Radio - the Shruti Factor

It’s five in the morning. It’s still dark outside. I walk out of the house and Sudha follows to hand me the water bottle. I have asked her many times to not wake up so early. She wouldn’t listen though. I bid her farewell and then walk towards the school ground. The local school leases its ground for parking during nights. All the autorickshaw drivers park their respective vehicles at the school only. The guard at the school gates, Hari, is now a friend. I stop to exchange a few words with him and then he opens the gate. I find my auto, it’s always in the same spot, and then leave for another exciting day ahead.

My day begins by going towards the Old Delhi Railway Station – that is where to I am headed right now. Never in the last twenty years have I reached the Old Delhi Railway Station – somehow I always find a passenger on the way. Maybe my record is going to change today. I am just a few hundred metres away from the Railway Station auto stand. There is the usual traffic of the countless taxis that are rushing to get inside first. These mobile app based taxis have ruined our business and roads alike. Today you cant find a road in Delhi without these white cars and their yellow number plates. They offer some deals at times that people tend to use these more than autos. Well not to say that we don’t provide air conditioning. Auto will give you what the weather has to offer – heat in summer and cold in winters. Lost in my lost, I am almost at the gates of the Railway Station. Just then a middle aged man walks upto me and asks for a ride to Rohini sector 8. It might need another day to break my record. Happily I help the man put his larger-than-himself suitcase in the auto and then start my meter.

After a few minutes of silence, the man seems to have finally caught his breath. He calls possibly his home and iterates to his dear ones that he has reached and has finally got an auto ride. When he cuts the call, he starts speaking – ‘I don’t know why the autos won’t take a fare for Rohini. You must be the twentieth auto I approached.’ ‘It is fine for now saheb. Its early in the morning and would only take 40 minutes to take you there. But from there getting a long ride is always impossible due to the traffic. We people live nearby and it will be expensive for us to return such a long distance without any ride.’ ‘How come you agreed then?’ He enquired. I had seen this coming. ‘I have a sister who lives a little distance away from Rohini and it has been a while since I have visited her. If I get nothing, I can atleast visit her.’ I said truthfully. It has indeed been a while since I had visited Munni at her marital home. The man continues on his conversation about how it had been better a couple of years ago when autos were easily available. He complained that now auto drivers look for their comfort before taking a ride. Well, I couldn’t deny this. Things had changed and so had people. Auto was no longer profitable as it had once been – when I first set out to drive it. Even with the fare increase, the inflation increases more rapidly and it becomes hard to keep a balance between both. I discuss the thoughts that had consumed me before the passenger came, about the mobile taxis ruining business. For a few times of offers or rewards that those companies offer, people keep using them in hope to get lucky. As a result those taxis had increased in number. People would need a quick and cheaper ride but reprimand the auto driver if they feel that he has asked more. They would threaten him with booking a cab. Slowly, the auto drivers had grown frustrated of the same and would resort to answering back. This had only made the situation worse.

The conversation eventually took the turn that most conversations in the city do take, to discuss why isnt the Government doing anything about it? We discussed at lengths what I had discussed numerous times. We didn’t even realize in the discussion when the destination had come. The passenger guided me through a couple of narrow lanes before getting down. He paid me the meter fare and then I left.

It was still fifteen minutes to seven. I was definitely not going to find any ride at the early hour. I went to the nearby tea stall and started a conversation with the tea vendor. We had discussion on random topics. He identified me as someone not from the area and introduced me to the local statistics. He guided me towards the local markets that open early where I could easily get a ride. I grabbed some quick breakfast with the tea and then thanked the vendor for his advice. Paying the bill I left to the direction he had indicated. Even before reaching the market I got a passenger. It was a short distance only. I got a couple of those and by the time I finished those rides, it was already noon. The gas was running low and I decided to find a gas filling station.

There was a moderate queue which allowed me to buy some lunch and finish it while waiting. I had just stepped out of the gas filling station when two girls stopped the auto. ‘Bhaiya would you take us to the Pacific Mall?’ Oh! I have always loved this accent. I smiled and asked them to sit. I started the meter and then pulled the auto towards the right road. This ride was going to be interesting. I know that from experience.

Girl1 – ‘We are in the auto now. Show na.’

Girl2 – ‘Okay but don’t tell him. He has asked me not to tell anyone.’

Girl1 – ‘Oh! Its just so pretty! Did Nishant really give you this ring? It looks very expensive.’

Girl2 – ‘Well it does. He wont tell me how much it cost him though.’

Girl1 – ‘You are so lucky! When do you plan to tell your parents?’

Girl2 – ‘Shhh! We cant tell anyone right now. He needs to complete his studies. Moreover you know dad na. He is not going to like dating and all. Its better that Nishant tells his family once he is settled and then his family reaches out to my family.’

Girl1 – ‘Gives you both time together too.’

Both the girls kept discussing how Nishant had given a ring to one of them, the ring and what more gifts might Nishant bring for his love interest today. I told you that this was going to be an interesting ride. Young girls always were full of life. Even the smallest of things brought them a lot of joy. It was always amusing to listen to them. I also made a note of how happy the girl was because of the ring. I am sure it was pretty expensive. Well, I wont be able to afford an expensive one but I decided to buy a ring for Sudha before going back today. I know her reaction – she would scold me for spending unnecessarily, try to find something wrong with the ring and then lock it in the cupboard as if it were something very precious, just like all other small gifts I have given her. She is not someone to say it out loud but I just imagine the joy in the girl’s voice to be reflected in Sudha’s voice. Just like all women, she likes getting gifts though she does have a weird way of receiving one.

We reached the mall in a little more than an hour. I was a wiser man than I had been an hour ago. I knew how to take care of a ring and I also had a list of gifts that would make a woman happy!

It was almost six in the evening when I found myself dropping a passenger in Vasant Kunj. It had been a good day with a few good earning rides. I also had bought a ring for Sudha. Humming to myself, I was returning home when a girl almost jumped in front of the auto. Thankfully the auto was not at speed and I stopped in time. The girl was unhurt. ‘Bhaiji I really need to reach Patpadganj. Please don’t say no.’ I had no intention of taking another ride and especially not one of so far away. The girl probably read my expressions ‘I am really late. I will pay you a hundred more than what your meter says. Its already getting dark and I have been waiting a while but couldn’t get any ride.’ She had already made herself comfortable inside my auto. I looked outside as if to confirm. It was really dark and not to forget that a little isolated. It didn’t feel right to leave the poor lady waiting there. I started the meter and then set off in the direction.

The girl kept looking at her phone. Her hands kept playing with the rod handle on the closed passage side. Maybe she saw me looking or just when she grew relaxed she smiled and then spoke ‘Is your home very far from Patpadganj?’ ‘A little. Madam.’ I replied. ‘Thanks for taking me. I was really getting late to go to my sister’s place.’ She fell silent saying that sentence. Every few minutes she kept opening her phone and checking something. After sometime I realized that she would be new to the city for she was checking the map. She kept on checking the map and then the names of the road. When I took a few turns to avoid the traffic, she grew a little uncomfortable. ‘Don’t worry madam. We would find a lot of traffic on the straight road. I know this shortcut. This is safe and will take us to the next road.’ She smiled, still a little unsure but a little relaxed and started humming to herself. She would humm a tune for a few seconds and then change to a different tune.

We were stuck in traffic still some distance away from the destination when she got a call. It seemed that she wasn’t sure where she had to go and this made her a little nervous. She cut the call assuring the caller that she would reach. The activity of checking the time on her phone started again. She would take out her phone, check the time, check some more items and then keep the phone inside her purse. Every few seconds she would repeat it. Sometimes when the map indicated traffic, she would tell me.

Finally when I thought that she was really getting worried ‘Madam ji, this is daily traffic. Don’t worry about it. We are almost where you had asked me to take you to. You can probably now tell me the exact directions to your sister’s house.’ It was then she confessed ‘I think I might have told you incorrectly. I have only visited my sister once and I have been in this city for only two months. I am not sure of the routes. I know my sister’s house is near by the hospital and I thought the address I was giving you was exact but I am not able to identify this location at all.’ I didn’t know what to say. She was almost on the verge of tears. It was natural. She was quite young and genuinely appeared scared. ‘Madam ji, the hospital is still two kilometers away. Let me take you there and then probably you can call someone and I can ask them for directions.’ She nodded but the tension didn’t fade. I kept going towards the hospital. ‘Madam ji, if you have songs on your phone, why don’t you play them? It would take tension off your mind and also the travel would become a little melodious.’ She took my suggestions and started playing songs. Some of them I had heard that I sang along. In two songs, she seemed relaxed again.

Upon reaching the hospital, she dialled her sister’s number and I spoke to her sister. She told me a little complex route. I was sure I could reach there though. It would take some twenty minutes for there were two roads on the way that were half closed for maintenance. The girl was happy now. She kept the songs playing.

‘Bhaiji, I find it a little amusing that you are such a big fan of songs and you don’t have a radio. Usually all the autos that I have travelled by have a radio which plays songs at a very loud volume.’ She chuckled. I didn’t want to offend her and hoped that she wouldn’t get offended ‘Madam ji, I don’t need a radio. I have so many passengers during the day who talk to me and share their stories. The passengers who don’t talk to me, well they talk their lessons to each other and in turn give me a lot of wisdom. You wont believe that in today itself, I have visited Prayagraj, heard first-hand accounts of the Republic Day functions in two schools, understood a new way the Government could adopt to regulate traffic, heard updates on the new Government policies, witnessed new budding love, got a list of gifts I could take for my wife, witnessed a mother’s unconditional love for her children and now helped you find your sister.’ She listened to this very intently and was silent for a couple of seconds. ‘So we are your radios’ She said and laughed. I laughed along.

In another few minutes, we were finally in front of the desired building. I asked the madam to call her sister or some other relative downstairs. She did so. Her sister came down after a few minutes. The lady had already paid the bill. Her sister and she thanked me and left.

I turned the auto and started to the way that would take me home. I would be late tonight. It would be difficult to get a parking spot in the school as well. Sudha would also be waiting for me. Maybe I could take her shopping tomorrow. That ought to cheer her mood. Also maybe if the space is full, Hari could watch over the auto. With all these thoughts, I happily go towards home.