Our roads know no bias — the potholes don’t flatten for the Sedans and the SUVs. Even a petty scooter can challenge the supremacy of a mighty truck.
The much-maligned Indian roads are, in fact, true symbols of democracy with deeply entrenched values of liberty, equality and fraternity. Those unfamiliar with these roads may take them at face value, but I take them as great levellers and equalisers. A pedestrian, a cyclist and a rickshawwallah — all enjoy the same rights on the road as does any four-wheeler-rider.
Our roads know no bias — the potholes don’t flatten for the Sedans and the SUVs. There is complete annihilation of social hierarchy, where even a petty scooter can challenge the supremacy of a mighty truck. All that the former does is overtake the latter from the left! Moreover, whether one owns a Merc or a Nano, and whatever the horsepower of one’s ego, all travel at the same speed of 20 km/hr. If ever one moves ahead of the other, don’t worry, the Indian roads will always have a railway-crossing from where the race starts afresh!
The story doesn’t end with man and machine; in fact, the path belongs to man and animal alike. Such is the reverence shown to animals that an entire entourage of traffic diverts just to accommodate a family of cud-chewing buffaloes out on an evening stroll. Why only divert, many have even laid down their lives (as well as taken a few other lives along with them) in trying to save a humble cow or a dog!
Such piety isn’t reserved for animals alone; gigantic flyovers are built to protect a middle-of-the road temple or mazaar. Surely, it was on the Indian road where Milton got stuck in a Dusshera procession and wrote inspiringly, “They also serve who only stand and wait.”
According to Indian philosophy, the body is like a piece of clothing only to be changed with time, but the soul remains the same. One can never understand it better than on the Indian roads where the lowly cow becomes the traffic cop and the traffic cop becomes a holy cow. Now this holy cow by day turns an extortionist by night. Same soul, different skin!
Long before the Greeks, it was the Indian roads that taught us the deeper meaning of beauty lying in the eye of the beholder. The concept of ugly and beautiful is interchangeable and relative. Such profound truths cross the mind when you see the parks and garbage dumps looking alike on the roadsides.
It is said that it is never too late in life to turn over a new leaf. Whenever you wish to change the course of your life, you needn’t announce it to the whole world. Just take a mute turn whichever way you choose on the great Indian road — and you will see that everything else falls into place.
The Indian roads give us the liberty to choose how to renounce life. When you drive the bike with one hand, skilfully handle the mobile with the other and balance two freeloaders on pillion, you know you are dexterous enough to dodge death. Besides, to make you realise the ups and downs in life, some sensitive souls have built weird structures called speedbreakers. If enlightenment has still evaded you, don’t go far looking for a mountain or an ashram — just an open manhole ahead is enough to make you realise the depths of life. Even God doesn’t help those who don’t help themselves; then why should the traffic lights save you? Can’t you see the bulldozer coming?
The most redeeming feature of the Indian road is that you need not be politically right. No one cares whether you are a leftist or rightist as long as you are at the centre. Such is its unifying power that even a concrete divider can’t divide us. None can ever distinguish the aayaa-Rams (the ones coming) from the gayaa-Rams (the ones going). This is what is called true political freedom.
Finally, we mothers and sisters are grateful, for, had it not been for the Indian roads, our menfolk would never have remembered us so often in such trying situations.
Long live the Indian roads!
(The writer is a daily commuter in Varanasi and can be reached at bhanumish9@gmail.com)
Keywords: India roads, traffic jams, traffic rules, roads maintenance
The article of the author Dr Bhanumathi Mishra is deep in
meaning but humourous on the face of it. She quotes indian
constitution's preamble and the fundamental rights enshrined
therein.Her description that different types of vehicles from a cycle
to Benz motor cars when it goes into the traffic stream are treated
as equals by traffic police and the vehicle owners. But such equality
does not exist in real life except in traffic where a vehicle costly
or cheap are equals and has to follow the vehicle in front although
most of the time a two wheeler overtakes through the left which the
police tolerates. Traffic control is not normally taken seriously and
violators are not taken to task. One has to learn the discipline
enforced by the police in western countries. . As long as police
control on the traffic and enforce discipline,there cannot be any
scope for betterment in the traffic flow in our cities. will our
police take this issue seriously and make some improvement?
brilliant article :)
Dr.Misra has given meaning and life to the famous French doctrine coined during the French revolution with reference to the Indian context. I read the literary piece over and Again and really enjoyed the style of language. I was also reminded of the famous speech Of Antony in Shakespeare's julious Caesar. The words there that Brutus is an honorable Man was not really a pat to Brutus but a hit. The esteemed writer has copied that style. To criticize the roads in India and to implant the french concepts to finally offer the Prayer LONG LIVE THE INDIAN ROADS.
Please don't improve the roads or road sense ! What a doom it would be
for our scores of orthopaedicians, general surgeons and plastic surgeons
who largely depend on the road traffic accident victims !
A perusal of the article "Liberty, equality and fraternity on our roads!" would certainly have made any reader burst into laughter like me or sport a broad smile. Soaked in sarcasm - with apt references to some of the tenets we consider to be sacred and unviolable, based on what Indian philosophy and Indian culture have taught us, this fine write-up by Dr.Bhanumati Mishra should serve as an eye-opener to all, especially the government. If the condition of the roads in several cities of the country are bad, not lagging behind much is the deplorable attitude of many of the users. While applauding the efforts taken by the government to improve and bring to international standards some of the national and state highways in recent times, it needs to be stressed that what remains to be done is a lot more. Road discipline has also to be enforced to make the roads safe for all users.
haha! grt article :)
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