Shouts of Silence!

“Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute”… Josh Billings.

Josh Billings was the pen name of 19th-century American humorist Henry Wheeler Shaw. He was a famous humor writer and lecturer in the United States, perhaps second only to Mark Twain, during the latter half of the 19th century. I always believe, the person who can make you laugh he only has ability to make you think too! And my belief isn’t wrong with above words of Josh Billings, whose major literature is about humor but look at the way he has described phenomenon like silence!

The reason I felt like thinking about silence is none other than the recent Maratha Morchas all across the State, in a way its Silent Agitations’, a rare thing in today’s world where loudest voice meant righteousness! For those who are not from Maharashtra, Maratha is one of the thousands caste’s found in our Hindu religion but mainly warriors from the times of Shivaji Maharaj & which is backbone of State politics. Marathas makes major portion of the State population & are mainly in farming as well politics, as no more there are physical wars needed around. Yet in the rural it’s mostly Maratha families which rule the village, though many of them are in relatively bad condition due to less income from farming as well poor education facilities. As they come in open category in reservation criterion, they don’t get govt jobs easily. This makes most of the farmers’ suicide victims from Maratha community, at least that’s what the leaders from this caste claim as well the statics too reveals this fact. In addition to that the Atrocity act which restrains anybody from so called upward classes torturing or abusing any person from backward castes or class is wrongly being used against Maratha community only, is one more concern of the Maratha masses or that’s what our media says so. On such background the common people in Maratha community were silent for years letting the caste card being played by the political leaders but somewhere like molten lava, deep underground the unease was there! And suddenly the entire Maratha clan started uniting & came up with silent march & what a way to show their anguish or frustration or unrest about the prolonged issues which is hurting them! It started with one march referred in Marathi or Hindi as Morcha in Parbhani & slowly it became a revolution covering every major city in the State! Millions of people joined without any personal invite & walked silently for their demands which were unheard for years! It’s like witnessing Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic “Dandi Yatra” days back though here no police force is needed to use to stop these marches as fortunately till now we have free democracy in our country allowing anybody to protest in public! At start the media as well our leaders didn’t realized the volume & response these marches were generating but as every city responded with increasing numbers of crowd then even the social media started getting flooded with the comments which flowed in both ways!

I am no good at politics & never used my writing for commenting on politics but this is not politics; here millions of people of one caste or community are gathering together & silently walking for miles to protest & disburse peacefully leaving no signs of such huge gathering behind! That too happening with a community which is known for its aggressive behavior & supposedly only knows one language, that is of muscle power! Then again no single face is calling the cards neither there is any political party, rather political big names are made to drag behind the morcha & common names from the society that too women are made to lead the march! Are we not witnessing something phenomenal & this is what made me to share my views; as not just I too am from some caste i.e. Brahmin, which doesn’t gets well along with Marathas is what media has painted as well society thinks! My friends of all castes & religions let me tell you frankly, I am a Brahmin & I have neither pride nor shame of it as I took birth in a Brahmin family isn’t my choice or credit! We all took birth in some family & that’s why we should not boost about what we are by birth is my personal view & I am sure my many Maratha friends also will agree with my logic. It’s not our family name or caste or religion but what we do with what we are, defines us; is the logic I have derived from my favorite movie “Batman Begins”! But then in this very country of ours we are first recognized by our sub-caste, then the caste, then religion. Later by region & somewhere on social media on 15^th Aug & 26^th Jan we are Indian too, is a bitter fact! And in all this process we totally forget we are human being too which is in a way our first introduction to the world!

Right from enrolling our name to pre-school all this identification & then tagging ourselves starts & with every passing years its tightly screwed in our minds & hearts that you are of this caste & that religion & it’s expected by you to be proud of it or ashamed too in some cases! I am no authority to comment on reservation or atrocity but if you are allowing some caste some privileges for surviving then other castes people are bound to ask for the same, is nature’s law! In same was with acts like Atrocity, we want to protect some community then the other communities are going to claim for their safeguarding from the very same act is also equally true. So if studied closely then these morcha’s doesn’t come as surprise; what is surprise is the way they are happening & there is jealousy or fear or unrest  or doubt, whatever we may call it about the entire issue in other communities minds & of which target is Maratha caste! And sheer cause is our rulers as well opposition parties which jointly are supposed to run the Govt (which the opposition often forgot), both are equally confused about these morchas & what we don’t understand we fear it or we doubt intentions of it, is a nature’s law! The root cause is the entire system which makes reservation on the basis of person’s birth caste! Again, I am no expert on social analysis but the reason for which reservation concept has been induced in education as well in govt service, high time to check its outcome. Because if this system making some caste happy at the same time its making hundreds of other castes unhappy then somewhere something is seriously wrong. Because it’s not just Marathas in Maharashtra but in Gujarat its Patel’s & in Haryana its Jat's, whose demand are on similar lines, only difference is the path to protest the Marathas have chosen! In Tamilnadu it’s said that reservation quota has gone to 68%, again with due respect to all our rulers & law, how it can remain a reservation when it’s covering majority of any system, is the basic question comes to my mind! As with this speed entire 100% will be reserved for some or other castes & then who is so called open category & what is meaning of reservation in end?

One of the aspect to the Morcha issue is majority of Maratha’s are in agriculture based works, mainly farming. Barring few who has “bagayati” mean having a perennial water supply for farming most are of “jirayati” means farming depending of natural rains. It’s this spectrum which has been hit worst in last few years erratic rain cycle & many farmers have opted way of suicide leaving back families who have nobody to feed them! Every ruling party’s govt has given just promises about foreclosing the debts taken by these farmers even knowing this isn’t the permanent solution on the problem. No govt has taken any firm steps to build a system which will ensure comfort & stability of life to the smaller farmers & the morchas’ has provided outlet for victims of such failed agriculture policies too!

Years after years nothing changed & even having all prominent leaders from rulers of their caste, yet a feeling started building up in minds of common Maratha that nothing will change for him or her & no one cares! What we are seeing is representation of this feeling in every person’s mind & it is every this person whom we call “Common Man”; only thing is Maratha’s started protesting first! Most interesting part is in the era where any commotion or agitation like Morcha every part has to spend money & accessories like Biryani & send vehicles to gather people, here millions are coming on their own & with their families, just to walk silently! I think we must take cognizance of this outcry & by action.

Only thing in parallel with protests which Marathas shoul understand is, reservation isn’t going to solve their problems as look at the castes which has reservations for years! Times are changing & by having few percent seats in govt service or education institutes, what millions of people are going to gain? World is evolving & other castes like Brahmins, Jains, Sindhis or Sikhs who never claimed (at least till now) any reservation but changed themselves according to time. Try conquering new fields, search new avenues of excellence, listen what language outside world is talking in & adopt it, is the way for sustainable growth. This is the way by which not just few families but entire Maratha fraternity will progress. In coming year’s survival will be of only the community which will understand needs of masses. I have never asked caste or religion to any candidate who has come to me for job, as all I look for is his or her sincere approach to work & excellence in whatever he or she is doing! As these are two qualities which will make you survive in any situation whereas things like reservation will only cripple us taking away our potential to perform better! Agreed this is easy to say but to make it explain to families who has lost their head because of succumbing to drought as well by govt’s wrong policies but we are talking about a permanent solution & no reservation can assure that!

Social media is buzzing with posts in support as well against of such morchas’, I too shared my views which I am sharing here, just to make the readers understand the fears or doubts people have as well the cautions Maratha masses should take. Silence is big power & every power has to be used with responsibility, is all I will say to conclude!

Below are few of my views on social media...

*Maratha Morcha to Brahman Sabha to OBC March... I keep on receiving & reading caste or religion related forwards/posts on social media; this is my reply...

See the types of messages circulating on social media...I think we are going on very wrong track which will lead to destruction of nation not just state. High time for all political parties & so called caste leaders to come together n decide country is above any religion & caste! Accept that reservation if necessary then should be only on income that too genuinely poor class who can’t afford good food or good education... nothing should be in job but see that all gets equal opportunity to get good quality education & let there be open competition as there only is some hope for better India!!

As real problem in-front of country is not reservation but R & D about new science, Housing & many more; employment all wants but no one try to become employer & most important are threat to nature & biodiversity this country has. We should focus our strength of unity for these issues... hope someday people will understand but then there will be too late as by then thousands of species like maldhoks & many trees would have gone extinct i.e. for ever gone! If at all anyone needs reservation then its Trees!

Everyone is either Maratha, Brahmin, Dalit, Baudha or something... where is an Indian, leave apart a Human?

*There is some cartoon in some news paper regarding Maratha morcha; here is my appeal to all my Maratha & other friends...

Dear Friends, I am reading all your comments & reactions on FB! I am a Brahmin by myself but before that I am a human being as well Indian; what target you all have set, don’t waste it by such cartoons! This is what is going to happen to the strength & patience u all have shown in the morcha, remember Gandhiji, he achieved what he wanted to by not fluctuating from the target & path he was walking! Let people say or react the way they want, you all be on your path which is for the cause we understood! One of the friends mentioned about using sticks of flags in morcha as sticks now (bambu); well, that’s what people want you to do, one wrong move & entire effect achieved by morcha will be vanished! So think & don’t react to any negative comment rather kill it by neglecting, is the way!

*As expected Maratha morcha's success is either being en-cashed or criticized by political parties though silently & then there are elements who wants betrayal of it & simplest way is make Maratha’s react in wrong way so it will be easy to prove them wrong! Need of time is wisdom & not hot head & focus on what is cause... just ignore any party or an individual! So please stop arguing with each other or reacting or blaming individual caste or party! Let’s not forget in this very State, Peshwa's were Brahmins yet they were right hand of Shahu Maharaj who was Maratha & then there were Mohite's & Shinde's who were Marathas yet fought under leadership of Peshwas! For years Maratha , Brahmans & all Other Castes even Muslims have survived & fought together without need of any atrocity or reservation as quality & fighting spirit were only criteria’s... now if we starts reacting on what some political party says or some news paper prints, then remember their interests are different than ours! Just ignore is best way...

Incidentally on this background in Times of India I read that famous Hollywood actor Tom Hanks has visited India recently & got amazed saying, “I am intrigued by how such a diverse population co-exists in India!” Well, there is huge difference Tom between mere co-existence & togetherness! I think high time for not just our rulers but for every Indian to understand the term togetherness & play his or her role to live by it or else even in jail also people co-exists, don’t they?

--

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1415&v=blgni8HSfDU

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.in/2016/09/difference-between-project-society.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

Think Green, Think Life

www.sanjeevanideve.com

Architect, the Creator!

"It is not the beauty of a building you should look at; it’s the construction of the foundation that will stand the test of time"... David Allan Coe.

With above words from American singer, who is wise enough to utter such quote, I started my speech at Sinhagad Architecture College. Occasion was construction technique workshop & most of the students were beginners of architecture i.e. first or second year. When I got the invite from my friend Shilpa Pande who is an architect herself & professor there, for a moment I thought what I am going to tell the budding architects as an engineer by myself. Though I am used to share my environmental aspect of planning with architecture students but that’s mostly senior cadre of the course. Never I have took on the younger lot of architecture who yet to have crossed the basics of designing or planning. Yet I always love to meet with fresh minds & think that’s the best way to gear up our own brain as to fulfill those minds you always have to remain one step ahead & think as fresh as them! It was very clear to me that I should not be speaking too technical or about the course structure but make them understand what is an architect’s job that lies ahead, when they will be passing from here as well what makes an architect so special in any structure? At the same time I was happy for college’s initiative to make them expose actual construction techniques as if a building is a coin then architect & engineer are two sides of the coin! The architect is happy in just making drawings & rarely bothering about the way that drawings execution will be done. At the same time the engineer is happy in following blindly the drawings he receives from the architect, without bothering his brain in the planning aspect of the structure! On such background trying to induce execution knowledge in beginning to the architects is really good initiative & obviously I wanted to tell them importance of this aspect for their career ahead.

That’s why I choose the quote which defines the importance of foundation of the building than just its beauty. I started with confession that I accepted this invitation in first go just to take the opportunity to lecture the audience of architects as rarely an engineer gets to say something to the architect & I wasn’t going to miss such chance! Because in the field it’s always the architect who has upper hands in giving instruction which the engineer has to follow! After the laughter got settled, I then showed series of photographs of world’s some of the recent iconic structures; it covers two aspect , first a visual support plays vital role with younger lot of listeners to make them stay with you focused as well they can correlate your spoken words more easily as they haven’t yet started imagining! So I showed them images of PETRONAS’s Twin Tower in Kualallampur, The Guggenheim in Spain, Burj Khalipa & Burj Al Arab in Dubai, as well Lotus Temple from Delhi. I told them these all are modern world’s icon & don’t just get awww with the images as you can Google for them & get thousands of more such. What is more important that when you Google for information of these structures then first comes the name of the architect. Cesar Pelli designed PETRONAS’ Towers, Frank Gheri imagined Guggenheim, Adrian Smith dreamed of world tallest building Burj Khalipha & got it in reality, Tom Wright sketched world’s tallest hotel in form of Burj Arab & Fariborz Sabha made India proud by his Lotus Temple at Delhi! Even if you search Google, in all these structures which now stood proud to man kind’s development in creativity, the first names pops out is of the architect! This is the difference between an architect & other who may be equally part of creation but its one single mind that sees that form first & get it on paper so others also can visualize it!

Agreed it takes an engineer too, to build any structure but first that structure has to be imagined in the mind of one single person & that’s why architects are so special! That’s why the building is usually named after the architect & not the engineers. After all let’s remember architecture is creator of the building where as an engineer is executioner of this creation. Imagine any structure as a coin of which two sides are architect & engineer, so a coin gets complete only with both sides in place. Yet as an architect one should mind that it’s an art to create, to visualize which is not in existence & that’s why the architect has to be within you. I told them, engineering is a science & anybody with better brain can learn engineering as ultimately its game of formulas! Whereas in this course nobody will be making an architect out of you but they will just show the path to become an architect to you on which you only have to walk! But at the same time an architect should understand whatever form he or she imagines has limitations of existing formulas of engineering as well material knowledge. And that’s why it will be always helpful for them to learn engineering techniques which we call construction practices. As what better combination it can be an architect with understanding of limitations as well knowledge of the way his creation is going to be built! Rather for ages building industry is in shackles of technology because R & D was never forte if this industry, especially in our country. So if any architect ever comes up with some innovative idea about the way buildings are built i.e. other that concrete & steel, then that will be best contribution to the industry. 

At the same time the architect should know the local geography & construction material available around. Imagine a concrete home in Rajasthan where sand stone is easily available or a marble clad structure in Konkan region where red stone is in ample; the outcome will look ghastly in contrast with the surrounding. The best building need not stand out from other structures but it should get merged along with the surrounding is what I personally feel & for that knowledge of what is available locally is vital. It has another aspect & that is making cost of the structure as no client will like to get his pocket burnt by the design you make!

Then comes along the question, what is an architect’s job? Many will say what an obscured question is this! Isn’t it very clearly defined by me only that an architect’s job is to create, to design the building or structure? Indeed yes but there is one hitch, the architect is not free to design the building as per sheer imagination or whatever he or she feels, but it’s as per the clients requirements only! That’s the boundary as if a client wants to build a hospital then you can’t design a hotel, however wonderful it may be! So the architect’s first job is get in to mind of the client & understand what the client wants & what are his needs! Remember there is difference between what a client wants & what are his needs & here come the philosophy or psychology in picture as many a times even the grown up men doesn’t understand the difference between what they want & what they need in actual! For example I am your client & I want a home to be built for my family, but I may not know what exactly I need in that home as how the home will serve my purpose in best possible way. This covers aspects like knowing the clients family to understanding their life style & likings to minute details like what color every member likes & how their time is spent, individually as well jointly in that home! Here the architect’s role is talk to the clients family like a family doctor, analyze their life style, make them understand what they are missing in getting the concept of the home & then design the best home for them; as most persons never know what is best for them! This is applicable for every structure as each structure you will be designing will be different & so will be its clients & their needs!

When you all be getting out of this school, you will be getting opportunity to design every type of building or call it structure, may it be a bridge or a school or exhibition center or even or laboratory; what’s the most important aspect of the design is the people who will be using that structure. It’s not you but the user will be deciding the success of the structure & its design. Off late the term “Sustainability” is used very often in modern architecture or urban planning most of the time without knowing its real meaning. Apart from environment what I feel is an architect must know what he is going to sustain through his creation & most important thing you will be sustaining is peace of mind for the user of the structure. As a wrong design can take away the peace or happiness whatever you may call it from the user or occupant of the building & that’s real challenge for the architect. If it’s a public park then try to understand how the people will be at ease in park & create the spaces accordingly. If it’s a school then the teachers as well students should feel it’s easy to use every corner of it right from class rooms to even the corridors &again for that the architect needs to know why he is designing the structure; here why is in actual meant, for whom you are designing your building!

And while doing all this as today’s genre the biggest challenge you will be facing is how to balance peace of your client along with the nature. Do mind, nothing is Eco friendly as any new man-made structure replaces some natural habitat may it be even for earth worms or ants living happily even on so called barren lands. And except humans no other species have privilege of hiring an architect neither to design nor to engage an engineer to build a home for them! So while getting knowledge of architecture you need to understand your responsibility towards every other specie than the humans. While you create your dream project just see that it damages minimum to the natural landscape or habitats & it has space for birds, for butterflies & even for earth worms to grow along with us. Because earth is not only human’s inheritance, every living object has equal right on smallest piece of the land & it’s only you who can give that right to them by your designs. In our greed for maintaining our life style we make thousands of species extinct by taking away their residences, agreed we can’t go back to ancient times & start living in caves or trees but just keep that aspect alive in your mind while designing & rest will follow!

To conclude I will share few tips for becoming successful architect, it’s simple; read, watch, travel, write, absorb & share! Read as much you can as that will make you think about people & their needs. Watch movies right from cartoons to super hero’s to romance as it will keep your imagination flying. Travel to places as then only you will come to know places & habitats across the world & diversity the earth offers to us. Write as that’s a way to express what we feel & do mind as an architect drawing is your language, so your designs will speak what you have learned. Absorb whatever you have seen & listened as there is difference between seeing & observing, hearing & listening! Lastly share whatever you have understood & share with your family, friends, and teachers as then only there will be more space available to accumulate more knowledge within you!

Lastly to conclude I will say, a successful architect is not the one who charges fat fees or has wealthiest clients list but a successful architect is the one who brings smiles on the faces of the occupants of his buildings! All of you will be designing many structures in your career ahead but whenever you will be standing in front of the building you have designed, you should be able to look at it with pride & compassion, which will make you a true creator! So go on, make this world a shade better by your creations, is my wish for you all!

--

Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjeevani Dev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1415&v=blgni8HSfDU

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.in/2016/09/difference-between-project-society.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

Think Green, Think Life

Difference Between a Project & a Society!

“A Society does not consist of individuals but expresses the sum of interrelations, the relations within which these individuals stand”… Karl Marx

Karl Marx was a philosopher, economist, sociologist, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. Born in Prussia to a middle-class family, he later studied political economy and Hegelian philosophy. Well, if words fail to describe someone then this is classic example, as I have no words to describe the greatness of Mr. Karl Marx! He changed the worlds thought process with his thoughts! His views about human being as social animal got thousands of followers & being tagged as Marxist philosophy became religion in itself!  Why I recalled his words about society is recently I have been called at two of our completed projects & the similarity doesn’t ends here. Both the projects were completed now more than a year, one was nearly four years! At both places the cause of inviting me was being part of cultural festival the society members were celebrating. At one of the projects was my real estate blogger guru Ravi Karandiakar was with me & he was so fascinated by the member’s devotion, he went there next day to shoot the entire Pooja the members were performing!

Without pulling the anxiety to extreme, will share the details; first project was Dawabindu, which is like a tailor made project for group of young IT engineers & all of them are from Jain community which is famous for its religiousness. And another is Ashtagandh, a small society of some thirty odd flats, both projects in western suburbs of Pune. Both projects are not having any so called luxurious amenities like swimming pool or gym not even well decor entrance lobbies, neither the specifications are of high standard like Italian marble or central air conditioned homes type; yet one thing was common there, the immense joy & happiness on the faces of the residents when they welcomed me at their place! 

In Dawabindu, as all the residents are Jain, they have used their open space to build a small Jain temple. Here again many will say, is that proper use of the open space, which they could have used for club house of gym or party lawn like most of the projects have. But then what we call open space is meant to make the residents happy & at peace as well it’s the space where people come together, I feel that’s real utility of such spaces in the projects. And if they are happy & at peace with a small Jain temple where families can come together & pray, who are we to take objection for the same? Rather these youngsters have came together with the very thought of cultivating their religion’s culture in their life style so they wanted to stay together & have a commune of their own & not just a project named as some society! And I was very happy to see the outcome of what we have built for them is serving the exact purpose why they have come to me! Ravi interviewed them & asked many awkward questions (he is best at it) but they patiently answered him like a monk, which most of them are actually by their life style! 

Here is bunch of some young IT professionals who don’t spend their week-end nights boozing up long hours at pubs but have food before sun set & wake up early morning & take cold water shower to get ready for prayers in their temple! And we were to provide them space where they could have their temple right within their complex! So the residents of Dawabindu invited me on occasion of “Prayushan Parwa”, it is ending of auspicious month during which all day long most of Jain people does fasting & there are lectures from Sadhu & Sadhvi i.e. Monks from the community, about peace & good living. I took along Ravi who wanted to interview them about their life style & know about their experience in buying a home. Most of these youngsters are from other States like MP or Rajasthan & what best thing they shared is earlier their parents wasn’t ready to come & stay with them leaving their home towns but once they saw the culture as well community living of Dawabindu now they are opting & come along & stay with their kids in Pune!

I think that’s best thing which could have happened with what we have built as its people which we call family who makes home & not the amenities we provide. And if our homes are making people to become a family, then what more we could have asked for? One more thing came out in interview was, what this younger genre feels about communication with their builders; they think proper communication is the most vital factor in deciding a good builder. As they have met enough of builders & never they could get reply to their quarries in time, which by them is sign of lack of commitment towards the work! And it’s not just the builder alone, here builder means his entire team, this is something the real estate has to take cognizance. On this background the members praised our team for reverting back in twenty four hours at most of times when any of them has communicated to us on emails, which is common platform now days! This I am sharing not showing how great we are but this experience can be helpful for other & in any way communication is the today’s key may it be any profession & we Indians with due respect lack on this front is a bitter fact!

Second incidence was at Ashtagnadh in Baner of which first phase we have completed & handed over nearly five years back! For those who are unaware about real estate industry they may not appreciate importance of a builder being called by his flat holders as chief guest along with wife, for their cultural gathering that too after five years of handing over! It takes courage as a builder to visit his own complex after handing over, this I can say confidently! The Ashtagandh residents were celebrating Ganesh festival & have arranged various competitions like dance, musical performance, cooking etc amongst them & they requested me to join them as chief guests for prize distribution. I happily accepted the invite as any such rendezvous is in a way to meet my clients & understand their life style is best way to learn about my own profession. Though being a builder there is always a risk factor that as you can’t satisfy all the clients so any such invitation may turn out a bit problematic as such clients can knock you down publicly. But then if you have been committed to your work then why to worry & then I personally always like to take on such challenges. And to my pleasant surprise not only the Chairman/ Secretary, felicitated me but thanked for giving them a home which they feel like heaven! It did touch my heart as not a single complaint about any problem with the building but what I experienced was sheer happiness & joy amongst the residents. All ten days Ganesha’s aarti (prayer) has been conducted by different family & the “Prasad” (call it holly food for god) is strictly homemade from the residents. Everyone has been given the prize for their performances from small kids to elder people, even for their support & participation! The society doesn’t have big open space or even a common room but they have used their parking lot for all the events happily.

This is how a building becomes society, as in both projects I don’t say we have done some extraordinary job building these projects. They are simple buildings & it does faced problems like leakage occasionally & seepage in rains. Infrastructure front like no drainage net-work in the locality sometimes is beyond our control & the residents have to suffer, yet the dialogue & trust in each other’s was always there! 

As a builder what these two events at our projects have taught me is something no business school would have done; it taught me that way to keep my customers happy doesn’t need some costly gifts or state of the art workmanship. All it needs is stay committed to what you have promised them, be sincere in your job which is building a home & most important is be available to them as if you are part of them & not just as a builder! As a builder we rarely think about our projects which we have completed leave apart visiting them but the trends are changing now. Leave the philanthropist aspect but even as marketing aspect, being in touch whenever possible personally with your clients is the need of the business. Rather we can promote residents of our completed projects to come together & celebrate such festivals & we can even think of funding a little bit from our business for such events. Because when we call something as home, which is our product then lets understand coming together is the foundation of any home & as a builder you only have to lay that foundation! High time for real estate people to understand this simple fact of the business & which doesn’t cost much but yes needs sincere approach towards the job at hand.

At Dawabindu & Ashtagandh get together, I found answer to the question, what should be my target as a builder? Agreed to make some money is one but more than that those happy faces of the residents were telling me you have built a society where generations will live & prosper with culture & we are thankful to you for that; this is my job as a builder, I reminded myself. I shared with the residents; actually I am thankful to you for making me realize my job, as what’s life without a cause! As the great man said about society, its interrelationships amongst the individuals is what most important aspect of the society & a builder only has to take first step; this is the way to build a society & not just counting one more project under our name!

Sanjay Deshpande 

Sanjeevani Dev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1415&v=blgni8HSfDU

Please do visit my blogs to know about our philosophy at Sanjeevani ! (Click the links below)

http://visonoflife.blogspot.in/2016/09/where-are-happy-customers-in-real-estate.html

http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.in/

Social Side of Sanjeevani ! (Click link below)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/sets/72157627904681345/

For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below

www.punecorporation.org

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Where are Happy Customers in Real Estate?

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”... Bill Gates

No need to introduce boss of Microsoft & a  man in top three of world richest persons for last so many years that possibly he also would have left counting the numbers of those years! There are few names in this world which doesn’t need any introduction, though I really wonder how many people really know these names? For e.g. when I say knowing a person, yes most people know Mr. Bill Gate is  the richest person, a college dropout yet how he build Microsoft &  is creator of Windows named system etc. But how many people actually knows the person Bill or his philosophy & why he has reached where he is now? I bait most people won’t know anything about this aspect of Mr. Gates! It’s not easy to become world’s richest person in first place & it’s more difficult to retain that position year after year, especially when you have a business which serves millions of people across the globe; because unless you learn how to keep those millions of customers happy you won’t remain rich! That’s why his quote tells us what Bill Gates is, what he thinks of his product & his philosophy in making his clients happy! 

Unfortunately in our country, with most numbers of unhappy customers, the real estate industry hasn’t learnt a bit from them. This statement of mine not liked by many my fellow friends but that’s what past & present of the industry shows is a fact. As per a latest survey nearly over fifty thousand disputes or call it law suits, are pending in consumer courts, filed by various clients of real estate, across the major cities of the country. And this is highest number in respect of complaints by any product’s consumers, which means real estate has maximum numbers of unsatisfied customers. And then experts vouch this is just tip of iceberg as most clients don’t come forward to launch a complaint against the builder due to lengthy procedure involved & no guaranty of justice! Certainly something is wrong with real estate industry or the system governing this industry as why so many unhappy clients or disputes are here? In a way looking at the volume I won’t say the figure is big because every year in only Pune city nearly one lac & above new homes are built. But to analyze this issue we have to first understand nature of real estate & then we can analyze what real estate needs to do on understanding what its clients wants? At the same time no exact or official govt data of any information or statistics is available in real estate, all what we get is usually taken from surveys by some private company.

Not long back i.e. in early 80’s when real estate was restricted to only cities like Delhi or Mumbai, there were less players as well lesser expectations also by the customers. Land wasn’t a scarce commodity like today & mostly the builders were known entity. Yet real estate was never a professional industry like Auto or Pharmacy, as it has been relying always on human interface, with very less or nil R & D or mechanized working system in place. Here most deals depend on what has been committed by the builder in person or printed in his so called brouture. Again the laws governing real estate were complex so were the sanctioning authorities as well procedures involved like agreement & registration which isn’t required while buying any other product. Transparency was the word unheard of as everything used to be in one to one basis; right from rates of selling to carpet area all was clear & most importantly the builder named person was always available to his clients! Unlike today where not only the sale rate varies project to project but it can vary even client to client of the same project; back then rates were steady & there wasn’t rat race to launch the projects in frenzy.Come 90’s & there was money in hands of middle class, suddenly land become new gold & everyone wanted to be associated with real estate. No more it remained an industry to take care of basic need of homes for the needy ones but it become a gold mine. I think the biggest curse real estate got is, the people in real estate forgot its basic reason for the existence i.e. real estate is supposed to serve the society’s need of homes but it become just a money earning business for most! 

Like Henry Ford has said once, “any business which makes only money is a bad business”, real estate soon became a bad business by 20^thcentury! And then every passing year saw the new low, not on money basis but on the scale of reputation & unhappy clientele of real estate!  Reason was simple as most people joined real estate just for the sake of appreciation or returns it was generating & at the same time as land prices around cities started souring the fight to acquire the land got bitter. The outcome of fight to acquire the land was basic requirements essential for any business i.e. quality, morals, values; customer focused approach etc started disappearing from real estate industry. The new criterion for becoming a successful builder were changing fast; money & muscle power are the most needed things now to become a builder. Anyone neither was caring about any tradition of fair practices in real estate & terms like those nor was it required to think about the client’s needs. Anybody who has enough money to buy the land & has muscle power to wipe out every obstacle coming in the way of developing the land was most eligible builder.  Unfortunately clients also got used to this new genre of builders, many without having any choice & many out of greed just to save some money though still there were/are some fools in real estate, doing business with old fashion of transparency & thinking customer as god! Obviously they don’t have capacity to match the new age builders as the can’t advertise full page in all news papers to tell the world about their way of doing business or about their project’s plus points. So most buyers were running behind the new developers & their dream home offers & here is where first unhappiness wave started hitting the shores of real estate.

Nothing wrong in full page advertises or various offers to sale your product but in the zest of launching projects & trying to cover the huge investments made for land buying as well to get all sanctions, many things were overlooked. The terms like carpet & built-up were replaced by salable named factor & now day’s its just two bhk at some X amount is the scene. This wiped out the clarity in the deal as most customers never understand what & how they are paying for their homes. Prelaunch is another term which roped in, it means just conceptual plan of the project is ready & all other sanctions are awaited yet you can book a flat as you get choice as well you save on rate which is claimed to be much higher after getting all sanctions! Another such addition in real estate dictionary was infrastructure charges; I really don’t know what it means but can assume, it means the amount you will be paying for all the amenities like golf club to spa & gym which will be part of the project.  Clients were also happy thinking they are making great deals & responded by booking in these projects like its last chance of getting their dream home! But slowly the dreams started turning out as nightmares as many projects just remained in prelaunch state only or the possession dates got delayed beyond patience of the clients. Layouts of the projects shown at prelaunch started changing, where garden has been shown came another concrete tower or in some cases the infrastructure charges got doubled or else the entry in many of the facilities in brouture get restricted for few members only, carpet area of the home in actual seems to be like in the Disney movie “Honey I shrunk the kids”, quality of construction is so poor that in first rains the costly interiors got damaged due to seepage of rainwater & the list for unhappiness went on increasing! On the top of it the builder was never available for clarification of any of the complaints, all you could meet was some new employee every time & his promises of cut paste types “we will look in”!

I think in a way real estate is most controlled industry when it comes to obtaining sanctions & on other hand it’s most uncontrolled industry when governing sale rates. But even the rates of raw material i.e. land are uncontrolled & so are the rates of basic ingredients like steel & cement! Baffled by unhappy customers pressure the Govt started trying to come down heavily to protect the consumers with laws like MOFA & then later on RERA. On the background of all such unhappiness or wrong policies, the outcome with real estate was obvious, recession! People started delaying their decision of buying a home mainly for two reasons, one they are not sure about the product they will get delivered & another is its valuation! It’s the first part which I think is more important as rate is something every individual has to decide as what rate one person should sale or other to buy! So if we really want to have “Ache Din” back in real estate then first thing for the builders is stay committed to what you have said to your customers. And trust me my own experience is most of the clients wants one simple assurance & that is delivery of their home in time! I think if as a builder you can do that then ninety percent of unhappiness has been taken care! 

Another important aspect is be transparent in whatever you are selling; means right from carpet to salable, it’s not about the ratio but put specifically area details from carpet to built-up. Today’s buyers are smart & they know value for their money so mention very clearly what you are charging for & how; be logical & specific than just beating around the bushes! Most importantly be available to your clients for anything they want to know. It’s not necessary that you should be meeting them in person though if you can then that’s best way but you can build a team in such a way that they will represent you properly instead just passing the buck. If all the documentation is in place & so is a system which delivers what has been promised, then the customer will like to meet you just to say thanks & that’s what true “Achhe Din” for real estate will be! Agreed there will be always some nasty soul who will be always unhappy in spite of your sincere efforts but then it’s part of the business! Though Mr. Gates might have said using unhappy customers for learning yet all the time we can keep just learning is we should remind ourselves!  

At the same time the customers should also need to understand one thing that most of the unhappiness they get in real estate is either outcome of their own ignorance or greed of saving few rupees! As a client instead blaming every time to the builder for you being cheated, it will be better to do a bit cautious survey before you shake hands with your builder. Remember there are both types of builders in market, good as well bad & your happiness solely depends on whom you make a deal with! 

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Sanjay Deshpande 

Sanjeevani Dev.

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