THE OTHER SIDE OF PROSPERITY INDEX

(Our locality is prospering. Residents no more worry about two square meals. Above all there is more to the mundane affairs of food, clothing and roofs.) Sample this: 1. Within a span of just two years four Unisex Saloons have come up in our locality not counting the numerous beauty parlors we already have both for men and women... The oldest one has two portions one for ladies and other for gents. The newest one has one open hall for both visible through the glass doors. This is women empowerment at its best where they can sit side by side with men and be pampered by male hair stylists and beauticians. Gone are the days for ‘Ladies only saloons’ may not as yet because I find more such ladies beauty parlors are opening. One such has just opened namely “SPLENDED BEAUTY STUDIO- YOUR BEAUTY SOLOTUION”. I guess the miss-spelled words are on the advice of some astrologer.(Yesterday on the eve of karwa chowth when wives fast for the welfare of their husbands, all the beauty parlors were crowded) 2. Every next lane has at least two boutiques dealing and designing ladies garments. Who says readymade garments will make tailors redundant? 3. The last five years have seen the opening of two liquor shops. And liquor shops are there, non-veg- snacks stalls cannot be far behind. It’s an office complex with some five or six banks around and a couple of shops. There is quite a big open space in the center of the complex which, in the evening when the sun goes down, turns into a bar for sundowners. With hidden support from the authorities, tables are laid in the open. Urchins become helpers and in addition to tips collect the empty bottles also. Once in a while, as an eye wash, some raids are conducted and then it is business as usual. 4. Almost every household has at least vehicle, two or four wheeler. Some have more. All ground floor houses on the road side have turned into business ventures of some kind. All Kothies (houses built on individual plots) with some exceptions have turned into high rises. God stopped creating land from the day of creation but continues creating people. All in all the density of population has gone up. More people and more vehicles have burdened the limited road space. Walking on the roads is a nightmare particularly when no one follows the traffic rules.