OK, it was only half truth what I said about doing it in privacy. We are neither reserved nor private people. There are lots of things we find unthinkable doing it in public happens very publicly here.
First, credit card. Lot of businesses keep credit card swiper in hard to access areas and ask very frankly ‘chip and pin’ code to complete the transaction. We have to shout out loud our PIN and they enter. Public handling of your personal details is Suhuj – accepted gesture.
Talking on mobile is one such act. Houses are solid with very earthy feel and lot of times people go in ‘chouk’ or town square or balcony and speak from top of their voice to communicate most sensitive of issues.
Let me leave something for imagination too....
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Food Junkie
Travelling on European trains taught me how to eat!!! For example, having milk and sugar free coffee with snicker bar or cake of some description. So strange harboring on 2 extremes! Either deprive completely or consume till it piles on you. What stops them from adding few particles of sugar to quench craving for sweetness or quick energy and avoid calorie bombs? I could notice such habit because of public display of consuming food on transport and roads.
Indians are great gastronomic enthusiast and we cant deny that there are plenty of people living on street and cooking under the trees. We also find shack and gullas every few metres. But what I have failed to find is people walking with their food in their hands in public places. I have travelled by 3 different category of buses from cheapest to AC coaches but I have not seen even a poor child moving their jaws munching. Certainly no chewing gums. Other day when congress shifted shashi tharoor to ‘cattle class’ transport I felt like objecting the word ‘cattle’ used for average public who take shower and comb their air and add jasmine to their long locks. Their demeanor makes you wonder if it is justified to call them cattle class? They are more civilized than many other global citizens. In india generally consuming food is considered private affairs as private as combing hair (especially if they are long), counting money. There is component of sacredness and respect attached to privacy. Also it is uncivil to consume food and not share with people who are watching. There could be element of ‘nazar lage’ if you consume something that others are not capable of having without sharing with them. Whats amazing is most are carrying tiffins to work but I have so far not seen one person discreetly trying to eat an apple or hot chips on utterly long and boring journey through the city roads. Which also means they eat at right time to their satisfaction before taking to road as second nature. Also roadside gullas have cluster of people consuming in those designated areas without walking away with it.
I must admit though snicker bar with milky sugar free coffee tastes really good! And in Banglur I find hot chips so irresistible it is difficult to wait till you reach home! Becoming civilized is slow process!
Indians are great gastronomic enthusiast and we cant deny that there are plenty of people living on street and cooking under the trees. We also find shack and gullas every few metres. But what I have failed to find is people walking with their food in their hands in public places. I have travelled by 3 different category of buses from cheapest to AC coaches but I have not seen even a poor child moving their jaws munching. Certainly no chewing gums. Other day when congress shifted shashi tharoor to ‘cattle class’ transport I felt like objecting the word ‘cattle’ used for average public who take shower and comb their air and add jasmine to their long locks. Their demeanor makes you wonder if it is justified to call them cattle class? They are more civilized than many other global citizens. In india generally consuming food is considered private affairs as private as combing hair (especially if they are long), counting money. There is component of sacredness and respect attached to privacy. Also it is uncivil to consume food and not share with people who are watching. There could be element of ‘nazar lage’ if you consume something that others are not capable of having without sharing with them. Whats amazing is most are carrying tiffins to work but I have so far not seen one person discreetly trying to eat an apple or hot chips on utterly long and boring journey through the city roads. Which also means they eat at right time to their satisfaction before taking to road as second nature. Also roadside gullas have cluster of people consuming in those designated areas without walking away with it.
I must admit though snicker bar with milky sugar free coffee tastes really good! And in Banglur I find hot chips so irresistible it is difficult to wait till you reach home! Becoming civilized is slow process!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Skip, Jump n Spin
I had unexpected chance to visit Ahmedabad again. Visiting home town always brings cool content after refreshing social links of generations given in inheritance but there are few special days when it brings extra cheer. Yes, although I could not play garba much we visited the Vibrant Gujarat celebration for Navaratri (festival of dance for non stop for 2 weeks).
A massive ground was coverd in smooth hessian not allowing a spec of dust to fly and comforting to the feet. Beautifully decorated gates allowed entire city to walk in without stampede. Inside the ground every year there is exhibition based on one concept displaying interesting details of achievements, heritage, projects, places of Gujarat. Some areas had temporary landscape gardens. They even had Maduradam (Holland) style miniature Gujarat with its hills and ropeways etc. There were makeshift temples, replica of ancient carvings of 7 forms of mothers from Vadnagar. All emergency services. Facilitating public services such as fire, police and ambulance. Number of stalls for local handicrafts from genuinely rural Craftsmen needless to add number of mouth watering food joints. Everything is so well organized and chaos and mess free, it is simply enjoyable.
Then comes the main part, the garba. I find the words most fascinating! Who is preparing to worship Goddess and how? And the lyrics describes everyone from Mochi, Kumbhar, Soni, Suthar (shoemaker to Carpenter) and how they use their skills to offer tribute to Ambaji in terms of creative and playful worshipping. Surely, in ancient times these labels were not social statements for high or low place in society but mere introduction of ones profession when yellow pages were non existent. It suggets in ancient times castism or classism was not used to discriminate or appeasement. Next comes special needs people, yes garba goes to celebrate how a deaf and dumb and crippled and handicapped joined in celebrating the festivity and faith. Oh, does that mean equal opportunity was weaved in social inclusiveness ? Then comes the shringar rus… look at how they describe Goddess herself dressing up to hilt to dance and in addition she comes down from her seat and villagers to join in the party times. Wow that’s is very in-vogue Goddess we have!! Thats just 3 garba sampling and there are tons of lyrics to suggest and celebrate many such aspects human existence.
I remember some years back there was monopoly of expensive ticketed club style dandia. Now this state sponsored free picnic for citizens have changed the scene. Young and old, highly skilled and young along with arthritic geriatric civilian all enjoy. As Keyur says ‘where would you find entire population, most modern jeans generation, globally attuned youth yet dressed in most traditional folk costumes and still flaunting themselves?’ Good thing is, to dance in main circle wearing traditional outfits are complusory, however there is plenty of room outside this open yet fenced circle and people walking in casually are welcomed to do garba in their little groups all over the place. To recollect the vibrancy and flare of each costume is going to take another mail shot!! Even the boys are dressed in colours and they spin better than girls. How restrictive for the boys in western world to remain imprisoned in blue and grey without even a day of vaction to colourful ‘me’. I think this colour therapy helps them detox and destress along with physical MOT to check stamina and energy.
The new metro passes through this venue 10 km on both sides. Metro is free and roads and tracks are ready in impressive way. When you see all dressed up families and groups and couples and vehicles of all sorts passing and walking through, you forget whether it is 11 am or pm. There is lot to write about inauguration and closing events as well. All the folk artist of other corners of india are invited to perform sharing the stage at same time about 800 of them as state guest artists. At the time of Aarti Raja and Praja join in together. CM of the state, top industrialists, artists and 10-15,000 civilians all sing together in pleasant dark holding diya in their hands. Hard to find such open air show anywhere else!
Jay jay Somanath, jai ho Gujarat!
At Ahmedabad airport the billboard displays the temp 42’ and pilot announces landing at Bangalore 24’, reverse! May be the heat released by youth using their energy in to the air!
Coming back to Bang is truly exotic experience. Again the whole place covered in banana stem/leaves. Entering my carpark makes me wonder if there in mass collection of honeymooners as each car is decorated with flowers and garlands. Some have 2 banana stem sticking like wipers and some well travelled vehicles had 2 leafy broom sweeping the roads of banglur. Its Dussera, remember?! Drivers spent hours doing puja of their vehicles as if it were a human. I will feel lucky if my heart warms up enough to do such gesture to at least a human. I have been told that to watch stately parade of gold studded elephants of mysore king the top ticket costs 5000 ruppees! Lets see if I get chance next year!
Let me stop before I impair your vision by attacking you with colours!
A massive ground was coverd in smooth hessian not allowing a spec of dust to fly and comforting to the feet. Beautifully decorated gates allowed entire city to walk in without stampede. Inside the ground every year there is exhibition based on one concept displaying interesting details of achievements, heritage, projects, places of Gujarat. Some areas had temporary landscape gardens. They even had Maduradam (Holland) style miniature Gujarat with its hills and ropeways etc. There were makeshift temples, replica of ancient carvings of 7 forms of mothers from Vadnagar. All emergency services. Facilitating public services such as fire, police and ambulance. Number of stalls for local handicrafts from genuinely rural Craftsmen needless to add number of mouth watering food joints. Everything is so well organized and chaos and mess free, it is simply enjoyable.
Then comes the main part, the garba. I find the words most fascinating! Who is preparing to worship Goddess and how? And the lyrics describes everyone from Mochi, Kumbhar, Soni, Suthar (shoemaker to Carpenter) and how they use their skills to offer tribute to Ambaji in terms of creative and playful worshipping. Surely, in ancient times these labels were not social statements for high or low place in society but mere introduction of ones profession when yellow pages were non existent. It suggets in ancient times castism or classism was not used to discriminate or appeasement. Next comes special needs people, yes garba goes to celebrate how a deaf and dumb and crippled and handicapped joined in celebrating the festivity and faith. Oh, does that mean equal opportunity was weaved in social inclusiveness ? Then comes the shringar rus… look at how they describe Goddess herself dressing up to hilt to dance and in addition she comes down from her seat and villagers to join in the party times. Wow that’s is very in-vogue Goddess we have!! Thats just 3 garba sampling and there are tons of lyrics to suggest and celebrate many such aspects human existence.
I remember some years back there was monopoly of expensive ticketed club style dandia. Now this state sponsored free picnic for citizens have changed the scene. Young and old, highly skilled and young along with arthritic geriatric civilian all enjoy. As Keyur says ‘where would you find entire population, most modern jeans generation, globally attuned youth yet dressed in most traditional folk costumes and still flaunting themselves?’ Good thing is, to dance in main circle wearing traditional outfits are complusory, however there is plenty of room outside this open yet fenced circle and people walking in casually are welcomed to do garba in their little groups all over the place. To recollect the vibrancy and flare of each costume is going to take another mail shot!! Even the boys are dressed in colours and they spin better than girls. How restrictive for the boys in western world to remain imprisoned in blue and grey without even a day of vaction to colourful ‘me’. I think this colour therapy helps them detox and destress along with physical MOT to check stamina and energy.
The new metro passes through this venue 10 km on both sides. Metro is free and roads and tracks are ready in impressive way. When you see all dressed up families and groups and couples and vehicles of all sorts passing and walking through, you forget whether it is 11 am or pm. There is lot to write about inauguration and closing events as well. All the folk artist of other corners of india are invited to perform sharing the stage at same time about 800 of them as state guest artists. At the time of Aarti Raja and Praja join in together. CM of the state, top industrialists, artists and 10-15,000 civilians all sing together in pleasant dark holding diya in their hands. Hard to find such open air show anywhere else!
Jay jay Somanath, jai ho Gujarat!
At Ahmedabad airport the billboard displays the temp 42’ and pilot announces landing at Bangalore 24’, reverse! May be the heat released by youth using their energy in to the air!
Coming back to Bang is truly exotic experience. Again the whole place covered in banana stem/leaves. Entering my carpark makes me wonder if there in mass collection of honeymooners as each car is decorated with flowers and garlands. Some have 2 banana stem sticking like wipers and some well travelled vehicles had 2 leafy broom sweeping the roads of banglur. Its Dussera, remember?! Drivers spent hours doing puja of their vehicles as if it were a human. I will feel lucky if my heart warms up enough to do such gesture to at least a human. I have been told that to watch stately parade of gold studded elephants of mysore king the top ticket costs 5000 ruppees! Lets see if I get chance next year!
Let me stop before I impair your vision by attacking you with colours!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Immersing Art
Otherday, I was watching this roadside artists doing last minute touch up for Durga Puja. I felt these artists deserve more recognition. They do beautiful job and devote themselves to their artistry. They even look as scruffy as posh and celebrated artists! They just completed their deadline for Ganesh Chaturthi. These communities spend their entire time making amazing statues in all different size and shape and postures. But what is even bigger than their art is their willingness to allow their art, their hard work of good six months to be dissolved in water. I wonder what would I do if I was part of their team? I am sure I would cover my creation in water proof mould and request my client to do puja and after symbolic submerge return my sculpture back to me for safe keeping on my top shelf as I loved That unique posture I created! Also is it not so amusing that each piece is unique as compare to standardized plastic moulded Santa we get in Tesco allowing many mouths to earn honorable living and keeping the art form organic and alive?
On the subject of allowing Ganeshji and Durgaji to take a plunge in the water, Indians are increasingly aware of creating environmentally/universally friendly Gods. In our society there is internet group for all occupants and they remind everyone on all these issues too along with other notices!
I am glad this ritual allows yet again another cycle of creating these statues, bringing a year long living for their families again. So in that respect maybe they are not selfless workers and also good businessmen to have settled for consumable items after all!!
On the subject of allowing Ganeshji and Durgaji to take a plunge in the water, Indians are increasingly aware of creating environmentally/universally friendly Gods. In our society there is internet group for all occupants and they remind everyone on all these issues too along with other notices!
I am glad this ritual allows yet again another cycle of creating these statues, bringing a year long living for their families again. So in that respect maybe they are not selfless workers and also good businessmen to have settled for consumable items after all!!
Copyrighting
Haven’t we heard that copying is the ultimate form of flattery? I would call it admiration for someone or something when I copy someone, if I do. Then why are we so obsessing about being copied?
I have seen every other business with the name Venkatesh or Manjunath. There is sizeable followers of Saibaba and most have names Jai Sai Nath. No one person has patented for admiring one God or Role model, simple.
Let me drive past Saibaba Ashram and I have lux villa gated estate called ’10 downing’(I deliberately wont call it ‘colony’). And I wonder why on earth this name? What do they convey? Power? Prestige? Colonial times, English settlement getting off the boat in the IT hub, reminding sweet times during London Holidays? At least they should have verified that 10 downing is not grand and has less bathrooms to add inconvenience to British Prime minister with new born baby. PM struggled to change the curtains and interior and finally moving to 11 downing. I have also seen laariwala by the name Buckingham palace serving roadside food.
As it happens Ahmedabad has great place to buy healthfood Khakhra. Lady who started it called her business ‘Induben khakrawala’. Either God gifted most Indu with Khakhra making art or most khakhra makers happen to have the name Indu. There are now more than one Indu Khakhra outlets. The original Induben has stared printing her own face like ‘most wanted INDU’ on her packaging. Don’t go by the name Indu, check out my pretty face before you buy it. If you have name Indu and want to start khakhra business by your own name why should you require check for copyrighting?
You cant deny other people of using their own names or their Gods to start business. Most Indians will not try to prevent others from doing something, instead they find answer to beat competition by introducing other innovative ways.
I have seen every other business with the name Venkatesh or Manjunath. There is sizeable followers of Saibaba and most have names Jai Sai Nath. No one person has patented for admiring one God or Role model, simple.
Let me drive past Saibaba Ashram and I have lux villa gated estate called ’10 downing’(I deliberately wont call it ‘colony’). And I wonder why on earth this name? What do they convey? Power? Prestige? Colonial times, English settlement getting off the boat in the IT hub, reminding sweet times during London Holidays? At least they should have verified that 10 downing is not grand and has less bathrooms to add inconvenience to British Prime minister with new born baby. PM struggled to change the curtains and interior and finally moving to 11 downing. I have also seen laariwala by the name Buckingham palace serving roadside food.
As it happens Ahmedabad has great place to buy healthfood Khakhra. Lady who started it called her business ‘Induben khakrawala’. Either God gifted most Indu with Khakhra making art or most khakhra makers happen to have the name Indu. There are now more than one Indu Khakhra outlets. The original Induben has stared printing her own face like ‘most wanted INDU’ on her packaging. Don’t go by the name Indu, check out my pretty face before you buy it. If you have name Indu and want to start khakhra business by your own name why should you require check for copyrighting?
You cant deny other people of using their own names or their Gods to start business. Most Indians will not try to prevent others from doing something, instead they find answer to beat competition by introducing other innovative ways.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
de-fine-dinning
I felt really demotivated after that bhakhree incident that I badly needed some booster to put me back in cooking mood! So they had to treat me somewhere!! let me take you to one of the newly opened restaurant. It would be more appropriate to call it food chemistry lab! Its an art, artistry, culinary and science and new techniques rolled in one.
At risk of sounding more like a teacher than a friend I write this…
Its called Caperberry. serves traditional Spanish, French, Italian, Greek ingredients but cooked with most modern technique. Concept of the menu was also different – they prepared Single main ingredient with 3 different techniques for one dish.
First, came complimentary Melon foam shot, super light, frothy and full of fragrance. Made with nitrogen. Lot of their recipes used nitrogen for cooking. This was served with 2 tiny cubes of feta cheese and apple jelly/jelo/tutifruti in a soup spoon.
One of the main dish had 3 preparations of aubergine. Aubergine cappuccino (frothy hot soup), abergine cannelloni (fine sliced and rolled with fetacheese stuffed inside), and baked/roasted slab of cheese stuffed obergine.
One of the dessert dish was made from apple. Spongy cupcake style bite size portion and garnished with apple wafer slice, apple sorbet with concentrated flavor and third with toffee style jelly wedges. All fresh.
Mushroom soup had five exotic variety of fresh mushrooms.
Oh, so you are saying you get all these in Inndeeaaaa???? Aur nahi toh kya?
(Caperberry, considered an aphrodisiac in Hebrew claimed to awaken senses. Its dark green berry with pink flesh and white flowers grow on climbing shrub). When asked chef if I could go inside kitchen and see his tools of cooking in vaccuum, with nitrogen and at ultra low temp and surface cooking, he said no big deal he could prepare the portion on my table if like!!
Now let me try something similar at home next time. My ingredient is good old golden besan. First technique steaming and make tiny portion of dhokla garnished with chilli garlic paste, second technique is boiling, miniscule portion of khaandavi roll drizzed with green chutney and finally the third frying in form of fafda , stack of 3 small squares garnished with diced green chillies.
See, Gujarati fine cuisine looks just as good and is also healthy especially when served on most essential ingredient for fine dinning, a big square white plate to arrange all three bite size portions diagonally.
Enjoy your weekend. Ta.
--------- time pass from menu till food arrives ---------
Deconstruction – Modern reinterpretation of a classic dish using same ingredients but different cooking techniques.
Cryo Cooking – An innovative method of cooking using Liquid Nitrogen. At minus 196°C liquid nitrogen cools the surface of food very quickly creating an interesting texture. At Caperberry we use it for preparing chilled mousses called ‘cryo espuma’ that are frozen on the surface and soft within. They act as palate cleansers and refresh your taste buds.
Sous Vide – Sous vide can be defined as slow cooking under vacuum at a precise temperature. Harold McGee describes it as ‘one of the most important culinary innovations of modern times’. It involves two steps and equipment. The food is packed in a vacuum bag with the help of a vacuum packing machine and then immersed in a water bath heated to the optimal cooking temperature. This prevents the leaching out of juices, retains the tenderness and flavour while cooking the food to perfection.
Espuma – Mousse or sauce incorporated with air using a nitrogen canister or bamix. This makes it light and frothy and helps bring out the flavour.
Caviar – A technique of containing a liquid by itself without any external casing in the form of mini encapsulations resembling caviar. When made to the size of a soup spoon it is also referred to as spherification or skinless ravioli.
At risk of sounding more like a teacher than a friend I write this…
Its called Caperberry. serves traditional Spanish, French, Italian, Greek ingredients but cooked with most modern technique. Concept of the menu was also different – they prepared Single main ingredient with 3 different techniques for one dish.
First, came complimentary Melon foam shot, super light, frothy and full of fragrance. Made with nitrogen. Lot of their recipes used nitrogen for cooking. This was served with 2 tiny cubes of feta cheese and apple jelly/jelo/tutifruti in a soup spoon.
One of the main dish had 3 preparations of aubergine. Aubergine cappuccino (frothy hot soup), abergine cannelloni (fine sliced and rolled with fetacheese stuffed inside), and baked/roasted slab of cheese stuffed obergine.
One of the dessert dish was made from apple. Spongy cupcake style bite size portion and garnished with apple wafer slice, apple sorbet with concentrated flavor and third with toffee style jelly wedges. All fresh.
Mushroom soup had five exotic variety of fresh mushrooms.
Oh, so you are saying you get all these in Inndeeaaaa???? Aur nahi toh kya?
(Caperberry, considered an aphrodisiac in Hebrew claimed to awaken senses. Its dark green berry with pink flesh and white flowers grow on climbing shrub). When asked chef if I could go inside kitchen and see his tools of cooking in vaccuum, with nitrogen and at ultra low temp and surface cooking, he said no big deal he could prepare the portion on my table if like!!
Now let me try something similar at home next time. My ingredient is good old golden besan. First technique steaming and make tiny portion of dhokla garnished with chilli garlic paste, second technique is boiling, miniscule portion of khaandavi roll drizzed with green chutney and finally the third frying in form of fafda , stack of 3 small squares garnished with diced green chillies.
See, Gujarati fine cuisine looks just as good and is also healthy especially when served on most essential ingredient for fine dinning, a big square white plate to arrange all three bite size portions diagonally.
Enjoy your weekend. Ta.
--------- time pass from menu till food arrives ---------
Deconstruction – Modern reinterpretation of a classic dish using same ingredients but different cooking techniques.
Cryo Cooking – An innovative method of cooking using Liquid Nitrogen. At minus 196°C liquid nitrogen cools the surface of food very quickly creating an interesting texture. At Caperberry we use it for preparing chilled mousses called ‘cryo espuma’ that are frozen on the surface and soft within. They act as palate cleansers and refresh your taste buds.
Sous Vide – Sous vide can be defined as slow cooking under vacuum at a precise temperature. Harold McGee describes it as ‘one of the most important culinary innovations of modern times’. It involves two steps and equipment. The food is packed in a vacuum bag with the help of a vacuum packing machine and then immersed in a water bath heated to the optimal cooking temperature. This prevents the leaching out of juices, retains the tenderness and flavour while cooking the food to perfection.
Espuma – Mousse or sauce incorporated with air using a nitrogen canister or bamix. This makes it light and frothy and helps bring out the flavour.
Caviar – A technique of containing a liquid by itself without any external casing in the form of mini encapsulations resembling caviar. When made to the size of a soup spoon it is also referred to as spherification or skinless ravioli.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Driving Force
Finally, more than a year after getting off the driving seat, I want to go behind the wheels again. After few trips to driving school to prove my ID and address I was invited to go for the test to get ‘L’.
As I enter the school, I see a frame with 3 Gods from 3 religions on the wall mounted in one frame. This frame is very popular in many places especially buses. I don’t think it is political statement, its just that they want passengers to feel safe sufferers on precarious roads. No matter who you believe in we can supply raksha kavach to you all.
I was given few road signs to memorize. Most were similar to any other place except for few with animals: No bullock cart, No tonga wala, No push cart etc . And what I thought was commonsense hand signals are now formally taught here. ‘This is for over taking.’ He goes. Meaning what I ask ‘I am over talking’ or ‘you can overtake me’? Later one. Ok then I will use it all the time, and Keyur will never need that one.
Now theory out of the way, his instructor takes 4 of us to RTO.
Rule number one. Don’t think too much. C’mon move.
Now we have been trained by methodical English driving school that we need to check rearview mirror every few seconds and same for wing mirrors. But here front mirror has been adjusted so that instructor can see from his passenger seat, while learner manages to drive without checking what he leaves behind. Typical mentality! We need to focus only on the road ahead and find space to creep inside the space available in front. To keep an eye on other road users is not our business and is total waste of time! To prove a point, look, rickshaw can never reverse, if he over shoots he has to make U turn to reverse 2 metres back or get off and pull the rickshaw back. Thank God they have not modified car engine to suit ‘ahead only’ mentality. Three point turn, reverse parking and all those minor skills will be learnt later on in real life situation. Regarding rearview mirror, I don’t think he means to be nosey but person who spends every waking minute in car need some live entertainment and mirror allows him to see what people are up to in the rear seat.
Rule number 2. Be aware of strength of your vehicle. As we drive forward, instructor asked to stop the car, called cyclist and hackled him for god knows why. If you have not worked hard enough in life to be able to ride bigger vehicle then it serves you right to be taunted! This land of Gods with so many variety of vehicle in ancient time lived in total harmony. Ambaji from her tiger and bruhaspathi on his elephant respected Ganesh ji on his mouse. Whatever happened to that?
At office, I went in chamber to see officer. He has no moochh and long dhadhi but has ganesh and lukshmi with fresh garland on the wall. (Everyone likes hassle free life with lot of money. Also, I feel that brainy professionals have luxury to hold strong political and religious views as they are confident of their skills and secure in jobs where as people in business see every human interaction as potential profitable business and are more tolerant) ok let me not stray and get back on road to driving….
He decided I don’t need test after all. And grants me L.
As I enter the school, I see a frame with 3 Gods from 3 religions on the wall mounted in one frame. This frame is very popular in many places especially buses. I don’t think it is political statement, its just that they want passengers to feel safe sufferers on precarious roads. No matter who you believe in we can supply raksha kavach to you all.
I was given few road signs to memorize. Most were similar to any other place except for few with animals: No bullock cart, No tonga wala, No push cart etc . And what I thought was commonsense hand signals are now formally taught here. ‘This is for over taking.’ He goes. Meaning what I ask ‘I am over talking’ or ‘you can overtake me’? Later one. Ok then I will use it all the time, and Keyur will never need that one.
Now theory out of the way, his instructor takes 4 of us to RTO.
Rule number one. Don’t think too much. C’mon move.
Now we have been trained by methodical English driving school that we need to check rearview mirror every few seconds and same for wing mirrors. But here front mirror has been adjusted so that instructor can see from his passenger seat, while learner manages to drive without checking what he leaves behind. Typical mentality! We need to focus only on the road ahead and find space to creep inside the space available in front. To keep an eye on other road users is not our business and is total waste of time! To prove a point, look, rickshaw can never reverse, if he over shoots he has to make U turn to reverse 2 metres back or get off and pull the rickshaw back. Thank God they have not modified car engine to suit ‘ahead only’ mentality. Three point turn, reverse parking and all those minor skills will be learnt later on in real life situation. Regarding rearview mirror, I don’t think he means to be nosey but person who spends every waking minute in car need some live entertainment and mirror allows him to see what people are up to in the rear seat.
Rule number 2. Be aware of strength of your vehicle. As we drive forward, instructor asked to stop the car, called cyclist and hackled him for god knows why. If you have not worked hard enough in life to be able to ride bigger vehicle then it serves you right to be taunted! This land of Gods with so many variety of vehicle in ancient time lived in total harmony. Ambaji from her tiger and bruhaspathi on his elephant respected Ganesh ji on his mouse. Whatever happened to that?
At office, I went in chamber to see officer. He has no moochh and long dhadhi but has ganesh and lukshmi with fresh garland on the wall. (Everyone likes hassle free life with lot of money. Also, I feel that brainy professionals have luxury to hold strong political and religious views as they are confident of their skills and secure in jobs where as people in business see every human interaction as potential profitable business and are more tolerant) ok let me not stray and get back on road to driving….
He decided I don’t need test after all. And grants me L.
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