Jugaad is the quintessentially Indian custom of inventing quick-fix ingenious solutions to all sorts of problems. We all do it. Like when we lose the remote cover and just tape up the batteries to keep them from falling out, or when we cover our boxes with foil when we can’t find the lid. We are all guilty of jugaad, but there are a few (read: few too many) people who take this ingenuity overboard.
Like those who come up with this kind of DIY projects.
Or, those who’d rather do this than get a new remote control.
Nonetheless, this custom has got us international recognition. Indeed, it was a proud moment for us when the word ‘jugaad’ was added to the Oxford dictionary last year.
Though Oxford Dictionary paints jugaad in a positive light, the fact is that there is a price to pay for quick-fixes. One can’t deny that there is a lot of creativity and innovation that goes into the various jugaads we come up with.
But if you really think about it, how many of these jugaads are truly sustainable? Sure, they fix the problem at hand, and make you feel like a genius for coming up with a solution, but can you live your entire life changing the TV channel with a stick?
We have been using jugaads for our convenience for years. It has become so ingrained in us that we don’t realise how it is holding us back.
Think of it like a drug. It gives you a high when you get your fix, and if you do it often enough, you get hooked to it. It is hard to let go, to think of the long-term when in the short-term, you are able to do what you need to. Jugaad is at the root of our country’s chalta hai attitude.
