My New Friend in Jaisalmer
This is Anshi who lives inside a fort in the city of Jaisalmer of southwestern Rajasthan.
Her name means God's gift and she doesn't live in poverty but in one room with her sons within a fort that was built in 1156.
It is a magnificent fort but alas it is an endangered site as it shifts and crumbles resulting from the city's poor drainage and sewerage systems. However, not to worry as the British charity, Jaisalmer in Jeopardy, are battling to save and protect it. I find that strange when India is expected to be the largest global economy after China within 20 years.
Getting back to Anshi, she offered to show us around her home which meant that we stepped into her room where she cooks, draws a curtain across the room to make sleeping quarters, watches TV and has a lovely view across the city. I think Anshi is one of the lucky ones.
The reason why the fort has to be so neglected and on the verge of destruction even when India’s economy is emerging stronger and stronger every year is the extreme corruption in the country.
In India, the funds allotted by the government for the welfare of the people never reach them, corruption being the cause. We have lots of money but it goes in the pockets of bloody damn politicians and the government officials.
It happens in Spain too Ganesh:
Ex-Catalan Head of regional Government and leading advocate of independence from Spain is stripped of pension and priviliges after admitting hiding undeclared wealth offshore.
https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/114945357839608188088/114945357839608188088/posts
We were once mercilessly ruled by the British and now we are ruled by our own people. Democracy exists in India for the “namesake”!
It took us 150 years to shake off the British. I wonder how many years it would take us to bring a clean government which really works for the people. Its been 60 years since independence. These god damn politicians will soon see the hell. Handful of them can’t control 120crores of innocent people!
Crore = ten million; one hundred lakhs, especially of rupees, units of measurement, or people. Wiki.
Nationalists argue that impoverishment occurred because of the British and maybe they are right because Britain gained hugely from ruling India. However, some good was left by the British raj - railways, bridges, dams, irrigation, coal industry, universities and don't forget cricket. Public health and life expectancy increased under British rule too. And having travelled thousands of train kilometres, courtesy of Indian Railways, I can say that the rolling stock is utterly outdated and no investment has been made since the British left in 1947.
The people are angry enough already! Our recent elections proved that. BJP came on the throne rather than the congress which has maximum number of shitheads as their leaders. And our new PM Mr. Modi is a GEM! We all love him.
We have hopes from our new PM. There are other people like Anna Hazare in the country who have started fighting for the country. I am too supporting them with every little chance I get!
Wow. That must have been an experience. I haven't visited anywhere in Asia but it is on my travel list.