On one fine Monday morning, last month, I happen to
board an Uber cab from Porur and was on my way to a diagnostic
center in Royapettah for undergoing a medical examination.
On any normal day, it would hardly take not more than forty-five minutes to
reach the destined location but, unfortunately; ‘Mondays’ in any metro
city in India, are never meant to be normal. Mondays have to be abnormally
exciting and at the same time – chaotic too! It is the day when one has to shed
off the amassed lethargy of the weekend and rejuvenate oneself with positive
energy for the following weekdays. Indeed, the cacophony of a Monday morning
traffic is a reflection of this revitalized energy.
Two things that can anytime make me feel secluded and
stagnant in this dynamically networked and changing world are: One- a slow internet
connection and two- a long standing traffic jam, respectively. Invariably, I am one amongst
those ninety-nine percent overly charged Indians for whom traffic jams can
become a major test of patience. “Anna! How much time will it take to reach
Royapettah ?”, I enquired probingly. With a subtle smile on his face, he
answered, “Maybe an hour and half Sir; the traffic will be less after we
cross Guindy” I have always felt a special connect with this city and its
people in these years. Unquestionably, if one has to see simplicity and
humility personified, it is here, inherently existing in this land and in its
denizens. His gentle voice and smiling reply mollified my impatience.
In-spite of my linguistic handicap, I have rarely felt
hard to communicate with the cab drivers in the city, as majority of them can
converse well in English and at times, are even well versed in Hindi. This has
helped me in striking random conversations, in otherwise lonely rides. In just
ten to fifteen minutes into the ride, I found myself in another such
extemporary conversation with him. Topics ranging from temples and recreational
places in Tamil Nadu, the
aftermath of Chennai floods and so on; the conversation seemed quite intriguing
and indeed, served a better alternative to avoid both, verbal and vehicular
logjam.
Unlike Himachal,
where the Sun God seems to be in constant dissension with the place; He does
maintain a great bonhomie with Chennai.
For someone like me, this can mean extreme environmental adaptation. I often,
jokingly, tell my friends that this climatic reconciliation is no less than
being first pulled out of a freezer and then put into a microwave oven!
As any other day, this ‘Monday’ was also sweltering! The sunny
gleams penetrating uninvited from the front and side window panes of the
vehicle, repressed the impact of air conditioner.
At times, creativity is too abstract to define but is
too simple and concrete to experience. In the course our conversation and
journey, the driver, Mr. Paneer
Selvam, displayed a similar out of box creative stuff. The mobile cum GPS
device which was clamped near to the sun shield was heated up because of the
sun beams falling vertically from the front window pane. “The mobile is
heated up too much! Can I just cool it down, Sir”, he asked. At this point,
I had no practical idea what he intended to do until when he placed it between
the air conditioner vents for cooling ! Creatively cooled, Indeed !
