Monday, May 21, 2007

Truffaut character in Kanchipuram and education


Francois Truffaut gave his vote of interest for ‘people behind ideas’ rather than ‘ideas in themselves’.

People matter more than ideas. The debate could go on and on, rankling few, obsessing others.

Ordinary people matter – they do, they do not do?? Another ‘point of no consequence’ debate but delights from an observation by ordinary people could be extraordinary.

One keeps coming across them and falling back on the last part of the statement, somewhat an aphorism now.


SA. came across this flower-seller in Kanchipuram. She addressed him in Tamil inquiring about whether he would be having some flowers.
SA. said “Tamil Ille”.
She started speaking in broken but sound English about her aspirations for her two children – one needs to go on to be IPS , the other should become an IAS.
Ostensibly intrigued, SA. probed further to find she was a 12th standard pass and had been married for a long time. She regretted not having studied further and therefore wanted her sons to have the very best of education.
When she asked SA. “What about you, married or not?”
He replied rather coyly ‘No girl for me so far’.

She chuckled and said “Human Beings are married to the world”. A Truffaut fan would like to have a character like her in his future films. The other striking factor is the value of education and service cutting across economic disparities in an Indian individual’s mind. Maybe, one gets pointers about interrogating the questions of status and service also.

P.S.: Picture and story courtesy SA., who btw is an aesthetically intuitive photographer. Do contemplate his silent musical compositions on http://www.flickr.com/photos/visio.

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