Anshuman Rawat

You would be reading this three days before Uttarayan if you’ve brought this copy from a newsstand. But if you’re a League subscriber, reading the story might just give you a sense of it being a post-script; what with the day having gone by a couple of days ago. Luckily, League has never been about ‘breaking news’ the much abuse phrase of our times. As ever, the endeavour is to realise a fact or two while having fun.

So, what is Makar Sankranti, the day which we celebrate by going berserk over rooftops, flying kites?

Makar Sankranti – also known or pronounced as Makar Sankrant – is an auspicious day based on the movement of the Sun (Surya). ‘Makar’  refers to ‘Makara rashi’ – the zodiac corresponding to Capricorn. ‘Sankranti’ in Sanskrit means ‘to cross into’ or the day when sun enters from one zodiac sign to another. So Makar Sankranti is the day when the sun enters into the zodiac Capricorn. It is also known as Uttarayana Punyakalam or the entry of sun into the Northern Hemisphere. The six-month long Uttarayana begins on this day.

Makara Sankranti is celebrated on January 14th in the Hindu month of Magh. Hindu calendar is based on the movement of the moon and therefore it is a lunar calendar. Hence the change in the date of various celebrations with corresponding English Calendar. But Makarasankranti is based on solar movement and therefore it has a fixed day.
Makar Sankranti is of great significance to a devote Hindu. Lord Surya (Sun God) is worshiped on this day. Every living and non-living being merges with the Brahman and Sun is the Pratyaksha-Brahman or the Brahman that can be seen.
The importance of Sun to earth and to the living beings was understood by Hindus from the very beginning. And the importance of it can be found in the Gayatri Mantra chanted to Sun (Surya) daily.

There is also a symbolic meaning to Makara Sankranti. ‘Makar’ means crocodile. Sankranti means ‘to cross into or change.’ The ‘Makara’ or crocodile represents the materialistic world and ‘Sankranti’ gives an opportunity to get away from the clutches of the crocodile or the materialistic world.

The six month long Uttarayana begins on the Makar Sankrant day. From this day, the harshness of winter subsidizes and the days get longer. Symbolically, the Sun slowly removes darkness and ushers in the light of knowledge.
Uttarayana is also the daytime of the Devas and therefore auspicious activities takes place during this period.

There are also numerous legends and myths which add to the importance of Makara Sankranti.
One of the most important myths is the death of Bhisma Pitamaha in the Mahabharata. Bhisma chose Makarasankranti day to die. (Bhisma had got a boon from his father that he will only die when he wishes.) It is believed that people who die during Uttarayana merges with the Brahman, thus ending the cycle of rebirth.

Legend also has it that Lord Vishnu buried Asuras on this day beneath the Mandara Mountain. It signifies the end of evil and the dawn of righteousness.

Another legend is that King Bhageeratha brought Ganges down into Patala on Makara Sankranti day. This was to get salvation to his ancestors who were cursed by Sage Kapila and turned into ashes. On this day millions of people take bath in the Ganges. Makara Sankranti is also an important bathing date during Kumbh Mela and Magh Mela.

Puranas state that on Makar Sankranti day, Surya (Sun) visits Lord Shani. According to mythology Lord Shani, is the son of Surya.

Since Makara Sankranti is associated with Surya (Sun God), the best way to start the day, believed by many, is by reciting the Gayatri Mantra.

It is believed that Lord Surya visits his son Lord Shani on this day, irrespective of their difference in opinions. Therefore many people make it a point to visit their sons and buy them gifts. It is also a day to forgive past quarrels and start afresh.

The six month long Uttarayana begins on the Makar Sankrant day. From this day, the harshness of winter subsidizes and the days get longer. Symbolically, the Sun slowly removes darkness and ushers in the light of knowledge.

Sweets and dishes made out of Sesame oil (Til) are served on this day. Sweets made out of Til is exchanged as mark of friendship. The symbolic meaning is to emulate the quality of Tilgul – to stick together even in adversity. Rice meal is the order of the day in Bihar, Jharkhand and is some parts of Uttar Pradesh.

Throughout India Makar Sankrati is in a way associated with harvest. So people pray for a good harvest on this day. Cows – which is an integral part of agriculture – is bathed and worshipped. Another important aspect is ‘Daan’ or Charity. Charity does not merely confirm to money but a person donates what he/she is able to like food, Moong Dal, rice, ghee, Til etc.

In Maharashtra, sweets made out of Til  are exchanged between friends and relatives. Married women in Maharashtra apply Haldi-Kumkum on each others’ forehead.

In Rajasthan, especially in Jaipur, the most important event is the kite flying.

In Uttar Pradesh and people living along the banks of Ganga takes a dip in the river on this day and offer prayers to Sun God.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated throughout India in different names:

• In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti is celebrated as Pongal – a harvest festival.
• In Andhra Pradesh, it is Pedda Panduga – a harvest festival – and is celebrated for four days.
• In Kerala, Makar Sankranti marks the end of the pilgrimage to the famous Sabarimala Temple.
• In West Bengal, it is Pithey parban – a harvest festival – and there is also the famous Ganga Sagar mela.
• In Assam, it is Bhogali Bihu.
• In Punjab, Jammu and in some parts of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, it is Lohri.
• In Central India, it is Sakarat.
• In Orissa, it is Makar Mela.

Clearly, Makar Sankranti is a festival that is celebrated throughout the nation. And the diversity in the methods of celebration of the same festival is what makes India such a fascinating country. To a foreigner, the country would look like a collage of cultures woven together by a common thread.

During last year’s ‘Patangotsav’ as a part of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, the Gujarat government had posted the following description of the occassion, probably for the international participants, on the festival home page:

“Uttarayan, or Makara Sankranti is traditionally believed to be the starting point of the Sun’s northward journey.
“When Sun enters the orbit of a rashi from another, it is called sankranti . Sun moves in the orbit of a rashi for a month. In the month of paush , the sun enters the orbit of Makara (Capricorn); and thus the day is celebrated as ‘Makara Sankranti ‘.

The day of Uttarayan has special importance and is regarded as very auspicious. It is also believed that the Gods sleep for six months closing the doors of heaven, which open at the entrance of the sun in northern zone, i.e. in the orbit of Makara , when the Gods awake from a long slumber.

Uttarayan also has a significant relationship with the agricultural economy of the state. By this time, the Kharif crops are ready and are brought home. In an economy which is purely agricultural, domestic animals are not forgotten and grass is freely distributed to the village cattle. Uttarayan, thus, becomes a harvest festival in the true sense of the term.”

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When did it all start?

The kites of history can be traced back thousands of years to when kites first originated in China.

The initial usage of kites was purely military: they were a communication tool. Different messages were communicated mainly via different colored kites during the day. At night, the message communicated was very limited in comparison to those during the day because the lanterns carried by the kite could not produce different lights.

In extremely rare occasions, giant kites carrying aerial observers were also deployed in reconnaissance roles.

Gradually, kites became a popular form of recreation as well as art. With the advent of gunpowder, kites were occasionally flown for bombing missions after the Yuan Dynasty, delivering explosives to targets that were out of reach of cannons and arrows, such as those on the opposite slope of a mountain.

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Ahmedabad’s goldmine digging dust:

Courtesy Bhanubhai Shah, Ahmedabad had the privilege of having an excitingly unique museum – a kite museum in the year 1987. Alas, like most heritage treasure across the nation, the museum did not take too long to become a dungeon of non-maintenance. In fact, it should come as a surprise if any common Amdavadi can claim to know of even the museum’s existence!

Quite heartbreakingly for Bhanubhai, the museum had been donated the best of his 50 year-old collection. Apart from kites, many useful information nuggets too had formed a part of the museum.

Sample this:

Kite was born in China in 200 BC

The NY Tribune had used kites to display results of the 1896 Presidential elections

A lot of American Companies may have got ‘Bangalored’, but one US Company can more than manage to give it backto India is Wal-Mart. Recent deal between the ‘behemoth of Bentonville (Arkansas)’ and Indian telecom major Bhartimay just give it the elbow to enter the fastest growing market of the world. And it is making a lot of people nervous.

Ahmedabad, and indeed the whole of India, is gripped by an unprecedented retail mania. Both cultivable land at the countryside and housing colonies bang in the middle of blustling metropolises are being purchased lock, stock and two brimming barrels. But no news has been bigger than the recent signing of accord between India’s Bharti Group and the world’s biggest retail chain, Wal-Mart.

The deal is said to combine Bharti’s understanding of India, its reach within the higher echelons of the Delhi durbar and an existing database of consumers with Wal-Mart’s unparalleled business model of buying big and selling for cheaper to the biggest chunk of markets, anywhere that it goes.

Before we get down to what it means to us, let’s throw a little light on the behemoth of Bentonville.

It doesn’t get bigger than this:

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. was founded by Sam Walton in 1962. It is the largest retailer in the world, and the second largest corporation (behind Exxon Mobil). Wal-Mart reported net income of $11.2 billion on $316 billion of sales revenue. It is the largest  private employer in the United States and Mexico; largest grocery retailer in the United States, with an estimated 20 percent of the retail grocery and consumables business, and the largest toy seller in the United States, with an estimated 45 percent of the retail toy business! Eat that, competition.

Internationally, Wal-Mart operates in Mexico as Walmex, in the United Kingdom as ASDA and in Japan as The Seiyu Co., Ltd. Also, wholly owned operations are located in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom.  Wal-Mart’s international operations account for approximately twenty percent of its  total sales.

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Do these help form a picture for you?

• Wal-mart customers place low prices and value as the most  important reason for shopping at Wal-Mart.
• Wal-Mart customers are sensitive to higher utility costs and gas (petrol / diesel) prices
• In the US, Wal-Mart customer’s average incomes are below the national average.
• More than one-fifth of Wal-Mart’s US customers have no bank accounts, twice the national rate.
• Wal-Mart stores, as the company, has yet to significantly penetrate Major urban areas in US.

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There’s one for everyone:

Wal-Mart Stores Division U.S. is Wal-Mart’s largest business subsidiary, accounting for 67.2% of fiscal 2006 net sales. This segment consists of three traditional retail formats: discount stores, Super Centers, and neighborhood markets, all of which are located in the United States, as well as Wal-Mart’s online retailer, walmart.com.

Wal-Mart Stores operates retail department stores selling a range of non-grocery products, though emphasis is now focused on the Super centers, which include more grocery items.

In the US, there are 1092 Discount Stores,  2,195  Super-centers & 110 Neighborhood Markets.

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Duur Ka Jhatka Paas Mein Laga?

Did the Bharti-Wal-Mart deal cause the recent development of Reliance Industries finalising the buying of Adani Retail, the Ahmedabad-based retail arm of the Rs. 13,500 crore Adani Group?

While the two happenings may seem disjoint, especially since Adani retail is a profitable venture – with the topline of around Rs. 200 crore – of the Adanis, industry sources suggest that the fact of the matter is that retail does not form the core business of the Adani Group and hence it made sense for the group to exit the business while the market is doing well. With Reliance scouting acquisitions with a vengeance, Adanis could also demand, and get, a significant premium over the actual valuation. With 54 stores in different formats, and successful ones at that, Adani has reasons strong enough to negotiate from a position of respectable strength too, irrespective of the size of the Mega suitor.

But what gave birth to the speculations about the proposed deal was the timing of it – just about the time of the signing of the Bharti-Wal-Mart deal. Reliance may not lose too much sleep about the existing competition, but the Bharti-Wal-Mart behemoth would be a tough cookie even for India’s biggest private sector company. And hence the urgency towards preparing a robust ground. Probably.

Or maybe not. But Bharti-Wal-Mart is menacing enough to  cause similar upheavals in Ahmedabad / India.

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Battleground Ahmedabad:

The city is acknowledged by many in the industry as the best ‘research laboratory’ for retail operations in India! Once you crack the ultra-price-sensitive Ahmedabad market, things only get easier in other parts of the nation.

Consequently, there is no doubt whatsoever that Ahmedabad would figure prominently in Bharti-Wal-Mart scheme of things, even at the planning stage.

Presently, the Future Group (Big Bazaar, Pantaloon etc), Star Bazaar (TATA), Adani and Pyramid are a few of the major names fighting out in the Ahmedabad market. Reliance is soon going to open its account at SG Highway, after winning the battle in court against Shoppers Stop for huge space at the upcoming ISKON mall. Giving them company in ample measure are Subhiksha and new Super Value Store chain by HLL, which is trying to safeguard its bottom-line by empowering the neighbourhood kirana stores. In fact, that effort by HLL is the single biggest, if not the only, life-support-kit for the neighbourhood stores. The question is, will even HLL’s support be enough to fight the onslaught of an all-out war between the Future Group, Reliance and Bharti-Wal-Mart? Well, the jury is still out. Whatever may be the outcome, we hope not too many people lose their livelihoods.

Challenges for Ahmedabad:

When planning new store locations, Wal-Mart often faces many concerns from the affected communities. Local critics that oppose new Wal-Mart store openings cite concerns such as traffic problems, environment problems, public safety, absentee land-lordism, bad public relations, low wages and benefits, and predatory pricing.

Can Ahmedabad take any more traffic / parking burden? Wouldn’t the natural greenery – of whatever magnitude – of the countryside get trampled under the war for square foots? Can Ahmedabad afford to have any more jobless, aimless and hence dangerous slum population that has been pushed out of business by the retail biggies?

These are certain questions that only time can tell. Not all of the concerns may actually translate in to reality anytime in the next year or two. But, as instances across the globe have showed, when biggies fight, a lot social churning takes place too. Add to that the fragile caste and religion dynamics of the society, and you can imagine the upheaval that it might cause.

But it’s only a competition between a couple of big business houses, right?

Yes, it’s only about competition for market share between companies whose combined wealth can feed a couple of small countries of the world for years! And at that scale, anything goes. Environment, land acquisition and resources utilisation may hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. For, unlike IT, retailing by these companies would involve farmers, transporters, service industry professionals and of course consumers.

And any activity that involves most sections of a society has the ability to affect most others too. Many cities have found that out the hard way.

And now the good news:

When companies like Bharti-Wal-Mart and Reliance set up their shop in your city, you can expect anyone from your grandmother to your dog to get employment in some form – either directly or indirectly. Hence, Ahmedabad can really look forward to creation of hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs because of the retail war.

Buying of commodities might become not just comfortable, but a lot cheaper. Overall work ethic of the city might improve because of the replication of the ‘customer first’ model of retail giants. And with products from across the world being promised to be stacked, the quality of life would get enhanced too.

All in all, if the negatives are kept under check – which well might be, what with Bharti being the operator here – getting Wal-Marted might not be such a bad thing to happen. Which city doesn’t want more jobs, more choices, less prices – all under one roof?

But hey, it might just be too early to even speculate about things to come. In any case, Reliance is going to enter the market first – with or without Adani retail in its dish. A few months with it, and we’ll get a picture of how things would pan out from there on. For the moment, wait with bated breath for the retail war of the century.

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Near 200-ft ring road, Ahmedabad?

If Bharti and Wal-Mart replicate the formats that the latter have been so successful with over the years, we might see a lot of activity around the 200-ft ring road and other peripheries of the city. Simply because the average size of a Wal-Mart discount store is about   102,000 square feet, while that of the supercenter is 261,000 square feet. The smallest format, the neighbourhood store takes an average of 42,000 square feet. With the Future Group and Reliance too fighting for the same formats, there might not be enough space for Bharti-Wal-Mart within city, by the time it arrives in around Aug. 2007.

With players like Tesco (UK) getting itchy to get into fray – possibly with a tie-up with the TATAs, land within city would be hard to come by. Also, with the SG Highway – Gandhinagar belt promising to become the IT corridor of Gujarat, townships by Sahara and Adani apart from a host of other activities in and around the 200-ft ring road, the place may become the showcase place for all the majors – with scaled-down versions of the same mushrooming in the rest of the city.

What it would also do is add to the mushrooming of schools like DPS / Calorx, edutainment centers like Science City and upscale residential colonies around the place, which in turn would give further reason for the retail majors to scale up their presence in the area.

The big question then would be the issue of development of the area by authorities. Would it become a showcase like the Bandra-Kurla corridor of Mumbai or would it be another Bopal of our own city? Would people who flock every new and major retail centers from all parts of the city (and neighbouring towns) bring just revenue or would gift the area with never-ending traffic snarls (what with it also being the highway)? Would the locality love the cousins of Sam Walton or would they rather have their kirana store back?

Ahmedabad has not had too much good written about it since long. But that’s not the most distressing part of sorry picture. What should hurt all of us more is that we don’t speak too much good about ourselves either. There is virtually no collective compassion for the city. Not the kind that has been or can be expressed aloud anyway.
Unfortunately, where’s the encouragement from either the political authorities or any of the social groups, including the charity-oriented wings of big corporate houses?

Now sample this: Almost anyone who is exposed to images from the US has probably seen t-shirts that read ‘I Love NY’, with the lovable symbol of heart replacing the word ‘love’. Do you know who is responsible for the almost cult logo? The authority behind the enviable statement of New Yorkers is a state body that not only has a boringly long name but also has got nothing too much to do with arts – New York State Department of Economic Development.

Shouldn’t we, citizens of the principal city of one of India’s most commerce-oriented state get the message loud and clear from that? It is in Ahmedabad’s economic interests, apart from a host of other enriching ones, to initiate a compassion drive that gives us all a sense of ownership with regards the city. And which,  consequently, prods us to become more caring and nurturing. Why aren’t the ‘city fathers’ (sic) waking up this very simple argument?

Fortunately, not everyone is waiting for that miracle from our moribund bureaucracy. Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA), that fantastically proactive organisation, had embarked on a mission similar to that of the NYSDED. Under the guidance of a former chief of Mudra Communications, the organisation had come up with a logo for the city of Ahmedabad, with ‘From Mills To Malls’ being the catch phrase of the idea. This author is not aware of the absolute work and team behind the initiative; but the unfortunate fact of the matter is that neither the logo nor the slogan has managed to permeate the core of the city thus far. A part of the reason can be that while the logo is tad difficult for a common man to recreate, the catch phrase has not caught on as yet either. But it has been a exercise worth wholesome praise. Hopefully, it would give birth to many such initiative from other concerned groups.

And it is necessary. Just as you need to feel one with fellow shoulders in a trench, while fighting the enemy, it helps a great deal to have smiling and singing pals while painting a new house. It helps the spirits, makes work enjoyable and takes much less time to finish. And even if it takes long, you don’t mind, for you’re having a nice time anyway!

And that spirit is precisely what every great city is about, and what they should be. That can happen only when there is a single thread tying every heart of the society. A thread that you can see and help to pull everyone together. A thread that is simple at heart and even simpler to express. We’ve got to find a thread. Now.