MERA BHARAT KHARACH MAHAN

Glass is probably cheap in this country and widely used. Or maybe it is just a way of showing how transparent they are or want to be.. The Bus Stops are too made of glass and have a Time Table stuck on them. 7.34, 7.41 aagdi aaplya local trains saarcha. The buses are on time most of the time. They are long and look like small caterpillars. The bus driver is driver cum conductor who also issues tickets. But nothing to beat our “ticket, ticket” karnara best conductor. Most passengers greet him and he too reciprocates. He has a panel of buttons and switches, one of which he uses to operates the doors and the heaters. What he does with the rest only he knows. I think it is he who also makes announcements about the various bus stops. The bus has several red buttons all over the bus, on handles and bars which one can press to indicate that you wish to get down. Sometimes if there is nobody waiting at the bus stop to board the bus, the driver may not stop unless someone has pressed that red button. There is special place for people on wheel chair, for parents with prams and people with dogs. But the seats are few. Not like our 2x2 or 3x3 buses. Only few can sit. Baki sagle standing. I am reminded of the bestcha Ltd. buses. Even they don’t take more than 22 standees. But here, people and their pets rahtat aaplya sarkhech ekmekaanna chictoon ubhe. The buses have enormous windows, pan kay upayog?? Ek pan meli open hot nahin. Aata -13 madhe ekwel theek aahe but summer madhe kay?? Baahercha “atmosphere” aat yeyla nako? I remember travelling to Nasik by the State Transport bus once. I kept fretting over the fact that window next to my seat was jammed. Finally I got the conductor to open it for me. Khidki openach pahije ki nahi??

Buses are also equipped with glass breakers in case of any eventualities…Unfortunately they have no ice breakers… People wear cold looks all the time. Blame it on the weather. Smile is very expensive in this country. Everyone looks at everyone but never in the eye. It is either ignorance or suspision. This is an ageing country, certainly not a child booming or even children friendly. We experience this often and so do our German friends. Even slightly noisy children get very cold stares and sometimes their parents are told so. Even while choosing a tenant the preference is a childless couple. We just lost an apartment to a gay couple. Back home people generally rent out their flats to Phamily wali loka. Ithe pets are welcome everywhere( which is good), not children.