On Road In North East India-7

LETTER TO A FRIEND-2

Dear Vidhya,

 

I remembered you last week.

No, nothing to do with your new profile pix in Facebook, but a different thing altogether.

Because it brought back memories my late mother also.

Your favourite ‘Chillu patti’.

I was in Kamrup village visiting a farmer on the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam who is growing rajnigandha and chrysanthemum in polyhouses.

While returning from polyhouses, I spotted this.

Look at this…

Remember what it is?

 It is sparrow’s nest.

My mother and your ‘Chillu patti’ (Chillu grandma) used to tell you that it is a kuruvi koodu (nest of sparrow in Tamil) when you hardly 2 or 3 years in 1986-7!

Somehow whenever I see kuruvi koodu (sparrow nest), I always remember you.

And my mother.

 
How beautifully these little creatures build their home out of straw, hay, dried leaves….

Beautiful civil engineering skillsets.

I saw plenty of them.

When we live in metros, we lose touch with nature.

You in Singapore and I in Delhi.

And we all go bonkers when we see animals in jungle or watch tribal life on Geo wild or Animal Planet.

Talking about villages, reminded me of my niece Savita Venkataraman, (now in Boston on a visit). Her mother in law (incidentally, she was my school mate in Children Garten School, Mylapore, Tamilnadu in 1960s) narrated this to me during a recent visit to their Mumbai abode.

One day, Savita when the family was on a vacation to somewhere in the country, decided to take her two little sons to a nearby village. “I did not understand this urge to show my grandsons these villages. .. But Savita explained that her children need to know villages are also part of India and they living in highrise concrete jungles should get exposed to mud houses, wihtout fans and airconditioners, cooking with wood-fed stoves (not LPG), wells, and how they grow paddy, bullock carts etc.”

Savita was trying to get her children the rural connect or Bharat connect.

We all must show our children (particularly the city bred) these things.

Sorry… this also brought back memories of my own experience.

When my daughter Krutika was hardly 5 years, I took her in a Haryana state transport bus to 50 km into rural backyard.

Both of us walked 5 km from the pucca road where we alighted into the nearby village.

We saw gud (jiggery) making, men and women taking bath in a temple tank, oil crushing with two bulls circling a manual crusher and someone milking a cow! For my daughter, who is familiar with sachet milk pockets, it was a revelation!

Lovely rural darshan.

Enough for today, Vidhya.

Next time when you visit India, take your children to Mudikondan (near Mayavaram, Tamilnadu) from where your father hails.

Hope to catch up with you at your father’s 60^th birthday in Chennai on April 30, 2013!

Cheers

 

 

On Road in North East India-6

Letter to a friend-1

Hi,

 

Imagine a second class non-ac sleeper in Indian Railways.

Well that sums up my sleeping mode in trucks when am on the national highways jaunt.

Just me, driver and conductor for company on a truck that moved on NH37 linking Guwahati with Tinsukia over two nights, covering 580 km.

Luckily the weather was pleasant – cool indeed forcing me to wear sweater and stick to jeans pant.

 

 

Usually am in my trademark red T-shirt and shorts! Not this time at least during nights.

Actually you cannot sleep because the ride is not smooth thanks to bad roads.

You really sleep for a 4 hour deep slumber when the truck halts past midnight and driver is tired to steer anymore….

Now I mastered the art of sleeping even such conditions!

But when you complete the journey, bones are rattled and demand for a full-fledged bed rest.

Luckily, transporters whom take me on as a co-passenger arrange for 24-hour stay in a 3-star hotel for a good day/night sleep before I pack up and move on to another journey… another half-sleep journey.

Interesting part is I am wide awake the movement truck comes to a sudden halt at anytime… my sixth sense tells that there is something wrong. Either a RTO or policemen obstructing the smooth passage.

Like it happened on NH37 two nights ago.

Around 1.30 a.m. our truck was stopped by half a dozen Assam policemen hardly a few kilometers before the Naogaon Paper Mills on NH 37.

 We were waved down.

Paper demanded. Checked.

Demand for Rs.2000 ‘entry’ fee cropped up. (Entry is nothing but a bribe!)

My driver Bharat Yadav refused to budge.

His driving license was asked for.

He valiantly handed over and began arguing with them.

“Rs.2,000 for what?”

One of the six policemen who plucked the license, walked away, leaving the rest of police team to haggle with driver.

I sat up and noticed the unfolding drama.

Then peace prevailed for a few minutes.

Traffic was building up behind us.

Policemen settled for Rs.20 for ‘chai paani’! (Haha!)

License was returned  to Bharat and we moved on.

Now I have become immune to this kind of dramas.

This does not excite me except…

I make note of such happenings and write to the state government Minister of transport, principal secy (transport) and a copy to NHAI through which am passing through. Of course, a copy goes to cabinet secretariat and to the Ministry of Transport in Delhi.

You must see the ‘glee’ in the faces of drivers when drivers in opposing direction signal with waving hands that there are RTOs or Traffic Inspectors (whom I referred to as highway vultures in my book) en route.

Every single pie saved from donating to RTOs & TIs is a big bonus for drivers. They pocket it and write/tell their motor maliks that they indeed ‘paid’ RTOs.

 Swindling is definitely on…

The only question is: who swindles whom?

Since drivers know that I know their maliks well, they request not to share this info with their bosses.

But maliks know all these games. That is drivers are paid peanuts as salary!

Enough for now.

Will catch up with another letter soon.

 

Ciao

 

Ramesh

On Road In North East India-5

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: One of the things I am attracted to in any city, town or village is the film posters. It has a lot to do with my childhood surrounding. One, Chennai, erstwhile Madras, was renowned for posters and cutouts of politicians and filmstars. Secondly, my neighbour (Kanagasabhai) was in the business of pasting posters of Tamil and English films on city walls and political election meeting schedules. Strangely, this gentleman was associated with a leading DMK leader's family, but jolly well undertaken pasting posters for Congress, the main  rival party in late 1960s and early 1970s. Late MGR was still DMK at that time.

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Lonely at the top only? No.Even at the pyramid's bottom. This elderly carpenter, Parmanand Sahai, has arrived at this spot like any other day, scouting for business. He's confident, he would be gainfully employed for the day like any other day. Be patient. Why sitting alone and not with other masons and carpenters a few hundred yards away? "Did I enter this world in group? Or am I going to leave this world in group?" asks he rhetorically.

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Siri Kitika Dass, in a remote Kamrup village, refuses to reveal her age. "You want to marry me? .... Or you want me as your daughter in law, Chachu?," asks she boldly while trying to restrain six month old calf that is running helter-skelter and keen that it should also appear in this photo frame in vain. 

On Road In North East India-4

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Plucking flowers from roadside on a cloudy October end morning. Gently asked her, what is the name of the flower. She shot back: "Bhagwan bhi nahi poochta hai!"  (Even God does not ask!). A few seconds later, she adds: "How does it matter?" I used to accompany my maternal grandma on her daily morning flower collection (pavazha malli, nandya vattai, chembaruthi etc in Teachers' Colony and Sripuram near Lloyds Road, Chennai) in childhood. Sweet memories.

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Whether this gentleman needs a morning walk or not, Carlos & Genie - six month old Labradors - definitely require one. These two names made me rewound linking Carlos with the notorious international terrorist (Remember Frederick Forsythe's Day Of The Jackal!) and Genie, another fictional dog made famous by the most celebrated Tamil writer Sujata, who is no more.

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Absar Khan, from Bihar, when returns home, has earned Rs.300 for the day. This kabaddiwallah's (buys waste paper, empty cartons, empty bottles etc at your doorstep and sells for waste recycling) day starts at 5 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Monsoon season is a little tough. Otherwise, life is smooth, says he. Before we part, he says, 'Don't mistake for a ragpicker!"

Cheers

On Road In North East India-3

NORTH NOTEPAD: The Assam Tribune is the most trusted and venerable English daily in this region. But a dull and boring newspaper. Times of India is thinner than the waist of the slimmest catwalker. Even thinner than its Classified sections in  Delhi/Mumbai editions. The Sentinel is much talked about, but have not seen in people's hands or in newsstands much. Seven Sisters Post is laughed away as the paper meant for people passing through Guwahati airport! Telegraph is definitely a better option with a separate Guwahati pull out. "If your news has not appeared in Tribune, then the incident has not happened!" says a senior bureaucrat in the Assam government. That's the kind of clout AT enjoys. I wish every Tribune in every country/region enjoys that reputation!

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Monalisa Borakoty is an ex-colleague and a TV/print journalist worked with me in early 2000s in Delhi. She did a 2 years' MBA from Singapore University, came back with a lot of hopes to switch profession. Circumstances beyond her control uprooted this young and charming do-gooder from Delhi and sent her back to her hometown, Guwahati. This single mother with a 6 year old daughter has settled down as Regional Head for a financial multiproduct enterprise. Yes, she does miss Dwarka, her abode in Delhi for almost a decade. Does she like to be back in national capital? Nope. Family first. God bless you, Mona!

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: What am I offered when I visit the Horticulture department of Assam government? A bunch of bananas. "Absolutely nectar! You will not get it anywhere in the world. Unique variety," tells officials while thrusting the bunch into my hands. Tempted to finish off th entire bunch, but the image of my spouse Kala Ramesh dangles before my eyes who will kill me even if I am seen with bananas. It is strictly a 'no-no' as a diabetic. Yet, I take a bite to please my hosts. Have I not tasted similar bananas in my hometown, Tamilnadu? Yes. India, incidentally, is the largest producer of banana. Remembered Prashanti Pandit's witty and imaginary dialogue that opens my forthcoming "Naked Banana!" Yes PP, bananas never feel 'lonely' because they hang in bunches!

On Road in North East India-2

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: Beedi/cigarette and paan vendor Sambhu and tea vendor Sankeshwar, from Bihar, have been in this spot - Paltan Bazaar, a stone's throw away from Guwahati railway terminus, for over 20 years. Business has been excellent and never thought of returning to home. "Lallu or Nitesh in the saddle does not make much difference," they argue. Daily, they set shop around 3 a.m. that is when passengers alighting at railway station troop out to catch mini-cabs, buses to other parts of northeast and close shop around 11 p.m.

***

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: In Assam and not taking notice of the much celebrated film director Jon Barua? Well, here is a film poster of his latest offering. Can't read this Assamese title, but the English translation reads "Waves of Silence". A theatre nearby screens this flick. Will I watch it? Dunno.
It is running at a nearby theatre. Will I watch it? Dunno

***

NORTHEAST NOTEPAD: What's this man upto? He's making boats out of banana trunks. For whom? I ask. For you and anyone. What for? To cross the samsara sagar (ocean of life) with less hurdle, devotees offer these boats to the Devi mandir nearby. It costs Rs.50 per piece.

Enough for this morning....

Cheers

On Road in North East India-1

It all began almost 18 months ago when I was questioned by a senior bureaucrat in Government of India that my travels on Indian highways were in easy-to-travel mainland.

"Have you done it in the north east?" was the moot question and the trigger for the trip am embarking on today (28 October 2012/Sunday).

Naturally, I was stung.

Had never crossing Kolkota in the east and hence even Guwahati is alien to me.

The senior bureaucrat kept poking me.

Gutless?

Seven sisters (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh) were never new to know.

Almost a decade ago, I did a project for National Informatics Centre (NIC), Govt of India, when late Pramod Mahajan was handling the IT portfolio in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government.

Under NIC, I was 'site-mapping' for CIC being established in all these states. Harjeek Kakkar (now running VHire4u.com from Bangalore) was the biggest support that time.

That is when I trawled on the cyber highway to read about north east earnestly.

I had several colleagues from north east: Angana Barali at TVI and Mona Lisa @ Investors India.

Beautiful people. And brilliant too.

Once the fire has been lit about northeast, I began quizzing 3PLs and transporters about their interest and how they serve this region. Heard a lot of gory tales from everyone.

Transporters, who became my closeknit friends, told me: "You proceed. We are with you!".

Automotive OEMs were also pushing their vehicles with a vengeance into this region. My association with London-based Automotive Logistics & Finished Vehicle Logistics magazines also helped me to pursue this area.

It was also the same time, Vipul Nanda, Chairman of Mercurio Pallia Logistics who was instrumental in getting my maiden book, 10,000 KM on Indian Highways (www.10000kmonindianhighways.com), established his Guwahati branch and a standing invite to his new perch from where he services the entire north east, provided the extra and fresh fillip.

Last, but not the least, is the recent induction in the Government of India's National Committee on Supply Chain & Logistics, under the Ministry of Agriculture.

As Member of this Committee, I have been asked to visit cold supply chain infrastructure (beyond cold storage facilities) to gain fresh perspective on post harvest marketing of agri-produce from this region.

Transport, Highways, Marketing etc. all rolled into one 30-day, 7 state trip on road.

Plus the biggest attraction is by the time I complete this north east trip, I would  have completed fresh 10,000 KM on Indian highways in this calendar year (January 2012 onwards)!

Already done 8,500 km on highways in trucks only.

North east will provide opportunity for me to finish the balance 1,500 km.

Yes,  Yes.... This will provide fresh inputs for my forthcoming book, An Affair With Indian Highways to be released sometime in Feb/March 2013.

In a few hours from now, I will be on this trip.

By sunset, I should be in Guwahati, my first halt.

Will keep blogging during this trip.

Of course, I will continue to use @konsultramesh (my twitter handle) and linkedin (www.linkedin.com/in/rameshkoman) to help you about fresh updates and quick comments/views.

Cheers