Amusing Phone Call

The funniest thing just happened. While I was in the middle of my afternoon siesta; which I wouldn't miss and hate being disturbed in the middle of; my friend calls me on my cellphone. It's surprising since he knows my love for my siesta. Anyway, I open one eye, see him name on the phone screen, mumble a curse, press the volume down button and sleep back.
Its when I get back up and while sipping my evening tea that I return the call. First time it doesn't get through. The second time it connects and I say "Sarvagya" (thats my friends name) - now is the hilarious bit - the guy on the other side says "sau gaya! Ha ji sau gaya" - that was a punjabi guy who hear "Sarvagya" as "Sau gaya" i.e. "Slept" in Punjabi 🤣.
Mildly amused, I repeated my friends name "Sarvagya" to which, now my punjabi friend understood a bit and said "samja ni ji". 🤣
I asked him " Ji ye Sarvagya Sharma ka number nahi hai?"
"Nahi ji ye to Punjab se hai".
"Ok, sorry paaji".
"Koi ni ji".
And that was the pleasingly amusing conversation I had today evening. 🙏😇

Z security

In the month of Mar sometime I was travelling from Delhi to Hissar when a huge cavalcade of SUVs was seen approaching in the rear mirror. The leading vehicle was Haryana Police PCR followed by Commandos, who signalled us to drive aside and make way for the fast moving cavalcade, then some Indian SUVs then Commandos then some Imported dark glassed SUVs then Commandos then large number of Indian SUVs then PCR van then a fire-brigade truck and I guess an ambulance too. I have seen something similar in Dehradun when Mr ND Tiwari was the CM. But Mr Tiwaris cavalcade was smaller and the cars had read beacons. Here the beacons were missing. Quiet intrigued I was looking for an opportunity to find out. Who was this with a cavalcade of 40 odd SUVs, darkened glasses on the more expensive SUVs, fast moving, provided security by half a dozen maruti gypsies full of elite troops, the black cat commandos of Hindostan approximating to 30 Commandos, state police lined up all the way, state police escorts, ambulance, fire brigade vehicle. Who could be so important to mobilise the whole security setup like the Chief Minister or some other big shot cabinet minister?

After the heavy weights had cleared, we stopped by a much relieved constable standing near his PCR asking about the whose who.

I would have never guessed but religion drives the world, forget Hindostan.

It was the Dera Chief.

3G

3G finally came to India in 2011, after a long wait. Even after that the phone companies which were supposedly ready to launch 3G have shown least excitement. probably 2G issue dampened their spirits. But whats the point of 3G just in metro cities. The phone companies claim networks all across India and globe. The pug follows everywhere in the ad . But in real the pug stays where it gets abundant supply of pedigree. Its disheartening to see such slow progress in technology in 21st century India. While the government is taking steps to fight corruption in telecom sector, the TRAI must ensure uptodate services all across the country, to all subscribers. Until then its 3W (3rd world).

Gender Equality

31st of May approx 1130am i was driving past Omaxe mall when i saw this pink top autorikshaw (called auto). Only for women it said. I was not so impressed. We talk of gender equality but then we see pink n the reservations for castes n tribes etc. I don't see it as reservation. I see it as separation, a discrimination of sorts. Reserve jobs, reserve seats, reserve modes of transportation. I hope they don't come up with a women only state. Actually if they do, it will be a triumph for the queer community. This brings me to the fact that only for women, pink auto signifies our mindset, of our rulers n lawmakers. This mindset of reservation, discrimination is the reason why 377 took so long to decriminalise. Hail Justice Ajit P Shah. The fight for queer equality is far from over. We are turning primitive in India, going backwards actually n hence the separations. Like 377, mindsets may not change.

CWG & RULING

Hail the court’s decision to defer the Ayodhya decision. We can do without it till CWG is over. We are suffering enough for CWG & there is no room for any more embarrassment. At this stage, sentiments cannot be hurt. The country is going through a major international sporting event. We should so pitch in for its success that the ones who pulled out must regret afterwards. Snags & slips happen. Just that now we are in media & information age of boom, even a blink makes news. And that’s how home media has been the cause of unnecessary glare. I can imagine Indian tourist’s plight abroad right now. It is us & our media that cause the racism to be meted out to us Indians. Have we forgotten Mr. Ponting & Mr. Sharad Pawar?  On our soil it was, and we couldn’t even drive an apology out of anybody. Though seven years is a long time to get our act together. We did bring about many like T-3 and Metro everywhere but it’s the bed bugs which bite and make news.

CWG

I keep hearing about CWG and have seen a bit too. We need to give it a rest. So what have you been able to do to save the taxpayers’ money, your and my money from being wrongly spent? Nothing and there's nothing really that commoners like me can do except lament. So might as well join hands in making it the best do Delhi has seen. And in hindsight, I feel the last minute preparations are okay. At least it will keep the venues, stadium and games village look slick. Else media would be on a roar with reports of dirt, disease, ill maintenance, no facilities. We would have found beetle designs and human excreta everywhere. So it’s good to be late to be new. As for Mr. AR Rehman, 'Wakka-Wakka' is forgotten, so will this be.

LANSDOWNE TROUBLE

It feels terrible to see just 6 hours away from Delhi, just 6 hours away from CWG site and preparation, just 6 hours away from a plethora of mobile companies, just 6 hours away from good roads, just 6 hours away from fresh water supply lies Lansdowne (Uttarakhand), which would be cut off from the rest of the world but for Army men working hard and taking risks to open the second route to Kotdwara . The main route is out as the roads have caved in.The district administration will do well by buying two Bobcat compact dozers for immediate response for landslides, which occur every monsoon.
There is no mobile communication most of the times because the only company available here is BSNL (Bhai Sahab Nahi Lagta). No private players are allowed as the land here is under cantonment board and no Army officer will sign any kind of NOC (No Objection Certificate) after the Sukhna Land Case. And hence, no communication.