Wednesday, May 10, 2006

An argument and a few stories

A story from nine years ago, in Lucknow.

I was enrolled at Aptech for a computer course and had shifted location to Lucknow during the summer vacations (for the record, I dropped out of the course, after the ignominy of flunking miserably in the programming module; in the instructor’s words, my efforts to write a computer program had ‘gone for a six... gone for a toss.’).

My old and mostly immobile grandparents lived in Gomtinagar; I had to attend classes in Halwasiya. It is a long commute, involving a ride over a bridge over the river Gomti, usually in a rickety six-seater called a ‘Vikram’, though I obstinately insist on calling it ‘tempoo’. It used to cost me ten rupees everyday.

One day, a tempo strike had been announced. In solidarity, all the auto-wallahs were also staying off the roads.

All of a sudden? Not all of a sudden - the tempo-walas must have given out a date and time when the strike would begin, which I didn’t know about.

After my classes, I stepped out and found that there was no way of getting back home, except a cab. I emptied out my purse – only thirty-three rupees left. Rs 33 will not get you a taxi ride to anywhere, not in Lucknow…not even round-n-round, in your own garden.

To add insult to injury, the clouds broke water and the rain came pouring down. All of a sudden… this was June. No umbrella, no raincoat, because monsoon was a month away.

No umbrella, no raincoat, no money for a taxi.

A very young and very clueless me, drenched in the rain, walking down Hazratgunj, getting stared at by loafers who had nothing better to do. It wasn’t pleasant.

And then, I saw a cycle-rickshaw. Not one, but many cycle-rickshaws. But the point was… would they agree? Hazratgunj to Gomtinagar takes half an hour even in a nonrenewableenergysource-guzzling tempo. No cycle-rickshaw would go that far.

Even if they did agree to, with this tempo-strike on, they’d want to make a killing. Anybody would ask for a hundred rupees. Even an auto-wala would have asked. But that day, I didn’t have that hundred; I had only Rs 33.

But the rain was pouring. And men were staring. So finally, I went up to an old rickshaw-wala, “Tees rupaye mein kahaan tak chhodenge, bhaiya? (How far can you take me, for thirty rupees?”)

He peered at me, surprised at the question. “Kahaan tak jaogi? (How far do you have to go?)”

I said, “Gomtinagar.”

He thought this over, then, agreed to take me as far as the petrol pump, just before Gomtinagar starts.

I agreed. The petrol pump was about a kilometer and a half, from my grandparents’ place. I could walk the rest, and hopefully, the rain would have stopped by that time.

The old rickshaw-wala put up the hood to offer me whatever little protection and privacy he could offer, and pedalled away. Through the rain, against the wind.

It was bitterly cold, and I can’t imagine how difficult this trip must have been for that old man.

Near the petrol pump, I got off, gave him all the money I had. Each paisa in my purse, and started to walk. It was still drizzling.

The old man called out to me. “Kahaan tak jaogi, bitiya (How much further, little daughter)?”

I told him, pointing, - the colony on the left.

He asked me to get back on the rickshaw. I protested, said I hadn’t have any more money.

He just said, “Ladkiyon ke liye theek nahin hain. Hum kone tak chhod aate hain. Phir chali jaana. (It isn’t safe for girls. I’ll drop you at the corner. Then you can walk.)”

And he did.

I can’t quite describe the feeling as he dropped me off at the corner of our lane. Partly, it was being eaten up by guilt at not paying him as much as he deserved… how much did he deserve anyway?

But mostly, it was the knowledge, that I could not pay him as much as he deserved. Even if I had a hundred rupees, two hundred rupees, five hundred rupees to give him - it would not be enough to repay him, now.

Because now, he was the bada aadmi; the big man.

He had done his good deed, and in my eyes, developed a stature that prevents me from monetizing the value of the service. He left me spiritually bankrupt.

Today, people ask why cycle-rickshaws should stay – in a city that is crawling with cars, autos, taxis and cows – where is the place for these shabby, skinny men who bring nothing to this city except their sweat and sinew?

I have the standard arguments - the ‘cycles are easy on the environment’ argument. The ‘need for cheap modes of transportation in smaller geographical units’ argument. The ‘right to livelihood’ argument. The ‘who are you to decide who stays and who goes’ argument.

But those are not real arguments.

My real argument is that memory – of an old man who took pity on a hard-up young girl in the rain and pedalled and pedalled, all the way to a distant suburb, when he could have made five time as much money, if he’d hung around in the market-centre, to take advantage of an auto/tempo strike.

My argument is not his sweat and sinew, or his right to life. It is his calling me ‘bitiya’ and taking me that extra mile, that had not been agreed upon.

My argument is that I have a debt to pay and I will go on arguing for cycle-rickshaws as long as there are men who want to pull rickshaws for a living.

Because transport is not just about fares or convenience. It is also about journeying. Low fares, quick modes, quality service and all that jazz… but what about lasting memories?

Transport and commutes are about stories.

You want to hear other stories? I have more. Many more.

One of my favourites is about my friend, G, who used to study at Allahabad university, and lived in Civil Lines; a cycle-rickshaw was appointed to take her there and to drop her back home, everyday.

As old men do in bhaiyya-land, this man used to call my friend, ‘bitiya’. Little girl or daughter.

This shabby old man who had nothing to offer but his scrawny muscles, but he didn’t just stop at calling her ‘bitiya’. You see, in north-India, according to tradition, you do not touch your daughter’s money. So he would not accept money from G’s hands.

She tried to explain, to protest. But it was no point arguing. He would accept money only on days when G’s parents paid him.

Silly traditional nonsense? I know.

Pointless sentiment injected into, what was essentially, a commercial transaction? I don’t know…. I don’t know about that.

Because, this man is another of my personal arguments. A man who knows how to treat you like a daughter, when he addresses you like one, is worth having in our cities, don’t you think?

I can also tell you about the young boy who helped me bring up mattresses to the third floor, when we didn’t have a lift. Yes, I paid him extra, but that’s not the point. He is not a loader, he is not a coolie, he is not a manual labourer – he pulls a rickshaw and his job only required him to drop me at my doorstep. But I asked for help, and he agreed to help.

I can tell you that some of my most beautiful childhood memories are from the time when six of us kids would be on one rickshaw, me standing on a narrow plank behind the wheels, holding onto the hood for support, the wind in my face, shrieking with delight.

I can tell you of the look on the faces of some of the rickshaw-walas, as they turn to look over their shoulders, meeting this delight with their own smiles.

I can tell you of the time in Ajmer, when six unruly college girls hailed a tonga, took the reins from the driver’s hands, and bullied him into letting them drive. I can tell you about all the crazy men who deck up their cycle/auto-rickshaws like new brides. I can tell you about boring flights too. You can see for yourself which is more fun, or worth holding on to.



Some day, maybe I will acquire and learn to drive a khataaraa piece of metal, and start navigating the roads myself. Some day, maybe I will not need the rickshaws. But if I ever forget that old man who left me spiritually bankrupt at the corner of a lane in Lucknow, may the gods strike me down, when I take the wheel... Because if I forget the things that make life worth living and fighting for, I might as well be dead.


My point:


When I began writing this, it was in an entirely different context – the context of anger, alienation and the difficulties of transportation in a western, modern society... Their clean, clean roads and their organised, rule-bound traffic. Cars and buses only. Bicycles being the only alternative.... If there is one thing I miss in this small Scottish town, it is the cycle-rickshaw… no, that's not entirely true: I miss seeing dogs and cows too, and the occasional horse or elephant or camel.

[Those who think they’re are a traffic menace, I’d like to point them in the direction of a certain busy road near Andrewsganj, Delhi; with mine own eyes I have seen a row of cows balancing delicately, all hoofed fours, atop a narrow road-divider, patiently waiting for the traffic to slow down before crossing. Which is more than you can say for half the speeding guys on speed, who treat narrow kuchha lanes like virtual superhighway]

Then, I began thinking of those people who actually believe that cycle-rickshaws are a menace!

I am writing this post, because too many people have been lobbying to allow fewer and fewer cycle-rickshaws in Delhi. First it was just the heart of New Delhi; now, there are moves afoot to keep them off the suburbs too. I could cite reports by way of counter-argument.

But the point is this - we talk about giving the public a choice.

So, I want that choice. Have low-cost airlines by all means; I want those too. But I also want buses. I want my tonga, I want my metro, AND I want the cycle-rickshaws. I see absolutely no reason why not.

The roads are public property.

The rickshaw-pullers are as much the public as the cabbies or pilots. If you want them out of the way, build separate tracks for rickshaws, and then talk about speed and safety issues. Delhi does have separate 'priority' bus lanes, in some suburbs. How difficult would it be to just plan for different sets of tracks, in different regions, starting right now?

Make it a part of the master plan. Listen to the experts. It is not undo-able.

And if it is undo-able, tough!

Learn to drive slow, and pay at least as much respect to the man pulling a rickshaw, as you do to the cows. Defer. Slow down. Wait to let them pass.

For the world-class wannabes, a reminder: out here, in the UK, cars wait, while a duck waddles across; those are the rules.

25 comments:

Virgo said...

Quite heart touching story..really a truth about Rickshaw wale bhaiya..i appreciate you remember that courtesy of rickshaw wala bhaiya..
Good work keep it up..

Pareshaan said...

Bahut Bhariyaa Kahaani likhee hai aapne. I always feel guilty when I read your blog, must learn to dismiss it as too romantic - nevertheless excellent stuff, thanks.

heretic said...

Dil khush! Read this and felt so good about cursing these fools who keep calling for modernization of public transport etc. For someone who travels mostly by Auto rickshaws and thereby gets daily insights into people, the joy of daily interactions with cycle rickshaw-wallas would be a godsent. You've covered so much of what I would've wanted to say anyways. So there. :-)

heretic said...

**just a correction: The modernization reference was only in context of those that call for banning human-powered public transport. :-)

Annie Zaidi said...

Derrick: thank you
pareshaan: kahaniyon pka sahara hai. na ho, to neend nahin aati
heretic: thanks too. :)

Anonymous said...

This was one of the times when writing moved me to tears. Thank you, Annie.

Dr. Gonzo said...

It is precisely in between story tellings like these that I think of the gender divide.

You wouldn't ever hear these stories from a guy. Except in disaster sequences, which is a whole different "bada aadmi" story.

1conoclast said...

Not true. I have enough stories to tell about nice local folk in Rajasthan & even Auto Rickshaw fellows in Bombay. That doesn't change my view that Auto Rickshaws need to be phased out of Bombay. But yes, like Annie says there has to be a plan to "rehabilitate" them. Or have separate lanes for them. How successful that will be can be seen by the current respect for rules in Bombay. It's better than most cities I agree, but it's far from perfect!
I have a slightly differing viewpoint from Annie's which can be seen here... http://1conoclast.blogspot.com

Karthik said...

Nice story .. But dont see much merit in ur argument .. With road space at a premium these days, i dont quite know how richshaw's wud survive !! Going by ur argument, they are seperate cycle lanes in Europe !! Do we have them here ?? Our huge population imposes several constraints and a crumbling infrastructure is one of them .. In chennai, rickshaws are almost all but elminated !! I am not saying this is right or wrong - but all that am saying is - Life has to move on .. When the TV came, those people who listened to old AIR radio objected .. Now AIR radio is restricted to a minority - maybe in villages it still has an appeal !! Similarly Rickshaws in urban transport !! Hmmm ...

ppp said...

they say it is stupid to dream of changing the world... but unless one aims to change the W O R L D, it will be tough to shake up even the W... so dream of stars and aim for utopia... if roads have come, can separate lanes be far away??

i will think of that lucknow rickshaw guy for sometime to come... stirs something inside... cheers!

barbarindian said...

Dear Annie,

We are a little hurt that you are not visiting us anymore. We have dedicated two full posts to you. Please do visit.

The Truth about Annie
Amp. Annie

Nikhil Pahwa said...

I can't imagine an auto-rickshaw agreeing to go a mere kilometer and a half from the metro station. I disagree with karthik when he says that rickshaws don't have a role to play in urban transportation. In fact, they're perfect for short distances from major connecting points in Delhi, on the metro route.

Also, I believe there was a plan being considered to bar the entry of cars into certain markets, and allow only pedestrains and rickshaws. The gourment's probably just sitting on it.

Just wondering - any fond memories of Auto rickshaws?

Anonymous said...

about people slowing down on the roads.. wont happen. i ride both a bicycle and a bike. when im on my cycle, in the leftmost path, still some biker or autowalah or sometimes even sedans! come behind and honk honk honk. my hyperthrust button would never work, and all would be able to do is pedal along, till the next 'gap', when i would get super stares from the motored. on the bike, i kinda make it a point not to honk the cycles away. but i have both perspective. where do people stop and think nowadays abt others?

Anonymous said...

After a long time, a blog which regularly exudes sensitivity and makes sense, together :-).
Of all the possible modes of transportation(barring the tonga as we seldom, if at all, get to experience it ), the most romantic is a rickshaw, especially on a romantic rainy day. Anyone who protests against a rickshaw is, beyond a doubt, not a romantic.

Ashish Gorde said...

The story of the old rickshaw-wallah was very touching... there are still some heroes left in this world. Good to see you back.

Annie Zaidi said...

anirudh, prakriti, hmm, v, ashish: thanks :)
unrest cure: well, I do actually. The auto-wallahs too show concern, though I fight with them so often that Itend to forget the nice ones. I'll put those up too, sometime.
opinionated: I didn't say auto-rickshaw drivers are not nice. It's not an either/or situation. But, if it does become an either/or situation, I don't agree about giving preference to cars or other motorized vehicles. I see no reason why.
Karthik: that's the same argument people use to displace other people. Life has to move on - so throw the tribals out of the forests, and lets cut down all the trees, and use it make paper to make pamphlets to sell that now-cleared space to othe people who have more of a political voice than the original inhabitants had. Sorry, a 'moving on' which requires somebody else's choices to be sacrificed doesn't mean much.
jdi: that's the challenge. trying to get people to stop and think.

Annie Zaidi said...

barbarindian: One whole comment devoted to you, since you've done me the honour of two whole blog-posts.

1] I am rather amused at the fact that you choose to drop in here, leave a comment here, about something that was NOT being discussed here. Since my intelligence, in your undoubtedly esteemed opinion, is somewhere near moronic, it really should not matter to you, whether or not I read your rebuttal, should it?

2] Since you already know that I have read your little tirade, why do you come visiting my personal turf, to point me to the same post again? What are you hoping to elicit? A reaction?

3] You did not get a reaction, because I choose not to react to personal insults. Especially when they're trying so hard to be abrasive that they're actually a little pitiful.

4] You really must learn not to mislead people. Your usage of 'not visiting us anymore' is just a trifle incorrect since I never had visited you until now. In fact, I had never heard of you or your blog until I was told that you have the remarkable distinction of being the only person who has been consistently abusive (albeit only virtually) and therefore, your comments are strictly moderated.

But I did read your post because I happen to have an open mind, and I like to see both sides of a debate, in case there is a novel point of view that one could learn from. I am rather disappointed that no such fount of learning was to be found at your blog. But there was a moment of amusement, and for that, I am grateful. I like laughter. And I always send blessings upon people who can make me laugh.

5] As you can see, comments on my personal blog are not moderated - barring spam - however offensive they may be. However, this is my personal blog, and I would appreciate it if readers restrict their comments to what is put up HERE, instead of responding to what is being said at other fora.

6] Clearly, we must be in the middle of a war, and not a debate as I'd originally thought, since missives are flying thick and fast. However, even if we're tackling issues on a war footing, learn to fight fair. Learn to fight at my level. I'm not going to stoop to yours.

7] Thanks for dropping in. Hope you had a nice time. Ta-da!

Prerona said...

nice story - specially the first one. not so sure abt the central argument, though. will go away, have a think, and come back :)

nice blog. this is my first visit and i liked. can i link? am doing so - let me know if its a problem and i'll take it off?

Annie Zaidi said...

prerona: sure, go ahead, and thanks

Dilip D'Souza said...

Fine tale, Annie! Reminded me of something I had nearly forgotten: the time a friend and I took a man-powered rickshaw (not cycle), and then told the man to sit on the seat and friend and I took turns pulling it along the streets. It was much much harder than I expected, especially on the thighs, even though both friend and I were taller and (we thought) stronger than the man.

The man, incidentally, was acutely embarrassed. But eventually relaxed and sat back.

barbarindian said...

We apologize for the off-topic comment. We are always up for a good debate. We see that you have a new post, more on-topic and posted our comments there.

We have updated our blog as well.

But there was a moment of amusement, and for that, I am grateful.

Likewise.

Anil P said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anil P said...

Absolutely! I've had my share of cycle rickshaws in North Karnataka and I cannot help but feel that the physical labour of actually pedalling long distances instills a certain honesty and integrity in them, and a value for another life and the respect it deserves.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful post :-)

bigsur said...

A touching story.

The old man called out to me. “Kahaan tak jaogi, bitiya (How much further, little daughter)?”

What else can I say?

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