Spirit of Mumbai…even autodrivers have it…BY Suvendu Roy…
Amazing Auto Driver in Mumbai*
Suvendu Roy of Titan Industries shares his inspirational encounter with a rickshaw driver in Mumbai. Last Sunday, my wife, kid and I had to travel to Andheri from Bandra. When I waved at a passing auto rickshaw, little did I expect that this ride would be any different? As we set off, my eyes fell on a few magazines (kept in an aircraft style pouch) behind the driver’s back rest. I looked in front and there was a small TV. The driver had put on the Doordarshan channel. My wife and I looked at each other with disbelief and amusement. In front of me was a small first-aid box with cotton, dettol and some medicines. This was enough for me to realise that I was in a special vehicle. Then I looked around again, and discovered more -there was a radio, fire extinguisher, wall clock, calendar, and pictures and symbols of all faiths‘ from Islam and Christianity to Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. There were also pictures of the heroes of 26/11- Kamte, Salaskar, Karkare and Unnikrishnan. I realised that not only my vehicle, but also my driver was special. I started chatting with him and the initial sense of ridicule and disbelief gradually diminished. I gathered that he had been driving an auto rickshaw for the past 8-9 years; he had lost his job when his employer’s plastic company was shut down. He had two school-going children, and he drove from 8 in the morning till 10 at night. No break unless he was unwell. “Sahab, ghar mein baith ke TV dekh kar kya faida? Do paisa income karega toh future mein kaam aayega.” (Sir, what’s the use of simply sitting at home and watching TV? If I earn some income, then it will be useful in the future.) We realised that we had come across a man who represents Mumbai the spirit of work, the spirit of travel and the spirit of excelling in life. I asked him whether he does anything else as I figured that he did not have too much spare time. He said that he goes to an old age home for women in Andheri once a week or whenever he has some extra income, where he donates tooth brushes, toothpastes, soap, hair oil, and other items of daily use. He pointed out to a painted message below the meter that read: 25 per cent discount on metered fare for the handicapped. Free rides for blind passengers up to Rs50. He also said that his auto was mentioned on Radio Mirchi twice by the station RJs. The Marathi press in Mumbai knows about him and has written a few pieces on him and his vehicle. My wife and I were struck with awe. The man is a HERO! A hero who deserves all our respect. I know that my son, once he grows up, will realise that we have met a genuine hero. He has put questions to me such as why should we help other people? I will try to keep this incident alive in his memory. Our journey came to an end; 45 minutes of a lesson in humility, selflessness and of a hero-worshipping Mumbai my temporary home. We disembarked, and all I could do was to pay him a tip that would hardly cover a free ride for a blind man. He has got a first aid box on the left and a newspaper box on right (which had all hindi-english- marathi-gujrati and economic times). He has got a tv on the top with cable (I was watching colors channel) and below that is the tissue box. On the left is the mandir types and don’t miss the “Only gandhigiri” written there, below that is the calendar and a notepad and pen along with a blue fan (which is blowing towards the customer who sits) 25% discount for handicapped!! Who on this earth can expect something like this from a rickshawala yaar!! It’s amazing there are people still alive like him in this world! I hope, one day, you too have a chance to meet Mr. Sander Bache in his auto rickshaw
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7 types of rickshaw drivers….
The Bombay rickshaw driver comes in a variety of race, religions and species. I have divided these rickshaw drivers in several categories. They are as follows:
The Angry One: This specie of rickshaw drivers is a frustrated soul. He has had several anger management issues; one that tops the list is being called ‘bhaiyya’. So this bhaiyya ji…err…rickshaw driver takes his anger out on the road. They will drive at breakneck speeds (passengers can literally break their necks sitting in this rickshaw), honk endlessly, spew countless swear words, and remove their misery on the other travelers. This specie is very likely to get into physical fights with other drivers who they crash into, mainly BEST bus drivers (who are a different specie all together!)
The Drunkard: The name is self-explanatory, isn’t it? This is a sub-specie of ‘The Angry One’, and they prefer to drown their misery in a bottle of ‘desi tharra’ and then rule the road. It’s easy to spot this specie, since you can smell the alcohol all the way from China. Their speech is slurred, they drive loopily, and are once again, very likely to get into accidents. They might even start talking to you, crying or laughing. If you value your life, don’t travel by this auto.
The Yapper: If this specie gets a chance at an alternate career, he would love to host a talk show. Where only he talks. Yappers open their mouth the moment you sit in the auto, and shut up the moment you get off. They don’t need you to initiate the conversation; they can pretty much begin on their own, starting with their favorite dialogue: “Aaj traffic bahut zyada hai!” They then move on to topics ranging from Himes bhai’s new moojic, to discussing the nuances of Marxist theories. They are so apt at speaking; they will continue talking even if your ears are plugged to your music player. It is very hard to notice a Yapper from afar, so if you wish to avoid this situation, best keep your mouth shut in all your future rickshaw rides.
The Dhinchak: This specie loves his ride. They love it so much; they take it on their onus to decorate it with every loud and garish item possible. Both sides of the passenger seat will have images of Bollywood beauties, looking at you lustily. Their stereos will be complete with surround sound, sub woofers, and what not. They are Himes bhai’s biggest patrons, and they will play his music extremely loud, till the point where blood seeps out through your ears. They will have the customary “Tum kab wapas aaoge” sticker on their rear-view mirror (which is, of course, only a decorative commodity!) There will also be a porn movie blue light which will shine throughout the ride. Fresh flowers, plastic flowers, agarbattis, pepsi bottles filled with black shiny liquid, you will find them all in a Dhinchak’s ride. If you appreciate Indian kitsch, hitch a ride.
The Asshole: This is the worst of the specie. They take personal pleasure in making the ride a hellish experience for the passenger. They tamper with the meters, making them run at a speed of Rs. 5 per second. They letch at the female passengers, stop in the middle of the road to talk on their cellphones, spit all over Bombay, deliberately drive over pot holes to make the ride extra bumpy, fake a tyre puncture if they don’t want to ply beyond a certain point…I can go on and on! These leeches think they can get away with anything, and 90% of the time, they do. If you get the slightest indication that the auto driver belongs to the Asshole category, leave immediately or get ready for a back breaking ride, where you will be cheated off of your hard earned money.
The Millionaire: This parasitic specie makes its presence felt in all the auto drivers categories. These are a super rich specie…they are even richer than the Tatas and the Ambanis! They feel like they people of Bombay rely completely on their services. But they are so rich, they don’t even bother. Auto driving is a hobby for them, a mere sport. That’s why they blatantly refuse passengers who ask them to go to a certain location. Even if they fall on their feet and beg the specie to allow them a ride, they will just raise their noses high and speed off. On a good day, if they feel like it, they tauntingly agree to ply the passenger. You should consider yourself super lucky if the Millionaire allows you a ride.
The Honest One: Rarest of the rare! The chances of getting into an auto driven by the Honest one are one in a billion. They don’t tamper with the meters, so you don’t end up paying exorbitant rates. They drive at a normal pace, follow traffic rules, don’t talk much, and help you with loading luggage, if need be. The chances of finding the Honest One are rare, since it’s an endangered specie. Slowly, the other six species of auto drivers are luring the Honest One to join the dark side. In the rare occasion you do land up in an Honest One’s ride, please thank your lucky stars you got to see one before they disappear completely.
