Should I complain to his parents?

So this Sunday, we celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi. Everybody was having fun. There was happiness all around. So what does this mean?

a) It gives many, the right to create a make shift pandals on the roads, blocking almost 60% of the road width. But they are aware of their social responsibilities so they always have some people deputed to guide the traffic that Ganesha is sitting here, so you better take the detour.
Its the riders/drivers fault that they chose to take that road, when there are many pot-holed, 1 lane by lanes, that one can take anytime. Traveling on them might be like cycling the pristine by-cycles but that would atleast save some time. And note that only the atheists, the blasphemous would dare to put their time over and above the Lord.

b) It also gives many, the right to use loudspeakers. Blaring music right from the time when the first of the first of the first photons of the sunray beats upon the earth until the time when the last of last of last photons barely manages to skim the earth. Early of the earliest morning to the latest of late evening. So the neighborhood’s sleep goes for a spin. But we are content that atleast they are making the Ganesh happy.

c) Not to miss the gang of kids on the roads. The only homework they then know is of standing on the road in bunches, numbering to a large number, which would put shame to the cumulative strengths of armies and militant organization of the world. Their dictionary is limited to few words, "Donation uncle, Ganesh!". Makes me wonder, do I look that old? One gang after another they pound on the passers-by. You pay them, Rs 10 is not acceptable is a straight reply, if not by will then to save yourself from the school of piranhas nibbling on you piece-meal.

d) Others find it a great way to show to themselves or maybe to others, gossiping is contagious, their religious bent. They visit from many to any pandals. I don't know what they look for blessings, sandals or something else!!

And it makes me wonder, does Ganesh love it when Himesh Reshmiya croons “Aashik banaya Aapne” or does he really feels like dancing when a chart buster of local lingo is blasting from the loudspeakers? Does he really care about those groups dancing on the roads? Does he worry about those people who after putting a hard day at work would like to sleep well? Does he get upset that celebration for some has become a nuisance for many?

What wrong did I do? I wonder. Why I am not allowed to get a good sleep? Why do I have to be stopped at every corner? Why do I have to slow down on my way to office at every nook and corner of the road? Why has begging taken a new guise under the cloak of religious collection?

Is Ganesha punishing me because I don’t remember when was the last time I went to a temple? Is he punishing me because I don’t contribute to those collections? Is he punishing me that I don’t have faith in the people who collect the money? Is he punishing me that my prayers are limited to just half and hour of modest effort a day?

Should I complain to his parents?

And Sambha asked for mercy...

PJ's of all PJ's ...

Gabber: Kitne Aadmi they.

Sambha: Sardar Do,

Gabber: Mujhe ginti nahi aati. Do kitne hotey hain?

Sambha: Sardar Do Ek ke baad aata hai.

Gabber: Aur Do ke pehle?

Sambha: Do ke pehle Ek aata hai.

Gabber: To beech mein kaun aata hai?

Sambha: Beech mein koi nahi aata.

Gabber: To fir Dono ek saath kyon nahi atey?

Sambha: Do Ek ke baad hi aa sakta hai, kyonki Do ek se bada hai.

Gabber: Do ek se bada hai? Kitna bada hai?

Sambha: Do ek se Ek bada hai?

Gabber: Agar Do ek se ek bada hai to ek ek se kitna bada hai?

Sambha: Sardar, Maine tumhara namak khaya hai, mujhe goli mar do

Practice makes man Perfect.... Bangalore??

I was raised in an environment where one amongst the many rules of life were "Practice makes man perfect". I was told that this rule will make me become a better person in all aspects of life, personal, professional and as a part of the "society".

And guess what? As I stand now decades down and beyond the realms of those rules, I find that probably I myself am the only person who knew these golden rules. There are examples aplenty around me. Better person, in all aspects of life, personal, professional and as a part of the "society", all that I became and this came with its own entourage of irritation and frustration.


The one thing that glares right on my face is the surroundings, the things that affect my daily life.

In Part one of this series:

For example:

Take the case of this shit-hole organization people call BMP aka Bangalore Municipal Corporation, and all its offshoots (read CMC etc.) They have been laying the roads, or the contractors have been laying the roads for so many decades. The roads laid afresh and the ones which have a new layer of metal on it, don't in anyway suggest that these people are in this job for so long. Practice makes man perfect!! You ride you bike/drive your card on these and you can feel the road surface as if your surf riding on a wave of metalled road. They are far from even and smooth but atleast better than 0.5-1 foot deep and 2-3 foot long craters for which the euphemism here is "Potholes". Yeah the wiki says that LA is famous for it, doesn't mean we hsould be proud of giving it run for its name.

There are so many flyovers under construction in Bangalore. Under construction, yes well atleast for the last 3-4 years and for will be for the next 2-3 years. Take any flyover, the one at SilkBoard junction, one Jayadeva Hospital; name any and you have many. Most of them have only purpose, to dramatically decrease the transmit time for that junction/crossing. In effect they are just means to dislocate the traffic jam; pick up the traffic jam from this end and dump it on the other. Silk Board, there's traffic jam At Bommnahalli and at Madivala. Jayadeva, there's traffic jam on Bannerghatta Rd. Things were atleast better on Banenrghatta Rd earlier. If not great atleast a bit better!

Take the drains. Every monsoon they de-silt the drain. Every monsoon!! Yes every monsoon. So is there so much of loose soil? No exactly. They de-silt the drain, remove the trash in the drain and dump it next to the drain. So a wild gush of wind blows off some of that silt into that de-silted drain. Come a shower and most of it goes back to its source, the drain.

Pareto Analysis holds well in all the domains. 80% of the problems are due to 20% of the causes. I listed three of those 20%.

I should better leave for home. It takes me 45 mintues to 1 hours to go back home, 13.76 kilometers. Later than now would mean getting stuk in traffic jam for hours and hours.

Thanks for my iPOD I'm still sane and not yet afflicted with road rage.