Contentment : Gangadhar's Story

Getting into an auto-rickshaw today morning, I was pleasantly surprised when the auto driver wished me a courteous "Good morning" with a bright smile, and enquired how my day was shaping up.

Having been a heavy user of autos for the last couple of months, I was quite taken aback - this is not something one expects from stressed Mumbai auto drivers.

He had a sense of tranquility and dignity written all over him.  My curiosity was triggered and I asked him to narrate his story.  Here it is in his own words:

"My name is Gangadhar, aged 57 years.  I have been driving an auto for the last 35 years in Mumbai.  I do not own this auto - I rent it on a daily basis as I want to get away from the hassle of ownership.  I am thus spared of the hassle of repairs and maintenance as the owner takes care of it.

I stay in a chawl (traditional shared dwellings) in Badlapur which is about 1.5 hours train ride from Ghatkoper where my auto owner stays.  I take a train to commute from my house.

Till about 5 years ago, I used to work 12 - 14 hours a day in order to save up to buy my 1 room in the chawl, and for my daughter's wedding.

Since past few years I work only half days, and return home by 1.30 pm.  I work half days not because I cannot still work full days, but because what I earn working half day (about Rs 400) is adequate for me and wife to lead a comfortable life.

I now want to lead a good life, and seek pleasantness in my life.  I avoid arguments with my passengers even if they are nasty.  If I behave politely with them and keep smiling, they normally are also polite to me.

I now find time to do what I love doing - and I consider myself lucky that I am able to do what I have been wanting to do since a long time."

Sox Compliance

Every time my laundry comes out of the washing machine, I have a huge challenge matching up the various pairs of socks.  There are socks of various patterns, designs, and colours - but none of them seem to form a pair.  As a result I keep buying new pairs, but the problem only compounds when they too get into the washing machine ......

Dressing up to go to work is therefore a huge challenge.

When I joined TNS I had to sign a lengthy declaration that I will be SOX compliant.  But the challenge at home with Socks is bigger, and it will need a person of your versatility and intelligence, Vandana, to sort out this mess I have got into.

2 more months to go ........

House Hunting In Mumbai

“No problems sir – I will get you a very good apartment near your office – just give me a couple of days” said the broker.

The first apartment he took me to turned out to be a complete disaster.  It was in a dilapidated old building and there was no lift to get to the 3^rd floor.  Climbing the worn-out, dimly lit stairs made me claustrophobic.

“Sorry I don’t want to stay in a heritage building” I told the broker.

The sarcasm was lost on him – “sir, this is an excellent building, and just walking distance from your office” he said with a sad nod of his head.

The next apartment had a lift, but from the bedroom window I could reach out and touch the metro rail.  Every minute a metro train whizzed past rattling the apartment. 

“Sir, excellently located apartment, you can reach any part of Mumbai by using this Metro” he said. 

I looked out of the window and marveled at the engineers who had managed to build the gleaming new metro rail just an arms length away from the 3rd floor of a residential building.

“…and, you will soon get used to the sound, sir”  he said.  By now he was able to read my thoughts, and pre-empt my every negative comment.

“No, it is not the sound I am bothered about, it is the manner in which the building shakes when the train passes” I told him. 

The next apartment had a lift, had bright large windows, and was in a quiet neighbourhood. 

“Any problems with this flat sir” the broker asked me in a very solicitous tone.

“This flat is good, but  the toilets are not well maintained."

"But sir this apartment is so so good - you will never get such an apartment for your budget in Mumbai" he said with anguish.

He is putting me on the defensive.  "It is my wife - she is especially concerned about the toilets” I told him.

He rolled his eyes heaven-wards.  I was becoming an impossible to please client.

“I will not compromise on the toilets” I repeated.

“Sir, I will need to get the help of other brokers to check whether there is anything available that will meet your needs” he said, and started calling up other brokers.

2 weeks later and after seeing some 20 houses, I finally liked a house.

I was talking to the land-lord and finalizing the terms, when the broker got a call on his phone.  He went to the next room to take the call.

It was obviously another broker calling him to check whether the deal is finally through. 

I heard the broker replying on the phone “Jee, toilet aadmi ko makaan passand aaya”  (Yes, the toilet man finally liked a house).