Sep 5 2009.
Meri Jaan, continuing from where we left last, I am really having a blast in India, and that is a big Thumbs Up - WHOA !!
But lots of scenes just flash back and forth between US and India (not as a comparison, but it just happens Meri Jaan :)
The other day, my life almost flashed past me when I thought we were approaching a traffic light, and we were going to stop. To my baffle, no one stopped at the red light. Everyone simply zoomed through the red light.
Suddenly, I saw a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, about 20 people and a truck coming at the same time to blow our car away. Not sure how it worked out, but all of them passed our car with just a few flashing light signals and yes the deadly HONKING !! ?
Phew !! This is what I am talking about - a 360 degree change from a place of basic civic conduct to a state of no basic conduct !
Not that it really matters, but it got me thinking that why would people cross a red signal? Is’nt that the basic rule of driving, be it a bicycle or a car. Maybe they are in a hurry (for what - to get pass the next light ??)
Well, let me move past these issues to the festival of the season and that's another Whoa !!
I went down to the dariya to see the ganpati visarjan, and let me tell you this was an absolutely sensory fascinating and visually captivating event !
There was an absolute fair like atmosphere.
Kids running in the water, parents doing the rituals (making sure the diya does not die down by surrounding themselves around the diya), others were sitting over the concrete sides and watching the fun.
The best deafening part was 5000Watts of Ganpati Bappa Moriya on a local totalled up truck that had these huge speakers ! No wonder people start using ear plugs sooner in India? :)
Amidst all this mela, I could feel the dariya-ki-breeze and see the neon-ly lighted bandra-worli sea link bridge, and lots of firecrackers lighting up the sky – and trust me these crackers had loud sounds (these were not the 4th of july silent ones :)
To some, this might appear to be just another event, but most rituals and rights in apna swades are bound to or specific to one religion.
Ganpati visarjan is one such event that is not bound to one religion, this is done by everyone !!
Even all the Bollywood stars like Shahrukh, Salman, Aamir are the first ones to do the visarjan ! Oho Meri Jaan!! I am not trying to go into the Mile sur mera tumhara national integration lecture, but it was great to be right in the middle of all these happenings.
The sad part was seeing all the garbage on the side of the the dariya, now only if the municipal corporation could have kept that clean, I would have said another Whoa !!!
Well, cant complain because garbage is another of the desi surroundings that we just have to accept and live with!!
Honestly, it might seem like a pyscho-culturally-360 degree-shock just walking your way through the hustle-bustle, dust, traffic, dhakkam-dhakka, pollution and scorching heat !!
Still, in the end it is apna des Meri Jaan :)
Tou meri jaan, aaj ke liye itna hi, till next time, stay safe, stay in loeve and sabhi maanus bolaa Ganpati Bappa Moriya !!!
Meri Jaan, continuing from where we left last, I am really having a blast in India, and that is a big Thumbs Up - WHOA !!But lots of scenes just flash back and forth between US and India (not as a comparison, but it just happens Meri Jaan :)
The other day, my life almost flashed past me when I thought we were approaching a traffic light, and we were going to stop. To my baffle, no one stopped at the red light. Everyone simply zoomed through the red light.
Suddenly, I saw a bicycle, a motorcycle, a car, about 20 people and a truck coming at the same time to blow our car away. Not sure how it worked out, but all of them passed our car with just a few flashing light signals and yes the deadly HONKING !! ?Phew !! This is what I am talking about - a 360 degree change from a place of basic civic conduct to a state of no basic conduct !
Not that it really matters, but it got me thinking that why would people cross a red signal? Is’nt that the basic rule of driving, be it a bicycle or a car. Maybe they are in a hurry (for what - to get pass the next light ??)
Well, let me move past these issues to the festival of the season and that's another Whoa !!I went down to the dariya to see the ganpati visarjan, and let me tell you this was an absolutely sensory fascinating and visually captivating event !
There was an absolute fair like atmosphere.
Kids running in the water, parents doing the rituals (making sure the diya does not die down by surrounding themselves around the diya), others were sitting over the concrete sides and watching the fun.The best deafening part was 5000Watts of Ganpati Bappa Moriya on a local totalled up truck that had these huge speakers ! No wonder people start using ear plugs sooner in India? :)
Amidst all this mela, I could feel the dariya-ki-breeze and see the neon-ly lighted bandra-worli sea link bridge, and lots of firecrackers lighting up the sky – and trust me these crackers had loud sounds (these were not the 4th of july silent ones :)
To some, this might appear to be just another event, but most rituals and rights in apna swades are bound to or specific to one religion.Ganpati visarjan is one such event that is not bound to one religion, this is done by everyone !!
Even all the Bollywood stars like Shahrukh, Salman, Aamir are the first ones to do the visarjan ! Oho Meri Jaan!! I am not trying to go into the Mile sur mera tumhara national integration lecture, but it was great to be right in the middle of all these happenings.
The sad part was seeing all the garbage on the side of the the dariya, now only if the municipal corporation could have kept that clean, I would have said another Whoa !!!Well, cant complain because garbage is another of the desi surroundings that we just have to accept and live with!!
Honestly, it might seem like a pyscho-culturally-360 degree-shock just walking your way through the hustle-bustle, dust, traffic, dhakkam-dhakka, pollution and scorching heat !!Still, in the end it is apna des Meri Jaan :)
Tou meri jaan, aaj ke liye itna hi, till next time, stay safe, stay in loeve and sabhi maanus bolaa Ganpati Bappa Moriya !!!
12 comments:
I really miss India. Ganpati is my fav time to be in Mumbai. I feel sad but thank you Pankaj.
So you are having fun while we are bearing this chilly weather. Do you know it was in the 50s last 2 days? This summer sucks. When do you come back?
LOL. My daughter always asks about the animals on the streets. Indian government really needs to focus on their infrastructure needs and how can they make it really better. Ganpati Visarjan is always a pleasure. Keep up the blog.
You will get used to the traffic and the pollution. India is a great place once you get past the basic hurdles.
Are you visiting India or in India for good? Someone else comes on EBC Evening drive time at your spot and they are horrible. You should visit the Lal bagh ka raja visarjan, that is the best.
Law enforcement is horrible in India. Look at the pic that you have sent, the traffic is horrible.
Khoob bhalo. Jai Bappa.
This is an interesting post. I am an American working for an IT Services company in Chennai. India is still a growing country, I would say: YEIH for Culture, Color, Curry, Chutney, Chai and Couture; NEIH for Chaos, Commotion, Crowd, Personal credibility, Construction and Crisis Management issues. BTW I loved the Ganesha festival, the dancing and the music.
I love my India.
Glad to see you having fun back home. I am from Pakistan and it is the same deal there. It is a little better in bigger cities, but in Pindi and all it is horrible. More cars, but no road infra and now with the Talibani takeover the country is going down boon docks. Keep up the great blog.
I will be visiting India around Diwali. I love the festivals and colors in India. Chris nailed it right about India but forgot another thing "Corruption". Who can forget those local police people and the babus or clerks in any government office?
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Meri Jaan People,
For now, I am going to be in India for some more time. Thank you for visiting the blog !
- Pankaj
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