People need instant gratification in this age. Today, people need everything faster and better. We have to make sure rules are redefined so we can meet the aspirations of that 25-or 26-year-old youngster,” said Mukesh Ambani in a panel discussion at the recent India Economic Summit. Ambani underscored the point that the government, in his opinion, was not doing enough to keep up with the new generation. Strangely, sitting in the small town of Santiniketan, far away from the happening Mumbai, I feel the same way. About people’s need for instant gratification that is. I am, however, unlike Ambani, almost glad that the government is slower than the expectations of Ambani and the Gen Next.
The slow rhythm of this sleepy town where I live changes completely over weekends and is quite different from what it is on a regular weekday. Pleasure seekers and holidaymakers from Kolkata descend on this town in pursuit of culture and some fresh air.
They have a small window of opportunity: 24 hours from Saturday afternoon (successful corporate-types can’t possibly get away on Friday evening) to Sunday afternoon (in order to get an early Monday start on all the work that would have piled up on their table over the weekend). So in these 24 hours, their friends, girl-friends, wives and children have to be given a taste of all the rural charm that can be “purchased”. And Ambani is so right. These day-trippers are very impatient with anything that comes in the way of their frenzied mission.
Last weekend, I visited a fair in a village a little away from Santiniketan. The organiser lives in Kolkata and is completely in sync with what the new generation wants. The fair had the right mix of tribal dancers and baul singers to offer a “village” experience to tourists who are hard pressed for time. The tribals and singers, too, seemed more than happy to distribute their business cards and organise quick cultural soirées .
Many of these hurried travellers came to eat at the small cafe we run after the fair. Used to the instant pre-cooked and re-heated food of modern coffee shops, they were extremely irritated at the slowness that comes with serving fresh food. Clearly, by taking over 15 minutes to serve, we were eating into their very tight 24 hours. Our usual response to such tourists is to discourage them from wasting their money on us rather than hurrying up the cooks. After all, even this nondescript town has other dining options to offer that can satisfy their culinary tastes in a time-bound manner. For instance, an Italian-style villa (yes, in the middle of Santiniketan) that a resident inherited caters to those looking for continental food.
With that our busy sightseer’s travel itinerary is complete: a village fair, some impulsive purchases that may be forgotten at the back of the car, some tribal dance experience, some village food (fried papads and roasted peanuts), a little craft shopping and then straight to an Italian dinner. And what a trip that makes for to tell all those friends who couldn’t make it because they were even busier!
Am I glad that the government is slow (and cash-strapped to boot in Bengal) and roads are not being built better and hotels are not coming up fast enough or the tourism ministry hasn’t really got its act together? You bet.
