A day of firsts
Today was the second lap of the great rat race. First day at work turned out to be quite an eye-opener. While much of what I experienced would be just another day in the office for quite a few but it turned out to be a sight for me. No big deal this, it's probably occurred right under my nose and missed my attention.
Well, I started the day boarding a bus in a manner which is truly in spirit and action alien to the hot headed buggers of Delhi. The a/c bus that ferries hundreds of people around Mumbai halted in front of me and like a bunch of disciplined soldiers each one of us got on to the bus. Each of the 50 odd that made us. At the risk of exaggerating, I must admit that the discipline that I witnessed today is unheard, unimaginable and in all likelihood ridiculed in Delhi. We all share the same sky, land, air and dirty politicians. Then what makes the lot in this city a much more respectful and disciplined gentry. The answer is at most speculative: empathy. Each one understands that the other guy is going through the same grind day in and day out and they are 'in it together'. The case is just the opposite up north where thoroughfare is a right and empathy is, well, expected and strictly not to be reciprocated.
While on my way back from office to home, I was also witness to another phenomenon which I believe will take ages to happen in Delhi. I saw a jam of pedestrian traffic. An actual traffic jam made up entirely of people. People who were stuck where they were because they couldn't move because there were only people all around them. I was quick to spot that and took the 'bypass' to cut through the narrow alleys of city and reach my destination. The sea of people that I bypassed on my way had by then manipulated the forces of nature and found their respective paths. Life had resumed normality. Not that this was the slightest deviation, it was at most a meaningless distraction that gave them a chance to smile at their condition.
A memorable day has drawn to a close. Ah, life and its small pleasures.
Well, I started the day boarding a bus in a manner which is truly in spirit and action alien to the hot headed buggers of Delhi. The a/c bus that ferries hundreds of people around Mumbai halted in front of me and like a bunch of disciplined soldiers each one of us got on to the bus. Each of the 50 odd that made us. At the risk of exaggerating, I must admit that the discipline that I witnessed today is unheard, unimaginable and in all likelihood ridiculed in Delhi. We all share the same sky, land, air and dirty politicians. Then what makes the lot in this city a much more respectful and disciplined gentry. The answer is at most speculative: empathy. Each one understands that the other guy is going through the same grind day in and day out and they are 'in it together'. The case is just the opposite up north where thoroughfare is a right and empathy is, well, expected and strictly not to be reciprocated.
While on my way back from office to home, I was also witness to another phenomenon which I believe will take ages to happen in Delhi. I saw a jam of pedestrian traffic. An actual traffic jam made up entirely of people. People who were stuck where they were because they couldn't move because there were only people all around them. I was quick to spot that and took the 'bypass' to cut through the narrow alleys of city and reach my destination. The sea of people that I bypassed on my way had by then manipulated the forces of nature and found their respective paths. Life had resumed normality. Not that this was the slightest deviation, it was at most a meaningless distraction that gave them a chance to smile at their condition.
A memorable day has drawn to a close. Ah, life and its small pleasures.
posted by Saurabh at
1:24 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home