My Biggest Complaint

Chennai:  I love this place.  When I say this the most common reaction I get is a look of sheer bewilderment.  People are usually absolutely baffled.  And the response is usually something like, "it's too bad you're not in Bombay or Bangalore" or "They must be taking really good care of you over there."  Well the first response in my opinion is based on false preconceived notions of what Chennai ISN'T. And the second is just plain false - but that's another blog altogether so I'll let that go for now.  

Chennai is actually everything I want in a big city:  a small town feel in a big bustling city of 7 million (documented).  It is the hub of music in south India and a center for the arts and dance.  The people are for the most part friendly and won't hesitate to assist you if necessary.  Most of the food I consume here is naturally organic which leaves me feeling refreshed, energetic and light whereas in the states i constantly feel bloated and heavy.  It has a huge underground bar and club scene that, because no one acknowledges that it exists, can stay open till all hours of the night.  I am doing something that I love, working for a man I admire, and bringing a different kind of art to India that has never really existed here before.  But the most attractive part for me - life is affordable.  I just moved into my own flat where for the first time in my life, I own every single piece of furniture that is in it.  When I get sick, I can go to the doctor and not worry about insurance cards or copays - I recently saw a doctor, got a chest x-ray, and even got my prescription medication for under 200 rupees. 200 rupees!

My biggest complaint though, which effects me constantly, is how conservative people are in regards to alcohol.  This might seem like a frivolous complaint because of all the things, who cares about booze?  But the way people think about drinking here is ultra ultra conservative - and there isn't room for the slightest bit of compromise.  Here if you drink - you ARE a drunk.  Period.  And these beliefs come with a hell of a lot of baggage containing racial discrimination and gender bias.  

Let me start at the beginning.  If you've been reading my blog you know that my house recently caught on fire due to a firecracker that was lit by a kid from a neighboring slum.  Since then a lot has happened: 1. We've been fighting like hell with the owner of the house because he says we're financially responsible which we're absolutely not 2.  Within a week or so I had to find a new flat and move.  I found a nice two bedroom in the Choolemedu part of Chennai.  The owner seemed chill, the flat was nice and Claire, Viviane, some of my students and I had fun painting the place and shifting everything over. All was well until I had my housewarming party with my co-workers.   There were about eight of us total - nothing special, just a small get together with pizza, beer, and good conversation.  At  11pm there was a knock at the door - it was the landlord's daughter.  Standing behind her was a tall man I had never seen before.  They both looked pissed. 

She started screaming, "WHAT IS THIS?  WHO THREW THAT BOTTLE?"  

Stunned, I said "Excuse me?  What are you talking about?" 

Uma: "SOMEONE THREW A BEER BOTTLE FROM THE BALCONY ON THE STREET!  THIS KIND OF BEHAVIOR IS NOT OK"  

Me: "What?  That's impossible.  It CLEARLYwasn't us..." at which point I turned around for confirmation. My  co-workers were sitting on the couch - wide-eyed with a deer in the headlights expression; a table full of empty beer bottles in front of them.  (Ayayooo).

Uma;  "I SEE THIS SCENE AND NOW I KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE!"

I went and looked out the balcony to see if I could see the bottle.  No bottle, no glass anywhere.

Me: "I don't see a bottle on the street.  What are you talking about??  There would be glass everywhere if  someone had done that."

Uma: " SOMEONE ALREADY CLEANED IT UP!  THIS IS NOT OK.  THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR!"

Me: "You're saying, that someone threw a bottle and then immediately it was cleaned up?  I don't understand. That obviously didn't happen."

Uma:  "WE WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS! NOW THAT I SEE ALL OF THIS I KNOW WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE!  I BROUGHT MY BROTHER FOR  PROTECTION."  

Me: "What??!!  What are you TALKING about???!"

Frustrated, and realizing I wasn't buying her story, she  turned and stormed downstairs.

The brother just shrugged and gave me a look that said "It's okay. don't worry."

I came back inside, stared at the others and said "That was the most bizarre verbal interaction I think I've ever had!"  Forget about the cultural differences and the possible social stigmas that surround alcohol consumption - but why lie and make up a random story?  What good would that have done and what response was she looking for?  Obviously my response didn't suffice.  

The next morning, when my students came over to help me with some of my furniture, the owner said to them, "Tell Kavita not to bring those people over.  White people have a different culture than us.  We know Kavita is good and she doesn't drink. But they do.  We don't feel comfortable with them coming here.  They might have guns."

GUNS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!  I don't even know how to begin arguing with that.  I went and talked to him and said "1. It's my house.  I can do what I want in it and if it doesn't effect anyone else, I'm not doing anything wrong.  2.  There is nothing in the contract that addresses visitors, so therefore legally I'm not at fault. 3. We're all co-workers and we all work for Rahman.  So regardless of race or gender, no one will be..... carrying..... guns." 

On every bottle of alcohol in Tamilnadu, whether it be beer or hard liquor, the label reads in capital letters: LIQUOR RUINS COUNTRY, FAMILY, AND LIFE.  While consumption of alcohol is forbidden under Islamic law (Muslims here generally won't even wear perfumes that contain alcohol), it is not forbidden for Hindus or Christians.  I tend to see more drinking culture among the Christian population, but it seems that there is tremendous social stigma surrounding alcohol for Hindus, even though scripture and religion don't formally forbid it. When I actually try to analyze the culture of drinking, I don't quite understand where the stigma comes from.  Perhaps it is a consequence of colonization; maybe it is seen as immoral because it was a habit of the British.  But in a country that is surprisingly loose about substances, (Bhang Lassi, Tobacco Pan, Opiates etc.), what is it about alcohol consumption that produces so much judgment? 

The street "bars" seem to aptly reflect the general attitude about the act of drinking.  These places are usually slightly hidden from main roads and dark - one solitary  bulb hangs from the ceiling illuminating dirty plastic tables and chairs.  The ground is more often than not covered with empty bottles and urine.  Men will crowd this space till the wee hours of the morning, drinking beers such as "Kingfisher Super Strong" and other brands that promise a higher alcohol content than regular lagers. Next to the sitting area will be the liquor purchasing area.  The vendors will stand behind iron bars and pass through bottles one at a time.  It is an unsaid rule that women aren't allowed at these places.  Upscale bars and clubs however, are usually in international 5 star hotels, therefore are ridiculously expensive.  So I can either pay 65 rupees at the wine shop for a Kingfisher, or 250 rupees at the Park Hotel.  

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When I think of some of the most significant experiences I've had in my life, not to mention the most peaceful/meaningful experiences, most of them involved drink... spending time at home outside on the deck with my parents over a glass of Robert Mondavi at sunset, sitting in the bustling Piazza del Campo in Siena, Italy with my roommates over pizza and Chianti, Dirty Martinis and Mojitos with Hassan, Arnold, Alicia, and Michael at The Abbey in West Hollywood, Mimosas with Maya and Michael at brunch, a cold Sam Adams after vocal concerts in Boston with Susannah, Allison, Carolyn and Katherine, and spending time getting to know my fellow Konks over Sake Bombs in the bay....

I wouldn't trade in those experiences for anything!

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