In 1956, The Times of India featured an op-ed by S.C. Kala titled “Changing New Delhi.” Kala’s article offered a sardonic take on the social and political shifts Delhi had undergone since independence. He argued that change was everywhere in New Delhi—so pervasive, in fact, that its "citizens find it difficult to adjust themselves to the new climate."
While the piece provides historians with valuable insights into how the city was transforming, its caustic tone and sharp observations also make it an entertaining read. For instance, describing the new localities designed to socially stratify and accommodate the post-independence bureaucracy, Kala wrote:
“The names of the four new colonies built for government servants show which way the wind of change is blowing. The top officials of the Secretariat (Sachivalaya) live in Shan Nagar (city of pomp and splendour), middling officials in Man Nagar (city for the respectable), clerks in Vinaya Nagar (city of the humble) and chaprassis in Sewa Nagar (city for those who serve their masters). Who says class distinctions have hardened since 1947? Do not all Government servants, irrespective of their different pay scales and special allowances, live in the newly-constructed Nagars (cities)? What does it matter if some live in one-room tenements and others in luxury bungalows, with outhouses and servants’ quarters?”
Kala’s commentary serves as both a critique and a chronicle, revealing how class and power underpinned the postcolonial transformation of Delhi.
Note: Some of these areas were re-named as part of a 'politics of naming'. So, Shan and Man Nagar were eventually changed to Bharti Nagar and Ravindra Nagar. Vinaya Nagar was also subsequently re-christened as Sarojini Nagar.
No comments:
Post a Comment