Prakash Jain’s thriving little showroom in Chickpet sells knock-off sportsgear. Bhanu (photojournalist/translator/ wise-veteran-to-my-bumbling-rookie) and I marvel at the material, the tailoring, the Nike swoosh, the Adidas trefoil and the Reebok vector—excellent enough to satisfy even the most snooty gym auntie. Prakash smiles his unassuming smile, feeds us hot-from-thekadhai samosas and kachodis and confides that he plans to visit the Ram Temple in Ayodhya soon.
‘But you’re a Jain,’ we say. ‘So what?’ Prakash shrugs. ‘Ram is there in Jainism also. Sita, Lakshman everybody! I go to temple, I go to church, I go to gurudwara.’ After an infinitesimal pause he adds, ‘I go to mosque also.’
Chickpet market, dating back to the 16th century, is Bengaluru’s largest commercial hub—chock-ablock with wholesale and retail cloth, jewellery and bartan (utensil) outlets. It is a BJP stronghold, home to the second-largest Marwari population in south India, and represented by the firebrand MP, 33-yearold Tejasvi Surya, an ardent advocate of hindutva. The consecration of the Ram Temple on January 22 was marked by a celebration ‘bigger than Diwali’ in Chickpet.
‘Amit Shah is the most powerful man in India,’ Prakash says as we sip bright orange chai from tiny paper cups. ‘He stays in the background, but from there PM, CM, the big industrialists, he pulls all their strings.’ He goes on to confide that he does not discuss politics with his parents, but only with his friends. It is a matter of respect.
This story is from the April 28, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the April 28, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
There Is A Wind Blowing Against The BJP, And It Will Only Pick Up Speed
Interview - Akhilesh Yadav, Former Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh
Between hospital and home
Transitional care centres can add a lot to India's health care system
EFFORT VS EFFECT
The government's attempts to ensure quality drugs is evident, but how well new policies can be monitored on the ground remains to be seen
A way to let go of fear
Accepting the use of adult diapers is a journey with various stages-denial, concealment, rejection and reluctance
Mandeeps & a miracle
Two strangers, one deadly disease and an act of kindness. How Mandeep Mann saved Mandeep Singh, an acute leukaemia patient, by donating his stem cells
The A, B, C of cosmetic surgery
Between eight to 10 lakh cosmetic surgeries happen in India every year. Who is an ideal candidate, and what are the risks and results you can expect?
Vaccines and meningitis
In sub-Saharan Africa, from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, and encompassing the northern part of Nigeria, there exists a region known as the African Meningitis Belt (AMB).
Celebrating diversity and inclusivity
As Indians battle it out in our nation's 18th general election, it is again time for voters to reflect on the \"Idea of India\"-or rather, on two duelling ideas of India that are now before us and between which the nation must choose at the ballot box.
Defendant: an Hermès handbag
When Hermès was hit with a class-action lawsuit last month for \"antitrust\" activities, it didn't see it coming. Most of the luxury world has all eyes on this suit, filed by two interested consumers who claim they were denied a purchase, and whether it would go to trial.
A legacy, bound
Amal Allana's biography of her father, Ebrahim Alkazi, is as much personal as it is historical