Entertainment, a little different style!

Every time I drive down to a mall from where I shop regularly, my curiosity is intensified looking at one particular road side establishment. That place is very vibrant with colorful posters, invariably crowded and exhibits some strange scintillating energy! Last week, I had an interesting experience of getting a glance at that tiny, archaic microcosm, a perfect contrast with the swanky mall just about a few meters away down the road!

The establishment is a mini theater meant for only men, situated amidst densely populated slums and odd shops around it. Just when I was trying to figure out how and with whom to start conversation at that theater, the person selling tickets at the entrance noticed me with my camera. A namaste, accompanied with a smile always works wonderfully as icebreaker! As I started asking questions, people from the neighboring shops started to gather. Through the adjoining narrow maze of alleyways and winding dirty lanes, arrived excited group of barefoot women and children. Slowly, a big crowd thronged around, with curious smiles, showing eagerness to talk and pose for the camera! Some laughed at me, as I looked completely out of place in my designer wear.

Since the owner of the theater was not available, I was not allowed to click images from inside the theater. What I could learn, was that they were doing great business by running four shows every day, showing raunchy, B grade Hindi movies. For the customers (an eclectic mix of migrants from very lower financial strata, layered densely around the area), watching movies at this theater is cathartic release from the pressures of rampant mayhem, urban living subjects them to.

This theater is the place where the silent screams of their vanquished dreams are blocked temporarily. And spending ten rupees for that luxury sometimes becomes an absolute necessity. It is not only a source of entertainment for these people from diverse communities, but a melting pot, where they share bidis, paans and individual torments that connect them through pain and yet each one is alone in his fight of survival!

As the crowd grew bigger, it became a huge challenge to deal with people trying to get closer to me. I had to rush back to my car after taking some quick pictures. All these years, I have looked at such places a bit disdainfully. We often admire realistic depiction of life that is romanticized in movies. But when one observes reality with such proximity, it is a different experience all together! There are layers and layers to these "invisible" different worlds, swirling into myriad patterns of juxtaposing and coexisting in this effervescent city that exudes such aura of power and wealth!

The most amazing part of this entire experience was to find happy people with genuine smiles despite their dire conditions! The nonchalant way they go about their struggle everyday and the way they take chaos around them in their stride is truly inspirational!

The life I breathed here was uniquely different. Every time I pass through this road again, it would signify new meaning of life for me. Had I not gathered the courage to pay visit here, I would have been deprived of knowing an important slice of life that influences form, texture, body and soul of this vibrant city!

How we sometimes behave in digital society...

Few months back, I had interesting experience on Facebook. On a friend's wall, discussion about some issue  generated quite interest and many people started participating, expressing their views on the matter. Before anyone could even realize, the discussion took a different turn and escalated to personal attacks and mudslinging. There was complete breakdown of decency and like it happens in real life, deeply entrenched divides emerged and continuous attempts were made to vilify someone in particular.

Within blink of an eye the members of one particular group ( bunch of "educated" people) derided the person they had decided to target, with scornful disdain in most bizarre manner. What followed the next few weeks reflected complete loss of grip of most essential spirit of basic humanness. The experience, actually turned out to be quite an expose' on a most disturbing facet of human behaviour in digital world.

One of the challenges of being on a social networking sites is, whatever one writes or posts is interpreted and  processed in a unique way by people who have access to the information. Since our "buddies" on such sites need not always be people whom we know really well, the communication is generally restricted to written word. Typically, perceptions are based on individual beliefs, mindset, attitude, understanding and even one’s emotional state while filtering the content one has access to.

One person may laugh at something which the other might find vulgar and feel very uncomfortable. A curious soul  may find something motivational while the other might be utterly confused and bored reading it. We all are uniquely different. It is interesting to notice how we interpret, process, react and lable!

Experience has taught me to get past the fluff  and get to the real issue : attitudes, behaviour, mindsets and  reactions of people who cross my path in this digital society. Sometimes one needs to have overdose of composure in one's survival kit! Whether we wish to get offended, learn or change, is entirely our choice. It takes all kinds of people to make this world and virtual world is no different. One needs to be very practical, realistic and intelligent about when, how and in whom we trust. It took me quite some time, experiences and observation of social networking sites, to realize it. I am still learning.

I have been very fortunate to have met some of the finest human beings on virtual world. The journey so far, has helped me garner the strength to push the parameters of learning through treasures of life experience my friends have shared with me. Each day is filled with surprises, laughter, joy, renewed compatibility and camaraderie. Some days present some experiences that snaps something within. But I look at them as lessons, essential to evolve and grow.  I embrace each day anticipating new experiences and always find interesting, beautiful layers of life and human nature unfold before me. One of the reasons, why I love being part of the digital society.