ROAD REFLECTIONS

(Note: 1. My fellow citizens may find it novice. It's not for them. 2. My address to 'Sirs' include 'Madams' too. I can have that kind type definitions in C! The picture here is of a road in Japan. Thanks to Goutam. )

Though I'm not a jet-setter still, I had some opportunity to visit some other countries. When one visits a foreign country at the first instance the roads catch your imaginations. Particularly for me a good straight road is of a pleasure. And I believe that's so for my fellow citizens. Sometimes, I feel the road features and features around roads somehow reflects a country. I'm not a social scientist to prove my hypothesis. But, for Indian context being a novice in social science I can say my hypothesis is more or less true. Let me prove it. It will not be like my earlier theory on a social operator on my blog http://mokatha.blogspot.com/2008/09/side-kick-social-operator.html I can't make it mathematical though would like to be that way. Sir / madam, that's the way I'm told you can sell (make) papers (research) in my profession. And I should get into that art sooner rather. But, here somehow that trait does not get reflected. I'll surely try for it later, I have to sir, to live up to my new pay commission. Anyway, let me see how does our roads reflects my society. I'll put seven points only. We in India, like the number seven. In our epics they say 'sa't janam' (born seven times to cross human life cycle) , 'sat phera' (make seven rounds of sacred fire to get in and out of a bondage) , 'sa't bar' (utter seven times to make a promise) , 'sa't saamudra' (Vishnu sleeps on his snake-bed beyond seven seas) etc. So, I'll stick to seven only to be well taken.

1.Hardly, a road in India is straight

That is how we live in our society, Sir. Nobody talks to the point straight whatever way that much watched anchor corners our beloved future makers.
My ex-boss also had another theory for it. He said for this quality only we Indians do very good programming. Somehow, we can make a program work by putting many go-to, if-then-else constructs. Of course he added, that's why we don't make software products.

2. If geographically the road is blessed to be straight, we love to put speed breakers

Sirs, when you visit us must be wondering of speed breakers. You should not and I'm sure you will appreciate of knowing our noble cause for it. We in this country are are very friendly people and we live perfectly and even physically together (though occasionally your press tells you of our bickering. But sir, it's not always true. Believe me.). And now a days you are sending vehicles of varying speeds and we don't want our friend surpass us. At speed breakers we can meet each other again. That is not enough sir. We have made speed breakers in functioning of all kinds of places like institutes, offices.

3.Everything under Sun is on our road

You must have seen cows, buffaloes and play grounds on our roads. And all the types of transports are also found there. That may be puzzling to you. But sirs, you should not. Actually, we are very transparent people. You can see everything we have on our road. Even you will find people in plush colonies eagerly hang their under linens making visible to roads. Let's not talk of vendors and unsold gods http://mokatha.blogspot.com/2008/04/gods-sojourn.html etc.

4.Roads are toilets

Most of the male Indians pee on rads. You may feel shameless. I agree with you sir. But, that is natural to them sir. Probably, that way they can save few minutes or save a coin by peeing by the side of the road. Anyway, ours is a sunny country. We have hot Sun to take care of environmental problem. But, do they do so when do they visit your country? You must tell me on my blog ( put comments).

5.Crazy traffic

This point if you make on traffic of my country I'll agree to you the hundred percent, Sirs. We while on move, try to make use of every inch of unpopulated place on road. You don't know from where a vehicle emerges out and stands at the front. We Indians believe on magics. It's a magic how all of us come back in tact after a cruise on our roads. We all believe on so many Gods. And at least one of them come to our rescue when any of us on road. Sir, this time when you visit us you can see in all the vehicles you hire with a God picture. They are always positioned there ,to help you out. They could be of any religion but they don't discriminate sir, for sure. Please don't get worried, He/She is there always in our country to help. They say that's why still we thrive and an oldest civilization!

6.Bigger the vehicle the mightier on the road

Oh, yes sir. This is true in our desi society too. In our roads, the bigger vehicles really bully the smaller one and so not to tell of the pedestrians. We are hierarchically a disciplined lot, sir. We are just like that, once we are destined to land on this land – so pious this land sir you will n't believe. Ganga Maa chose to land here on our land, even all the prophets too. All of them landed here. If you know some of them landed else where, that will be wrong soon sir when we become the most powerful nation after Bush uncle signs nuclear agreement on 8th Oct. '08.
I'm distracting your attention. Sorry sir. Actually, If you are on foot never hesitant to walk off the road. It's actually the place for you hierarchically disposed off.

7.Deafening Horns

That must be surprising for you if you are visiting us for the first time our swarnaprasu desa. I'm sorry for talking no sense word for you. I also don't understand it standing at cross roads with red traffic light. You will find spider like kids come forward to your cars. I'm going off-course again. Excuse me, sir. But standing at red traffic light you will hear the vehicles around you just blowing horns. It puzzles. It's a habit sir. We like noise. See, all our vehicles are fitted with music systems. That's must. Mine is an exception only. Though I wanted it very much but succumbed to my wife's opposition. I'm sure you also listen to madam.
We desis' overdo and make mess of anything we do. See, our public places, prayer places – everywhere you will see loudspeakers – a lot of sound. Without sound we really don't get kick of anything; even while driving.


Have a fun with our road reflections! In this we all are together – whatever you say of our conflicts based on caste, religion etc. all trashes!

Hrushikesha Mohanty
7th October 2008