Odds and Ends

First, a shout-out to Savta and Kate for writing in. Thanks for reading -- it means a lot to me!

The last few days have been the same as the first few. I have mostly stayed at home and read a lot. For the curious, Moonwalking with Einstein recounts the national and international memory competition and its quirky culture. (Yes, there really are people who can memorize the order of 2 decks of random cards in minutes). Now, I am back to the seemingly endless Cutting for Stone, which has finally picked up in pace and has become a fascinating parallel of my earlier life. For those who are interested, chapter 38 (Welcome Wagon) recounts my experiences with almost uncanny precision.

Life for the average person here begins at mid-morning (between 10 and 11 am) and continues until 8 or 9pm. Dinner is eaten at close to 10pm. Most people work 6 days a week (school is also held 6 days a week!). I venture out frequently but the sights have now become commonplace. Kind of. In a sense, I have been numbed by the densely populated environment with its constantly humming honks and rumbling motorbikes. The oft-sighted cow still surprises me, but it's the sight of the stray and sick dogs that always hurts, along with that of the toddlers on the streets. By the way--since we're discussing the streets--as an Oklahoman, it is interesting to note that almost every rickshaw uses CNG (and there are a plethora of them), and I've seen many cars doing the same. Maybe we can export some of that CNG here given that our politicians don't seem to see its advantages over gasoline. Want to export some here, Mr. McClendon?!

A few interesting tidbits on Ahmedabad: It is the 7th largest city in India and was named the third fastest growing city in the world (yes, world) in 2010 by Forbes (after 2 Chinese cities, of course). The metro's population is close to 6 million, giving it a population density of about 60,000 per sq. mile. Yep, next time you think that Broadway Extension is crowded, think again! As I've alluded to earlier, economic growth is palpable, and its impact for the future of the city and its people is encouraging. Land prices here have appreciated in a manner that cannot be described. There are several anecdotes of people who didn't own a dime to their name and lived off of a small kiosk (selling soft drinks, or pan, a leaf with various spices in it). Then, out of nowhere, they are offered millions for their land by an investor who wants to develop it. Investors with foresight who purchased small tracts of land for, say, $5000, sold them several years years later for over hundred-fold increases. Warren Buffett would be proud of these buy-and-hold investors :) I've been told that today it is impossible to acquire land between here and Gandhinagar (the capital of the state, 20 miles away). It's reassuring to see capitalism work, despite the corruption.

I have yet to visit an American franchise (Subway, Domino's Pizza, McDonald's), but you may find it interesting to know that they deliver even the smallest 6" sub to your home, a testament to the immense competition between businesses to earn your loyalty. Unfortunately, I haven't seen a Starbucks yet. Hmmm...

This city is also known for its universities. Yesterday, I visited CEPT (Center for Environmental Planning and Technology University), a well-regarded institution in the country. Admission to its architecture program, for instance is hypercompetitive: 17 students out of 300,000 potential applicants were accepted last year. Visiting the campus was yet another eyebrow-raising moment: despite the popularity and prestige of the school, the campus was semi-appalling when compared to what we're used to. Which brings me to my next point: the contrast in quality between public and private goods, for the economists out there.

My few days have revealed one thing for sure: public spaces, or those that are shared by everyone, are filthy, yet private places are incredibly well-done and often stupendous. The extreme dichotomy is unimaginable and impossible to understand. Indeed, I don't. It is understandable that no one has an incentive to maintain the same level of excellence for public goods, but the extreme difference evident here is mind-boggling. It does, however, point to the virtues of privatization, and the way forward. Of course, there's also the immense population and poverty that comes with the land, a nearly impossible challenge to tackle.

A mural of the famous and infamous on the CEPT campus, presumably by students(?). Pretty cool actually.



A mural by MF Husain, a prominent Indian artist. Also on the CEPT campus. (It's an artsy place!).



Swamiji and me. He is a monk who is celibate and takes a vow of poverty, eating what he's given and living with a family who welcomes him. More importantly, though, he is a yoga guru and the leader of the yoga department at Gujarat University (picture below). His English is fluent and he's a really nice guy.





This was the cutest thing ever: a baby monkey with its parent (I presume mom): do you see?! It's like being in a zoo, but a free one! (Click on the image for a larger version/to zoom in).



On the campus of CEPT



At the 'cafe' at CEPT (at about 8pm). The white structure in the background is the "cave" in which reside the murals of HF Husain (above).



The two videos below are my lame efforts to capture the streets. But, alas, they don't really do an adequate job. I suppose it means you still have to visit the place to experience it.