India’s Micro Entrepreneurs Run the Daily Service Economy
By Jawahar Malhotra NEW DELHI, India: In India, one realizes that there are as many possibilities to eke out a living as there are desires in the realm of the imagination. And since the vast majority of the population is below the poverty level and serves the economic classes above them, they have discovered ways […]
Delhi Reinvents Itself Again — But Just Can’t Clean Up its Act
By Jawahar Malhotra NEW DELHI, India: A few days ago, on March 12, a huge Indian tricolor on a 207 foot tall pole was raised in the heart of Delhi’s commercial district by the Flag Foundation of India, with hopes that it would send a message of pride, national identity and raise the spirits of […]
Morning to Asia by Tunnel – and Back to Europe over Bridge by Evening
By Jawahar Malhotra ISTANBUL, Turkey: The haze that had descended overnight like a thick grey veil over the mouth of the Bosphorus had brought all ship traffic to a halt, with visibility over water down to nil and over land to just 400 meters, and forced many Istanbulites to make huge changes to their commuting […]
Tram Riders, Bridge Anglers and Gypsy Children in Istanbul
By Jawahar Malhotra ISTANBUL, Turkey: The tram token machine besides the back edge of the sidewalk had taken my 5TL (for Turkish Lira) note and was now asking a question in Turkish. The right button had an OK below it, the left one was more incomprehensible, so I hit ‘OK’ and guessed right. In the […]
Slow Down Awhile and Get to Know Your Neighbors in Delhi, Texas
By Jawahar Malhotra DELHI, TX: A persistent tail wind flinging sprays of intermittent rain followed me on a bitterly cold Sunday morning as the Arctic front made its way across Texas and invaded the Hill Country. I had an errand to make just north of Gonzales at the Happy Hens Farm that required taking the […]
The Hassles of Suspicious Guards Keeping a Nervous Eye on Buildings
By Jawahar Malhotra DOHA, 28 February, 2013: The Qatari security guard was indignant, pointing his walkie-talkie at me as he took hurried steps in my direction, his soft, rolling belly divided by a wide belt, and shouted in Arabic. His cherubic face with a wispy black beard was contorted into an angry scowl with menacing […]
