Delirium

Former English colony, in the past few years India have experienced a strong economic growth mainly caused by the economic reforms launched in 1991 that worked toward a liberalisation of the economy. This mammoth growth, though, benefit only a small portion of the Indian population. The liberalisation together with the reduction in the government participation caused, in many cases, the impoverishment of the lower classes with the consequence of increasing the gap between the rich and the poor.

Since India began to shine, cities have become the most sparkling attraction for all those in rural areas who, for various reasons, are not doing well.

Megacities such as Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata are growing in a savage and ruthless way. Beautiful residential neighborhoods are growing and growing the slums.  Everyone feeding on each other.

Because of this overpopulation and this human variety, it is really difficult to find similar or even remotely comparable cities in the rest of the world. The way in which millions of people work, interact, support and mix with the city in an almost osmotic process is incredible and fascinating. There is an absolute abundance of human feelings and the liveliness of life that happens in the streets assails the senses with a cacophony of sounds, smells, colors and cordiality.

In the evening, on the sidewalks, under bridges and even on the central reservation, the fires are lit for the dinner beside whose ashes will rest the head of thousands of homeless. All this just a few meters from the skyscrapers, franchise stores, golf courses and darting cars.

Iit could seem that these contrasts have triggered a process of pulverization of the individual. It is not so, we must never forget that in recent years India has undergone a strong process of decolonization precisely to affirm its national identity. And even in the melting pot of the great Indian cities, the feeling of resiliency of people allows them to maintain  a strong individual iden tity even though they see in a country that is everything and its opposite.