During the British Raj, the Indian public servant had two personas. In the office, the babu would 'talk English, walk English'. Like the sahibs, he would be dismissive of 'native' modes of life, like the caste system and exorcising the spirits; he would talk expansively of women's emancipation and the possible benefits of harmonising Indian spirituality with a dash of Western scientific temper. At home, the same babu would have the resident pundit consult the patra, the astrological chart, before any major family occasion, and he wouldn't dream of drinking water at the home of a lower-caste colleague.

In today's era of post-modernism-an age of conflicting truths, each jostling for supremacy-the old contradictions haven't fully faded: and new ones have joined them. A prosperous stockbroker does not mind stopping his Opel near a temple to feed milk to Ganesha, if everybody else is doing the same. (All the Gods in the office have been propitiated; no harm done in two spoons of milk to Ganesha, just in case he can do some good!).

You could, of course, say that tradition and modernity have found a way of co-existing in modern, globalising India. Or that all societies, at all times, are in a stage of transition; that it is futile to search for behavioural patterns fitting into conceptual modes.

But suddenly, the mantra of unity in diversity in Indian society, which had happily survived for thousand of years, seems to be coming apart. There seems to be an obvious mismatch between the values unleashed by the forces of consumerism, individualism, and globalisation and the values that communities in ferment desperately cling on to.

The sweeping religious polarisation of the last decade, the march of Hindutva, is one such reaction to the rapid advance of the global consumer culture. Globalisation focuses on individual identity as opposed to collective identity, Hindutva philosophy-favours the submergence of individual identity to the collective whole. Again, while globalisation pushes universal norms like equality, individual achievement over privileges of birth and therefore accountability in public life, Hindutva pushes equality between cultures to the back seat by emphasising the superiority of its philosophy.

The talk of returning to roots has never been more strident in India. Indian television is inundated with soaps that glorify traditional values. Such serials top the TRP ratings. And remember, those who swear by back-to-roots mantras like Hindutva are traders and merchants, the backbone of the great consumer revolution.

Indians want to clamber on the bandwagon of change, but there's always a fear that the ride might not end up where they want. They might want their daughter to enter a beauty contest, become famous, but they might still expect her to marry someone of their choice. They might want their son to study in a co-educational college, give him his freedom, but they might be furious if he married outside his religion. As India's opportunities increase, so will its contradictions. There is no escape.

A Society In Ferment

Yes, there's a great new middle class. Yes, we live longer than ever before. Yes, fewer babies die than they did. The figures show how far we've journeyed from rural backwaters to consuming powerhouse. But the figures also show how much further we need to go. The number of destitutes in India is the largest in the world. Liberalisation and the new society have indeed made a difference during the 1990s, the decade of opportunity. Only, a few million don't know it. The number of poor has come down, but at perhaps about 150 million, there's a long, long way to go.

The Indian Male Down The Decades
It's been a long journey from the days when India awoke to light and freedom to watching a hazy sun go down over the arch of McDonald's. A look at the stops the male made on the way.

1940s The Patriot The male in the heady days of the '40s was ready to risk his life, family, property, and virtually everything for the great cause of India's Independence. A strong believer in the Gandhian values of humility and spartan living, the male nevertheless valued a foreign education, if not foreign goods. A good education was valued over money. Despite the bloodshed of partition, it was a time of great anticipation for a better tomorrow.	1950s The Idealist The values of hard work, integrity, and perseverance were paramount not only for achieving his personal goals but also to turn India into a country of his dreams. It was a time of optimism, with self-belief and faith in the system widespread. Job opportunities were limited, but frustration wasn't yet a part of growing up. Being a part of the IAS-looked on as the incorruptible steel frame of civil society-was the pinnacle of achievement. It was the gentlest of decades.	1960s The Romantic The individual was unwilling to put his full faith in the system or in its leadership. It was also a decade of die-hard romantics, who believed it was alright to dream and pursue your aspirations. As socialism failed to deliver on its promises and stifled individual aspirations, the first engineers and doctors set sail during the later half of the decade to America. Within India, job opportunities were still limited. In the middle class, being an income-tax assessee was a still a matter of pride.
1970s The Rebel An angst-ridden decade saw the emergence of the kurta-clad individual, disenchanted with the system. The patriotism of 1971 faded quickly as a woman rode rough-shod over India in 1977. Emergency created a male willing to rebel against traditional family order and values. But there were few alternatives or role models around, so the angry young man came into being. This was also the age that marked the arrival of the non-resident Indian.	1980s The Consumer The entry of the Maruti car also saw the emergence of the new Indian consumer and the beginning of a consumerist culture. The belief spread that it was easier to manipulate the system than take the straight road. As the joint family started to splinter in urban India, the age of individualism dawned. Men began to pay attention to how they looked, what they wore. Consumerism and social tension made the male more inward-looking, more unwilling to tolerate non-conformism.	1990s The Hedonist The I, me, myself decade. Everything was viewed through the soft-focus of self-interest, the what's-in-it-for-me culture. Much time was spent toning and shaping the body. It was a time to create opportunity, even at other's expense. The each-man-for-himself attitude was strengthened as the age of multiparty rule displaced a strong centre. Cynical of the system and the rusting steel frame, men left for foreign lands in record numbers. Yet, globalisation brought unprecedented opportunities for the individual.

The Indian woman Down The Decades
Few people have travelled as far as the Indian woman. From playing a supporting role to finally emerging in the main cast of the new India, she's had to evolve every bit of the way.

1940s The Nationalist This was the decade of the Indian woman nationalist, who left the safe confines of her home to jump onto the bandwagon of freedom. Be it the Salt Satyagraha or the Swadeshi movement, the Indian woman-never mind that she was overwhelmingly likely to be semi-literate-was at the forefront of the Indian national movement, willing to put herself and her family second before the great cause. High thinking and low living.	1950s The Homemaker The 50s saw the return of the Indian woman to the role of a homemaker. The public space available during the nationalist movement was no longer available. Independence had been achieved and the belief was that the government and political leaders would herald a new beginning. Women were meant to build a strong home to support their men who were to build the country. Few questioned this.	1960s The Pragmatist The 1960s saw the emergence of the educated pragmatic woman, who increasingly saw herself change from a mere guardian of home and hearth to a legitimate participant in the discourse of life. We also saw the first undercurrent of female discontent, not only with the system but with other issues like gender discrimination and sexual exploitation. Some of them still bound by caste and family, plunged into left-wing university politics. Many women began to have new dreams-of love, longing, and new possibilities.
1970s The Activist The decade saw the emergence of women ready to take to the streets for their causes. For the first time really, women demanded a change in the rape and dowry laws. Imperious Indira Gandhi led India like no man had before. Thousands of rural women were inspired by her strength. Illiterate women from the hills clung to trees to defy contractors during the Chipko movement. Urban girls increasingly went to convents, and the concept of the working woman was born. The age of the two-wheeler released many women, especially in the south and the west of India, from the confines of their homes.	1980s The Radical It was a decade of conflict between women struggling to break free and men who could not see beyond tradition, however unjust. Semi-literate Shah Bano hauled her husband to court and was granted maintenance, forcing a government to intervene. Roop Kanwar, egged on by her relatives, joined her dead husband on a sati pyre in Deorala, Rajasthan. In urban India, it was equally a time of soul-searching as of self-confidence and assertion. Women in the workplace were here to stay. For the first time, physical beauty was flaunted. Satellite television was a mirror of the world outside and a great motivator.	1990s The Achiever If they had it, they flaunted it. It was the decade of the body beautiful, what with an assembly line of consultants, parlours and beauty queens. Professionally qualified working women spread through the workplace, many putting their career before all else. The mother's role changed from passive nurturing to active enabling. The male felt threatened and by millenium's end there was a distinct yearning for an unambitious ''homely'' bride. Though it wasn't easy, many women learned to balance careers and home. In poorer families, women struck out as bus conductors, even autorickshaw drivers.