The Dubai Travelogue
One of the things I enjoy
as a tourist is the hoary past.
A reason why the
strand road in Calcutta, the fort Area in Mumbai, the bylanes of the old city
of Hyderabad, Lutyens Delhi and the Mylapore area of Chennai are my favourite
haunts.
In the cities that I
have had an opportunity to visit abroad, Rome stood out for the sheer grandeur
of the past, in London, all we learnt in our English text books came alive and
New York where the patina hued statue that beckoned millions of immigrants, in
its dignified silence demonstrated what liberty is all about.
Each city had a beauty
that transcended time…
But, Dubai….
The first time I went
to Dubai, I returned unimpressed. The razzmatazz, the malls, the tall
buildings, the newly paved roads…
For me, it looked
shallow. This was a nouveau riche city that lacked culture. The vulgar display
of wealth, the pretense, the opulence… all reflecting a city that lacked fine
sensibilities.
But, things do change
with time.
Seeking inspiration
from the Marcel Proust quote that says “The Real Voyage of Discovery consists not
in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes”, I set about discovering
Dubai this time.
This discovery was not
about places but about the people who make the places memorable.
The new eyes, well,
they threw up quite a few surprises..
My first interaction
was with a Pakistani. He was from a guest services agency. The funny thing
about the Pakistanis is that you hate them as long as you read about their violence,
their jingoism, their anti India hatred, but as soon as you meet them, you feel
you have met a long lost brother, such is the bonhomie.
As one would expect, the
discussion moved to Cricket. He said he was a fast bowler from Burewala, the
town gave the world the legendary pace bowler Waqar Younis. A mass
communications student, this man had moved to Dubai, for, what else,
livelihood. He spoke about the money that the job gives, but also the fact that
he was missing home.
Then I met a Filipino,
my cab driver, who had been staying in the city for many years. He took great pride in the fact that his son
was studying well back home and there was a likelihood of his pursuing higher
studies- where else, in the US!
In the hotel was a
Kenyan who could have been the perfect model for any toothpaste commercial with
his sparkling teeth and winsome smile. When I complimented him on his English,
he said we (Indians and Kenyans) had a common legacy, that of being ruled by
the British.
I started noticing
things I had not seen before
On the streets, you
almost don’t find any Emiratis (the natives). You find skin of every colour,
fashion of every hue and food of every aroma in Dubai. A claim many cities of the world (save New
York or London) can’t make.
And, you start marveling
at the man made magic that has sprung up in the blink of an eye. A friend who
used to work in Dubai in the early eighties recounted that at that time, it was
just a trading post. It was hot and humid and not the paradise that it is
today.
With amazing reclamation
from the sea, water desalination plants that convert sea water into the most
precious resource today, water, Dubai reinvented itself, over and over again.
Today, this city,
despite being located in what is classified as a desert has possibly more
greenery than many Indian cities.
The malls, well they
are gigantic!
The best brands of
Italy, Germany, food from Mexico, Japan, Korea, clothes manufactured in India,
Bangladesh, sports memorabilia of the best football clubs, the latest movies of
Hollywood, India, the latest tech marvels of Apple, Samsung, all jostle for
space in these wonderful shopping complexes.
Imagine a product or a
service and that would be available in these modern colosseums.
The skyscrapers. Well they
have redefined the word of what height is all about. As you crane your neck
upwards every time you want to see a Dubai marvel, you realize how tall the
leaders of this city have been.
Leaders who have
created a city out of nothing where everyone’s invited.
No, there is no
politics and are no politicians here. The ruler rules, period!
And, the rules ensure all
nationalities chase that one elixir, money, playing by the rules.
But, beneath all this
glitz is the gore, beneath the cool is the cruel.
Of workers who forget
what basic human rights are. As you explore the city in the morning you see
buses filled with workers moving towards construction sites. Tired, wrinkled
faces, faces that possibly have not seen good sleep for ages. Faces that have
not seen their families for ages…
Then you think, if
these people are putting up with so much difficulty and staying on for so many
years, this city must still be better than home, right?
And, that is what
defines Dubai. A city that rose from a desert and has also been instrumental in
transforming the lives of millions by providing them home, work and a safe
environment.
As I said goodbye to
Dubai this time, I longingly looked back, thinking, thanks for showing me your
other side, the human side!
