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Indian Cities Today: Cultural Desert of Tomorrow?
Akshay Chavan
It was early 1990s; I must have been seven or perhaps eight. I was on a sightseeing trip to Bangalore with my parents and sister. We were typical middle class family travelers taking "conducted tours" and staying at less-than-posh hotels. One of the main attractions to Bangalore city was something called a "shopping mall". None of us knew or had seen what a "shopping mall" was. It was a small three storied building with central atrium and escalators called "Fifth Avenue" or something like that. I remember being simply overawed by it. My sister and I spent ages going up and down those escalators for what was a joyride of our lives. So THIS is what a "shopping mall" is, I thought.
Today, almost two decades later, India's love with shopping malls has resulted in mushrooming of malls. Every city, even small ones like Sangli, Moradabad, Patiala or Madurai have them. In this age of liberalization and consumerism, these malls are the "temples of new India". A place to hangout with friends or even take a visiting relatives too. One thing, which I have noticed is, in most Indian shopping malls, its only 1% who buy something while the rest 99% only go there to hangout. It is all about being seen at the right place. You may buy good stuff at bargain prices at Linking road or Lajpat Nagar market but you would want show off it was bought at a hip exclusive mall.
This Indian love for Mall and mushrooming of mall cities has an ugly side to it too. As malls bloom across Ahmadabad, Pune or Gurgaon, what goes under them are farmlands, protected forests or heritage buildings. I have personally witnessed this "great Indian land grab" in Pune where miles and miles of lush urban forest were deserved. And what stands in it's place? Shopping malls of course! I was aghast when one of my friends in Pune remarked that it was a good thing that forest was not there, as land was being "wasted" and now had been put to good use as a shopping mall!
Similar is the tale of the Malwala Palace in Hyderabad. Malwala Palace in Hyderabad was considered to be one of the finest specimens of wooden architecture in India with exquisite wall carvings and paintings. Unfortunately, the palace also stood one prime real estate in the heart of Hyderabad (Or was perhaps wasting space). Then, one night, some workers came in a demolished the palace overnight. The next morning, the palace was gone. What happened to the land? Yes, turned into a shopping mall.
This is the same story across India from Jammu to Kochi. But it raises pertinent questions about the state of our cities, its social fabric and what we shall leave for our future generations. Our cities are being filled with shopping malls and commercial complexes in our pursuit of crass consumerism. It needs to be studied as to how this is affecting the social fabric of our cities. Are we becoming less tolerant? Are we becoming more violent and individualist? Shopping malls are fine but what about other necessary social amenities?
Indian cities attempt to ape all the bad things about their western counterparts but none of their good things. What is striking about Indian cities is complete lack of public libraries or public parks. Unlike in the west, those who cannot afford to buy books have no access to them, and those can afford, do not want to buy books. Do we want to raise a generation which if completely cut off from books and literature? If want to ape the mall culture of the west, why can't we ape its public library culture too? What about museums or art galleries?
In the west, every small town worth its salt has a museum, or a local cultural centre which services as a meeting point of the local community. These community centers serve a incubators of talent. A place where neighbors can meet, organize plays, listen to music etc. Do our cities have any such community cultural centers? Perhaps, museums and art galleries are very high brow but what about basic study centers, where children from socially disadvantaged backgrounds can come to study as they don't get the right environment to study. We wish to have shopping malls like London and New York, then why don't we want public parks like Hyde Park in London or Central Park in New York.
A city and its social fabric cannot sustain itself on shopping malls alone. It needs things like museums and libraries, parks and sports academies to rejuvenate its soul. It is all right to be materialist and crass consumerist but that will not sustain in long run. Biggest example is Las Vegas, the city of money but does it have a soul? Do we want our cities to be soulless like it?
Gurgaon is a prime example. It has many shopping malls; in fact it is the mall capital of India. But how many museums does it have? How many theatres (drama not movie!) does it have? How many public parks does it have? It is an enclave of "haves" in the heart of "have not's" in rural Haryana leading to social tensions.
Contrast this with desert city of Jaisalmer. It may not have any shopping malls it as anyone will agree, far more living, cultured than Gurgaon. They are far more rooted in soil where people don't live in gated communities named after their American counterparts like "Bel Air" or "Santa Ana".
Jaisalmer has a soul but does Gurgaon have it? I don't think so. Gurgaon is far more a cultural desert than Jaisalmer.
I am not against shopping malls as I am not a Luddite; however, everything needs to be done in proportion. I propose a formula where it must be compulsory for every city to have one museum, public library or public park for every 10 shopping malls. It sounds far fetched but is not difficult. Do we want our children and future descendants to be brought up in cities where spending quality outing with your family involves hanging out in a shopping mall? We all need to think before it is too late and stop the desertification of our once beautiful and soulful cities.
temporal
URL
October 9, 2009
03:17 PM
akshay:
yes, libraries and parks are neglected at the cost of overt consumerism
and jaisalmer has a heart and character in addition to a 'soul'
Ayan Roy
October 9, 2009
07:09 PM
Wowie Akshay! You mirror my thoughts to a great extent. Another well written piece!!
Let me first say that I too have nothing against shopping malls as long as they do not mushroom uncontrollably at the cost of many other socially and economically valuable options, like you have mentioned in your article.
My top issue is lack of green cover amidst the concrete and steel in and around most Indian towns and cities. I am a core nature lover and a tree hugger. I would love it if Indian cities develop/preserve more parks, open farmlands and small natural forest areas/preserves. High population density (349 people/km^2) should not be an excuse as Japan possesses quite a few forest preserves and a high forest cover in spite of having a similar population density (337 people/km^2).
A walk in the woods is a soothing balm for the spirit, a great stressbuster, and is good for the body. Urban people, who spend most of their days in different "trees" of the concrete jungle amidst computers and phones/or are on the road inhaling exhaust fumes, need to be connected with pristine nature periodically to cleanse their lungs and their minds!
My second serious personal complaint about Indian urban areas is the lack of playing spaces and facilities for kids. Most of us living in the big metros end up playing gully-cricket and badminton in the dingy back-alleys/parking lots. There is a serious need of having more large, well grassed playgrounds and more indoor sporting facilities per town/city, so that overcrowding decreases and play area per kid increases. This will help tap the sporting talent of kids and will help to encourage them to exercise and play hard.
Even though I don't consider myself to be a high-art-culture intellectual type (one who enjoys art galleries, theaters, dance and music recitals regularly etc.) I do agree that every town needs some places to showcase these forms of refined cultural entertainment so that people can be exposed to more varieties and choices and have a chance to express themselves.
As for libraries and museums, most Indian cities and towns do have some good ones, but when you compare the ratio of the number of libraries and museums in the city to the population of the city, India lags far behind compared to many average American towns.
More libraries and museums definitely need to be built and maintained, as these are one of the primary gateways to a world of knowledge which is open to the public at a very nominal cost/for free in many cases!
Once again Akshay, a good article, and thanks for writing about this issue.
Cheers,
Ayan
Akshay Chavan
URL
October 10, 2009
03:00 AM
I can but despair about the state of our cities. And unfortunately, it is getting worse. Mumbai, Pune , Bangalore etc.. are prime examples. It may shock you to know that since 1990, 348 plots of gardens and playgrounds have been "dereserved". This means that Mumbai city alone lost 348 parks and playgrounds.
The state of our libraries and museums is in a pitiable state. You must visit the Asiatic library in Mumbai. Rare books since 18th century are thrown around like raddi. The whole loot of land is simply absurd. Every inch of land is being grabbed.
I like shopping at malls too. All I am saying is that everything must be planned properly. Its good to have malls but they must have parking and infrastructure to support in. You cannot have mall where ever you feel like. Also, population is no reason. There is space for everyone. What we need is planning. That's it!
Maaya
October 10, 2009
03:15 AM
In the small city I live, a wonderful park where scores of children would play and the air would be filled with screams of delight and laughter, has been sold to MGM - a kind of Fantasyland place which no one goes to.
i very much agree we need public spaces and places for gathering, hanging out, and just for doing nothing. And malls are not the best place.
Our children do not know what it means to go cycling with friends or go play cricket or football in a ground. They are either at home watching TV/ playing internet games or hang out with friends at Cafe Coffee Day or the local mall.
daddy_warbucks
October 10, 2009
12:05 PM
The author is missing the most important point of all. Indians by and large do NOT care for public spaces. The more public spaces are created, the more the usage of such places as urinals.
Ledzius
October 10, 2009
12:29 PM
#5- agreed.
Those who are in favour of public spaces are seen as elitist when there is a shortage of living space for people. For the poor, public spaces serve the rich retired folks who like to take their dogs for a walk.
It is funny how the same people on DC argue for creating more housing for slum dwellers and also more public spaces in cities.
Clearly, one comes at the expense of another.
Public spaces are converted into urinals or get encroached upon by illegal settlements/shops the moment the police/corporation officials let down their guard.
Ledzius
October 10, 2009
12:36 PM
Just because it is considered fashionable and cool in Western countries to visit museums/classical concerts/public libraries doesn't mean we need to copy them blindly.
Let us not get hung up on this kind of mentality to begin with.
Akshay Chavan
URL
October 10, 2009
12:50 PM
This is not a rich/poor issue. I suggest that you look at any public park or beach in India on a sunday. You will not see any "rich" hanging out in these places. Most of them are middle class and working class people who come to unwind with their family. They cannot go to posh restaurants or luxury spas to relax and unwind. These public spaces and parks are for the not-rich.
Even public libraries and cultural centers, it is the working class and the middle class who need them. So please don't bring in this argument that public spaces are for the rich. Nothing can be farther from the truth.
Ledzius
October 10, 2009
01:14 PM
Akshay, it is a question of relative wealth. The so-called 'working class' people still have a roof over their heads. For most of urban slum dwellers and the homeless, even that is a luxury. They would rather want those open spaces converted to low income housing for themselves.
I don't know what exactly "cultural centres" means in the Indian context.
Also, there are a lot of private libraries/home delivery libraries which operate almost in every middle class suburb in India. And their charges are extremely reasonable even by lower middle class standards. What holds true for Westerners doesn't hold true for us and vice versa.
Mayuresh Gaikwad
October 28, 2009
04:23 AM
Akshay,
I think your suggestions may work if we get the the following issues (not an exhaustive list) right!
1. Who does the planning? Surely, if the govt. starts introducing newer and newer rules and plans each and every aspect, we would end up with a centrally planned economy! We know how well it worked from 1947 to 1990 in India.
2. Do we know what a person (poor or otherwise, I would say, the general population) wants? A house/ public park/ library/ cultural center/ theatre/ malls/ other things the most?
3. Resources (Land and money, in this case) are limited. The Govt. needs to prioritize them for the benefit of their citizens and entertainment/ culture shall take a backseat over infrastructure like roads, railways, housing complexes, schools, etc.
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