The Unknown Thinkers....

In my engineering college days, during the campus interviews for jobs, there could be noted an intense fervor for 'studying general awareness', which was considered to be the only key to success in the group discussion sessions before the last round of interview.
People memorized newspapers, devoured yearbooks during the lunch breaks, some even tried eavsdropping while sessions were in progress, - to get some homework done on the possible topics. It might sound as if I looked down upon them with tolerant, patronizing eyes, like an insuffrable know-it-all. But actually, I led the squad from the front.

However, looking back at all the suggestions flying around in those times, I can't understand how come we never discussed the most obvious one......

Go get a haircut on a Sunday morning.

I don't mean the high profile salons and hair stylists, where rich, obnoxious society ladies need two mirrors side by side to admire how slim they are. No. I mean the shady 10' x 10' places at the heart of a market, - with old chairs and rugged benches, stained mirrors with scantily clad Bollywood heroines' photos at the corner and a kid in his late teens, dressed in his treasured fluorescent yellow shirt and faded jeans is combing his shoulder length mane in front of the mirror on the back wall of the room.

That is where the Titans clash.

That is where the visioners speak.

That is where... knowledge is distributed for cheap half-lit cigerattes and the sports page of the local daily.

If you want some preperation on group discussions, you better get a feel of the real thing.

I must mention, there are a couple of aspects in which these sessions differ starkly from their campus-recruitment bred siblings.

First, the participants. In university, we were a bunch of formally clad youngsters, some being strangled by their first neckties, and everyone trying to negate one another. On the the other hand, the saloon has middle-aged men from thirty to seventy five, all comfortably clad in their pajamas. There are a select few who talk continuously. The rest...well, the rest very closely resembles the spectators of an engrossing table tennis match, passing a comment or two from time to time. You know, like disciples surrounding prophets.

The other aspect is the attitude of the discussions. In university, each of us tried to prove a point (normally the one which the speaker thought was popularly considered progressive). We followed the course of discussion very closely and sometimes even jotted down weak points about our rivals' arguments. And obviously everyone tried to get as much attention as possible from the judges.

The saloon has no such obligations. The speakers never bother about either making a point or what other are saying. It is a quite established idea that speaking and listening are the responsibilities of two mutually exclusive set of people, and each should be left to do their job. As for attention, the speakers seemed so confident about getting it amply, that I don't think they bothered much about that, either.

Anyways, if you ignore these trifles, you'll get to hear some great, imaginative insights about the current affairs. The speakers are generally universally acknowledged experts on any subjects under the sun. So, whatever was 'hot' in the news, had the priviledge to enjoy their inspection. I'll mention two of the insights I gathered, just to give you an idea.

1. This was just after India's first test series victory over Australia under the captaincy of Sourav. The whole state was in a mood for celebration. At that time I heard this from a man in his forties (maybe fifties, or sixties, or seventies for all I know), about 5'1" in height, with a figure like bamboo and he sounded like a jackdaw with asthma. He remarked cynically, "I really don't understand what's there to celebrate? Don't these fools get it that Aussies have deliberately lost so that they can secure that huge loan from RBI!!!"

2. About the next one, honestly speaking, I'm not sure if the speaker was being sarcastic. At least his face was completely impassive when he told this. This was while Mr. Jyoti Basu was the CM of West bengal and had to be admitted to hospital with a severe stoumach ache. The doctors were baffled about the reason. The man I heard, who looked typically like he has worked all his life as a clerk in the Writers' Building, remarked, "I'm sure what happened yaar!!! You see, Jyoti babu's secretary lives in Garia. He must have bought the liquour for him from Dulal's shop behind Garia market. I had the same problem...shady character, that Dulal....."

Fortunately for me, during the beginning days of my 25 year old career as audience in saloons, I never had to take one like these while actually having the haircut. If I had the starts I did have hearing these - with the razor anywehere near my neck, I might not have been around to tell you about these great thinkers at all.