Sights and sounds of home

There was a sense of deja vu as I sat in the open air to watch a film at an army club. I recalled the hundreds of movies seen in similar settings across the country. But, back then, when I was a child, it wasn’t so much the film that was looked forward to as the meeting with friends, sitting together, talking and giggling our way through the course of events unfolding on the big screen. At the interval, we rushed to the enclosure where our parents sat to receive sustenance by way of snacks that were served and had to be signed for by the adults.

This time around, I was amazed at the transformation. There was a carnival-like atmosphere with food stalls set up on the fringes, serving an array of cuisines. So, one went well before time to have a look around and make crucial gastronomic decisions. These ranged from fast food to grilled meats and wood-fired pizzas. Choosing the best seats was crucial too.

But coming early had its disadvantages. The moment one sat down, one saw workers with spray machines getting ready to get rid of the mosquito menace. Soon a haze of smoke filled the seating area and we were forced to make a quick getaway. As the clouds dispersed, we scampered back to our seats and waited for the credits to roll.

The open air experience is unique and something we grew up with. Children ran around in the open spaces or played in the lawns while parents’ eyes were glued to the screen. There was no worrying about the little ones’ safety as they were within view but, thankfully, out of hearing distance.

Yet another familiar experience was the sound of loud music assailing the ears at all times of the day as the city’s cantonment board elections heated up. Convoys of vehicles fitted with loudspeakers moved along roads at a snail’s pace. The music was interspersed by exhortations to vote for such and such leader. Huge portraits of the candidates adorned the sides of the vehicles, with each one trying his or her best to look humble with folded palms and a benign expression. Now this is part and parcel of life back home but it can serve as a rather rude wake-up call when the bursts of sound disturb your sleep at night or siesta during the day.

What catches the eye is not so much the candidate as the symbol. So, one is asked to vote for ‘bangles’ or ‘scissors’ or ‘lotus’. This does make sense as it is so much easier to remember everyday objects rather than long-winded, similar-sounding names.

The traffic back home remains a nightmare. But there seems to be a method to the madness. Somehow, the number of accidents and fatalities is small when compared to the congestion on the roads, with cars, trucks, two-wheelers, auto rickshaws, cows, buffaloes and pedestrians weaving their way through with scant regard for lane discipline. It’s a free-for-all and absolute mayhem but, surprisingly, most commuters live to see another day!

The first thing you are told as a learner driver is to check your mirrors. Well, in India, most people don’t bother with minor details like this. Most side view mirrors are neatly folded in to protect them from being damaged by other vehicles that come too close for comfort. Motorists rely on the rear view mirror in front, which is safely inside the car, and rolling down the window to shout at someone’s foolhardy action which could have led to an accident. Heads swivel swiftly to look out for the unexpected.

And there’s always the passenger in the front seat who keeps a look out for near misses or lane deviations!