Sidewalk
Dr Manju Gupta
I heard the first rumblings a decade ago. My siesta was rudely disturbed by a loud crash and screech. When I stepped into the balcony to find the source of the commotion I came face to face with the gigantic paws of what is called khooni panja in local parlance. The machine was tearing down the ramp of my neighbour and mine was next inline. Let me elaborate for those who are not familiar with the ways of this part of the world. It is common in this region to build one’s house above road level to prevent rainwater ingress during a heavy downpour. That necessitates a small inclined platform leading from the gate to the roadside. This ramp also bridges the open drains which are still a feature of small town India.
We had been hearing about the proposed widening and double laning of the Railway Road for sometime. Seemed it was finally happening. Excitedly we watched as the giant machine tore our concrete ramp in one powerful swoop. Destruction is the first step to renewal and the resulting dust tasted bittersweet. In the calm after the storm we realised that our gate was a foot above the roadside. Concern replaced the enthusiasm because ours is a nursing home where sometimes patients have to be driven right upto the indoor wards. Thinking of the inconvenience and delay in medical treatment this will cause we got our staff to put together a makeshift platform from the rubble. It was bumpy but it worked.
The widening of the road was minuscule in comparison to the destruction it had entailed. I had thought that since they had removed the ramps the side of the road would reach our gates. Months went by and there was no further construction. Tired of the bumpy ride and the frantic spinning of the wheels on the makeshift ramp we got a mason to lay bricks without mortar. Easy to dismantle in case the authorities decided to go ahead with some more ‘widening’.
Nothing happened for the next few years. The bricks sunk deeper with each monsoon and we could hear a distinct thud when vehicles negotiated the vertical gap. It could just be our imagination but sometimes the whole building trembled with the impact. Our mason suggested a ramp made of concrete slabs which could be easily removed and stowed if needed. He ably fashioned a metallic grill for the drain which fitted into concrete slabs. Most of it could be dismantled within minutes and worked perfectly till the next round of road construction.
This time they were shifting structures from the side of the road to the middle. Electricity and telephone poles, street lights all were systematically uprooted and replanted. Some full grown trees were sacrificed, as were all structures built by us ‘Mango’ people. We removed our removable ramp and tried to re- install it after the government workers left. It didn’t fit very well. By now we had heard about the proposed pavement which was to come right upto our doorstep. We decided that the ill fitting ramp would have to serve till then.
A couple of years passed, the slim road divider replete with green plants gave the town an urbane feel. But there was no news of the pavement. And then a year ago work started in earnest. Once again our ramp was sacrificed and this time a large chunk of earth went with it. Our building was now two feet above road level but we had become professionals at this. Within minutes the makeshift ramp was put in place. Mercifully it didn’t have to function long because the bright red and yellow pavement was installed within a fortnight.
Lesson learnt, it may take a while and entail inconvenience but things do get done in this large democracy called India!
( published in the Hindu on 28/10/2018)
Dear Dr Gupta,
Good morning. I liked your piece ‘The sidewalk saga’ that has appeared in today’s The Hindu. I’ve often read your middles in HT, Tribune, Hindu, among others. You write really well.
I also contribute to these publications, albeit once in a blue moon. I mostly write in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Pashto, Dari (Afghan variant of Persian), Dutch, Spanish, among others.
My piece ‘Hawking’s Godlessness’ has appeared in today’s Speaking Tree Supplement. Please read when time permits you.
Apropos, I’m a 33-yr-old advanced research scholar of Islamic Theology, Qura’an, Arabic and Hadith (Muhammad’s teachings), though I don’t belong to any man-made religion. I’m an apatheist.
Stay tuned. I love to interact with cerebral and like-minded people.
Have a great Sunday.
Regards,
Sumit
i Sumit,
Thanks for the kind words. You seem to be a voracious reader….yes I do write for these publications…my hundredth piece was published recently. Went through Hawkings Godlessness….interesting, profound, eloquent. I mostly write about Ordinary things….in fact extraordinarily ordinary things…my blog is called just that ALifeExtraordinarilyOrdinary.com…..do visit sometime….your input would be invaluable. Impressive polyglot!….by the way I had to look up apatheist….thought it was a typo…silly me!
Thanks, Dr Gupta.
Impressed that you mailed back so promptly and that too, without using SMS lingo and symbols:)
Well, ‘apatheist’ is a recently accepted term in English which connotes, ‘One who has gone beyond theism and atheism.’
Stay tuned. I’ll visit your blog.
Warmest regards,
Sumit
Hello Dr. Manju,
Your piece in the daily comes at a time when the same thing is happening in front of my home. My father is chalking out all the possibilities that might lead to the removal of our ramp. I told him that Khooni Panja doesn’t discriminate.It will swallow whatever comes in its way.
I want to let you know that I am able to connect with your story.
Regards,
Vikas
Don’t know whether it is appropriate to say so…but am glad you could identify with my story. You are right, the Khooni Panja doesn’t discriminate….
Have faith…the state will deliver…. ultimately!
Best of luck
Manju
Hello Dr.Manju,
I write this email to congratulate you on your article in today’s Hindu open page.
Your article reminds me Shah Rukh Khan famous dialogue.
“Bade bade deshon mein aisi choti choti baatein … hoti rehti
You rightly said in the end that things do get done in this large democracy called India.
Even though we are not very systematic in approach but at the end all will be done in way it has to be happen.
All the best for your upcoming articles.
Best regards,
Santosh.
Ha ha….you really made me sound philosophical about it…
But yes I do believe that if you wait long enough things will get done.
Thanks for writing in. I write a blog ALifeExtraordinarilyOrdinary.com…peruse at leisure
Regards
Manju
Hello Manju Gupta
I have read your article published last Sunday in the open page of The Hindu.
It’s an interesting read about the public works that are under taken every now and then and the ordeals that come with it. You’ve had a harrowing experience for years! But, like you said it may take a while!
Good one.
Regards,
Shireen
Hello Manju Gupta
I have read your article published last Sunday in the open page of The Hindu.
It’s an interesting read about the public works that are under taken every now and then and the ordeals that come with it. You’ve had a harrowing experience for years! But, like you said it may take a while!
Good one.
Regards,
Shireen
Thanks for identifying with my story and taking the trouble of writing in. Yes it took a while…..heh heh
I have read with interest your article
The sidewalk saga
in today’s Open Page of The Hindu.
Absorbing write-up!
I am a Senior Alumnus from IIM Ahmedabad 1977
Rector’s Prize winner Delhi University, Hindu College 1974
I have also sent you my LinkedIn Invitation for a Professional Connection.
Vijay Dabas
Business Associate at MASSCLIMB
New Delhi Area, India
Thanks for your interest Vijay and congrats on your very impressive credentials
Respected writer , your article in The Open Page of the Hindu in yesterday’s edition is really a great read. I appreciate your skill of creative writing and as a i reader I wish to read many more of your articles in the open page . It is my pleasure to read such a great article.
> Monica Singh
Thanks for your appreciation. I maintain a blog ALifeExtraordinarilyOrdinary.com where you can read all my published/ unpublished pieces. Looking forward to your feedback
Oh that’s great mam, I am huge fan of your writings. read some of your articles on your blog. They are really great. Please do keep writing and sharing.
I am a student of Mass communication and live in Chd. Which other newspapers do you write in. And where do you love? I am really keen to meet you.
Regards
Monica Singh
Dear Dr,
Trust you are in good health and spirits.
Here comes another gem from you! Many thanks.
Though there have been some more in between which I liked (as usual), which prompted me to get back to you this time is the uncanny coincidence of the ramp in our house about to be broken by the workers for laying a water pipeline. ( They had been breaking our neighbours’ ramps for the last 2 days and our turn should come today). It is as if you had been witnessing it from afar (wherever you might be stationed)!!!
You have brought out the malaise so very well in your article and that too by bringing in humour while hardly sounding bitter. Speaks volumes of your spirit and good nature.
This indeed is one of the many ironies in our country. Various government departments would never coordinate and combine their work. Only last year the road in front of our house had been repaired from the damages caused by the electricity guys after having been in the state of disrepair for about 2 years. May be this time we won’t have to wait that long on account of the impending elections next year. (Thank God for small mercies).
Keep writing!
Warm regards,
Dev Rudola
Thanks for appreciating and writing in..sometimes all you can do is laugh! Yes the elections will work in your favour, but haven’t you noticed how this type of roadwork is always timed with some Bhartiya barish…..it has to get worse before it gets better!
Regards
Manju
Hahaha, well said!
More power to your pen.
Warm regards,
Dev