We visited Tamil Nadu (TN) in past few days in the last leg
of our Discover India study tour. We traversed through 15 out of 32 districts
falling under Chera Nadu, Pallav Nadu and Nadu Nadu regions of the State.
The most striking part of our TN was problem in
communicating with people. For the first time in our journey across the country
we felt stranded. In many villages we could not find anybody who could
communicate in Hindi or English. With all road signs and sign boards also in
Tamil, not taking a local help along was a mistake. Only Google Maps rescued
us. Nonetheless, the people in general were very congenial.
It was wonderful to traverse through beautiful landscape
inhabited by happy and pious people. The only problem perhaps is that seemingly
they have extended their pious nature little too far. All achievers in the State
are invariably accorded the status of God – be it politicians, movie stars,
sportspersons, artists, teachers, local administrators, police officers or even
a Robin Hood like local criminal.
The key highlights of our TN visits are as follows:
(a)
The State inarguably is the most urbanized state
in the country, with strong social and physical infrastructure. It has one of
the strongest primary education cultures. However, ever rising income
disparities have resulted in larger dropout rate.
(b)
The State has a well developed and perhaps the
most diversified industrial base. However, in recent time infrastructure
constraints, especially power, have certainly impacted the industry.
(c)
The State also has one of the most diversified
primary sectors (agriculture and related activities) despite a large part of
the state facing chronic water shortages.
(d)
The State has high incidence of income
disparities. Society is deeply divided on caste and community lines, though
religion is not a dividing factor.
(e)
A surprising revelation was the faith of people
in political establishment. Despite being convinced of their corrupt ways, the
people had strong party affiliation and unflinching trust in their leaders.
However, unlike USA where similar party affiliation is seen, here the trust and
allegiance comes from peoples’ reverence for individuals not from any ideology
or socio-economic agenda.
(f)
Uniquely, we found a strong private enterprise
culture along with huge dependence on government provisions.
(g)
Village economy is mostly feudal. Formal credit
flow is poor and exploitation high.
(h)
Like AP, gold, movies and liquor passion with
people but land not so much.
(i)
The most heartening feature was common peoples’
zeal to preserve and promote their traditions, culture, art and religion.
Read our special series Mandate 2014
Thought for the day
“Democracy is also a form of worship. It is the worship of Jackals by Jackasses.”
- H. L. Mencken (1880 -1956)
Word of the day
Sprechgesang (n):
A vocal style intermediate between speech and singing but without exact pitch intonation.
(Source: Dictionary.com)
Shri Nārada Uvāca
Why Gujarat fake counter case is so much more important than so many other SITs, CBI investigations and allegations of state atrocities especially in J&K and North Eastern states.
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