The Babu Log

The Babu log

Apologies for the delay ! Was neck deep in work and hence no time for play!

Babus of Orissa! I am always amused to watch them at work and play! As a child I have seen them from real close quarters as many of my uncles were in govt. service. Babu watching is pure entertainment !

Here is a very modest attempt to put down my observations and I hope my dear readers shall enlighten me further!

The English Lord:

A very dominating and overbearing personality with a strong paternal attitude towards his subordinates and subjects. He is the one who can take no nonsense from netas and is unperturbed when they threaten him with transfer. Has an excellent sense of dressing and is usually dressed for the occasion which is quite rare I must say nowadays. Does not step out without his shoes polished to perfection. His suit is impeccably pressed and wears it with a matching tie. Would rather die than attend office in T-shirt and chappals !

He was the last survivor of the “koi hai” Brit civil servants who forged the steel frame of the rigid Indian bureaucracy! Usually loved to smoke and drink but in absolute moderation. I still remember the aroma from the Havana cigars they smoked ! Also was a true gentleman who opened doors for ladies and rose when a lady leaves or arrives!

Almost all of them are now retired and now live a life of quiet solitude forgotten by their erstwhile admirers. Usually, this class was clean and even frowned upon routine “bhetis” like a big fish or a bottle of scotch!

They were very good in work and knew the rules by heart. Generosity and munificence were their two distinct hallmarks. They never hesitated to stretch the rules if that meant benefiting a friend or even the poor or weak. I truly miss them!

The First generation types:

These were the babus who joined the service in the fifties and sixties . Since they had excellent masters, they tried to emulate them. They used to attend office on time. Disposed off the files on schedule; usually carried out the orders of their superiors and attended to public greviances with all sincerity. Work was serious business with them and rarely did they shirk it.

Never thought of swindling the state exchequer! At the most did not mind a big fish or a bottle of ghee as a small gift from his supplicants but in general was not a devil who harassed the public for a bribe!

During disasters, they never hesitated to wet their feet and work hard to ensure relief to victims. Official tours to the districts were strictly work…………files to be checked, public greviances to be heard, work to be inspected, etc. Not like nowadays, when it becomes an unending night long binge with plenty of booze and kababs!

What a sad contrast today! Most babus arrive at 11:00 and depart for a never ending lunch break at 1:30 p.m. to return after 4:00 p.m. While most get their favourite siesta , a few do not think twice before swilling down a couple of pegs at the preferred babu den of Bhubaneswar! The Club which claims to be “proud to be in Orissa,” whatever that means!

The new Sultan :

A poor struggling student bright in studies makes it to the coveted All India service and life changes for ever! Chucking the memories of grinding poverty and the hard working father who struggled to pay his hostel and tuition fees, the lad quickly becomes the new sultan. He is happy to be snared into a mismatched marriage with a tycoon’s daughter who is desperate for an IAS son in law to get his files cleared.

Wife sneers at him since his salary would not be enough to pay her beauty parlour and kitty party bills! Dear father in law does not hesitate to send monthly gift cheques in order to enable son in law and daughter to keep up with the Jones.

Humiliated by the shameful arrangements, dear son–in-law soon acquires a repressed inferiority complex and usually degenerates into a hopeless alcoholic. In some cases abuses and beats up his wife to show the fat cat father in law that he is still the boss and calls the shot.

Wife usually does not like the in-laws from the remote village to visit them! She hates the sight of the paan chewing pa-in-law wandering around the Type VII quarters in a crumpled dhoti.

Son also feels the pain since he does not want to be reminded of those sad days when he had to beg and borrow to buy his books. Soon the old couple get the shocking message that they are unwelcome and stop visiting them! These babus are the most disgusting turncoats . I wish we could banish them to Sibera!

The Climber:

The third type are the state officials who get the much coveted promotion towards the end of their illustrious careers! Commonly mocked at as "promotees" they are rarely revered by their minions and subjects !

After being used to a lifetime of making camp arrangements for their Class I bosses in the outbacks of Orissa and hearing orders being barked out, suddenly, they realize that they have to take the final decision. Not used to this, they continue to send the files up seeking orders from dear boss even when they do not need to.

Unusually unctuous, they never stop trying to impress their boss with their groveling and attend to his every whim and fancy! They ensure that Madam’s every little desire from special pickles, to fresh prawns and crabs from Chilika is pandered to! This ensures that they continue to cling to their lucrative posting so that they can continue to bleed the state!

They continue to be people friendly and usually maintain a very good relationship with the local populace. They also do not hesitate to dip into the till now and then since through sheer experience, know the various ways through which public money can be looted. Assiduously, they go on skimming off the cream bit by bit so that by retirement time have a good house in Bubaneswar and a fat bank balance to fall back upon.

The Single pocket Babu

This Babu exercises a vice like grip over the administrative machinery but does it with extreme cunning. He rarely makes a public appearance, hates to see his name in the papers and prefers to miss powerful social dos. Though the least visible of all babus, every babu dreads him since the files sent to the Queen's office are done by him. They dare not rub him the wrong way! Otherwise, they will promptly consigned to Malkangiri where the reds rule the roost!

He prefers to hide but be sure to find him at all govt. meetings where important decisions are made. Even here, rarely speaks out unless forced to but is the real decision maker since the Queen has 100 % trust in him. After all does the nitwit have any choice, with his pea brained head ! Even the newspaper interviews of the Queen are written up by him !

Slowly and steadily puts his men in place at all important positions to ensure that his bidding is carried out. Soon the banias find out this and make a beeline to fatten his pockets. This is the guy who shall call up the district collector to ease your land problems, the police chief to get you security, the mines guys for your lease, etc. Must say the arrangement perfectly suits the banias since is a one stop departmental service! What the Queen calls " single window" but methinks it should be single pocket! Ha Ha !

Right now, this guy is the hatchet man of the Queen and rules his office! Meet the " single pocket babu".