colour blind

Accidents, killing cyclists and those walking on the road, are common in India. But the Indian government has suddenly woken up to realise this fact.

Perplexed to find ways to tackle the problem, the Ministry of Surface Transport has come up with an idea to introduce a law that from now on all the bicycles would come in bright orange colour. The argument is that the colour would make the cyclists clearly visible on the road and therefore no accidents. Fair enough, the colour would definitely make the cyclists visible. But, is that all required to stop accidents and road rage which thrives on Indian roads.

In India black is the colour for all the basic bicycles, which serve as a common mode of transport, especially for those who can't afford the luxury of travelling in overcrowded public transport, like buses and trains.

I was bewildered at the wisdom of our government. Instead of ensuring stringent compliance of traffic rules and instead of educating people to strictly adopt the road safety measures, the government is planning to change the colour of the bicycle to ensure the safety of cyclists.

I am wondering....will the change of colour would actually help cyclists save themselves from the speeding MUVs and SUVs - raving on the Indian roads with vengeance. The owners of these cars (mostly the politicians or their henchmen) firmly believe that the roads belong to them - them alone and no one else (especially not to those who are either walking or who are in smaller vehicles - be it cycle or scooter or even a small car). Even the government run buses speed and every second day the newspapers report the death of either school going children or of women.

So, the question is - will this bright orange colour be powerful enough to deter the owners of these powerful big machines from their usual road rage? Or will the colour be inspiring enough to let them show a little courtesy to cyclists or even to those walking on the pavement or crossing the streets?

Personally I don't think so. I am not so hopeful. Rather, I would suggest that its high time we Indians should start `behaving' on the road. Let's start showing some courtesy and some manners while driving. What the government can do is to ensure that the extensive traffic laws/rules, which exist in India are implemented in their true letter and spirit. There should be strict punishments/penalties for those who violate these rules. The politicians and their men too should NOT be spared when they break the law.

Many would argue that it is not possible as the country is so big and there are so many vehicles and so many people on the roads, its not practical to penalise everyone. Not everyone can observe patience while driving. Also, people say such behaviour (which is in the blood of even a growing up kid in the west) is not possible in a big country like India.

Even if the argument holds any weight, does that mean we accept the rude and uncivilised behaviour and practice it in our daily lives? I don't think so. At least we can make a start to ensure road safety. Two simple steps can be taken at practically no cost to anyone - implement the law on the government part and behave our best on our part.

Let's face the fact - in India maximum death happen due to road accidents. If these two steps make a slight change on our roads and make the traffic conditions better and safer for people, we can continue walking, but stop if these two steps fail.

During my recent visit to UK I saw how the cars follow the cyclists if they are on a ``no-overtaking'' road. They wait patiently and no one honks, no one rushes the cyclists. The cars overtake the bicycle only when the road signs permit them to overtake. The cars stop if people start crossing the road, even when the pedestrian signal is red. All the vehicles give way to others trying to reverse or turn.

Instead of introducing an interesting colour for the bicycles, the need is to stop and ponder why there are two extremes of behaviour on the roads? One in the west which is sensible, courteous, polite and legal and the other which is mental, discourteous, aggressive and illegal. In my belief it is simple respect to life - which they do and we don't.

For all those who love Beatles

A day at Mathew Street in the amazing city of Liverpool (in its own peculiar sense - which I will talk about later) in England......
It was nostalgic as it took me decades back. All of us (in my age group) have grown up listening to Beatles and we all are aware that Liverpool is the city associated with this legendary group.
But standing at the place where this (then inconspicuous) group used to play and from where these boys turned from city lads to `The Bealtes', was unbelievable.

The whole street reverberates a nostalgic ambiance. The Beatles Shop - selling everything under the sun with Beatles on it or The Lennon's Bar - the whole place, full of stories of The Beatles. As I tried to soak the atmosphere, we are in front of the Cavern Club - the place from where the group started their journey from nothing to the top of the music world.










We went down the eighteen steps to reach the basement - I was instantly transported to an other world. The graffiti on the exposed brick walls of the basement - which used to be a warehouse in the 1800s, the old phone box with Beatles pictures inside, the Beatles' bigger than life size face murals on the wall - nothing was missing as young Richard Batty aptly filled the gaps.












Richard was the young star of the day - strumming his guitar with nimble fingers he was singing all Beatles songs in his mellifluous voice. The ambiance had everything to transport us to a different era. I requested him to sing Imagine... and he obliged me instantly.





The description outside the Cavern Club tells the story of the rise of The Beatles and the actual pictures of that time display the mania this group created in people fond of good music.

The visit to this place was a real treat for me and I thank Sandra and Alfie for this, who took me there. I had no clue that this small basement would open a new world for me.

As we came out to the real world, a thought emerged. Even we Indians have many legendary singers - for an example Begum Akhtar or KL Sahgal. Why havn't we ever thought of making them immortal in this way. We have never celebrated the places, which made these singers or any artiste for that matter, famous.

Why have we never tried to create cultural tourism popular in this way?

Life doesn't start at any age...

In 2007, when I turned forty five and longed for a steady relationship, people started telling me not to think about myself as my life is more or less finished. ``It's time you should concentrate on your children' lives'', this was the most common phrase I was advised.
I started wondering - ``Am I really on the verge of dying?'' ``Is my life really over now?'' Also, if I think about myself, does that mean I am not thinking about my children or I am neglecting them?''
I had no answers, yet I decided, ``No, I will live my life the way I want and will also look after the needs of my children.''
Next year, I happen to travel to England and here in a small village of Cornwall, I bumped into a group of grannies - all in their eighties, dresses to kill with manicured hands and styled hair. They were chatting and laughing while sipping their Devon Cream Tea at a restaurant. Awestruck, as I was, I left my tea and started staring at them. They finished their tea and each one paid one's share.
Suddenly, I realised that they were about to leave. I approached them and requested them for a photo. They happily agreed and posed. One of them with her frail and wrinkled hands grabbed me by my waist and asked the restaurant owner to click us together.
This was my first stint with the fact that life has nothing to do with numbers of age. Young or old is what our brain tells us.













I am again visiting England. This time, another small village - Shaldon (Devon). On a sunny afternoon I see a group of over twenty women (all above sixty) sitting next to the Bowling Green. Their laughter was the only sound that was echoing in the quiet surroundings.
I was curious to know more about them and unable to resist myself I went closer and found that it was the County Bowling Team having its tea brake. Reading shock on my face, one of them said, ``We too, need to move our joints, isn't it?'' I looking dumb nodded my head.
How can they understand what goes on in my head when I see these old women playing, laughing, dressing up, meeting friends and in short `living' their lives. They cannot fathom what goes in my head when I see that these old women have their lives beyond their homes, husbands and children. They laugh without feeling guilty. They paint their nails and get their hair styled without the fear of being given names. They look after themselves without being called selfish.

Back home what I have seen and what I have been preached is that women should not think about themselves. Once you have children, you should put your life on the back-burner and should think only about your children' lives- this is the most common rhetoric which most women are forced to listen to. It is sort of crime if a woman over forty dresses up glamorously and looks good. After having a really short hair style about a couple of years back, what I heard about myself shocked me. ``She has a daughter of marriageable age (my daughter was at that time only 21) and look at her she is trying to look like a teenager''.

Look at this woman in the picture. Isn't she looking pretty? Travelling in a bus she was dressed picture perfect. I gave her a careful glance to see if I can spot a guffaw to criticise her but I failed. She was simply perfect at seventy plus. Once settled in the bus she opened her bag and took out a plastic bag full of toffees. Leisurely she popped one in her mouth and at the same time she saw me staring at her. She gave me a girlie smile and softly said, ``Can't resist chocolates''.

Absolutely!!!

life less miserable

The ownership of Harrods has changed in London. The government has changed in the United Kingdom. One thing that hasn’t changed in this country is courtesy and consideration. The moment we come out of Heathrow and get on to the Tube (underground metro rail service) there is an announcement that the central lines are under repair and people willing to go to London city will have to change to buses and then to another tube to reach their desired destinations.

While listening to this announcement I shuddered with apprehension... Oh no, not this hassle of tagging the luggage along and struggling to find a bus, I have just arrived in this country. Coming from India, I started imagining the worst. Before we could reach the next stop to look for a bus connection, I started picturing a crowd of people pushing each other to get on to the first bus, and rest of the people resorting to an endless wait with their stuff, for the other buses to come.

Dreading the journey ahead, we got off at the next stop. What I saw outside was beyond my imagination. A row of rail staff with their glowing jackets was standing at every corner to help the commuters. The back of their jackets boldly read ``Rail Replacement Help Service’’. What I see next is a row of buses carrying similar signs – ``Rail Replacement Bus Service’’. In other words – there was no hassle, no pushing, no waiting and no chaos.

Everything was so well organised. The government had planned to do the repair work on Saturday and Sunday – obviously as a consideration for thousands of people who use Tube to go for their work. Proper arrangements were made for those too, who had to travel on holidays.

The consideration made me think why can’t we (Indian government) think with so much consideration for its citizens? Why can’t we have a system in place –which helps the government function smoothly and at the same time let the citizens live a life less troublesome? Am I asking too much??

Elephants.. in Lucknow & in London

There is something common between London and Lucknow these days.....

Both the cities are adorning statues of elephants.

Mayawati – the chief minister of the most populous Indian state of Uttar Pradesh – has erected statues of elephants – the symbol of her political party (Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP) – all over Lucknow. Then there are organisations in the Queen’s land, which have put up figurines of the pachyderm at several places all over London.

The only difference between the two places is that when Mayawati gets elephants’ statues erected she does not think about the animal. Her government is least concerned about the status of the elephants or for that matter any other animal anywhere in the world or even in her own state. The only purpose behind those hundreds of elephants in pink stone – which can be seen anywhere and everywhere in Lucknow – is to push her political agenda and tell her people that she has immortalised the elephant (read the BSP).

But the elephants figurines, which adorn the lush green lawns in London – be it the greens of the parliament or any tourist site like London Eye – they stand there with a message – save the Asiatic elephants – which is on the brink of extinction because of shrinking habitat. There are agencies which are exhorting people to come forward and save the Asian Elephants. The agencies call on people to join the elephant family.

Organisations like Eco Movers and Fallow & Ball also organised an Elephant Parade in London, sometime back. The companies provided paints for colouring the statues band electric vehicles to transport the statues to different places. Various artists and designers painted the elephants’ statues in striking colours. Now these vibrantly coloured elephants are kept at various public places sending across the message to save the animal by adopting it.