material poverty, squalor and deprivation, the other of grand opulence as rich as any in the universe.

Arriving in Mumbai, I described the heartbreak of shoeless, homeless children, street sleepers and beggars. Asia's biggest slum, Dharavi, will be a lifelong reminder of an existence so foreign to that of which we are used to in the 'lucky land' Down Under. A visit to the famous 'cages' redlight district, at night and during the day, struck my heart chords like an electric shock. Especially when you could see the difficulties faced by the children who must no nothing but day to day survival. Maybe a good thing!

At the opposite spectrum, we have been treated to service and facilities fit for a king. The Taj Hotel in the middle of the city has

"While it would be easy to feel depressed and sorry for the poorer classes, the happiness displayed by these people is so very heartening and infectious"

spectacular ocean views, and service and infrastructure rivaling any hotel in the world. Where once touring India was a mystery of stomach bugs and sleepless nights, you now feel like you could be anywhere in the world as you enter the magnificent hotels like the Taj.

The cruelty of it all is that just outside the luxurious walls is a humble ant's nest human reality, so extreme in nature to the material social milieu, lived by such a minority of people in India today. While it would be easy to feel depressed and sorry for the poorer classes, the happiness displayed by these people is so very heartening and infectious. Materially many may have nothing, and yet spiritually it is hard to remember seeing a race of people sharing so many smiles. The whole society seems so ironic and yet is also seems to tick like clockwork.

From Delhi

JL

Langer's earlier despatch:
The spirit of Bradman shines through

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