First of all: thank you for the opportunity to blog. I’m so excited!
And now, my post:
The city of Bangalore has banned dancing and live music in places that serve alcohol, according to this Indian Express article here.
And according to this friend of mine here:
one Abhi M., who along with famed playwright Girish Karnad and 100 other people, protested the outmoded rule. Karnad spaketh thus:
“It is tyranny of the police. It is against every artiste. Instead of going after criminals the police are going after musicians.â€
[Note: Karnad’s first two lines rhyme. A true artiste, that one.]
Apparently Bangalore officials have decided to enforce a part of the decades-old Karnataka Excise Law that prohibits live music and dancing in places that sell alcohol. (Used to be, only the section barring women from dancing was enforced, which led critics to hire dancing eunuchs in bars across the city this past February. Too bad that wouldn’t even be clever this time around.)
Abhi tells me,
“it’s an outdated law that’s being dug up by immature and backward-thinking bureaucrats and cops.â€
But those Bs and Cs have their defenses. Says Bangalore’s Police Commissioner in an NDTV article:
“There is no [dance] ban on discos. They have to obtain a license and they can function.â€
The article goes on to say however, that not one such license has been granted in the past four years to the many places that have requested them, according to sources in the police department.
The law is being used to temper progress, and the upshot is that the city is confused. I saw it myself two years ago.
My family is from Bangalore, and we’ve been back many times. Until recently, the visits revolved around seeing old people, the oldest members of our family tree who held the roots in their hands. We ate chakli and listened to talk of the city becoming dustier, the weather apparently degrading to levels higher than balmy, and the comings and goings of cousins I didn’t know.
And then something magical happened. My cousin Vijay – who I did know – nabbed a job at Accenture and headed to its largest hub. That’s right, I know you know it: Bangalore.
Giddy with the shock of being near fellow “engsters,†I trotted wide-eyed alongside Vijay that first night out in the city, my very first night out in all those years of visiting it. We pub-hopped and told stories. I met his many friends, all of whom were smart, funny, attractive and nice. The city seemed made for them and they for it and ne’er the two would not meet. Until….
11:30. That good ol’ excise law again, my friends. At half past 11, Vijay and his friends informed me, all fun stops. The bars close and people are sent home. What had been a normal late-night scene became a sleazy Scar Face-esque run-around where we ducked into the back rooms of bars we knew would serve us past midnight if we slid extra bills their way, while all around us less rupee endowed customers were forced to leave. New Year’s Eve – a week later – would prove to be worse than all the other nights, with the city enforcing an 11 o’clock closing time to make absolutely certain no hooliganry could ensue.
I felt like I was back at my aged relatives’ places, only this time I was partying surreptitiously in their stairwells while they slept.
I love my kin, please don’t mistake me. They make me understand my life. But I don’t think they represent the direction of the city. In fact, I don’t think they want to. It is a place that has experienced almost unmanageable growth, like a boy who shoots up two feet when he’s already 17 (I’ve seen it happen). It’s gangly and awkward and just starting to realize, “Hey! I look good now! And people want to date me!â€
The solution to growing attractive is not to close oneself off, at least not in my opinion. Banning music and dance backpedals against the flow of Bangalore’s greatness, against the idea of why it is good for poor people to make money and have toilets. If one is working, one should also be dancing.
I have no doubt these kinks will work themselves out as Bangalore’s youth gains more control. But for now, a world-famous business center fears the sort of revelry and energy that inevitably comes with progress, and that, I think, is too bad.
a lot of this is class warfare. this is some peoples way of restricting the fun of the moneyed set. by and large, the “scene” is largely middle class and local, but the perception is that it is only rich kids and outsiders.
MoorNam, oil extraction is expression?
Walking and chewing gum, I am not gonna lie — I laughed out loud at least twice in response to your comments (including your handle). Maybe I am just really tired. Maybe it was that funny. I have no idea.
Mallika — thanks for the additional insight!
Camille: >>MoorNam, oil extraction is expression?
After imposing and lifting the Emergency in India in the 70’s, Indira Gandhi mandated government control over the production and distribution of printing ink. This insured shortages, and newspapers had to go to the black market to buy the stuff – and the Congress goons controlled the black market. So newspapers who sang her tune got all they wanted, but those that went against her got enough ink to print…43 copies/day.
Let’s remove oil completely from the economy – I’ll see how people go to rock concerts, plays, movies and …bars.
All I’m proposing is a windfall tax on bars after 10PM. Surely, as liberals, you can’t disagree!!
M. Nam
PS: They have to stop subsidies on oil as well.
Funny. My cousins from India are die-hard Bangalore zealots…always talking about how it is “the place to be” to rock out all night long. They cringe when I invite them to a night on the town in DC, always seeming to reminisce and boast of their beloved party haven Bangalore. 11:30…seriously, what a joke. American middleschoolers pre-game harder than Bangalore yuppies party.
And… so?
Has American culture become the default culture of the world? The default reference point?
55 · Auntieji asketh said
No. But people should have the right to engage in “private sin”. India has no problem bringing down the hammer on non-crimes, but felons are MPs & bonded labor exists in plain sight. Hypocrisy. Don’t make this about preserving Indian culture.
What’s the big deal? My white friends whose parents were hippie types who screwed around left and right are somewhat conservative and have rejected the more self destructive aspects of that lifestyle. Leave people be and society will find a happy medium without state intervention
I’m not making it about “preserving Indian culture”. I am the first to back, even promote “shacking up” without shaadi nuptuals in India and other healthy expressions of sexuality, etc.
But wasting time and money on drinking and getting drunk, which is very bad for health and often leads to alcoholism is ludicris. Plus, if Indian youth take to all of the ways of American youth in majority numbers, they will also end up like American youth – no drive to excel in life.
57 · Auntieji spaketh said
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blockquote>I’m not making it about “preserving Indian culture”. I am the first to back, even promote “shacking up” without shaadi nuptuals in India and other healthy expressions of sexuality, etc.
Indian roads and municipal water systems are hazardous to your health. What are the police doing about road safety? Drinking might be bad for your health, but its not the govt’s place to get involved unless they are doing something that endangers the public (e.g. driving drunk).What are you having difficulty with here?
You have serious misconceptions about Americans, how exactly did this nation of slackers with no drive rise to preeminence in every field? The rich in India are thoroughly useless, at least American kids feel the pressure to add volunteerism to their resumes even if it is only to get into a good school.
that’s “ludacris”
which is why this american youth deigned to sleep off his hangover in a road-side ditch called liberal arts education and afterwards took up the frivolous pursuit of excess and surplus market insurance. We are all doomed.
I’m not saying the the state should ban drinking as such. I just disagree that American middleschoolers partying harder than adult Bangloreans is something to emulate at any age.
In India, by and large, the youth appreciate getting an education, if they can.
Americans are spoiled and instead of focusing on getting ahead and making something of their lives, they often focus on “partying”. Not everyone, but MANY. In fact, Universites in US are rated (by students and aspiring students) according to how much of a party scene is present. Excuse me. University is expensive and is meant to be utilized to get ahead, not party. Spoiled brats partying on mommy and daddy’s hard earned money.
That’s what I’m talking about.
Can I just say how much I love Bangalore, despite the fact that I often now have to get out of the rickshaw when I am but 3/4 of the way to my destination, and walk the rest of the way? That I love Bangalore, even though Pecos only serves Kingfisher and popcorn in a bag? That it can be boring at night, that it’s pretty tough NOT dancing…but I’m a chick, so ya know, those Bengalaru boys cannot handle dancing women…just too much after the Vat 69 and smoking flavoured stuff in a hookah on MG Road at um…what the heck was it called? That I love Bangalore because the party is always at night in MY hotel room. Who needs a night club? 😛
(Oh, I forgot to tell you that I live just North of San Francisco but I stay in Bangalore for one month every year on business! Cant wait for the monorail thingy!)
60 · Auntieji declareth boldy said
Whoa…this is what’s been missing from SM all these years. The real authentic Indian critique of American hegemony. Makes me want to call mom.
Then, we realize that we have no marketable skills, take our liberal arts degree (and often debt), and get a job in publishing, public relations, or an NGO. Then after 2 years they go to law school or get an MBA and get more debt/credentials. Then, we get another job, and go on to administrate the world’s economy, to our own benefit–and specialize in marketing or selling or claiming the profits off of other people’s work and resources. Or we do have marketable skills and go work for an investment bank and get rich and burnt out in the process from the very beginning, while moving electronic “money” around from one account to another.
(this is generally speaking–there are lots of great people from the U.S. doing interesting and great projects as well – like this one)
Aunty (who I assume is not much older than me, so I will simply call you Bhain if that’s all right), the basic story you’re telling might have accurate details, but I don’t think it’s due to the innate superiority and wisdom of Indian youth–having worked in and studied both the India and the U.S., I know that the labor market is much tighter in India at all skill levels and as a result there is much stronger competition for things that can allow you to move up (like education or a visa to go abroad). But in my experience, Indians work much harder than Americans, at least in the liberalized sectors (2 day weekend? what’s that?), and have far fewer worker rights. I just don’t think it’s a good thing…what is it teaching people about their own value and the value of their subordinates?
Sadly, more like Bhains.
Its like a game of Mario. When something gets in the way, you just find a way to jump around it. You don’t ask where it came from. The unclejis deemed it: that’s enough. Sometimes the rules change so fast, you can’t even keep track. I was partying with some friends in Pune some years ago, when they were going through a strict phase. The place where we were closed down, so my friends told me they’ll take me to this super-secret place. So we roamed the various galiya and chaubare between FC and JM Road, till we came to this dirt-crusted metal door. A knock and a shady looking bearded guy peeped through a crack. Then he laughed:’why don’t you use the front door like everyone else’. Apparently the police had lost interest in the past month.
PS: its not a class issue. Some of the places open after hours are really cheap and admit all kinds. You just have to know where they are.
60 · Auntieji declareth boldy
University is expensive and is meant to be utilized to get ahead, not party. Spoiled brats partying on mommy and daddy’s hard earned money.
That’s what I’m talking about.
i dont think the USA ought to take advice from desis regarding the demerits of producing spoiled brats…i live in india and there are a surplus of that type over here unimaginable to most westerners. the whole “mommy daddy’s hard earned money” meme is such an empty platitude as well. and actually, University IS meant to be a place to party and NOT to get ahead. one must ask, get ahead of what? please respect our american culture while you are staying there and refrain from promoting your soulless, careerist, illiberal agenda. we are suffering enough with our first MBA president
For what it’s worth: You’re missing the point of the protest.
Musicians cannot play in nightclubs and other entertainment hubs where alcohol is served. Their means of livelihood is struck at! Screw the drinking and dancing- pseudo concerns of the Upper class elite. Issue in Focus- ‘Musicians have to feed their families too.’
And the Police Commissioner is right- there is no ban- these ‘oh-we-are-being-victimised’ establishments have to conform to the LAW and obtain licences to operate. PERMISSION- APPLY- OPERATE.
p.s.- check facts before arriving at conclusions-Karnad’s espousing the cause of the Musicians- not the Alcoholics!
67 · Nidhi said
Nidhi, thank you for providing such a valuable comment– and one which is on topic, too.
I’ve never understood Bangalore – seems so full of contradictions. A lot of my cousins grew up in Bangalore and were so proud of their city. Every bangalorean rejoiced when the city became the centre of the IT revolution, and complained at the same time about a migrant population overcrowding the city, destroying its serenity, etc. When pubs like NASA opened up in bangalore a decade ago, it was considered a big cultural revolution – the sleazy, road-side, behind-closed-doors, arrack selling “wine-shop” image disappeared, and the population thought it was step-up the cultural ladder to even be sitting in such a bar, drinking the same old beer. Now, things have come around a full circle, and the same old pubs are now turning sleazy after 11. A new shopping mall in a suburb, like one of the ‘Forum’s, is the locality’s pride and excitement, while the traffic jam that results, is an eternal source of complaint.
I’ve never lived in bangalore, and I fail to understand the city’s pulse. But it appears to me that neither the people residing there, nor the local government actually knows what they truly want from their city. Is it the green parks, which Bangalore used to be so famous for, or the million Hyundai Santros that are being driven around, at the same speed as the bicyclist of the past? Maybe this is every Indian city’s predicament.
Well, a careful reading of MoorNam’s iconoclastic comments reveals that was his point too. Only he funnelled it crypticly thru oil.