quest for distinction

 

QUEST FOR DISTINCTION

By Col Vikas Thakur

The white little hatchback caught my eye. It was an inconspicuous mid segment Indian car parked amongst a number of similar vehicles. However, what set it apart were its white frilled window curtains, tied in the middle giving them a spindly shape and meant  to shield the passenger from glare.  I noticed ‘GOVT OF INDIA’ etched in red on top of the license plate. As expected now, I found the seats covered with inevitable white towels giving it the final aura of an official conveyance fit for a government servant. More than any real convenience for the passenger, such unique knickknacks continue to lend an aura of entitlement in an era bereft of the once ubiquitous ‘red beacon’.

In 2007, I was a part of Indian Battalion deployed for peace keeping in Indian sector of UN Mission in South Sudan. It amused me no end when Patrick, a British Army peacekeeper had expressed his dream to travel just once in the curtained SUV of the Indian sector commander! The car was an oriental novelty for the Brit who confessed that he enjoyed our hospitality immensely as he found us more British than them in our regimental customs and traditions!

Indians covet symbols of exclusivity. Flags, designation plates, stickers are fixed on cars to announce to general public that one has ‘arrived’! ‘MP’, ‘MLA’, ‘Judge’, ‘Advocate’, ‘Army’, ‘Police’, ‘Sarpanch’ are proudly displayed with pride and expectation. The other day I found a  sarcastic bloke who had marked his car with ‘Ex Class Monitor’! Similarly, stickers of US, Canada and UK flags are popular not only on cars but also buses and vans in Punjab just to show one’s chosen ‘Shangri La’. Still I was surprise dto see a sticker of ‘Department of Police, State of Oman’ on a car in Jalandhar!

This ‘showmanship’ has been inculcated in us systematically over ages. 17th century Persian handbook ‘Mirzanama’ was a guide on personal conduct meant for mid level Mughal nobility and bureaucracy. It explicitly discouraged the Mirza from walking the street. A palanquin was recommended as preferred mode of travel to keep riff-raff of society at bay. British colonialist borrowed much ceremonial pomp from Mughals which was displayed most glaringly in the three Delhi Durbars held in honour of the British crown. Native princes were bestowed with distinct ‘Coat of Arms’ representing their ‘ancient’ families. A protocol of 9 to 21 ‘Gun Salutes’ was invented to denote hierarchy based not only on their size and importance but also on their loyalty to the crown. The princes were also conferred with titles of ‘His Highness’ on same criteria. For the extensive contributions to the war effort, the Nizam of Hyderabad was distinguished with the unique prefix of ‘His Exalted Highness’ by the Empire. Lord Amherst, the 8th Governor General, was a great stickler for ceremonial. He never moved from one room to another in his extensive official residence ‘Government House’ in Fort William, Calcutta  without a long train of decorative mace bearers preceding him!

Till recently, all cars belonging to Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan of late) didn’t carry license plates but only the National emblem giving the staff a literal carte blanche on road. Bearers and Runners in high offices still ‘High’ on colonial baggage continue wearing exquisite liveries lending a unique gravitas to the ‘lord’ they serve and represent. Thus it was no surprise when Himachal Pradesh government on the last day of recently concluded state assembly session announced provision of a distinct flag to MLAs for display on their cars. It was a long pending desire of the public servants who prefer to mould themselves in the garb of ‘Mirzas’ and ‘Laat Sahibs’ as soon as they get the chair. And the best part is that in these times of extreme financial distress facing the state it cost the government !nothing