|
Touchstones
When in Rio, do as the Brazilians do
Ira Pande
We
arrived in Rio de Janeiro, dreading the heat that would greet us. This is the Southern hemisphere and November is the start of their summer. But imagine our surprise when a cool breeze caressed us in greeting. Actually, Rio is so much like Mumbai and Goa, it is easy to slip into its atmosphere without suffering a culture shock. The only drawback is the language barrier, but with a son fluent in Portuguese by now, that was not our major worry. The first thing that strikes you is how laidback and stress-free its residents are. Unlike in Europe or the US, no one in Rio seems to be rushing anywhere. From early morning till late in the night, the city rejoices in its warmth. You get up to the pleasing sight of bathers dressed in skimpy beachwear heading to the oceanfront every morning, completely unconcerned about their informal clothes. Lying on the warm sand, drinking chilled coconut water and switching to the addictive caipirinhas (lime, mint and white rum or vodka cocktail, served on ice) later seems just the most normal way to be. A lazy lunch, a nap, a walk and then the endless partying is something that is as close to a lotus-eater's life as I can imagine.
Lapa is where all young people head towards after an early dinner. The roads are cleared of traffic and tables and chairs conveniently placed on the pavements. Caipirinhas, beer (the most popular brand is called Brahma, by the way) and fruit juices of all kinds are on sale literally at every corner. Music and dancing surround you and sounds of merriment come from every bar and club. Yet, despite the Bacchanalian atmosphere, never have I seen offensive drunken behaviour or anyone misbehave with unescorted girls. What is even more delightful is how colour-blind the people are. Black, brown, yellow or white — the colour of your skin matters to no one here. Yes, indeed, there is much to be learnt by the world from Brazil. Apart from the famous oceanfront areas of Copacabana and Ipanema, are the old enclaves of Santa Teresa and Botafogo. Charming architecture, with churches at every few blocks, compel you to stop and stare. Santa Teresa is the bohemian quarter with interesting craft shops and atmospheric cafes. There are slums, called favelas, and a fair amount of crime but if you are careful to avoid the rough areas and come away before dark, there is no threat. Like most developing countries, Brazil is coming to terms with modernity in its own way. Conspicuous consumption, especially retail trade, is yet to take off but what warms one’s heart is the excellent civic infrastructure — wide roads and leafy avenues with parks and plazas. Brazil has some of the most innovative welfare schemes and there is much that India — which has taken the reverse route to development — could learn from the way in which this country has prioritised health, education and nutrition. The next Olympic Games will be held here and the next year Rio will host the World Football Cup, so there is frantic civic work afoot. Their football fever matches our cricket frenzy. Now for some of the cultural events currently on in the city. There is an excellent exhibition, ‘Impressionism: Paris and Modernity’, being held at the Centro Cultural Banco de Brasil (CCBB) at present. It brings to Brazil for the first time more than 80 masterpieces from Paris’s Musee D’Orsay, repository of one of the world’s greatest collections of modern art. The exhibition's central hub is the city of Paris, long celebrated as the epicentre of modernity and a trendsetter. Paris played a key role in the development of impressionism, the art form that played with light and movement in a way that left realism far behind. On display are works by almost all great impressionistic artists: Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Degas and Renoir, to name just a few. It was heartening to see schoolchildren listening intently to the lectures given on particular paintings. How one yearns for our own museums to become child-friendly as well. An elegant classic building, the CCBB — topped with a dome and with polished marble floors, old-fashioned lifts and stucco ceilings — transports you to a lost world of elegance and is almost as impressive as the display inside. Surrounded by cafes and plazas, it is an ideal way to spend a day wandering through leafy lanes. The next time, I shall tell you about an astounding place and another exhibition, which I consider the best I have seen so far, but let me end this week’s chat with a samba session I attended one night. Remember that February is carnival time here in Rio, a huge tourist event when the whole city spills out on to the streets, drinking and dancing. Practice sessions have already started and we attended one. Held in a huge hall, with no fuss and frills, it had simply stacked plastic chairs and tables for those who wished to sit but as far as I could see, no one was interested in being just a wallflower. Loud, throbbing music, swinging hips and a gaiety to beat anything I've seen. Size and age made no difference; and you could dance away till the morning. Total strangers came up and took you on a twirl and let me confess that that one evening took away at least 10 years from my age. There is no race as fantastic at dancing and the drums as the Latinos and just being in their presence can drive away your blues. I finally understood why they are so laid back here — they need all the energy they have for having fun. How's that for a cultural tip?
 |