"Yeh sab heera hai ya yeh sone ka hai?"
I looked up, surprised at being so distracted during my trip to Turkministan. And that too just at the moment when i was beginning to appreciate the megalomania of that country's benevolent dictator. Mr. Novoyev, who the museum director was telling me, had renamed their names of days and months as per his choices.
Well, not exactly telling me, but telling Mr. Paul Theroux whose book i was reading seated in the auto on my way to office in Goregaon, Mumbai. Those words were spoken to me by my autowallah.
Well, not exactly telling me, but telling Mr. Paul Theroux whose book i was reading seated in the auto on my way to office in Goregaon, Mumbai. Those words were spoken to me by my autowallah.
I looked up, and with memories of Turkministan fast fading, i realized what the context was. There was a BEST bus right in front with a hoarding screaming, "Kisna Jewels" and with sparklers the size of tennis balls shaped as rings and pendants. Even then, the question seemed out of place. A 3 year old could have told the difference.
"Heera hai", said I, feeling kinda stupid. He looked back, giving me a silly "i knew it" grin. He had an interesting look on his face though. A look of childlike curiosity. He asks
"Yeh heere ka mol kaise hota hai?"
I had by now shut my book. Partly to avoid making him look back and crash onto something and partly to satisfy my own need to share gyan, i started off on a long lecture on diamond valuations. I took him through a crash course on color, cut, clarity, and karats. Starting from the mines of South Africa, to the sweatshops in Surat, and from there onward to auction houses in London. About small pendants such as the one we'd just seen, used as anniversary gifts, and about the kohinoors of the world which influence bilateral relations amongst countries.
All along he was rapt in attention. Never once did he get a chance to look back during the next 15 mins. I felt good about myself. A glow which comes about when u've managed to explain a particularly arcane topic to a difficult audiance. Or so i thought.
As i was collecting change back from him, he asks. "Toh isme aur sone mein kya pharak hota hai?" I became silent. The realization of the futility of my knowledgeble and passionate speech saddened me.
Iska jawab phir kabhi dost, said i and walked away with a heavy heart.
"Yeh heere ka mol kaise hota hai?"
I had by now shut my book. Partly to avoid making him look back and crash onto something and partly to satisfy my own need to share gyan, i started off on a long lecture on diamond valuations. I took him through a crash course on color, cut, clarity, and karats. Starting from the mines of South Africa, to the sweatshops in Surat, and from there onward to auction houses in London. About small pendants such as the one we'd just seen, used as anniversary gifts, and about the kohinoors of the world which influence bilateral relations amongst countries.
All along he was rapt in attention. Never once did he get a chance to look back during the next 15 mins. I felt good about myself. A glow which comes about when u've managed to explain a particularly arcane topic to a difficult audiance. Or so i thought.
As i was collecting change back from him, he asks. "Toh isme aur sone mein kya pharak hota hai?" I became silent. The realization of the futility of my knowledgeble and passionate speech saddened me.
Iska jawab phir kabhi dost, said i and walked away with a heavy heart.
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