That Old Cliché Spirit!

By Salil Tripathi

There are two words in Mumbai's street Hindi that accurately describe its character. One is khadoos, meaning one who stands stoically unbowed, facing slings, arrows or bullets. The other is bindaas, meaning cocky, or courageously doing what's needed, whatever the consequences.

Both qualities have been on display since the bombs that blasted through seven trains on 11 July, killing nearly 200 people and injuring 700 others. Amrita Shah, a columnist with the Indian Express, says: "The trains are Mumbai's veins, so essential and so vulnerable. By attacking them, the terrorists attacked something dear to us." But the surprise for the terrorists was what has become a cliché: Mumbai's spirit. Thousands of people poured out on to the streets, offering food, water, shelter and comfort to the millions stranded in the city. Thousands more turned up at hospitals, offering blood- hospitals had to turn them back, saying they had more than enough.

Mumbai's poorest citizens living along the rail tracks ferried the maimed to hospitals and helped remove bodies. Rickshaw drivers took passengers to their destinations, refusing fares. One businessman turned up at Sion Hospital and spent nearly £3,500 buying medicines for victims.

Unconditional help came from everywhere. Unlike what occurred in New Delhi in 1984, when goons allied to the Congress Party went on a rampage, attacking Sikhs after 2 Sikh bodyguards assassinated Indira Gandhi, and unlike 2002, when nationalist Hindus in Gujarat killed hundreds of Muslims after some Muslims burned a train.

In Mumbai, there is no talk of revenge against innocent people. Apurva Bhagat, a businessman, explains: "We know that people from any community are not all bad, and there are no communal clashes, but we all think the suspects are Muslims."

Mumbai's attitude is shaped by hard pragmatism. Its ability to go on as if nothing has happened may even appear uncaring. In a recent Reader's Digest poll, Mumbai came last among 36 cities tested for politeness. Nobody has time for forced good manners. But when the need is real, everyone chips in to ensure the show goes on. Meera Sanyal, a banker, says: "We don't go into paroxysms of grief, and fear cannot paralyze Mumbai. Everyone accepts that we live in a world where such acts, though tragic, need to be dealt with. If we are not terrorized, they have failed."

But many of Mumbai's residents are tired of being praised for their resilience. Ashok Row Kavi, a gay activist whose foundation provides access to healthcare for people living with HIV, has discerned "a profound sense of helplessness", while Hemant Morparia, a radiologist who is also a leading cartoonist, says: "We have had enough of pats on our backs for our resilience." And a leading columnist and novelist, Shobha De, says: "I refuse to romanticize the so-called 'spirit of Mumbai' any more and make it that much easier for those brutes who murdered my people." She speaks for many.

A management consultant, appalled to find that there were no stretchers at many stations and that closed-circuit cameras were not put in place until two days after the attacks, asks: "Must we always count on helping each other?"
Amrita Shah adds: "Mumbai is always wonderful in a crisis; but now you see anger. The problem with resilience is that it allows people to forget. We revel in our ability to face crises and ignore the deep rot that facilitates them."
But the trains are running again, and they are packed, as always.

Brij Khandelwal, Editor (consult) at Www.mediabharti.com remarks—“I think romanticizing the resilience of Mumbai people will do no good. As they say majboori ka naam Mahatma Gandhi, now Manmohan Singh. People really have no choice, they are helpless victims who can't afford to lay back even for a day to protest. I really pity them. They can't protest, they can't revolt, they are so self centered and unconcerned. Terrorists are not isolated individuals. It is obvious they have wide support in the community they claim to represent. They are identifiable creatures, unlike what columnists keep drumming about; "they have no religion, no community," and a dastardly act blah blah all the cliché we are tired of hearing. Time we called a spade a spade. Terrorists in India have strong and wide support of some powerful people and politicians, that's how they are able to operate and disappear at will making a mockery of security bandobust. Let's talk to the terrorists and find out what exactly do they want and if there is any way a peaceful solution can be worked out, so much the better. I am sure many of them must be sensible individuals, temporarily misguided. They should take to Gandhian methods and protest in a non- violent manner. This is the age of reason. If there is any substance or truth in their conviction may be they could mobilize support from all quarters. I am surprised where have all the Gandhians, the socialists and the Sarvodayaites of the good old days disappeared? Why don’t they occupy centre-stage and mediate. Violence has never achieved any lasting solution or peace and the victory achieved through violent means is short lived and frustrating. Let all peace loving people all over the world pray to god once a week at a fixed hour for change of heart and to bring all misguided people on the path of virtue and righteousness.

Replacement of Missing Tooth is Necessary...

If you fail to replace an extracted tooth with an artificial tooth, you could lose all of your teeth.

Teeth have a tendency to move wherever they get space. Incase, a lower right first molar is lost, the opposing tooth tends to migrate into this empty space. The adjacent two teeth (i.e. one in front and the other behind this empty space) also move into this space.

So, spaces or gaps are created between these teeth which have moved or shifted. These gaps or spaces become catch areas for food, which are difficult to clean. As a result, decay sets in, which leads to cavity formation.

Over the times, these cavities could become deeper to involve the nerves of teeth, which would warrant either root canal treatment or extraction of these teeth.

Thus loss of one tooth adversely affects the entire complement of the teeth. This could mean loss of more teeth.

Hence, it is important to replace even a single missing tooth in mouth to maintain chewing efficiency and thus the health of the individual as a whole.

(Courtesy: Dr. Supriya Bhatia, Dentist on panel for Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.)