Scanned by CamScanner

Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
Scanned by CamScanner
 Mother Pious Lady- Making Sense of Everyday India
Santosh Desai
Explanatory Notes
Stainless Steel Memories
In Stainless Steel Memories the author attempts to show how Stainless Steel became
not only a symbol of pride for the modern Indian family but also symbolized
progress. Steel replaced other metals which had made its place in the Indian
household such as aluminum and copper. Aluminum lost its shine very quickly, with
more use it turned yellow which was not the case with stainless steel. Stainless steel
was termed ‘ever-silver’ because of its ability to remain shiny for a long period of
time. It found acceptance in India because it was durable and aesthetic. Unlike other
durables, utensils made of stainless steel were bought more frequently which added
to overall appeal of stainless steel. These reasons made stainless steel a symbol of
modernity in India.

Decoding the Auto Rickshaw

Through this article the author tries to draw a parallel between the autorickshaw and
life in a typical Indian city. The auto is said to be able to navigate through any kind
of terrain available and deals with the ever-changing roads on a minute by minute
manner. Irrespective of the traffic, the auto finds its way with ease and does so at an
economical pricing which suits the Indian mentality. The author maintains that to
understand the auto one must first understand its design which is not a ‘lesser choice’
but is an ‘inevitable, and eventually, the only sustainable choice’. The design
doesnot permit luxury but it delivers access which is more important. An auto
protects the passengers from external elements, but not fully. The author hints at
how the auto captures the true nature or urban India. The ever changing and uneven
life in India can be compared with the roads and the auto should be compared with
Indians who find their way irrespective of multiple obstacles. It reflects the nature
of Indian living where difficulties may appear, but we find some way around them.

53
Ode to a Scooter
Santosh Desai, author of Mother Pious Lady, dedicates a full chapter on the scooter
and its relevance to the Indian Middle Class. To bring out the importance of the
scooter, as a typical middle class vehicle, he compares it with a bike (which is a sign
of modern India). The bike has replaced scooter as the India’s favorite vehicle
however there are many differences between the two. The primary difference that
the scooter can boast of is its design. A scooter’s design speaks volumes about how
safe it is. It has ample space for a family of four to be accommodated, a place to
carry vegetables, a dickey to keep other things and a stepney (spare tyre). It never
over sped and maintained a distance with everything including other vehicles and
roads, unlike the bike. According to the author the scooter is a symbol for the
‘responsible person’. The scooter radiated a sense of safety which is not present in
the bikes of today. Even the campaigns of Bajaj-titled Humara Bajaj reflected the
truth about the Indian life.

Father Amitabh
Amitabh Bachchan, the icon of Indian Cinema, has been used as a symbol for
progress by the author in the chapter named Father Amitabh. The author first traces
the rise and fall of this actor and tries to decode the reasons for his popularity in
India inspite of such a long period. The author maintains that Mr. Bachchan’s
popularity in India can be traced back to his role as Vijay in ground breaking movies
such as Deewar, Lawaaris and Shakti where he portrayed the anger felt by many
Indians who were abandoned by their respective governments. His popularity then
faded with a string of unsuccessful movies, however the turning point in his career
came with him taking the role of quiz master in Kaun Banega Crorepati. The
transformation in the roles he selected has drawn a parallel with the mindset of India
which has gone from being abandoned, to fading and finally accepting it’s fate with
grace. In his role as a quiz master he stood at the edge of large amount of money
which was accessible to those who knew the answers. Moreover Amitabh Bachchan
stands as a symbol for India as it moves ahead, as a sign of reassurance that the past
is with us because to know where you are going you need to know where you have
come from.

54
SRK- Brand Ambassador For The Market
Shahrukh Khan has been termed as a “Brand” in himself, in this chapter by Santosh
Desai. The author starts the chapter with a recap of how someone with no Bollywood
connections was able to make a mark for himself in the film industry and stay there
for a long period. He then notes that SRK is the brand ambassador for the market
itself. Just like the market, he doesnot hang onto the past, he lives in the present and
constantly promotes every brand that comes his way. SRK has no problems
promoting any brand and he does so effortlessly. The market works similarly as
everything is sold in the market, without any preconceived notions. The success
however depends on the consumers, who seem to love everything that SRK has to
offer.

A Million Matchsticks Now

The story of India, is not the story of the elite. It is not the story of any film winning
an Oscar, neither is it about premier institutes like IIMs or IITs, nor about the
students who pass from these institutes. The story of India is not the mergers
happening at a global level. The author mentions that the real story of India, which
is also its strength, is the resilience of its middle class. Education has no longer
become inaccessible only to a select few. It has been made available to everyone
through the private sector. The youngsters who constitute majority of the Indian
population are the real drivers of this country.

55
 Glossary
Stainless Steel Memories
1. Fervid: heated or vehement in spirit, enthusiasm, etc. Example: A fervid
orator
2. Uninhibited: not restricted, bound.
not restrained by social convention or usage
3. Triumphant: having achieved victory or success; victorious; successful
4. Posterity: succeeding or future generations collectively
5. Accretion: an increase by natural growth or by gradual external addition;
growth in size or extent.
6. Inexplicably: not explicable; incapable of being accounted for or explained.
7. Incontrovertibly: not open to question or dispute; indisputable
8. Strode: to walk with long steps, as with vigor, haste, impatience, or
arrogance.
9. Cumbersome: burdensome; troublesome
10.Pallor:
unusual or extreme paleness, as from fear, ill health, or death;wanness.
11.Radiant: emitting rays of light; shining; bright:
12.Imposition: the laying on of something as a burden or obligation
13.Akin: allied by nature; having the same properties:
14.Utilitarian:
having regard to utility or usefulness rather than beauty,ornamentation, etc.
Aesthetic
15.Connoting: to signify or suggest (certain meanings, ideas, etc.) in addition to
the explicit or primary meaning
16.Adhesion: the act or state of adhering; state of being adhered or united

Decoding The Autorickshaw

1. Anarchy:
political and social disorder due to the absence of governmentalcontrol:
2. Wily: cunning.
3. Dribbles: to fall or flow in drops or small quantities; trickle.
4. Topography:
the detailed mapping or charting of the features of a relatively smallarea, dist
rict, or locality.

56
 5. Innards:
the internal mechanism, parts, structure, etc., of something; theinterior of so
mething:
6. Pidgin dialect: Language that has come into existence through the attempts
by the speakers of two different languages to communicate and that is
primarily as simplified form of one of the languages
7. Rudimentary: pertaining to rudiments or first principles; elementary
8. Exuding:
to come out gradually in drops, as sweat, through pores or smallopenings; oo
ze out
9. Brooding: preoccupied with depressing, morbid, or painful memories or
thoughts
10.Mongrel:
any animal or plant resulting from the crossing of different breeds orvarieties

Ode to The Scooter

1. Transition:
movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage,subject, conce
pt, etc., to another; change:
2. Rotund: round in shape; rounded:
3. Anonymously:
without any name acknowledged, as that of author, contributor, or thelike
4. Eschewing: to abstain or keep away from; shun; avoid
5. Recalcitrant:
resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory
6. Incessantly: continuing without interruption; ceaseless; unending
7. Restrained: constraint or reserve in feelings, behavior, etc.
8. Repressed: to keep under control, check, or suppress (feelings; emotions)
9. Versatile: capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of
various tasks, fields of endeavor
10.Hirsute: hairy; shaggy.

Father Amitabh
1. Diminishing:
to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen;reduce.
57
 2. Caricature: any imitation or copy so distorted or inferior as to be ludicrous.
3. Yearned: to have an earnest or strong desire; long:
4. Ossified: hardened like or into bone.
5. Revelling: to take great pleasure or delight
SRK- Brand Ambassador for the Markets
1. Unabated: to take great pleasure or delight
2. Self-deprecation: belittling or undervaluing oneself; excessively modest
3. Evangelists: someone who preaches, tell you what to do and what not to do
4. Distillation: the purification or concentration of a substance
5. Skeptical/Sceptical: doubtful about a particular thing
6. Espousal: adoption or advocacy, as of a cause or principle
7. Patriarchal: of or relating to the male head of a family, tribe
8. Subsumed: to consider or include (an idea, term, proposition, etc.) as part of
a more comprehensive one.
9. Dismantling: to disassemble or pull down; take apart:
10.Bereft: deprived
11.Qualms: an uneasy feeling or pang of conscience as to conduct
A Million Matchsticks Now
1. Pine: to yearn deeply; suffer with longing
2. Exult: to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy
3. Fount: a spring of water
4. Skewed: to distort; depict unfairly.
5. Mediocre: of only ordinary or moderate quality; neither good nor bad
6. Testimony: evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof.
7. Resilience:
ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or thelike
8. Subsistence: the providing of sustenance or support.
9. Fragmented: existing or functioning as though broken into separate parts;
disorganized
10.Propelled: to drive, or cause to move, forward or onward
11.Flickering: to burn unsteadily; shine with a wavering light
Adam’s Apple to Acche Din: A Brief History of Marketing
1. Idyllic: a charming or picturesque scene or event
2. Forbidden: not allowed; prohibited

58
 3. Loathe: to feel disgust or intense aversion
4. Infinitely: unlimited or unmeasurable in extent of space, duration of time
5. Tantrum: a violent demonstration of rage or frustration; a sudden burst of ill
temper.
6. Fickle: a violent demonstration of rage or frustration; a sudden burst of ill
temper.
7. Hypothesized: to form or assume a hypothesis
8. Dissemination: the act of spreading widely
9. Forged: a violent demonstration of rage or frustration; a sudden burst of ill
temper.
10.Progenitor: a person or thing that first indicates a direction, originates
something, or serves as a model
11.Resentful: the feeling of displeasure or indignation at some act
12.Tainted: a trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful
13.Stuttering:
to speak in such a way that the rhythm is interrupted by repetitions,blocks
14.Antithesis: opposition; contrast
15.Realms:
the region, sphere, or domain within which anything occurs, prevails,or dom
inates
16.Marauding:
engaged in raiding for plunder, especially roaming about and ravagingan are
a
Chapter 2 The Shastra of Differentiation: Lessons in Becoming a
Differentiated Groom
1. Uncanny: beyond the ordinary or normal; extraordinary
2. Parity: equality, as in amount, status, or character.
3. Nexus: a means of connection; tie; link.
4. Niche: a distinct segment of a market
5. Rudimentary: underdeveloped or primitive, not developed or basic
6. Provocative: to stimulate, anger or to stir up
7. Incremental: a distinct segment of a market

59