I confess I am not exactly a clean freak. Our house would never pass the white glove test. My closet isn't the most organized. But, if I know someone is about to visit, I generally will do my best to keep at least the downstairs presentable. I make sure the guest bathroom is clean, kid's backpack is not strewn about, various 'art' pieces that she brings home from school are not occupying every available surface, that sort of thing. I actually also clean before the cleaners come. I feel embarrassed if the sink is full of dishes on the day the maid comes. I feel this uneasiness in letting anyone other than my own family or the closest of friends get even a glimpse of the clutter we live in. I guess I just don't want anyone to judge me or my lack of orderliness.
These feelings are not just limited to my own house. They extend to public places too. I feel awkward when people from my country clutter up the public venues during cultural events. I always pick up everything I see on the floors at any desi event I go to, even if it is not my daughter that is responsible for the littering. I just don't want anyone to have a bad impression of our culture!
Well, this past week, I have experienced what I can only term as the ultimate hostess embarrassment. Sri Lanka is touring India to play a bilateral cricket series. Delhi is the venue for the last of the three tests in the series. India had already all but sealed the series with 1-0 at the end of the second match (first was a draw) and they were in a pretty good position to win the test at Delhi and go up unassailable 2-0. But I was not rooting for an Indian victory in this game, for once. The reason? Air quality in Delhi. Breathing Delhi air today gives the same effect to the body as smoking 50 cigarettes a day!
The air quality index in Delhi hovers around 200 these days and WHO calls it "unhealthy". To put things in perspective, the AQI in Portland is 20. In Perth, Australia, it is 5. In Hyderabad, my hometown, it is 127. To be very specific, the AQI of SriLankan capital, Colombo is 44. Not surprisingly, the visiting cricketers found it extremely difficult to handle the Delhi air and many of them fell sick. Some even threw up on the ground in the middle of the game. As an Indian, I felt extremely embarrassed. Such bad hosts we were. The game should have never continued after people started getting sick. It is sad that the match just went on. At the end of Day-4, SriLankan team looked precarious, most people wrote them off. It was only a matter of time on Day-5 when SriLanka bundles up and hands another victory to India, the online commentator typed.
I felt that it was all so wrong. We as the country should have cleaned up for our guests or at least should not have exposed them to the worst part of our land! Can you imagine taking our guests straight to the untidiest of closets upstairs in your bedroom? Wouldn't you rather keep them downstairs in the living room or any part that is more presentable? I had a huge smile when I read in the news the next day that SriLanka stayed defiant and pulled off a draw. The guests just didn't deserve to lose after being subjected to such inhospitable conditions! Here's hoping I would never have to feel embarrassed at the national level like this. As for my home front, well, I can never say never.
These feelings are not just limited to my own house. They extend to public places too. I feel awkward when people from my country clutter up the public venues during cultural events. I always pick up everything I see on the floors at any desi event I go to, even if it is not my daughter that is responsible for the littering. I just don't want anyone to have a bad impression of our culture!
Well, this past week, I have experienced what I can only term as the ultimate hostess embarrassment. Sri Lanka is touring India to play a bilateral cricket series. Delhi is the venue for the last of the three tests in the series. India had already all but sealed the series with 1-0 at the end of the second match (first was a draw) and they were in a pretty good position to win the test at Delhi and go up unassailable 2-0. But I was not rooting for an Indian victory in this game, for once. The reason? Air quality in Delhi. Breathing Delhi air today gives the same effect to the body as smoking 50 cigarettes a day!
The air quality index in Delhi hovers around 200 these days and WHO calls it "unhealthy". To put things in perspective, the AQI in Portland is 20. In Perth, Australia, it is 5. In Hyderabad, my hometown, it is 127. To be very specific, the AQI of SriLankan capital, Colombo is 44. Not surprisingly, the visiting cricketers found it extremely difficult to handle the Delhi air and many of them fell sick. Some even threw up on the ground in the middle of the game. As an Indian, I felt extremely embarrassed. Such bad hosts we were. The game should have never continued after people started getting sick. It is sad that the match just went on. At the end of Day-4, SriLankan team looked precarious, most people wrote them off. It was only a matter of time on Day-5 when SriLanka bundles up and hands another victory to India, the online commentator typed.
I felt that it was all so wrong. We as the country should have cleaned up for our guests or at least should not have exposed them to the worst part of our land! Can you imagine taking our guests straight to the untidiest of closets upstairs in your bedroom? Wouldn't you rather keep them downstairs in the living room or any part that is more presentable? I had a huge smile when I read in the news the next day that SriLanka stayed defiant and pulled off a draw. The guests just didn't deserve to lose after being subjected to such inhospitable conditions! Here's hoping I would never have to feel embarrassed at the national level like this. As for my home front, well, I can never say never.
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| SriLankan player getting sick on the ground |
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| SriLankan team in masks |
Good job amma! I think India should do a better job of cleaning their air. For example, when there are other people from a different place, they won't be used to the air in India. Just like in the picture above, the Srilankans are wearing masks and also one person was puking in the first picture. That's why people should not smoke and keep the air and earth clean. -Raaga Mandala
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your comments, baby! Yes, we all should do our bit to keep our home, city, country and planet clean.
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