By: Vividhaditya
Did you like it? Was it worth the money? Would you want to come back after ten years? OK! But what’s a Chingu? Though being a Himachali, and having spent a considerable number of years of my childhood in Himachal, I became familiar with Chingu, only during my recent trip to my village.
I had hired a taxi from Shimla - a Tata Sumo - for myself and my parents and the lots of luggage to dump us in our village in Jubbal. Having plans to venture into the tourism industry, when the means allow me, I thought of engaging the taxi-driver into a conversation, and know the secrets of the trade.
A local of Kotkhai, a well-educated - graduate - young boy and a bike-rallyist, he was more than willing to share anecdotes and some secrets. Let me call him by his surname only - Chauhan.
Well, Chauhan told me - first thing first - you earn by not running the taxi but through hefty commissions at hotels and various show-rooms across the state and particularly, Manali. No surprise here. He continued: Bhaiji! (Brother!) Punjabis and Gujaratis are the easiest to lure to buy things. The Bengalis, the Malbaris/Madrasis and the Purabias (Everyone from down South are Madrasis or Malbaris for us here and everyone from Bihar are Purabias) are the most difficult. While the former love to travel as a family, the latter in a group of multi-families.
So what’s the secret? He came to the point and asked me, “Bhaiji, have you heard of a Chingu?”
“What is it? An animal,” I asked? “Or a monument?” “Neither,” Chauhan said with a smile. With a pause to create mystery he said, “We are not supposed to leak out the secret. We take the groups (the travellers) to various show-rooms. We have a tie-up with them. Every sale of Rs 10,000 fetches us a commission of around Rs 3,000.”
I nodded in affirmation, as if I already knew that. There was a pause again.
I was being tempted to ask: So what’s a Chingu? But chose silence over curiosity. However, Chauhan chose to unravel the suspense himself.
“Bhaiji, one Chingu costs anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000.”
“Depending on quality?” I asked.
“Depending on the customer,” he said, adding, “You have to be seasoned to know from the mood, language, attire of the person, how much worth the person can shell out. If there are women in the group, or not. But Bhaiji, we don’t interfere in the sale. We neither urge the customer to buy, nor side with them. If anyone asks us, we say, ‘it’s good’.”
“What? Chingu?” I interfered again. My patience was running now.
“Yes, Chingu,” he said. “But what’s it?” I asked, as a matter of fact. But he wasn’t in no mood to let the secret out so early.
“They tell the customer that Chingu has no value for them today. Its value increases as it gets older and after ten years, if they come back and sell it to them, they’ll be happy to buy it back at five times the price today. The customer has to keep the receipt handy, as a proof that the Chingu was bought from them.”
“Yaar, ab bata bhee do (Friend, open up now). What’s a Chingu?” I asked.
“A shawl,” he said, with a smile.
“A shawl?”
“Yes, a shawl.”
“A woollen shawl?”
“Yes, a woollen shawl.”
“Is it some special shawl?”
“Hmmm… A special shawl to lure the customer, but otherwise a normal shawl.”
“Is the quality bad?”
“The quality is good though.”
“So, is it made of wool of some mountain animal?”
“Yes, for the tourist, but otherwise it’s normal, sheep wool.”
“But what’s so special about it?”
“It’s plain glib-talking, and marketing skill. They tell the tourists that the wool of Chingu is very special. It has no value for them today. As it gets older, the wool gets finer, and the value increases. It’s so special that it keeps a person warm during winters and cool during summers. If you wet the shawl with water in summers and wrap it around, it will keep you cool in summers,” he revealed.
The secret was out but there were some other questions left unanswered. “But, doesn’t it get ruined by pouring water over it?” I asked.
The answer was, “Bhaiji, you tell me, who will wrap a shawl in summers?”
“But what if the customer comes back?”
“Bhaiji, ten years…. Who has seen ten years? Who’s going to keep the receipt for ten years? Who’s going to come back to Manali just to complain that the shawl or the Chingu didn’t cool them in summers?
“Even if one comes, they would have an answer ready that the tourist must have not taken precaution and proper care. But we haven’t heard a case of anybody coming or complaining, as yet.”
“But, what if they ask you?” I asked.
“We just say that yes, it’s good. Actually, the wool is good, but the real value should not be more than Rs 2,000. The price depends on the design work and above all the tourist. Bargaining does work at times, to a discount of up to Rs 1,000. The shop keeper makes a profit five times even after handing over our commission,” Chauhan said.
“Hmmmm…,” I nodded my head in acknowledgement that Himachalis are not as simple as I thought.
Well, would I be able to apply same tricks if I were to venture out into tourism, I’m, honestly not sure. Though one does need to be a glib-talker to be a smart business-man but is it worth cheating and ruining the reputation of the state? But, may be, it’s everywhere.
So, did you buy a Chingu, when you were in Himachal?
(6 votes, average: 4.83 out of 5)
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Tourism business in Himachal is completly run by the coolies, guides and taxi drivers. Hotels in Fingas area in Shimla are totally dependent on coolies for bringing in the tourists. These coolies charge first night room rent as commission. The hotels in return get their money back by charging the taxi drivers by arranging the sightseeing tours to Kufri. These taxi drivers have their cut fixed in Kufri on every rupee spent by the tourist, be it the pony rides, shopping and even lunch at the local restaurnat. It is a vicious circle for the tourist in Shimla. You mentioned it correctly that the actual fun in being in tourism business is in earning commissions. Even HPTDC buses which go for sight seeing tours to Kufri are not far behind in minting money. During winters, there are gum boots and jackets available on hire and here again money is minted. HPTDC buses going to Narkanda first go to Chini Bunglow (Kufri) where tourists are coaxed into hiring the winter gear and then the bus leaves for Narkanda.
If you ever noticed, Almost all taxis in Himachal bear a sticker of “Trishla Kullu”. I used to think it was a hotel in Kullu but later found out it was infact a shawl factory. Your blog on Chingu, says the rest
Welcome back Vividh after a long break.. You been missed here!
I guess the story is everywhere the same. I remember long back during a visit to Agra and old rickshaw-puller sort of confessed to me how he spent his life on commisson from hotels and shopkeepers where he took his clients, and as if in guilt claimed that now he wanted to spend his old age living an honest man.
Therefore, we cannot blame people associated with tourism in the state alone, but Himachal can certainly set new standards.
Maybe Vividh can show the way here, whenver to takes the plunge.
The post speaks of the univerality of trade practices employed everywhere in the world to lure the vulnerable tourists. Himachalis are, though, more than honest to acknowledge it openly!
Interesting insight, I guess travelling and observing things leads to lot of learning for all. Thanks for sharing the info
How does the matter of acknowledgment is concerned.Even a small quantum of Corruption has high Risk Priority Number ( RPN ) perhaps 10 on the scale of 10 . Though its an individual opinion , the level of corruption is quite high in H.P ,however its reflection is small on account of lesser quantum /budget involved ….
Refer to KOLTAR /BITUMEN scam in Barsar PWD subdivision , Fake Ration Card scam of Civil Supplies Coorporation etc are few latest heighlights…
Naddaji,
It was supposed to be a fun post. Any way, thanks for updating us on the RPN.
Dear Mr. Vividh
I have writen in context to remarks where it was mentioned that Himachali’s are more than Honest to accept …. etc…
In percentage points Himachali’s are most corrupt when it comes to utilise Govt Funds.
Regards
Not going with the serious concern it raised about the tourism industry, I had a great time reading it, almost burst out laughung. Now I’ll always think of ‘chingu’ while buying something from a new place.
Who is not corrupt? Whose mind is not Corrupt, is Honest.
I remember a news Item, I read about 25 years back, A Russian Company imported lather shoes from India, and that lot was rejected on account of Quality. The company Invited a concerned Minister from Russia to visit their Factory, to prove that their shoes were of high quality.
Knowing that corrupt people in Russia are punished heavily, they offerred the Russian Minister a Big Carpet, as gift while returning. Immediately upon landing in Russia, that Minister was arrested and sent to Jail. They treated even free gifts as Bribes, it was in their culture.
In India, Britishers gave Bakhshish to Indians to bribe them so that they give information on Freedom Fighters and this practice led us to Slavery for 200 years.
Another incident of Japan - Each employee ensures that even a smallest stationery item like Pin is not thrown in the dust bin, or wasted, not because they cannot afford it, but because they considered it a National Shame, wasting country’s wealth.
How many of us practice this.
Then why do we get hurt when foreighners or Indian Tourists get cheated be it in the name of Chingu or Hotel commission.
Not subscribing to the above, I still feel, India is beautiful place, large population of our country is Honest, baring few.
Funny part, when I discussed this Chingu story with one Taxi Driver he said Sir, why do you bother, this is socialism, taking out more from the pocket of one who has accumulated more and by the one who has less. It is nothing but robbery, be it in Himachal or elsewhere.
God save us.