Sunday, June 26, 2011

Monsoon raaga



The daily quota of the sudden rains provides respite from the afternoon humidity.
A view from the balcony during one such downpour with the hazy view.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Miscellaneous musings

In the local travel by bus, not having a book to read, I kept following the music
playing on the radio and noticing the usual buildings and signals pass by.

A commotion made me look around to see a passenger quarrelling with the bus conductor. The passenger was travelling with his wife. The cause of commotion was soon clear to all by seeing the man standing ,rather....wobbling.

He had - for no apparent reason - started to confront the bus conductor who also seemed to have had a rough day. The back and forth led to commotion and the commuters visibly upset over the argument try to hush the wobbly husband. But the highly spirited man was relentless in his unwanted banter.

The wife was repeatedly told to sit right back by her husband when she tried to tell him not to bother others around.
After watching timidly for a while, she stood up and spoke in a voice that the husband heard as well as listened. She was determined and commanding while at the same time she spoke in a tone that defied command or order.

Her husband who put up a protest nevertheless listened to what she had to say- which all the high pitched and angry voices so far couldnt do.

Aggresiveness and anger in the passive (and not active) - truly are effective.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

With due respect….Dues paid

Having to commute regularly by autorikshaw to and from office, I have come to learn to understand the necessary evils of life more closely.

The general (read public) mixed opinion regarding this form of transportation is mostly because of the tantrums invariably thrown by both parties involved. Heres one incident that made me change my “general” opinion of the autowallahs.

Usual morning to office; I look for an autorikshaw along the line of the few always standing at the flyover junction. Trying to guage from the faces of the auto rikshaw driver if they would want to drive the same direction of my office, I prepare myself for the war of words and arguments of petrol prices and traffic jams ahead.

Starting the ride to office, I noticed after a couple of kilometers that the fare meter was not jumping way beyond comprehension. On reaching the office, I handed the amount to the not so nearest change. Usually I try to hand out the correct change to avoid myself having to explain the importance of hard earned money to the remarks about “its only 2 rupees or its only more by 5 rupees”. However, this time the driver didn’t give me such a reply; When he saw he didn’t find the right amount to return, he told me that he would hand it over the next time. Adding that he is at the auto stand where I daily hail for an auto.

I knew this was not to be, though I resisted telling him that I knew the change wouldn’t get back to me.

Cut to a few weeks later where on my normal day to work, alighting from the auto near office, I handed the almost right change to the auto driver. When he handed me the change, which was more that what was to be returned, he reminded me that this was the change due from the last time I had hailed his vehicle.

This time, the "thank you" that I said was more sincere.

It's quite unfair to generalize. And from then on I make an effort to be more tolerant ,against my own general opinion, knowing that what goes around comes around

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Atlantis

Puducherry , as I knew it was nothing close to the tourist place I expected.

When I was asked to wake up early to make the trip to Auroville, I am glad that I didn’t pass up the chance ; And made the effort to wake up very early (im not exactly a morning person) to watch the sunrise.

It was the anticipation to watch the sea that woke me up early enough to take an early morning walk by the sea.It was just a walk around the corner to view the road glowing with the colour of the sunrise.
I fail to explain the ambience ,that, the daily routine called sunrise can create.
I had to rush through with the pictures- click click click to catch up with the gang going to Auroville.





Nevertheless, I promised myself another sunrise at Puducherry , making it on the list of definitely-to-go-back places!