hassle-free traffic... a dream!

I have been living in Pune since ten months... as I expressed my first feelings towards this city, this is one of the badly polluted city with complete failure at public transport system and poorly maintained roads... Within last ten months, I could see there is tremendous number of vehicles added to the already choked traffic... mostly the roads are occupied with four-wheelers... When I was doing my graduation in Visakhapatnam, commutation was really really comfortable... there are good number of buses, running from everywhere to everywhere and the buses were maintained very clean!!! But, here the situation is quite different and we are never sure of boarding a bus where comfortable journey is assured! almost all buses are over-crowded with people hanging from foot-boards!!!

With international prices already touching a dreadful $130 per barrel, owing and maintaining a personal vehicle is already becoming a luxury... it is highly unimaginable to think about how a common man can survive this scenario... I think, we can solve this problem if we can impose/follow certain simple rules!

Firstly, there should be a well-organized public transport system in all cities... If some company/institute is having more than a fixed number of employees, they should provide commutation facility at reduced prices... this will not seriously impact their overall profits and at the same time, can increase the productivity due to the regularized timings of employees!

Secondly, four-wheeler vehicles should be heavily taxed for using most of the space on the roads... If you can observe for an hour or so, standing at a traffic junction, more than 80% of the cars are seated with only one passenger... imagine, how much space and fuel will be saved if 60 cars are replaced with one bus!

Thirdly, subsidy on petrol should be strictly removed... of course, this may come as a blow to all two-wheelers and most of the four-wheelers... Since no public organization is solely depending on petrol and most of the petrol use is for personal use, there is no point in giving petrol at subsidized price!

Fourthly, a well-organized road-routes would be a good solution... if the routes are organized to streamline heavy vehicles, public vehicles, and personal vehicles, according to the traffic statistics, most of the traffic congestion can be overcome! just building flyovers is not a solution, but building them effectively in less time at the correct locations is more important!

I often dream of a place... where the roads are maintained really clean... traffic rules are followed strictly... there is a clean and well-organized public transport system... and people of all classes of the society use buses instead of personal vehicles for reaching offices! I wish I can see this dream gettig materialized before I leave this planet!

100 bucks to save an hour...

After owning a two-wheeler, I was thinking about how to deal with a traffic police if he tries to stop me and do all nonsense. I have managed to get a learner's license before buying my two-wheeler. Though I am a decently good rider, I am a little skeptical about my managerial skills on road, particularly at the signal points. Whenever there is a traffic police, I used to avoid eye contact with him and try to look more experienced and careless about his existence. Of course, I found this to be useful, because whenever he picked up some random victims, I was not there among them. Finally, I had my first encounter last weekend. It all happened due to my fat-friend who has wrongly instructed me to take a right turn at Sancheti Hospital junction. I found nobody taking right turn at that junction, so paused for a while before coming to a decision. Meanwhile, the traffic constable, having an eye on me, waved me his hand. Having wrongly interpreting that hand signal, I took a right turn. That made the fish directly fall in the net.

C1=constable1, C2=constable2, G=our good old author.
Let me put the conversation in English for convenience.

constable(C): ^%*^(_)(_)*^#^$%&((*)(&^^*%*&^*(_) (he is speaking something in Marathi)
G: Hindi or English please.
C1: No right turn here... park your vehicle aside.
G: (puzzled***) But, I didn't take right turn. You only motioned me to come this way!!!
C1: Show me the lisence.
G: I have recently given my driving test. I am expecting it soon. Here is the receipt.
C1: (taken the receipt, confirming his earning from me) Yeah, this will do.
G: Hey, come on... I didn't take turn on my own, you misdirected me.
C1: Do you think I am mentally retarded to direct you wrongly. Come, and talk to our inspector.
G: Uff... **parks the vehicle aside and headed towards C2**
C2: What's your name?
G: That's written on the license receipt!!!
C2: that's smart. Don't you know right turn is not allowed here.
G: I know, but your constable only misdirected me to here.
C2: Is he mental to do so?
G: You should be knowing this!
C2: Do you have PUC certificate?
G: Here it is!!!
C2: When did you take this?
G: that's written on the certificate!!! I don't have time. tell me how much you want. I will pay and go!!!
C2: This PUC is expired. You have to pay 800 rupees as fine for this.
G: I know that PUC's validity is for six months. and, it is only 5 months old.
C2: No, now it is seventh month after your PUC is issued.
G: *gurrrrrr* Come on, months and their count don't change for your convenience.
C2: *pretends to be counting his fingers* no, already seventh month is running.
G: *Let me show you, idiot* Here is the list of months names in order. Now, agree that my PUC is still valid.
C2: What's your name?
G: *fuming* this is second time you are asking me this question!!!
C2: Look mister, fine for wrong turn is 600 rupees.
G: That's smart. I know, I didn't commit a mistake. Tell me how much you want now?
C2: 200.
G: No, 100..
C2: OK, let me accept this for now.
G: Can I take right turn now???
C2: You can do anything now...
G: *I wish I have the power to slap you once*

Cursing my fat-friend for wrong directions and scolding myself for blindly following constable's hand-signals, I left the place (obviously, in the wrong direction). Still, I feel that I've managed it pretty well. Because, I was on my way to HSBC bank for paying credit card bill, failing which I will be charged at least 500 rupees as interest!!!

PS: Moral of the story, when you are caught by traffic constable, don't hesitate to bargain as quickly as possible. Because, the climax of this kinda story will almost always leads to paying bribe to this guy!! May god bless our country!!!

happy new year!!!

Another year has passed... goodbye old year and welcome new year!!! what did I do for the new year eve... I've gone for a disco... had party... chosen a slim petite girl as my partner and danced a lot... and rock and roll... huh, pretty fancy dream!!! I didn't do any of these... while the train that was carrying me was heading towards Secunderabad, I was dreaming about my meet with D the next day!!!

It's simply another day of the life... only the calendar changes its digits, announcing that another year has successfully gone, good or bad, sweet or bitter!!! but, somewhere at the corner of the mind, we feel like we are crossing some milestone... suddenly, we feel conscious about what we've accomplished in the last year, and how better we can make the coming year... so many resolutions, that will most probably fade out faster than the newly arrived number of the year!!! and... it's the same life... not big change... routine, as usual!!!

Unlike the previous year, I prefer staying without making any resolutions... when the resolutions themselves keep changing everyday, what's the point in making one at all??? Preferably, I would like to make myself more comfortable internally, smile healthily, and breath easy...

I wish you all a new year ahead with good luck, joy, happiness and strength to materialize the dreams!!!

mummy, i need your love!!!

yesterday morning, when i was drinking tea along with my colleague, in front of my office building, i have seen a lady coming towards the office building... she was carrying her son in her hands... from her looks, i realized that she was looking for somebody... and my guess was right... another lady has come out from the first floor of the building and started chatting this and that with the first one...

the baby boy was so cute with his chubby cheeks, curly black hair, shining baby fat and those charming glistening eyes... the second lady was trying to make friends with this boy... he has hesitated for a while and took his time to make sure that she is not an evil creature... finally, he said his name in his own discrete syllables and shifted to the second lady's hands...

two minutes passed... i took no notice of them, chatting with my colleague... i heard the baby boy crying for her mom, from the car he was sitting in, "mommeeee... mummeee.... come with me to home... i don't want to go alone"... incidentally, it was clear to me that the first lady was not a visitor but a working woman in the same office building... this reminded me of those hell like residential school days, way back when i was ten years old, and how badly we used to wait for our parents on every weekend... though this boy is not in a residential school, i guess his situation is worse than ours... the hell with this corporate race, making these children miss the tender touch of their mothers, and hence making them emotionally lagging...

i wish i had some time to go and spend with this boy!!!

I wonder...

It is my usual habit to halt at the local road-side kulfi vendor, along with my roomies, to savor the luxury of the dessert... Keeba was buying kulfis for us... I have noticed a pretty woman standing near that shop, while her husband was attending a phone call sitting on his bike... I guess, she must be around 27-28... she wore a red saree in north-Indian style... she has that fair complexion with a color that can only be obtained by mixing gold and sandal wood color... she was stunningly beautiful and absolutely perfect in looks... I kept gazing at her without my conscience... in a couple of seconds, she has noticed this... a momentary feeling of discomfort appeared on her face, followed by an expression of happiness... I could observe that she is faintly trying to hide her smile, closing her lips... huh, that was really amazing... she looked like a star to my eyes... I don't know whether thinking/looking like this is insane or irrational on my part... but, the beauty in front of my eyes was really mesmerizing... her expressions shifted between smiling, naughtiness, teasing, admiration, happiness and so on so many times in those couple of minutes before we came out from that shop... her hubby was still on phone... after walking a bit, I asked Keeba, "shall I go back and buy another kulfi?"... he understood me and said yes... ha hha, somehow I didn't go back... but, as the couple passed us by on their bike, she has given the same naughty smile on her face while looking back at me...

I wonder what is hidden in that smile... I feel jealous for her husband's luck... I guess, that calls for a disturbed sleep tonight!!!

shades of life...

things are going in right direction and comfortable pace... when there is nothing to think or nowhere to direct the thoughts, surroundings make us wonder... everything around us will be interesting... here are some of the things that caught my attention during last few days...

i was in a fast food centre along with my roomies on a fine evening... krish was ordering pani puri and anji was busy on phone... there came a charming young man, with a thickly grown beard, focused eyes, and a serious look... a boy of around 10-12 years was asking him to help him some money... this is a very common scene... what is interesting is the way the young man responded... he asked the boy why he needs that money... the boy answered that he is hungry... this young man told seriously that he won't give money but he can buy whatever he wants to eat for that hour... boy answered jubiliantly that he wants to eat panipuri... young man asked whether he needs one plate or two... the boy told he wants two plates of punipuri... the young man got down from his bike and bought two coupons and gave it to the boy and rushed out of the scene instantly... my salute to this young man!!!

on another day, we were roaming on the busy roads of shanivarpet... at one of the signal points, there stopped a couple on a bike... uncle was looking fair and handsome... more than that, he was looking happy... aunt was a bit plump and chubby, wearing a light colored silk saree... while uncle was looking this side and that, catching glimpses of those shortly dressed girls around, aunt passed her hands gently through her hubby's hair and pulled his cheeks... she whispered something in his ears and i could see the tickling sensation that he felt... how lucky is this guy!!!

i was in an auto towards my office on one of those busy mornings... the road was slightly slippery due to the previous night's drizzle... some guy was going on a bike ahead of our auto... he looked very energetic and a healthy expression was there on his face... moments later, his bike got slipped and the fallen bike dragged him on the road to almost 100 metres on the road... there was no consciousness... only his body was giving shaking with pulses... while i tried to get out of the auto (though i don't know what i should/can do), the auto driver scolded me and paced the auto to drop me at the destination... how dramatic and uncertain is our life!!!

few hours without a mobile...

just now, i had a training class of 3 hours duration... haaaa... such a boring thing to do on a weekend... cuddling in the rug till the rug, reordering the flat, cleaning my FIRST KISS until it shines, or whatever on the earth will be more exciting on a weekend than coming to office to attend a lousy seminar... as soon as i was out of the conference room, i was searching for my mobile... my portable, cute, shining, small friend who never bothers me irrespective of how i handle that... uff, i forgot it at my flat... almost, like losing one of my limb... I can't send some funny thought to my colleague, about the boring lecture... i can't hear my loved one's voice... i can't play games... ooops... few more hours without my mobile, that too in the conference room :-(

marriage market...

it is second week of May and many people are getting married... a time for everybody to glitter in nice ornaments and jewellery... to meet relatives and friends... look for bride/groom for oneself... learning about relatives and relations... a time to celebrate and rejoice... marriage... a very important milestone in everybody's life, personally, socially, and in general, psychologically...

everytime i call my parents these days, they are mentioning about this or that marriage, immediately followed by the details about what that groom does, how he is, and how much he has taken as dowry!!! i still wonder how this custom of dowry, which started in rich class families as a gift to bride, has become a mandatory thing in almost all families... especially, in south indian states, this is too badly grown... it is OK from groom's side to accept some financial assistance from bride, in case he is not economically strong or able... ironically, the more the groom is able, the more they are demanding... it's something like 1:100 ratio... a person earning 30k per month needs 30 lakh as a gift... what the hell is this? that means, he is demanding the same amount of money which he can see only if he saves all his earnings (with the current rate) continuously for eight years!!! don't you think it is too pathetic? still ironic thing is that bride's side families are ready to give that lumpsome too (even if that is more than their capability)!!!

law also successfully failed to implement dowry law, because we lack that social concern... more than that, these customs are so deeply engrossed in people's mind set that we all feel like it's a natural process... many girls (i don't know what portion) whom i know, who are working in good firms and having enough educational background, still say that they are not sure if they will work after marriage because, it all depends on the groom's decision... why parents are moulding their daughters into such a dependent personalities?

if some boy says he doesn't like to take dowry, people are suspecting his manhood!!! this is another aspect of this brutal custom... the more the dowry, the more it gives fame in their local community people... why should the girl's parents wash the groom's feet for kanyadaan while groom's parents happily enjoy their stature of "groom's parents"?? is it just because of that non-deterministic probability of X and Y cromosomes which decides whether the kid is going to be male or female? if the bride is able enough and earning sufficiently more than the groom, will that groom's parents ready to wash that bride's feet?

not all our customs may be wrong... but, is there a single logical explaination for these silly things? when will our society grow up to abolish these nasty traditions? when will our parents agree for a love-marriage without asking caste/community/religion and dowry? when will the time come to delete the column "caste and religion" from applications? when will this marriage market be ended?

few observations!!!

life is monotonous and boring these days... after spending around 20 months in this campus, finally the time has come for wrapping up everything and get out/lost!!! only three more months left... the countdown has started... 90... 89... 88... i remember how my senior batch students left this place, smiling (trying hard to conceal their sadness) at us!!! and now, it's our turn to do the same...

two days back, i was walking with krishna towards coffee-board... he was damn too silent, and i could hardly resist myself from keeping a grinning face... i asked him, "shall i tell you a fact?"... coming out of his thoughts, he looked at me with an affirmative look, curious to listen what i was about to tell... i told, "indira gandhi was shot dead by her body gaurd"... he was so annoyed and cursed me with his usual words "worssst felloooooow" and started laughing... a bad joke, but it worked!!!

last week, i happened to watch the movie "the pursuit of happyness"... it was truly inspiring story... at that very moment, i have decided... decided to work hard, really hard to become great!!! after that, i thought why shouldn't i start working from tomorrow? and that tomorrow has not yet arrived!!! and i strongly doubt whether it will arrive at all ;-)

yesterday, after a very small nap of 4 hours in the afternoon, i went to our gymkhana terrace, with an intention to watch sunset... by the time i reached there, sun was still bright enough to stop me staring at him... my eyes caught a beautiful girl sitting on the stadium steps (incidentally, with marvelous curves), and i kept watching her... after a while, i realized that i was not watching sunset and turned back... sunset is over already... still, it was a beautiful evening!!!