On the road

There are always interesting signs to see on the streets of Bangalore. Some are funny, some are thought-provoking, and some are puzzling. I’ve posted a few examples below.

The first is a sign for a place to get a flat tire fixed. The first time I saw one of these signs, “puncher shop” was not written on a tire, like it is here. So, I kept wondering what service this shop provided — punches? Even after seeing the tire, it took me a bit to make the connection — “puncher” means “puncture”!

The second sign has some interesting information about traffic fines. I strongly question how many of these fines are actually enforced.

I *think* the last sign is trying convey the importance of reliable electricity. But, it does seem odd…I don’t think the person on the operating table feels too healthy.

Favorite phrases

Here are some of the phrases that I’ve heard on multiple occasions and always make me smile:

• do the needful (perform the requested action)
• abababa (oh my!)
• mention not (no problem)
• many happy returns of the day (happy birthday)
• you people (ya’ll)
• that fellow (that guy)
• I have a doubt (I have a question)
• what is your good name? (what’s your name?)

I’ve also heard “only” added to the end of a sentence for emphasis. For example, “I want to go now only.”

Oodles of Ornaments

I was a little puzzled the first time I heard “ornaments” being used to describe jewelry. But, the word makes sense…decorating a Christmas tree with ornaments is similar to decorating a body with jewelry, right? Except, the body ornaments here are often displayed year round. (On special occasions, different sets of more opulent ornaments are displayed.)

It’s not uncommon to see a female laborer sweeping dusty streets, yet adorned with earrings, nose ring, necklace, toe rings, anklets, etc. The presence of traditional, middle-class women can be seen throughout the city everyday. Just look for the perfectly-pleated saris, oiled and jasmined hair, kajal-lined eyes, and (of course) a full range of ornaments. I’m always impressed by the pride some women take in their daily decoration. But, there also seems to be a cultural expectation, especially for married women, that I’m sure many women are reluctant to maintain.

Me first!

Being ahead, even if it’s by just a few seconds, seems to be important to many around here. It’s amazing how much skill and energy many drivers use to be five seconds ahead of someone else at a stoplight. This drive to be first is also apparent in many other places — exiting a theater after a movie, placing an order at an over-the-counter restaurant, paying for groceries, etc. Perhaps it’s the dense population that instills such competitiveness in even everyday activities?

Many times the competition is annoying, especially when I get elbowed or someone casually cuts in front of me after I’ve been waiting in a “line” for a long time. But, sometimes the competition is entertaining (as long as I’m watching from a safe distance). Some folks are quite creative in the methods they use to get ahead. Those methods have to be seen to be believed. But, here are some common methods for getting ahead in a line:

- Look for one inch of space between people. (If someone leaves more than an inch, you’ve been invited to go ahead. Don’t feel guilty about cutting.)
- Don’t make eye contact with anyone. Act like other people don’t exist.
- Look for any space on the counter and start putting your purchases on the counter, as close to the cashier as possible.
- Keep your money ready and visible to the cashier.

Remnants of a garden city

Bangalore is sometimes referred to as the “garden city”. When I first came to Bangalore, I didn’t see any gardens. I hardly saw anything green. Just potted plants on an apartment balcony or an occasional elderly tree that seemed lonely and neglected. But, with a little exploration, I can see why the city got the name.

Of course, there’s the famous Lalbagh Gardens. Once inside the gardens, it’s hard to believe I’m still in Bangalore. There’s also Cubbon Park, which is often called the “lungs of the city”. The park is sometimes compared to Central Park in New York. It serves much of the same purpose — providing an open space to folks living in a crowded city.

But, there’s more than just those major landmarks…nestled within busy streets and dense structures are sometimes small, yet beautiful gardens. The gardens are unexpected, which make them even more attractive. I get excited every time I find one of these little gems. Standing in contrast to the dusty and often dilapidated streets that surround them, the manicured shrubs and colorful blooms seem to make a subtle, yet bold statement. Here are a couple pics from one such garden a couple miles away from where I live.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around the flat

Around here, apartments are typically called flats. Looking straight ahead from our balcony, we get to see our neighboring flats:

 

Not too exciting. But, if you look a little to the left and right, you get two contrasting views of the city:

City view from balcony

The view on the top is the more common view in Bangalore. We got lucky that the other side of our apartment faces a (rare) area that hasn’t been developed.

Our washing machine has a built-in “dryer” that takes about two hours to dry a small load of clothes, so we usually dry clothes outside instead. Like many in our complex, we have an overhead rack for drying clothes on the balcony.

Overhead drying rack.

 
For cooking, we use a gas range that’s connected to a cylinder. I use the red and metal clicker-thingy, shown next to the range, to ignite the flame. Not to brag, but I think I’m rather skilled at using the clicker. (It took me several clicks to get to my current level, so I’m proud of that achievement.)

Clean water is a major issue here. Many folks have some type of filteration system, even those who have lived here for years. Here’s our water filteration system, which uses UV and RO:

In each bedroom, we have a wall-mounted A/C unit (connected to a voltage stabilizer). Central A/C is rare in India. Most homes install unit(s) where needed. Quite efficient.

Tell me

I’ve noticed that after picking up the phone and saying “hello”, the next thing people here often say is “haylee” (in Kannada–not sure about my transliteration) or “tell me”. (Prashanth doesn’t allow me to say “haylee” though because he says I can’t pronounce the “l” correctly…supposedly, my pronunciation means something totally different…something about taking a dump. Ha!)

Anyways, I think “tell me” or “haylee” are used in a “what’s up?” sense. Given the number of people and the number of cell phones, those words are heard often.

Some random bits about cell phones here:

• No contract required. Phones are typically purchased at shops separate from the providers. 
• Many cell phones, including my basic one, have a built-in flashlight. Pretty handy given the power outages. 
• To get a SIM card, you have to complete an application and submit photos of yourself. Next, someone will visit your residence to verify that you actually live there. Once the verification is complete, the card is activated.
• Voice mail isn’t standard, so most folks don’t have it. But, you can usually send an SMS (text message).
• Incoming calls are typically free. So, if someone doesn’t want to spend money to call you, he’ll give you a missed call, expecting you to call him back.

Power of the horn

There aren’t many rules for driving on the streets of Bangalore…or at least few follow them. Stop signs are typically decoration items, and sidewalks sometimes become streets. But, the horn is a suprisingly effective tool for navigating the roads. Although most drivers won’t stay in their own lane, they will usually move a little to the side if someone is honking behind them. Most drivers seem to use horns more than side mirrors to guide them. Why bother looking in the side mirror? Just starting moving over…if someone honks, move back.

There are even some unique horns out there that get additional attention. We had the pleasure of being in a cab with such a horn. The driver would press the horn once, and the sound would resonate for minute (tunna, nunna, nuna, nu…). Annyoned by the sound, Prashanth asked the driver if he would stop using the horn. The driver looked at him like he was crazy…as if Prashanth was asking him not to use the brake!

On the back of many trucks, there’s a sign that says “sound horn ok”. I think the sign means that the driver is giving others permission to honk their horn if he’s in the way. Of course, spending just a few minutes in the city proves that no such sign is needed. Most drivers never hesitate to honk, even if the vehicle doesn’t have the sign.

At night, the sound of horns on the road decreases. And the blinding highbeams are put to use!

“I’ll send my boy”

When I was visiting Bangalore in December, I called the hotel front desk for an iron. The woman at the desk casually told me she would send her boy with the iron. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the statement. Did her son work at the hotel too? I found out that was not the case when the person who brought the iron was a man who must have been at least 40 (definitely older than the lady at the desk).

At work, we have “office boys”. No child labor is involved. The office boys are once again grown men, who take care of random tasks, such as cleaning desks, delivering documents between offices (or even floors), making copies, etc.

Although I appreciate the help, I’m still getting used to the idea (and am not sure if I ever will completely) of asking someone to do small tasks (and referring to a grown person as a boy). Given the significant population and relative scarcity of stable jobs, it would be easy to argue that the helper men/women are happy to make a “living” doing random tasks in an air-conditioned environment. But, how much is reasonable to ask them to do? At my apartment complex, many residents have help for cooking, cleaning, babysitting, etc. But, I get the feeling that the help is used for much more than those tasks. I once saw a lady asking her help to put shoes on the lady’s feet…maybe the lady had back problems and couldn’t bend down, but I somehow doubt it.

Firsts

The last couple months have been hectic, but I’ve had a lot of new experiences. Here some of my “firsts”:

- Stood at the southernmost tip of India (Kanyakumari). The tip is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and Indian Ocean.
- Drove a scooter (moped) for the first time. Fairly easy going straight, but my turns definitely need some practice! Very efficient vehicle. I wish I could drive one more often. Only if the roads were more stable and the pollution was less! 
- Got my first Ayurvedic oil massage. I asked for less oil, so I can’t imagine how much oil is used in a typical massage. I always thought the handles on the end of wooden massage tables were there to help pick up and move the table. But, I realized they serve a more important purpose — something to grab onto to avoid slipping off the table after the masseuse spares almost no inch of my oil-drenched body!
- Experienced an Indian government office as I tried to complete my foreign registration. It’s amazing how many lines it takes to complete one task. Just when I was about to get all of the redundant forms I needed, the office closed for lunch. So, I had to leave and wait in line again after lunch.
- Felt an odd sensation above my stomach. Unfortunately, the first time wasn’t the last time.
- Saw more coconut trees within a span of an hour than I’ve seen the rest of my life. As our flight descended into the Trivandurum airport, I was impressed by the amount of greenery along the coast. I thought the greenery was a mix of different trees. I was wrong — the greenery was *just* coconut trees.
- Spent a night in a houseboat in Kerala.
- Experienced my first heavy rain in Bangalore. It’s amazing how fast the streets begin to flood and how things slow down for a few minutes. I saw a large crowd gathered under the roof of a gas station lot. Hopefully nobody was pulling in for gas because every inch of the covered area seemed to be consumed by folks waiting for the rain to slow down just a little.
- Bargained with an autorickshaw driver and got the rate I proposed! I thought it was a deal until I told someone at work, who thought I got ripped off.
- Saw an electric crematorium. I met Prashanth’s granny (on his mom’s side) for the first time a week before she passed away. She was in good spirits, so I was surprised to hear the sad news such a short time after. I’m glad I got to meet her.