I was sitting in 7:48 Vashi-CST train and a lady in mid 20s came and sat opposite to me. She appeared to be from a lower middle class family, dressed in salwar kameez, carrying a polythene and a hand bag. She hurriedly started peeling an orange, and started throwing the peels on the floor. She seemed so hungry not to care that I was looking at her scornfully. Then she started sucking the orange pieces and the rest of the peels went down on the ground again. I took out my HSBC credit card bill envelop and asked her to use it; she took it without any expression, no embarrassment, no guilt. Infact I think she must have thought that I am a fool. She must have thought its my country, my train, I paid for the ticket, so I can do what I wish. I wondered if she would have done the same if she was sitting in her house???
I cursed her, then thought probably she is illiterate, but then I wondered "What has education got to do with cleanliness?" As a matter I don’t think one has to be qualified in any manner to understand that its important not to dirty places around you. It doesn’t matter what age you are, from what kind of family you come from. All individuals should realize the importance of cleanliness, irrespective of caste, creed, age, sex, financial status, etc.
And while I was having all the above thoughts, the lady who had used the envelop given by me to put the peels now carefully folded it and threw it out of the train.... the most satirical ending........I smiled and thought…..aren’t we proud to be Indians?
I cursed her, then thought probably she is illiterate, but then I wondered "What has education got to do with cleanliness?" As a matter I don’t think one has to be qualified in any manner to understand that its important not to dirty places around you. It doesn’t matter what age you are, from what kind of family you come from. All individuals should realize the importance of cleanliness, irrespective of caste, creed, age, sex, financial status, etc.
And while I was having all the above thoughts, the lady who had used the envelop given by me to put the peels now carefully folded it and threw it out of the train.... the most satirical ending........I smiled and thought…..aren’t we proud to be Indians?
2 comments:
I agree with you that cleanliness needs no formal education but then people need to be educated about cleanliness.
Out of personal experience I believe that being/ keeping clean is more out of personal habit which gets inculcated form an early age.
And if they haven't developed the habit, then they need to be educated.
But, I don't agree that just Indians have a problem. Infact given the freedom to do so, many foreigners would also feel free to take the liberty. It's just that their societies have had strict rules for a very long time leading to make cleanliness their habit.
In S'pore people do not litter or eat/ drink in Public Transport in fear of the heavy fine they will need to shell out :D
why did you stop ?
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