In spite of all the rain our locality in Bhubaneswar wasn't impacted by flooding. The basic Law of Physics still holds good - Water always looks to the lowest level of elevation and flows towards it. Luckily our home and the surrounding streets are located on a higher elevation and water logging is not an issue.
Now that rain is gone, it feels muggy as the air is thick with humidity which can make you feel like a melting man if you stand outside for 5 minutes in the afternoon. After a break of couple of days I had to crank on the AC to keep me cool and cozy.
There is no concept of making a queue (standing in line) at most places. The other day I was at Nimapada Sweets, a popular sweet store in Bapuji Nagar. Instead of making a line half a dozen or so folks were standing in a cluster, all shouting in unison "ADHA KILE (1/2 Kg) CHHENA PODA, KILE (1 Kg) SANDESH, DASA TA (10 count) RASAGOLA - all trying to outbid each other creating the miasma of a mini fish market.
I waited for my turn standing somewhere in that cluster but it took me nowhere. Neither the customer nor the server or the cashier cared for my etiquette. Soon I realized that I will be in all probability spend the entire day standing at the same spot. After waiting for 5 minutes I spoke up - "ETHI KANA LINE NAHI (Don't we stand in a line here) ? Being Roman in Rome, I wanted to enter wrestle my way to make a purchase if my query was unanswered. Thankfully for me the cashier who all along noticed this said - "ARRE, BABU NKU DEIDE (Hey, take this gentleman's order)". My order was ready.
Last evening I went to the Park right in front of the Arts block of BJB College for a walk with my friend Amit. We drove past D-33, BJP flats and took a nostalgic peek at it. D-33 is that middle floor 3 bedroom quarters where we lived. (In local lingo government provided houses are called quarters here where the employees are quartered. Larger the quarter, bigger is the status of the person). I lived in that quarter for 15 years of the prime time of my childhood and youth. Took a nostalgic peek as I passed by it.
While making rounds inside the park I saw a young girl standing under lights posing as a model and her friend was shooting her on cell phone camera. The photo session continued for a while, with the model-in-motion bending left and right with hand on her hips, catwalking back and forth. It was walk in the park for her. When we passed by her again I could hear her complaining - "EITA BHALA HEINI. AU THARE NE (This shot wasn't good, do a retake".
Saw a bunch of middle age ladies huffing and puffing their way on the narrow trail, their chit chat indicated all talking and none listening, probably inspired by the discussion panels on local TV Channels where everybody talks but no one bothers to listen. I could overhear them talking about the necessity of staying fit to avoid any future ailments and subsequent dependency on their children. At least one of them was doing character assassination of her mother-in-law and maid - MO SASHU KA MUNDA KHARAP HEI JAICHI. MAID RA DUI DINA HELA DEKHA DARSHANA NAHI (My mother-in-law has gone crazy. The house maid hasn't turned for duty for last couple of days). Interestingly 80% of those walking in the park were females. Glad to see the fitness trend is going up amongst the fairer sex.
Oberhearing conversation can be interesting. Another time I heard a girl on phone speaking in a soft but audible voice following the recent fad of speaking in a hydrid of Odia, Hindi and English - "TU JANICHU NA, MO BOYFRIEND TA EBE BEWAFA HEI JAICHI (You know, my boyfriend has turned untrustworthy recently)". Good luck young lady on your "Bewafa Boyfriend" and thanks for enriching the Odia language by adding some news words to it. More later....
No comments:
Post a Comment