SAO PAULO DIARY, March 9th, 2009

Coffee with milk

Brazil’s and South America's largest city is often daunting to its inhabitants itself, leave alone visitors. Stereotypes like traffic, over-crowding, heartless, extortion, drugs, robberies are some of the oft used phrases describing life in Sao Paulo. Beyond the daunting and the stereotype, there is a megapolis which is one of the greatest melting pots of our planet. The melting pot gets its culture from waves of immigrants over the last two centuries, amongst them, Italians, Portuguese, Spaniards, Germans, Japanese, Africans, Lebanese, and Syrians. The city’s booming economy also attracts thousands from other parts of Brazil, mainly the North East. Koreans, Bolivians, Greeks , Chinese and Jews make up the rest of the concoction.
In spite of such diversity, Sao Paulo is witness to a very high level of integration between these various categories of people, and all are just about equally proud to be Paulistanos, which means, from Sao Paulo. Curiously, Sao Paulo has one of the largest Japanese population outside of Japan, and while all of them speak Portuguese as their first language, only a few would be able to manage even a decent conversation in Japanese. The mix n match of these ethnicities has also led to a wide range of skin colours; white, black, brown, so much so that the average Brazilian colour is described as ‘Café com leche’ (coffee with milk)


I love India

India is all over Brazil these days. Brazilians just can’t get over their fascination for India, and this drive for all things Indian, in addition to the massive success of Slumdog, is fuelled by one of the most popular soap operas currently running on prime time television, ‘Caminho das Índias’. Meaning 'way to the Indies', the soap journeys through India, and is made with the idea of bringing forth the contrasts between the orient and the occident on cultures, beliefs and values. The storyline is about a Dalit girl, Maya, played by the stunning Juliana Paes , who is in love with a Brahmin boy, Bhuvan. All the actors are Brazilian, speak in Portuguese, but the setting is India, in exotic, touristic locations of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The soap is a kind of a tele-novel and has most of my Brazilian friends hooked on, 9PM onwards, Monday to Saturday. As a result, several Hindi words like Chalo, Om, Theek-Hai, Kajra Re, Ganesh, Bhai are becoming popular. The young say it's hip to use them. Everybody asks me about my opinion on ‘Caminho...’ and the issue on everyone's mind is whether India really is the way it is shown on the soap.


The world’s biggest party

Brazil is just through with this year's carnival, and although Rio de Janerio's carnival is what the entire world carries an image of, the one in Sao Paulo is no less intense. Samba schools vie for the top spot, there are organized parades, followed by performances on Sambadromes. It is that time of the year when everything comes to a halt for four days and the entire city revolves around it. The closest I can compare is Durga Puja in Calcutta, which has pretty much the same effect. Many locals hate the carnival because it disrupts daily life, and because Sao Paulo, unlike Rio and the rest of the north east, is more focused on business and work. Few, however, ignore it. Almost everyone participates in some way, either being a part of the parade, mixing up with people, and if nothing else, watching it on TV.


The Fenomeno

One person who has split Brazil right down the middle is Ronaldo. Yes, he is the same guy, the world cup winning football superstar. Called 'O Fenômeno' ("The Phenomenon"), Ronaldo created a stir when he signed up for Brazilian club Corinthians in December 2008. Battling from a knee surgery, obesity, divorce, sex-scandal, his rejoining a Brazilian team fifteen years after he left for Europe was a national event. Heavy, unfit, unabel to play a 90 minute game and gasping for breath, critics renamed him Bola-ndo (meaning like a ball). His debut against Itumbiara was disappointing. However, in his second match against arch-rival club Palmeiras, Ronaldo came in as a substitute around the 60th minute, whipped up two moments of magic, and at the death, headed one into the Palmeiras net to save the day for his team. The game was all about him, and the rest of the 21 players were incidental to the proceedings. The Fenomeno is back....


The city that never sleeps

Being a 24 X 7 city means it is possible to find a dentist at 3 in the night, or go to a disco at 8 in the morning. However, Sao Paulo is a transformed city on a weekend nights. Places like Villa Olimpia and Augusta change their orientation of time and space. Walking down these places is a mind boggling array of sounds, images and experiences. Bars. restaurants. Theaters. Clubs. Night clubs. Samba performances. samba Rock. Gays. Lesbians. Straight’s. Emo's. Bicyclists. Skate-boarders. Beggars. Heavy traffic. Pizzerias. Fashion. Art. Calligraphy. Jewellery. Agarbatti. Books. Posters. Che Guevaras. Murals. Tatoos. Antiques. Saloons. Prostitutes. Bouncers.Din. Smoke. Music. ...there is something for everyone as the city lets its hair down in a passionate, intense, non-judgemental celebration of the night. To me, being non-judgemental is this one attribute of Sao Paulo in particluar, and Brazil in general, which is so striking, and so fascinating, and which makes Brazilians to be one of the most free-spirited , open and friendly people on in the world !