#MetroDiary 37: Festivals and Agnostics in the Metro

It's the Navratras (or Navratri). One of those times of the year in North India where you get to see people wearing their "vegetarianism"on their shoulder with as much enthusiasm as the winner of a Veer Chakra. I understand actually. It takes a lot to stay off Rajma (Beans), Chhole (Legume family) made with onions, Puri (Flour), occasional Rice, and of course quintessential Chutney and raw onions of North Indian platter and survive on Puri (made of faux-flour), Potato (In case you do not know, vegetables can kill North Indians!), Chhole in salad and no raw onion! Delhiites without their access to raw onions literally brought down a government in 1998! Therefore, never underestimate the Power of Onion . 

Metro-commuters talk about their heroic sacrifices with a lot of passion these days. I was about to get down at my usual stop but got up to be near the source of fire (the gossip) a station ago. One of the girls must had been from East who suggested they go to Nagpal's Chhole Bhature

Image courtesy: Google

place in the afternoon and the other girl almost shrieked and started her long monologue on how her mother thinks she is an atheist, already ("What's so bad about it" I wanted to ask but held my peace) with her not offering prayers every day during Navratras and on top of that if she eats onions, she would be thrown out of her home! She did not even wait for her friend to ask how will her mom get to know but the so called "atheist" added, "She gets to know if I eat onions yaar!" Such is the smell err... aura of onions. I think this girl needs a special class from the young smokers. Don't you think so?

Last Tuesday, I boarded a terribly crowded metro from Mandi House, and thought no one can even think of getting in but just before the door closed another woman equipped with her ear plugs in the ears and speaker in the mouth entered the compartment. The door bruised past her hand but she did not mind much as she was busy with her friend. She looked all happy giving him information about who waits for her (all men) and how they are harmless time-pass. She happily dissuaded his fears that one of the younger ones may catch her attention in the long run. You can not blame me for this one time. She was speaking literally in my ears and in the ears of many others standing in the same space. Eventually it came to the issue of the day of the week as you run out of topics when you talk that long, I guess and she said, "So it's Tuesday and you are going to the temple!" And soon she became visibly angry. I was surprised and so was the girl standing on her other side. We exchanged a surprised look. It was an unexpected twist in the story that was flat and was almost boring. It reached a crescendo with "Why should I think of god! Has god ever think of me? Have I ever been given anything? Never bring up the god topic to me."I was getting tense. What if she starts crying. The compartment was already muggy with sweats of hundreds of passengers. However, the conversation shifted gear and reached the usual boring pace when the other person answered saying, "You are the one who raised the topic of god with mention of the day of the week. Not me." No, I could not hear the other person. What do you think I am! Some witch? That's my secret desire though but I am far from it. I guessed it from the answer of the one who was pouring her words in my ear "I was just checking if you remembered it was me who started..." What the... well! whatever! I am not the one to object. 

Some of the students look seriously unhappy with their heads buried in their books. Exams must be around the corner. It does not help seeing the other one travelling with a colorful bag in colourful dress. 

Then I had Nisha with me in the metro today. She was not wearing a badge but she named herself as many times as "Basanti" did to let the audience know her name in her introductory scene in Sholay. Nisha was tired of festivities already! She told us so herself. Well not really us, but you get the point, right? How there is a strange relative who cracks boring jokes (better than cracking sexist jokes, I thought!), such as, "You know, she was saying alu was better than chhole because Keerti was there, had it been in front of Nisha, she would have said chhole was better!" and he chuckled. "Who cares!", Nisha added. "I told him Nisha made none of the two. Why should have she cared?" I was impressed! Referring to oneself as a third person takes a certain amount of self-esteem after all. And I readily understood why she was not happy with her festival shopping.  After buying only two trousers and a few tops, she was asked if she had no more trousers left, as she spent Rs 5000 in one go. Her festival season seemed to be going pretty bad so far but bless the caller who must had tried to cheer her up by asking for selfies in her new top. I saw her clicking many for the rest of the journey. 

And I know it has nothing to do with metro but can I leave you with this sound track from iDiva? I am sure it will help you pray and it is 100 times better than the songs that I have to hear at full volume during Navratra. So enjoy... err sorry! pray..माँ मुरादें  पूरी करदे हलवा बाटूंगी ..

 https://www.facebook.com/iDivaonFB/videos/10156654422113559/