Sanibonani World!

Sanibonani World!

                                  

  “Hi, How do you do World!” the flight crew greets you in Zulu the moment your plane lands on the


Images: © Sameer Kulkarni

 O.R. Tambo International airport, in Johannesburg. And coming from the flight-crew it might sound cliché, but for me South Africa has been overwhelmingly warm, caring and loving. South Africa, an amazing country with a mix of culture and heritage; and an economical condition that can compete with the best on the map.

As we move on the driveways or highways inside Johannesburg, one can easily make out the years of planning that has gone behind the architecture of this city. Polished, cemented roads link the veins and nerves of the city and each zone or street is planned so perfect that every vantage point is worth capturing on the lens. Especially after the FIFA 2010, the city and the country as a whole saw a surge in tourism and business. Thus every chapter that was written after that has a distinct mark of the FIFA world cup in one way or the other. The Gautrain (pron.:  Khau-Train. In S.A., G=Kh and J=Y) is a subway train that was started in this period. This train, a state-of-the-art transport, symbolizes the financial well-being of Johannesburg. The train and the Gautrain bus are a bit expensive. The Combi is a cheaper option and can be compared to our rickshaws; in expense and in the attitude of the drivers.

Images: http://www.gauteng.net/2010/2010-news/gautrain

The entire city is full of varying cultures. South Africa is a home of people coming from varying origins, whose fore-fathers migrated from their homeland years ago. Thus, you will find people of Indian, Chinese, Dutch, British origins and even other countries from inside the African continent itself; Zimbabwe, Kenya, Namibia etc. are to name a few. Johannesburg is the city of opportunities and can be related to Mumbai or Delhi in India, where people pour in every day in hope of a better future.

The native South Africans are usually bifurcated into Whites, Blacks and Colored. With no intention of being racist, this is the only bifurcation by which people are differentiated even by the locals. The language too is a distinguishing factor; the white population speaks Afrikaans while the black folks usually speak Zulu. The colored population look more like Indians and at least an Indian is surely tempted to browse their family tree to check any Namaste branches. They too have a distinct language but surprisingly it has no name. English too is prevalent in Johannesburg and every culture has a clear English accent by which we can make out the origin of the person, even without seeing him or her.



Images: © Sameer Kulkarni

South Africa or at least Johannesburg does have a huge American influence on it. The young brigade can be easily seen imitating the American culture; from their t-shirts to their music. But the same can be seen highly popular in India as well. So for a newcomer Indian, this should not be a culture shock.

Sandton; an economic hub of Johannesburg reminds us of Nariman Point in Mumbai. The plush skyline is constantly buzzing with an energetic crowd. The Sandton City Mall is in fact a major landmark of Johannesburg and at times works as the pole star for anyone who gets lost while driving in Johannesburg. All giant brands can be seen showcased in every nook-and-corner of Sandton.

Image: Sandton City Mall

Johannesburg is a hilly city and the green quotient of the city is quite high. In the days between September and November, extremely picturesque flowers and leaves cover the city. Jacaranda trees can be seen all over the place covering Johannesburg with a violet veil. A slightest gush of wind and the trees shudder and sprinkle flowers all around them. Cars, roads and balconies, suddenly start getting painted with flowers. It’s a sight worth watching and an extremely romantic one too.



Images: © Sameer Kulkarni

Like every other city in the world, Johannesburg too has a darker side; for them it is Security. The rising number of crimes and corruption is the only concern that has been raised time and again on every talk show on the radio. The fear of these unknown facets can be seen in the day to day gestures of the city. Every house, apartment, building, office has electrified fencing. Even insurance companies too do not grant their services if the fencing isn’t up and active. But the root cause is something else that has been plaguing Africa, and which can be easily related to India as well; Poverty. Although Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town are the largest revenue churning cities of South Africa, we can still see a huge gap in the social structure. Poverty for some is so grave that they are ready to take up any odd jobs and for any amount of money. We can see people standing on the pavements holding placards of the jobs that they can carry out. Some day they might earn something, other days can go as dry as the Kalahari. Those who crumble under the pressure of hunger and anguish unite and erupt as the partners in crime. People dread carrying out any business after 5 p.m. and all businesses usually shut down after that. Even the smallest shops can be seen having strong gates and burglar alarms. Destitute can be seen holding cardboards with “HOMELESS - PLEASE HELP” labels pleading for our support.

Images: © Sameer Kulkarni

The most popular facet of Africa is their wildlife reserves and sanctuaries. Lions, rhinos, hippos, ostriches etc. are nurtured in the open wild and it’s simply breathtaking to watch. The wild life is the biggest tourist attraction here and can be seen in souvenirs decked in every gift shop. Ostrich eggs, rhino and lion miniatures, native African sculptures and masks beckon you to taste the wild life which we rarely trace in other continents and countries.    

Images: © Sameer Kulkarni

Another aspect is the big mining industry. Coal mines used to be and still are highly active business avenues in South Africa. Those mines which have been shut down were then converted into museums and theme parks to attract tourism. The Gold Reef city theme park is one such example. Along with the roller-coasters there is a tour of the old coal mine which was shut down years ago. Even today you can experience and feel the tough life 300 feet beneath the earth’s crust. Mannequins and demonstrations throw light upon the work culture of a mine and the hardship of the miner.      

Images: © Sameer Kulkarni



The Indian community has a strong presence in South Africa. Durban is in fact said to be an Indian nest. Fordsburg, in Johannesburg, is an area with many people from Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. Some of them know their roots while others are totally oblivious of their origin in India. Incidentally, 2010 is the 150^th anniversary of the Indian arrival in South Africa. Ironically, Indians in here have been found following the culture more than we do in India. At times, they are the ones who keep fast on Navaratri and celebrate all festivals with zest and enthusiasm. There are Temples, Mosques and Gurudwaras all around Johannesburg, along with Baptist, Methodist, Catholic and many other Churches. In fact the Melrose temple, in Melrose was established in the late 19^th century and was renovated in the year 1996. It is an old yet neatly maintained Shri Murugan temple and holds idols of almost all major Hindu deities. The Hare-Krishna mission has a highly active centre in here and people throng these temples quite often.   

 

Fordsburg is another area which can be easily coined as mini-Asia. Indians, Chinese, Pakistanis and even Africans have settled and work here in unison. You are bound to get every Indian product in Fordsburg; from Parle-G to spices, from Indian cutlery to Indian restaurants. The only catch is you need to judge the imitation and low quality products. Every Indian visits this place at least once, even to get their usual hair cut. Just a few blocks away from Fordsburg, is China Town. All “Made in China” products can be bought here at the cheapest rate, and it is indeed a task to convey your message across to anybody here. Very few know English and they keep smiling back at you till the time you give up and move on.

Images: Gold Reef mine © Sameer Kulkarni

The traffic in Johannesburg is worth a mention. Even in the middle of the night, people follow traffic rules religiously. Traffic signals here are called robots. Unlike India, the lanes are respected by commuters. STOP signs painted on the road are honored, even if there is no policeman to take heed of.

Cars from almost all major dreams and crushes can be seen on these roads. Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen, Mini, Bentley, and even the Ferrari along with our very own Tata can be seen here often.

Images: Shri Ganesha at the Melrose temple © Sameer Kulkarni

The women in South Africa deserve a separate chapter, or even an epic may be. So stunning and beautiful are they that at times it becomes difficult to concentrate on one while the other passes by. Style, fashion and glitterati enhance each one of the making them a sight to watch.

Pausing here on this beautiful note, I encourage one and all to mark this country as a tourist destination. Welkom World to South Africa! Cause to tell you… its simply AYOBA!

 

Trivia:

1. Republic of South Africa is approximately 1219912 square kilometers

2. The population of Johannesburg is 3225812 people (2001 South African National Census)