Carnivals In The Era of “Globalisation”
2004,
"Could you please tell me the way out to the road?" I asked a young Indian girl who was clearly not a Mumbaikar (Bombayite in Marathi). She stood dazed amidst crowds of people at the NESCO grounds where the World Social Forum (WSO) held its Forum between 16 to 21 January. "I cannot speak any language", she said blankly in Tamil. Somewhat amused I repeated my question in Tamil. She was shocked at hearing a familiar tongue out of the blue in that mega international carnival that the WSF came to signify to Mumbaikars. "Oh! Just walk straight, turn right, then left then right and you will come to the highway", she replied still recovering from her shock. I wondered what the WSF meant to her. "Where have you come from?" I asked. "From Tamil Nadu", she replied. "Have you attended any sessions here", I asked. "Oh no, I can't understand anything. I don't understand English or Hindi", she replied. "What made you come to the WSF then?" I asked. She smiled coyly. "I wanted to see Bombay", she said. I was touched by her reply.