Like every other desi, I did carry back loads of memory (without the need to check-in the flight) when I came back from my recent India trip. Obviously most of 'em about very happy and joyous moments but it also includes some interesting and strong, frustrating scenes which still remains untainted and fresh in my mind.
Those anguish instances when comes back at me, makes me to feel wary of the situation and pushes me to reach a bold conclusion that value for Rupee is diminishing faster than ever and at same time attraction towards has increased many times in recent years. To tell the plain blank truth(as per me), NO VALUE FOR INDIVIDUAL anymore in India unless you are big politician. Only MONEY MATTERS, especially BIG MONEY.
Everybody, talks in C's. Do you know what I mean?! C means CRORES like M - Millions are big figures. Like few years back, 10 Lakh Rupee is a big money to invest in anything but now its nothing and compared to Rs.10,000. There is no value for thousands anymore.
Why go that far?! There is nothing you can buy for a one rupee except a Clinic Plus Shampoo nowadays. One rupee which bought a couple of tea or an ice bar or good number of candies few years ago is no longer valid. There is no value for one Rupee not even with the beggars. They too expect more atleast Rs.5 or Rs.10.
Inflation and cost of living has gone up many fold in my opinion. Being a outsider visiting india after couple of years, its huge change. It might not seem a big deal for people who been witnessing this day in and out but its a surprise rather shock for us.
I have seen in many places, people are getting riped of in whatever way they can. There is no better choice than paying the extra bucks. Take the Metro bus service in chennai. They introduced different bus services like M service, Superfast, non-stop which charges many folds than usual fare but still take the same amount of time to reach your destination. There is no choice for commuter than taking these services. Few years back, you can buy a ticket of Rs.5-8 to travel to my place to Chennai Broadway(30kms) which now costs atleast Rs.15-18 and more in the special buses.
In other public places, the charges have be jacked up many fold. In order to go to a reasonable North Indian type restaurant for a dinner for two, you atleast need a Rs.500 note in your pocket otherwise you better look out for the usual idli and dosa hotel. Movie tickets are now minimum Rs.50-75 in reasonably good theatre. Its actually more than hundred rupees per head in multiplex theatres. Man, lots of things changed in 2 years.
Its even gotten worse in the temples and tourist places. When you go to big famous temples like Palani, you get riped of in the name of faster service. I was a direct victim of it. We wanted to go to Palani Hill Temp while we returning from Kodai(hill station). We didn't have enough time so we decided to take the expensive line to catch the ride in Rope/Cable car, which would cost us Rs.50/person compared to normal Rs.10 hoping to reach the counter faster. But it took the same amount of time compared to the Rs.10 line. Nothing special about it the extra cost. Totally unreasonable to ripe off taking the situation as the advantage.
Another situation which took me to the heights of ripe off that I have experienced in this trip. We had plan to go Kodaikonal for 3 days from Chennai as our escape from heat waves. We booked thru a chennai club to have rooms in the big, famous Hill Country Resort 4 months ahead of our trip. We got the letter from the club saying that we will have a big delux room when we get there. When we went, a shocking news is waiting for us. They told us, they never got the reservations from the club and can't allot any room for us. We were stranded in the street and nowhere to go.
We were so ridiculed and frustrated to hear about it. We immediately called the contact person of the club and asked about it, he doesn't care. He said, we tried our best and we got to know that we couldn't get the rooms 2 days ago and sorry to inform you at the last min. Because its the peak season, they didn't have reservation for the clubs. Myself and my father-in law went ballistic.
What are you telling us? We planned 3-4months ago and sent you all formal paper work and payment and now you are telling us its not reserved. He just stayed silent and told that he will make other arrangements. He decided to ripe us off which was evident in his answers. He then gave us a local agent who has a contract with him. This agent guy tries to put us in a media core hotel and planned to take the big money we paid for the resort. What a cheap mentality people? We got to know their plan and decided to not go with that agent guy.
We were so tired after long travel and just want to get a good place at this situation. We tried to find rooms using a different agent on road and finally able to get a reasonable place paying from our pocket. We wasted one day to get the accommodation with the 11month baby in hand and couldn't enjoy the rest of vacation well because of the hassle.
Later we came to know that its normal tactics from this club. They do these type of things all the time and we are there victims this time. As soon we got back to chennai, my in-law had a tense talk with the club folks and in one stage plan to give a compliant report in the newspaper and backed out. Nevertheless, he is trying to the get money back. Whatever it may be, the vacation spoiled is spoiled and nothing can bring it back.
I hired a magician for my Son's Birthday party. He quoted a fixed charge of Rs.1000 for a hour(lowest charge I can find) over the phone but when he got to the party. He tried on me to get more money taking the advantage that we don't have choice. But I strongly said if you want more, you have to do it. He just agreed and did the show.
People just wanna find situation to take advantage to us rip off. I had come across many more instances like this one in this trip. After being a victim and witness of few, I realized that time have changed and nowadays people don't care for others. They just care only for money and they go to any extent to ripe off others money in anyway possible. All they think about is Money and nothing matters to them. I doubt the situation will ever change rather getting worse every day. You be the judge...
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