Monday, May 3, 2010

Happiness in five rupees

Auto RideOne hand precariously holding on the handrail above me and other arm, sometimes, wrapped around the sidebar. Feet either rested on foot rail or freely dangling. Face facing the oncoming traffic and receding away from it. Wind roughing the oiled and combed hairs into a dry mess. Thighs pulled together to balance the polybag containing roasted groundnuts and other hand attempting to peel few of them singlehandedly, losing few seeds occasionally to road, to toss in my mouth. Torso huddled along with three more co-passengers. Balancing myself through speed breakers and sharp turns on a thin plank of wood serving as my seat.

This thirty-minutes five-rupees journey from IFFCO Chauk to Sector 54 in Gurgaon on the back of shared auto-rickshaw gave me more pleasure than anything else I’ve encountered in recent years. And trust me, I’ve fairly many things to compare it against. [Image source]

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