Jugaad…a simple solution to every problem and a way of survival!!!

I was travelling to visit Madurai recently, the place from where I did my basic medical education…or rather learned how learn without attending classes. Due to some unreliable friend of mine (who loves to call himself as most reliable) I was forced to travel in a sleeper class and the train was packed of passengers.

I saw an old lady, who had climbed the wagon when train had halted at a stop it was not supposed to, looking at me with a pathetic expression... I knew she was without reservation, but considering her age, yawning, I gave up my comfortable supine position, folded my legs and asked her to sit on my berth. My words acted like magic potion of gettafix (from asterix comics…which is one of my means of passing time these days) on her and she immediately occupied most of my berth sidelining me and called her 2 grandchildren and daughter saying- “yaha a jao, jagah ka JUGAAD ho gaya hai, baitho, mein kahi aur jagah dekhti hu”…and thus she left my berth searching for her next prey.

Having just returned from USA the incident had more impact on me then it would have had otherwise. I got to thinking what would happen in this country if there was no “jugaad”, something which I did not see in US at all? And then I realized the foolishness of my thought. It was impossible getting rid of jugaad in this country, where we have more then 10million gods to pray, though I doubt anyone prays to all of them, and then another thought occurred to me…may be this system of jugaad originated in heaven…such an indigenous solution to all the possible kinds of problem we face here everyday, such a PANACEA can only come from heaven. And why not…we have more then 10 million gods…and everyone must be worshiped, else they get angry…so what was done was, that our country was divided ( a tradition which we have carried out religiously dividing on the basis of region/religion/caste-ism/education/socioeconomic status/languages….etc) in many parts and they were being worshiped in those parts specially and then when it was not sufficient, then they divided days of the week among themselves…like Monday for lord Shiva, Tuesday for lord Hanuman, Wednesday for lord ganesha…etc. if this is not jugaad then what is it? Why is there a special day for every god? Why is it that on some days there is special attention giving to some god and to other on other days? I am convinced it is a kind of JUGAAD.

So back to us mortals…what will happen if there is no jugaad in India? The thought makes me shiver and I bet it will make you shiver too. Jugaad has become an integral part of our life…whether its getting admission in school/college with low scores or passing in exams, getting a job or getting a transfer or not getting a transfer… all you need is Jugaad. How do you get good treatment in a govt. hospital? How do you manage to get selected in RJS interviews? How to get a promotion? There is one solution to all your problems…JUGAAD !!!

But then how do people in USA, Canada, Europe…etc get their job done? How do they flourish so much? How come they survive? Aah!! They have no creativity, no out of box thinking…all they know is how to do their job…sincerely and on time. And why did they evolve like this when we are the oldest civilization? The answer is simple…they have no JUGAAD. What the heck…!!! They are not as developed as they think they are. They can never understand Jugaad even if they research on it for their whole lives.

And when the lady left my berth at next station with her children, like a true Indian…I blamed it all on system and on god...and slept…let US and Europe do what they like…what do I care...India is great…we have Jugaad !!!