April 21, 2010

Two's Crowd

I am in a cab, zooming on the almost empty road in Singapore. Suddenly, there are 6-7 cars ahead of us. The driver slows down a little before gaining speed again, he feels a little sorry as if it is his fault and asks me: 'Mam, is Delhi more crowded than this ?'

I feel I have gone dumb. I am suddenly transported. I can hear the honking, I can see the never ending queue, I can feel the wait, I can feel the pride in knowing how to balance the ABC (accelerator, break and clutch) at best of ability in first gear, I can feel the bumper to bumper drive, I can see cabs, cars, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws, scooters, bikes, cycles, pedestrians, trucks, cranes all side by side jostling to move ahead and I feel the exhiliriation of finally reaching home with only a little scratch on the car.

With a deep sigh, I reply - 'Yes'.

4 comments:

  1. An education tour must be organized for people of the 1st world countries to 3rd world (or is it now 2nd) countries like India! :)

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  2. Well things are relative really..aren't they...!
    But ..we all know so little of other parts of the world...
    While reading a few travel posts...saw that people travelling to India from 1st world countries actually orient their children about what poverty is so that when they see it in India they aren't too shocked.

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  3. I guess for most normal foreigner, atleast in US, they hardly know what India is about except poverty, elephants and maharajas in exquisite costumes!

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  4. Add to it 'IT'. Most cab drivers here also ask me 'Are you in IT?', 'Do you write programs?'.

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