Surat: Epitome of Gujarat Model

Ashleshaa Khurana

As ‘the Gujarat Model’ becomes the centre of political debate this election season, no other city in the state stands as significant as Surat. Last week, our city was judged as India’s best city to live in for the amenities it offers its citizens . For Surtis, it has always been the way of good life they have lived since ages.This is a trend that Tapi town has been following since centuries. Development is ingrained in the basic roots of this district and its denizens and overcoming all odds that have come its way ,Surat has managed to outshine all other Indian cities when it comes to progress, here is why :

Trade : A globally renowned port, with extensive amounts of commodities including textile and precious stones,exported out of and imported in here, Surat was one of the major money spinners of India as early as the fifteenth century.Surat’s markets were called ,”as populous as those in London” by Peter Mundy . With its constant international and national visitors of the mercantile community, many of whom settled here, it was a cosmopolitan centuries before Bombay, Delhi, Chennai and Calcutta.

Finance: Records state that Surat’s local businessmen from Surat like Virji Vora, Hari Vaishya, Mulla Abdul Gaffur who bankrolled the administration be it Mughal or British, lending lakhs of rupees in those days to the governing authorities, so that the city would have a steady governance to enable the traders to function better in their business. Surat’s shroffs controlled the price of the bullions and decided the rates at which gold from around the world would be exchanged here.

Infrastructure:  Built in 1510,Gopi Talav ,the city’s much celebrated lake had enough capacity to provide water to the entire city and a system to collect rain water ,as well cisterns to purify it from mud and dry leaves. Sir Thomas Roe , the English diplomat who obtained farmans for the English to trade in Surat in the 17^th century wrote how ,”Surat is the fountainhead and life of all East India trade. The road to Swally (Suvali) and the port of Surat are the fittest in all the Mughal’s territory.  The Surat-Agra-Delhi business corridor existed even 400 years ago as a major trade route! Edward Terry, chaplain at the English Factory of Surat penned,”Surat has luxurious summer houses with garden walks, fountains and bathing places that the wealthy merchants of Surat have built for them outside the city. Jari and textile industries took advantage of electricity as early as 1920’s thanks to Surat Electric Company.

Education : Surat was the seat of the learned Jain Bhataraks since the 14^th century.One of India’s earliest universities the Arabic IBO University,originally founded by the 43^rd Dai Syedna Abdeali Saifuddin in 1814, is located in Zhampa Bazar,home town of the foremost among litterateurs Kavi Narmad, Surat had a world class library –The Andrews Library way back in 1850,stacked with tomes from around the world ,even though India’s literacy rate at the time of Independence was only 12.2%

Agriculture and animal husbandry: The Encyclopedia of Indian Agriculture include Fryer’s accounts the 17^th century describing Surat’s fields growing in abundance potatoes and brinjals .The Portuguese brought in the cultivation of potatoes which they called ‘Batata’ as we still do.Abu Fazl’s early records praises the pineapples, pomegranates, custard apples,mangoes and oranges grown here.  While the hundreds of little villages which surround Surat grew in abundance everything from cash crops like poppy, to sugarcane to cotton, the city has had Panjarapol since more than 250 years now where the best of the veterinarians attend to cattle needs.

AROUND THE WORLD IN SURTI WAYS................
May,the month of mayhem-travel,exam results and mangoes has finally ended.Surtis who were away for most of it,are back.

Often ,I am told by many a migrant ,now settled in Tapi town ,that although they were not born here,they are now Surti to the core; since I sail in the same boat as them,I nod my head in complete agreement.

Our town has this magical magnetism that draws you towards it. So,when does one actually know that one has turned into a complete Surti?well,here are a few pointers. I am sure all of you out there will have your own experiences to add on-

You know you are Surti ...............

When you are walking the Orchard road in Singapore with its fancy stores and window displays but wishing you were caught in the chaotic crowd at Ghodod road, with friends instead.

when you are in Australia,surrounded by foul mouths but you know more bad words than they do and can make them go red in the face once you start off.

When you are trudging the cobbled paths of Brussels but thinking of how its shaded pavements are not as cool as our by lanes, lined with Mughal,Hindu,Persian and Dutch architecture.

When you are listening to the gush of the Niagara falls but pining to hear the rain patter off the asbestos on old city rooftops in Gopipura.

When you are tucking in fish and chips while watching the change of guard at Buckingham but hoping you can have bhajiyas at Dumas soon,as you peep through the creepers at the hidden palace of the Nawab of Sachin.

When you are the Louvre watching the art over the ages as the guide describes it and you wonder what fabulous potential the rangoli gals of Maniyara sheri have.

When you are cruising the magnificent Nile yet wondering if the Tapi is going to be as dry as you last saw it or in the danger of overflowing again this monsoon.

When you are appreciating pearls in HongKong but are in doubt as they closely seem to resemble the ones you saw at Choksi bazaar.

When you are watching IPL in South Africa but wondering how your buddies in Textile market will be betting over it.

When you are being served hash browns and Pecan pie in Texas but pining for khaman locho and gharis instead.

When the Chinese are showing you some exotic silk and you smile to yourself thinking how easily Pandesara will make it' the next big thing.'

When Amsterdam is in full bloom with its tulips and you yearn for the fragrance of country roses grown in Sachin.

When Antwerp has a grand display of royal crowns under high security and you smirk how casually our diamond traders and angadias handle precious stones.

When you are looking at the finest modern architecture in Dubai but wonder what the real estate rates at Piplod and Silent zone have gone up to.

Bottom line is,it does not matter whether you are in Syria or Scotland,Mexico or Malaysia,truth is,Surtipanu never leaves you.

Everybody has some place they call home,for Tapi towners,it will always be Surat.
Tapi town tattle-Other than ciggy packets ,what else should be printed with 'scorpian 'signs? Surti chimneys!

FOREIGN LANGUAGE………..
Come summer and Surtis are set for either travel or training. While most Tapi towners take off for an annual leave to maternal homes or cooler surroundings, the ones that stay behind ,join classes to learn a new talent. Be it swimming, dances, music etc.classes around town are jam packed with enthusiasts- old and young. As is the case in other towns, grooming and language classes are also very popular in Surat.

Most metros have people who enroll to learn a foreign language like French, German or Spanish. Surat too, has a host of language courses to choose from, that are run by efficient and talented tutors. The most popular courses to learn a ‘foreign language’ in our town are easily the ‘English language classes’. Drive around Surti streets and one can find bold hoardings showing elderly bespectacled gentlemen pointing a firm finger[no pun intended] boldly stating,’ learn English in 70 hours’, ‘Spoken English classes’, 'Fluent English in 62 hours’.
Since these hoardings are at the most prominent places around town, they must be doing brisk business to afford the same. Crash courses to learn English do seem to be the order of the day, but that is not a new concept;Since the late 70’s ‘spoken English’ classes have been very popular with locals who cherished N.R.I dreams but had studied in the vernacular medium. These classes prepared them to apply and understand basic visa power needs and functioning in the land of uncle Sam or its neighboring countries.

Nowadays, English is learnt as part of ‘personality development.’Systematic worksheets are prepared in accordance to the course.’Business English’, ‘Student English’,’ English for good impression’, you name it they have it ,custom made to your needs. As easy as apple pie.But alas! It still remains as a talent learnt and not one that is used. As my pretty, professor friend states,’ in Surat, English is looked upon as a subject and not as a language of communication.’ Speak a straight sentence in English to any Surti and the first thing you will be questioned is,’tamey kyaa na cho?”

It is not as if Surtis do not speak in English, they do so, adapting it in their own way. Most also speak it with a lisp to sound stylish, for e.g.’dhress’for dress or ‘firsht’ for first and so on. Also Wren and Martin can go quiver their bones because Surtis have their own set of grammar,’ don’t fall my bag’,’ Are you Mrs?’Etc.Surtis also write and spell in a phonetic manner ,our municipal corporation has official direction signboards that read,'Narmad Laibrary'!

As has been the culture of Surtis, over the centuries, many languages have found their way into our lingo. We have adopted ‘badam’, ‘pista’,’narangi’,’tadbuj’,’bhet sogaad’,’naukri-dhandho’,nafo toto’,’naseebwaan’etc,words from Persian language,numerous ones like ‘tabelo’,batata’,’pao,’’pagar’,’chavi’from the Portuguese,’adalat’,’jamin’,’zilla’ etc.from the Arabic language. While these and many other foreign words got an official standing in the Gujarati language that Surtis speak as their own, English remains a distant, distinct out caste as such.

Shakespeare’s plays in India were first adapted and performed after being translated to Gujarati ,in Surat; they were done so by the Parsis. The British ship ‘Hector’ first sailed in, during 1608, in Surat, which was actually the ‘Gateway to India' then. English, however, remains a ‘foreign language' here, till date.

Tapi town tattle-Who shook and took the hand of friendship to a 'Jai ho' victory? Slumdogs and millionaires!

JAB PR KIYA TOH DARNA KYAA?..............
As the Sun enters the Makar zodiac and we get set to celebrate Uttaryan, a lot of Surti Lalas will be breaking into sweat. Not at the fear of kite flying dearies, it’s a big day for PR.
Surtis celebrate all festivals with much aplomb. Well known to be superb hosts, with gourmet meals being a part of even their daily lifestyle, festivals give Surtis an official reason to please the boss.
For the simple Surtis, festivals are the best time and excuse for enhancing their PR with the Saab log. So, the good old straightforward ones will be having over managers, officers or seniors at home for a Ponk and Patang party. Spirits will soar at these happy family affairs, where laymen and collars will mingle to enjoy the January chill with kite flying thrills. This is basic Surti culture at its best.
Ever since the migrants settled in Surat, PR took a different turn altogether. Soon, Surat was well known to be high on every transfer wish list. Not surprisingly so, after all babus are gods here. From dyeing and printing masters at mills to CEO’s of companies, all are pleased.
In the past, when Excise was a duty levied on textile, it was a routine for many in the trade to go all out and please men who mattered .As atrocious as it may sound, from coriander to brown bread, hot Jalebis to imli chutneys, any and everything would be home delivered in a bid to please the babu’s madam at home!
Ahem...highly placed sources also claim that flooring, furniture and gardens would get an instant makeover at living quarters if the new madam did not approve of it. Rumours would then run rife as to which biggie had sponsored the same. Following some Algebra rule of keeping A happy automatically makes B see on your side or something on that line.
In cities like Delhi, everybody claims to know everybody else but in Surat, only a chosen few are allowed in the inner circle. As times have changed, PR is now carried out via one’s P.A., CA, or in many cases, a professional negotiator with communication skills is appointed exclusively for handling this task. Not to mention a chauffeur driven car, this always remains on ‘vardi’meaning at the service of the Saab or rather in many cases, his memsaab.
Diamond sets, gold jewellery, silvery crockery, Scotch bottles and electronic gadgets are a thing of the past. With changing times maybe real estate and property will seem to be the in thing .Diwali is no longer the only time to give gifts. In Tapi town, the pampering is constant and it is unending. Snooty socialites, who would otherwise care tuppence to converse decently, go all polite and pally to please on occasions as these. The babu log see through all the farce and have the last laugh.
No one knows to date whether or not this entire PR theory actually matters at all and if it makes a big difference. In many cases, it just means having a longer phone book than most others. What it does do is make the mediator feel powerful [fool?] thinking he can get things done. Maybe it gives him security of knowing’ topis’[it’s a male thing, they say],maybe it makes him hopeful that in times of trouble or an emergency, he will have someone to fall back upon and bail him out [ or so he thinks]. That dearies, then is the exact reason that makes our insecure Lalas sing confidently-
Jab PR kiya, toh darna kyaa? PR kiya koi chori nahi ki...................
TAPI TOWN TATTLE-What do we call the big turnout of the nation’s business magnates at Vibrant Gujarat? –‘Flash of the Titans.’