Didi to gift soaps and towels to kids (satire)

Didi, like Moody, was always on the move and, while she travels within the country, Moody loves and prefers foreign locales. Of course, Didi did go abroad and was impressed by the sights and sounds of Singapore and London – but, that is history. Her vision is now on 2016.
‘Get me Patro Chatto,’ she ordered her PA.
And, within no time, the great Patro Chatto came up as if he was waiting in the wings.
‘Have you arranged my next tour?’ she asked.
‘Yes – this time it is the turn of the north,’ Patro said.
‘What is the plan?’ Didi asked. ‘How many of what?’
‘On last count, it was 40 each of inauguration and stone laying.’
‘That means a total of 80 – why don’t you make it a full 100?’
Patro blinked. Didi was to leave within a couple of days and it would be extremely difficult to arrange another 20 at such short notice. He knew she would not accept a ‘no’ for an answer and he would have to add another 20 to the list.

Didi loves to inaugurate projects wherever she goes, either inaugurate earlier projects or lay foundation stones of new ones. The projects she inaugurates would have been set in motion by her predecessors and include bridges, roads, hospitals etcetera.
The laying of foundation stones of new projects will be indicators of her ardent desire to see the betterment of her people. Here also the same categories get featured. If they get complete during her tenure, she can take credit – but such a situation very seldom happens.
In politics, he who initiates hardly ever get to reap the benefits. He does the hard work, someone else gets the credit.
Suddenly Didi broke into Patro’s thoughts.
‘And – what will I gift will I take with me for the kids in these areas?’
‘We have got ready bicycles,’ Patro replied.
‘Oh Patro, I want to do something new. Bicycles and laptops are outdated. Everyone gifts those. Let us be original.’ Patro kept quiet. He knew Didi had already decided on what to gift.
‘This time I want to gift the children soaps and towels,’ she said. ‘I want to spread the message of a Swatchh Bharat, a clean India. Our next generation should know that cleanliness is next to godliness.’
Patro gulped again. He would have to cancel order of bicycles and order soaps and towels instead. He realized that Didi wanted to impress Moody, hence her swatchh abhiyan. (to be continued …)

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)

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Some Prime Ministers ride to office on bicycles, why not we?

Prime Minister of Netherlands is Mark Rutte and he arrives at his office and goes home after work on a bicycle. In 2012, he shocked the Iranian delegation when he arrived at work riding a bicycle. In Australia, Tony Abbot, the new Prime Minister also rode to work through the suburbs of Sydney on a bicycle.

These are a couple of examples and, if people who can influence others set a trend like using bicycles for traveling short distances, it would be a boon to the world that is weighed down by matters relating to protection of the environment. And, in order to bring home the concept, bicycle companies should market their products more aggressively – they could rope in celebrities of the movie world.
But, powered two wheelers are the current rage as one can understand from the popular brands that vie for grabbing eyeballs via the audio-visual medium called the television but, sadly, no one bothers about the bicycle which also is a two wheeler.
Powered two wheelers like scooters or motorbikes mean pollution of the environment due to the obnoxious fumes of burnt fuel whereas the cycle apart from being environment friendly, provides exercise to the body. It helps to tone up the muscles and build up stamina.
It is not that we do not see bicycles – schoolkids use them if the school is nearby. In some villages, these vehicles are in use by the old-fashioned people but, the youngsters believe in keeping up with the latest trends and zoom about on motorbikes that they have seen used by their favorite movie stars. The roads may still be rough and through fields but, the riders are not much worried – they want power and, power they must have.
When it comes to cities, bicycles are practically nonexistent. In cities like Bangalore and Pune, one can see bike lanes on the main roads dedicated to bicycles – at least there are signboards to that effect. But, people are afraid to use these lanes because of encroachment by the more powerful two and even three and four wheelers. It’s all about might is right.(to be continued …)

(Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org)
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Kanpur and its freezing cold winters and scorching hot summers

Life in Kanpur was a sort of revelation for me in many ways. One thing was mobility which was ensured by two wheelers – in the 1960s, two wheelers meant bicycles because motorized two wheelers were the privilege of a select few. One of them was a friend of mine who had received in his dowry. He hailed from Bihar and early marriage in that part of the country was quite common.
Another of my friends bought an old Harley Davidson at an auction and would spend hours repairing it to make it roadworthy. He actually did make it serviceable and would ride it to the factory.
Anyway, Kanpur is well known for its extremes of weather because in winter, the temperature drops to near freezing point while in summer, it would become unbearably hot.
Summer meant air coolers to keep the rooms cool, and, everyone tried to complete all outdoor activities either early in the mornings of in the evenings. If they had to go out during the day, they would have to take precautions – there would be special green mango sherbets available on the roadside shops or lassis. If nothing else, there would be fresh lime sherbets to provide temporary relief from the summer heat.
Then there would be the sudden andhi or dust storms.
I had stayed for a few months in the quarters of J K Colony in Chakeri and saw that during summer, people slept in the open, under the sky. As evening fell, they would bring out their cots (better known as charpois), keep the portable lamp nearby and also an earthen pot of water. Then the radio would be tuned to Vividh Bharti and the families would have their dinner as they listened to the filmi songs. Dinner over, they would retire beneath the mosquito nets.
This schedule was followed by young and old alike – yes, even the newlyweds!!
In winter, the situation changed completely. It was all indoors with the heaters on – those who did not have room heaters would go in for ovens. And – to keep out the cold, the quilts and blankets would come out along with the pullovers, mufflers, monkey caps, gloves – yes, woolen gloves was necessary to ensure that the fingers did not freeze while cycling. (to be continued …)

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