Ageless attitude, timeless habit

Indian Standard Time! How often have we all heard of this dubious phrase that is actually a blotch on the Indian character! Almost always...

Indian Standard Time! How often have we all heard of this dubious phrase that is actually a blotch on the Indian character! Almost always. Distressingly, it is so true, because we Indians find it shameful to be punctual! And although this tendency seems to have seeped into our bones, being unpunctual is something some of us cannot tolerate (me included).

The other day, I went to West End Theatre to see Taal – it was first day, first show. No tickets for the next four days, was the hot conversation floating amongst youngsters. But, when I took my seat in the balcony, I surprisingly found more than 30 per cent seats empty. I did not have to wait for too long a time, to know the reason why.

Happily, people were strolling in, a good half an hour late. They couldn’t be seeing this movie, a second or third time, since it was first day, first show. And some of them, must have paid through their nose, in black, that was going for more than Rs.100 for the balcony. Then, what it is that makes them come late? Aren’t they curious about seeing the very beginning of a movie? Aren’t they bothered about their precious money they have doled out?

Why has trend of being unpunctual struck most of us like a chronic disease? Is it disorganisation in our personal lives? Is it lethargy? Is it just a way of life? Is it a hell-care-attitude towards any system? Or, last but not the least, do they think only unimportant (read it as commoners) people come in time and that, towing the line of our political and social VIPs perhaps – coming late, would automatically enhance their status?

You go for any play in any auditorium and it is the same disgusting trend that you witness. The worst part being, that God forbid, if the seating arrangement is on a first-come-first-serve basis, then these late latifs have the audacity to first head towards the front rows. They will wait for an usher to find them prime seats, not bothered that they are disturbing those who are watching the proceedings. Can’t they quietly sit in the back rows? If they are fond of the prime seats, why can’t they come in time? But I tell you, they want to have the cake and eat it too.

I remember Asha Bhosale’s live show at the SSPMS grounds recently. We reached a clear 45 minutes ahead, keeping in mind parking and the crowd, for such a show. We sat in the VVIP section and we could choose any seat (it was on first-come-first-serve basis) since we were the early birds. I carefully observed families of corporators, officials and bureaucrats, who came 45 minutes to one hour after the show had begun and actually looked humiliated that the prime seats had already been occupied (you know, how used they are to pampering).

And then I was enraged when I saw them stubbornly standing in front of the seats that were occupied. They refused to budge, although we pleaded that we could not see the stage. Finally, the organisers had to bring more chairs and tuck them in whatever little space was left, so that these Very Important People could tom-tom about their VVIP passes for days on end.

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Bah, this culture of being unpunctual, which is leading us to disaster and detriment! We have no value for time, that is so precious to lose. The youngsters are no better. I lecture on Feature Writing in a couple of journalism institutes. Here too, you have youngsters (these are in minority though) entering the class, much after the bell. They are least apologetic, not even when they submit their assignments, well past the deadline. God help our countrymen, who perhaps believe in the philosophy of timelessness!