Rain and chaos

After sweltering weather for about 2-3 weeks, yesterday Delhi-NCR region got some much awaited rain (and hailstorm as bonus). The day started normally ... heat and dust ... but by 3‘o clock, the skies turned dark and grey. I was sitting on my chair ... working (hehe ... really I was) ... and when I looked out the window ... the dark clouds brought a smile on my face. I don’t like summers ... specially Delhi’s summers. It’s hot ... humid ... sometimes absolutely inhospitable. The temperatures can touch 48-49 degrees (hot enough ... ahahahaha). And I am talking about Celsius ... not Fahrenheit. For all those who count in Fs ... it’s nearly 120 degrees (whopping). April experienced an unprecedented heated weather ... breaking 50 years records (stupid global warming ... d’uh). I was hoping and praying that things calm down a bit ... and yesterday rain gods heard my prayers. It rained ... and at some places ... hailstorms.

But something’s gotta give ... with every good thing ... how can bad stuff be left behind. Rain bought chaos ... the traffic went for a tailspin. The roads were chockablock ... traffic was as slow as snail. When I reached ISBT (to catch Metro), I was told that the Rithala (my train) route is not functioning. Due to rain, the line developed some fault (I guess short circuit in some transformer) ... and the line is completely closed. Ufff ... what a bummer. I still got to the platform and ... boy o boy ... the platform was a sea of people. They were still waiting (hoping would be a better choice of word) for the train. The clock kept on displaying 6 minutes as time for arrival (next train). Ahahaha ... I guess to provide false hope ... what a herd. Funny thing ... no body seems to care that whenever the time for the next train becomes 1 minute ... the clock starts showing 6 minutes (reset).


I asked the Metro staff and he told me that the line is closed for the past 3 hours. He then received some information on his walkie-talkie ... the train is coming. Wuhu !!! Finally the train came ... but I could not got inside. You have to be a superman to get past the huge crowd ... so I though that I will wait for the next train. I kept on waiting ... 15 minutes ... 20 minutes ... but the next train did not come. I lost my patience and got down ... went straight to the underground level and caught the Jehangir Puri metro, which dropped me at Azad Pur station. Its 15 minutes drive from my place ... and my Mamaji (maternal uncle) was already waiting for me (I called him from the train).

One rain ... and the entire city get crippled.

Hell ride

What an agonizing end of day ...

I usually take an auto-rickshaw till Anand Vihar, followed by a 15-20 minutes bus ride to Dilshad Garden. From there, I take the Metro to reach home. Ahhh sweet home ... which becomes even sweeter after a hard days work. This is my normal commute routine (morning as well as evening). Today, I decided to go back home via bus ... big mistake.

I used to commute via bus (till ISBT and then Metro), especially in the evenings. But the Dilshad Garden route is 15-20 minutes shorter so I usually take that route. Even though traveling via bus means I don’t have to change as many modes of transportation ... those extra 15-20 minutes to reach home don’t go down well with me. Anyhoo ... just for a change I tried the bus yesterday ... and I was pleasantly surprised by the timings. It took me almost same amount of time ... and I didn’t had to change autos and buses to reach the Metro. So I thought that what the heck ... lets do the bus again. As usual ... my luck ran out on me ... within 10 minutes of its journey, the bus met with an accident with a car. To be fair, the bus driver was not at fault ... the stupid car driver was in wrong lane and collided (not badly tough) with the bus ... even though the bus driver tried his best to steer the bus. Boy ... once the car touched the bus, all hell broke loose. The car guy stopped the car in front of the bus and started cussing the bus driver. Things just didn’t ended there ... incidentally the car belonged to some local politician. The car guy called him and within 15 minutes a SUV came ... and out came the local netas (politicians) along with a machine gun clad policeman. Although they didn’t created a scene ... but you can feel it ... they meant business. Somehow the bus driver convinced them (gave them his boss's number ... put 2 plus 2 together) and we were on our way ... again.

The pain was not finished there ... what do you know ... we got stuck in a deadlock traffic jam. At a crossing, the traffic light was not working. What else you need for a complete mayhem ... a broken traffic signal. No wait ... I forgot to mention ... there were no traffic policemen either to control the situation. Ahahahaha ... now the picture is complete ... total anarchy ... absolute chaos ... you gotta feel amazed at darn luck sometimes. After plenty of yelling and honking, the bus driver managed to squeeze the bus and finally I reached ISBT Metro station. I looked at the time ... I was 40 minutes late. Fuck !!!

I tried to calm myself and started to climb up ... was practically running on the escalator. But could not reach the platform on time ... watched the train go pass by ... damn it ... now I was totally pissed. I could have caught the train but due to those assholes on the escalator I could not. Why do people block the entire escalator ... leaving no room for people to climb up. When a person is going up the escalator (walking) ... have some goddam courtesy and leave some fucking room. Gosh ... I was so angry that I literally wanted to kick their asses. Anyhoo ... I did not ... wuss. I looked up and saw that the next train is 4 minutes away. OK ... not so bad. I was waiting in the queue ... the train came ... the doors opened ... and the asshole behind me decided to break the line and rush in. I just had enough of shit for the day ... I totally hulked up ... and gave him a piece of mind. Why do people have to rush in ... just for the sake of seat? If you are old or a girl ... I can understand ... but if you are a grown ass man ... there is no excuse to rush in. 15 minutes of standing won't make you paraplegic.

Things like these make me feel ashamed ... people not leaving rooms on escalators ... rushing in to grab a seat in Metro. I have experienced the subway in NYC, the tube in London, and the Bangkok metro ... believe me ... those public transportation carry more people than Delhi’s Metro ... but I have never seen such rudeness ... such indecent behavior. When will Delhi’s people grow up???

Finally, I reached home ... a thought crossed my mind ... I got down at ISBT ... but most of the commuters do not take the Metro ... they travel the rest of the journey in the bus itself ... and judging by traffic, I can safely assume that they would have reached their homes ... at least 60-70 minutes late than usual ... I feel pity ... may god bless them with a good night sleep.

Even after all this ... I will take the bus tomorrow as well ... see I am "try anything twice" kinda guy ... and for me first impressions are not always the last impression. LOL !!!

Cheers ... time for me to go now and take a well deserved nap ... will see you all soon. Chao !!!

Waiting for winters

Its 9th December and still Delhi is waiting for its famous winters. The day temperatures are still in mid-high 20s (ºC) and nights are still reeling under double figure temperatures ... way above normal. Dilli ki sardi (Delhi’s winter) is legendary among Indians, especially the Hindi speaking folks. Delhi is like a weather lab where one gets to experience the 2 main seasons – summer and winter – to the extreme. If summers burn you with near 50 degrees, winters can freeze you with near 0 degree. Not many places on this planet can boost of such a huge temp-range ... one of the reasons why I love Delhi. No wonder we Dilliwalas (Delhiites) can go to any place without fearing the weather gods. When I was in NYC last year (in winter season), even the day temp use to be near 0ºC. The hotel I stayed in was inhabited by many south Indians (who never really experience winters back home). Those folks were not very comfortable in such conditions. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the winters immensely. Not that we get such chilly conditions back home, but it was easier for me to adapt. Similarly, I have seen so many foreigners apply bucket load of sunscreen lotions and drinking tanks full of liquids when they visit my city in summers (to enjoy Indian summers ... huh!!!) even in April. Where as we Delhiites don’t even flinch in June-July, when the Sun seems to be really HOT (literally).

I hail from a small village (Kanuta) in Churu district, Rajasthan (adjoining state), which also has a similar weather pattern. Churu have always been in the news for weather reasons. It boosts of the highest and lowest temps in India (for plain regions). In fact, the variation in the minimum and maximum temperature may very well be greatest for any place in the world. Having made Delhi my home and my karma bhoomi (land of my actions), I adapted its culture and weather like a hand in a glove. Like every hardcore Delhiite, I too enjoy a good (and lazy) night sleep in rajayi (quilt) and drinking garam garam chai (hot tea) along with pakore (Indian snack). Aaahhhh ... absolute bliss

I love it when I struggle to see in the dense fog (pollution also plays a part in it) ... I love it when I shiver while driving (never used the heater option in my car ... never ever) ... I love it when it gets dark at 6’o clock in the evening, I love it when the sun don’t shine for days and I love it when I actually miss the sun. So many things that I want to feel and yet the winters are not here. Damn !!!

Transit Devils

When I was coming back to home in the metro, I suddenly started thinking why I hate traveling in crowded public transportation ... I had my notepad with me and I started to jot down few of nuisances which really peeves me ... some of them are as follows:

• Stinker – I don’t know about you guys, but have you commuted in a crowded bus or metro lately… gawdddddddd ... people stinks (no pun intended ... they really do). We live in a tropical country ... sweating is our birthright ... but scientists have made few “tools” just to oppress this right… things like perfumes and deodorants. These products are there for a reason ... they are not mere good looking bottles on shelves ... we need to use them more often and as often.
• Scratch off – This one is really unnerving for most civilized societies. How many times you’ve seen a person just “touching” himself/herself in an inappropriate manner ... No no no ... don’t let loose your voyeuristic sailboats ... I’m talking about people scrathing and digging the unmentionables. Sometimes, some places where no human being should go ... you get my drift ... the less said the better.
• Hair raising – Most of us Indians are blessed with “forests” all over our bodies ... its in our genes ... we can’t run away from it. But, we can at least curb their growth. Remember ... “your” forest is not a part of fight against global warming. Girls ... I'm talking to you only. Cut them !! Keep your hands and legs clean ... at least
• Grunge - C’mon this ain’t 1992. The grunge look is not cool. People, at least try to wear clean clothes ... even if they are not in-sync with the latest fad. Being untidy is not a look ... it simply shows how clumsy you are ... and nop it doesn’t look good – not on most Indian men and women.
• Couture – This one is mainly aimed at Delhi babes. I know you are the best looking girls in India but c’mon do you have anything in your wardrobe except for jeans and tees? And Delhi dudes…. What’s up with those bathroom slippers ... do you need to take a leak all the time or what ... why those freaking chappals all the freaking time?
• Vocal – This is like a nightmare. How many times you have seen a person talking on his cell phone like he is in the war and he can’t hear the conversation because of bombs exploding in the background. If not this, then playing the radio as if the railcar is one’s bedroom

Don’t even think that I was being politically correct ... Yeah ... I’m talking to you dames ... you also are in the same boat.

Anyhooo, got the remote fixed yesterday ... the world started to make sense again ... LOL