Today was spent running around Delhi with Biku, Govinda, and Michael. It is Biku's first trip to Delhi, and his first trip outside of Orissa. So we went to Connaught Place.
We did some shopping at the Khadi Shop. These shops were created by Gandhi to provide support to rural India by having the government purchase the "cottage" industry's goods. The government would then create shops, and sell the goods produced by rural Indians.
Imagine, for one moment, that you went to the Gap, or A&P, or any other retail store in the United States, and you were served by the exact same people who work at the Department of Motor Vehicles?
I do not have to imagine this, because I have experienced it first hand! The people working these shops do not care if ANYTHING gets sold. They are government employees, and therefore have extremely low job satisfaction, but high job security, seeing as how it is practically illegal to fire them. I shop there only because they really do have some very nice things, that you can only get there. But, if I could pay 3 times the amount and get the same item somewhere else, I would... in a heartbeat.
No comments:
Post a Comment