Those of you who follow the long and loquacious ramblings of The Man from Madras Musings will know that one of his favourite subjects is Babudom, also known as the bureaucracy of this State. Despite its legendary slowness, the State government consistently records double-digit growth.
That naturally makes one wonder how much more could be achieved if the mills of government ground just a little faster. Nevertheless, MMM remains grateful for what is accomplished. At the same time, he cannot help wishing that matters moved a wee bit more quickly.
Recording Government History
Take, for instance, the task of documenting the histories of various government departments. In the private sector, such a project would generally take no more than a year. With the government, however, there is no telling when a project will begin, when it will lose momentum, how many times it will be revived, or when, if ever, the findings will finally be published. MMM is not speaking from hearsay. He knows this from personal experience.
The First Government Project
The first time MMM was commissioned to undertake such a project was about thirteen years ago. One of the city’s landmark buildings was approaching its centenary. Although everyone in authority must have known about the hundredth anniversary from the very day the building was inaugurated, they appeared to awaken to the fact only a few months before the celebrations.
MMM was called in, asked to quote his fee, informed that very little archival material would be available, and instructed to ensure that a book was ready in time for the centenary. MMM and his team immediately got to work.
They collaborated with officers and the lower bureaucracy, made many friends, unearthed a wealth of archival material, and eventually completed both the manuscript and the layout.
When the Government Project Stalled
Everything seemed set to proceed according to schedule. Then came one of those periodic administrative reshuffles. Almost everyone involved was transferred. With that, the book was quietly placed in cold storage.
It might have remained there indefinitely had the senior-most official not continued pushing the project. Even so, he proved no match for Mater Dei, who, for reasons known only to herself, decreed that the book could appear later. And that, for the moment, was the end of the matter.
A Government Project Revived
The years passed. The strands of hair on MMM’s head turned grey—or at least those that remained did. One day, however, the telephone rang. The book, it seemed, was being revived. By then, a new political dispensation had taken office.
Mater Dei and Pater Familias had both departed from the scene, and the latter’s son now occupied the highest office. MMM was asked whether the photographs depicting Mater Dei and her party colleagues could be replaced with those of Pater and his extended family, both familial and temporal.
Left with little choice, MMM agreed. He could not help reflecting that Mater Dei herself had once examined the photographs and insisted that Pater and his associates be removed. The boot, clearly, had moved to the other foot. Fortunately, the text itself remained untouched. Eventually, the book was released. MMM received a shawl and a bouquet of flowers.
Another Government Project in Limbo
All these memories came rushing back when, about six months ago, another government department contacted MMM with a fresh assignment. Now that this project too has entered a state of limbo, perhaps its inside story can finally be told.
This article appeared in Madras Musings–https://madrasmusings.com/vol-36-no-5/short-n-snappy-245/
My book, Chennai, A Biography can be ordered–http://My book, Chennai, A Biography can be ordered-https://sriramv.com/2021/12/27/how-to-buy-autographed-copies-of-chennai-a-biography-from-outstation/20.ece
