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Monday, September 21, 2009

Eid Mubarak/ a.k.a New auto maton insanity

Took an auto to come home last ight, like every other night. The auto driver started driving, then pulled over to the side and cursed beneath his breath. He just sat there, one finger poked into his ear.
I asked him why he'd stopped.

He said, "Eid. All these people walking on the roads. It is impossible to drive."

I looked ahead. The road was empty. Well, as empty as most other days. There were a couple of kids standing nearby. A second later, a firecracker went off. The driver took his finger out of his, started up the engine again and said, "The road will be bad today."

Five minutes later, we reached the gate of my building complex. I told the auto driver to drive right upto our building. But the gates were, surprisingly, shut. But of course, I realised why. Navratri was also on. There is a pandal and a music system put up around a central pillar. Dandiya music blared out. Kids and teenagers were dancing in small, scattered groups.

I told the auto driver it was okay, I'd get down at the gates, and began to pay him.

He said, "Eid really messes things up. Everything blocked..."

I thought, 'What the...??' and hesitated for a moment, wondering if I ought to ask him what he meant. But I didn't after all. I walked past the crowd, the music, the kids, reached home, let myself in, and tried to forget about what he meant.

6 comments:

  1. Opinionated he was. Why did you not point to Navratri being another reason? You should have shut him up :)

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  2. What had to be said what Religion (and not Eid) messes up roads -- Ganpati, navratri, Eid, Noveenas, durga pandals, mount mary festivals, diwali.. OMG Most are Hindu festivals... :)

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  3. Eid Mubarak! I love Ramzan and wait for it for all those sweets that come in from our neighbour's place.. But this year I wanted to share the sweets and brought it to my office and to my horror except a couple of people no one touched it.. I felt as bad as someone rejected a dish from my home.. Thats when I think though not completely.. I get it..

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  4. true all those Hindu festivals cause untold problems... but its Eid that really messes up things( my irony meter just broke)

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