Sounds of an Indian city

I was supposed to write about the ‘Honking Culture’ of India. When did it begin? How did it begin? I wonder. On the roads of the cities of this nation, it appears as if everyone is in a hurry. I do not know where is this sense of urgency coming from. Maybe people are late to work/school/college in the mornings and want to hurry back home in the evenings. But that would leave the afternoon without the orchestra of cacophony. But alas! These ears will not be spared.

The villages have a slow-paced life they say. I am beginning to wonder if that is the right pace of living. Today, nothing short of instant is expected. Maybe the cities are saturated, there are just too many of us on the roads and the public transport doesn’t help much.

I spent a good 26 years of my life living in a house that was on the main road. I was so used to the sounds of the vehicles that only when I would play my recorded videos and I’d realise the loud traffic noise that was the background music of my daily life. And when Covid lockdown was imposed, I fell in love with the silence. It wasn’t the deafening silence but the silence where in one could here the birds sing and the trees sway. The only birds that sing are the ringtones of our mobile phones today and there aren’t many trees left to watch them sway.

My recent (and frequent) road travels has helped me to appreciate the highway trees. Long road travels seem to be a bit refreshing. The train of thoughts departs as one gazes through the car window. The skies changing their colours, the changing skylines, the signboards, the fields and the locals. It feels like I am passing through the lives of so many people. This surreal experience makes me feel as if I am witnessing life from the outside, like watching a movie or reading a book.

For me, books and words are the best means to travel. My 30-year-old body doesn’t appreciate travelling by car or for that matter even airplane. But the right now my work demands that I physically travel and not just mentally. And as I travel these roads, I wonder what came first, the houses/buildings or the roads?  Do the characters come first or their story?

Anyway, I think we’ve swayed a little from our destination(topic). But hey, aren’t we all curious little explorers who crave a bit of novelty now and then. And who's to say which path is right and which is wrong. The paths keep changing, some are little shorter than the others but with a little heavier traffic (or a not so well-maintained road). I have experienced this on my way to the office in the weekday mornings. And also today, we took a little different route than usual on my way back from the office. And at that moment, I was so sure that we are on the wrong route and that we will not make with a long de-tour, but I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong about it. It felt good to be wrong.

Now, its very evident how travel has changed in the recent past. People spend so much time in the to-and-fro from their work/study place to their homes. I still remember those long, but not so long, local train travels in Aamchi Mumbai. I do not miss the traffic, cause my home city gives it good competition. But I do miss the convenient but crowded public transport and more accessible Autorickshaws. The cities might change but the honking remains.

Why do people honk? Is it a form of communication? Well, it was at least supposed to be. Its like cries of help of a person in need get drowned in the gibberish and unnecessary screams of perfectly okay people. But this behaviour is certainly not normal human behaviour across the world. Newsflash, people around the world manage to use their vehicles on the roads without unnecessary use of the horn. I wonder what it will take for us to realise and imbibe this radical idea of using horns for the use that they are meant for.

Now, I do not drive any vehicle so I cannot be a hypocrite who’s just judging other drivers. I am just an outsider who’s commenting on the performance of others. And on the days that I am running late, I am guilty of wanting all green-signals and getting frustrated at the seemingly slow velocity of my safari. But I tell myself that I could ease myself of this unpleasant feeling only if I start on time and being late one-off time isn’t really end of the world. (even if it is end of the world, I do not want to be rushing into it)

We cannot really rush into things, can we? How much ever hard we try to accelerate few things, they happen in their own sweet time. We just have to believe that things will arrive at their destination when they are supposed to. Now obviously, there will be a few early deliveries and delayed deliveries, but that’s just life.  No point in honking mindlessly and missing out on the sirens that actually need our attention. We may not always have control on the roads that we travel, but it is up to us to try to be good driver. (and yeah, I am going to compare our bodies to the vehicle. Very basic, I know)

As Matangi, the demigoddess from Moana’s universe says “There’s always another way even if you have to get lost to find it” It’s okay to get lost. What is not okay is unnecessary honking. (that’s enough honking about why one should not honk I guess)

PS: The most heart-breaking visuals I see on roads is non-human animals being transported in vehicles like goods. They are not goods, they are living being their own personalities and we have no right to take their lives away. 

Choose kindness, choose life. Go vegan for the animals.