The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Reporter's Diary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Aug 23, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Reporter's Diary

Black or white?

PEOPLE GRADUATING from two-wheelers to cars often have this problem of choosing the colour. They would want to make that right choice, especially since a car is considered a status symbol in this part of the world.

Most people rule out white, primarily because the taxi drivers prefer that colour. The youth mostly prefer bright colours, although it may be difficult to generalise, considering the changing sense of aesthetics. A minority prefers black. Now, black is a big problem for the majority. Their reasons: Black gathers dust fast and it shows. Black is beautiful but only if the car is mid-sized or larger. Black cars cannot be seen on a road without streetlights, the list of complaints could go on. Now, there are some who claim that black cars are more accident-prone too. But one look at any garage or authorised service stations will show this need not be true. Accidents are colour blind, they say.

Fare clock

AUTORICKSHAW DRIVERS on the outskirts of the city have the habit of demanding fares, looking at the clock. The time-bound rules are particularly strict if you approach an autorickshaw stand and look around for a driver. And the timings do not match the ones existing within proper city limits.

It is an informal world out there. You step inside an autorickshaw and the driver demands a fare for daytime, a different rate for afternoons and another after dark. At the end of your journey, the driver might even give you a lecture on instant fares. He would fix the fare depending on your urgency. There was this driver who demanded double fare because he had switched to top gear. The other day, a driver even declared that the autorickshaw stand had revised the minimum fare to Rs. 15. The passenger had no choice. But he was surprised when another driver from the same stand received Rs. 10 and sped away without a murmur.

Rain plays spoilsport

THE RECENT rains in Mumbai affected many Bangaloreans too. Some journalists who went to Mumbai were caught on water-logged streets for over 14 hours. They wanted to reach the airport and take a flight back home. When they reached the airport, they had to wait there for another half-a-day. But at least one of them feels great to have been there when the city received a record rainfall. A real journalist loves to be in the thick of the things taking unexpected turns and twists.

But harmonium maestro C. Ramadass does not feel lucky. He had to stay put at Pune for five days and could not make it to Mumbai .

This was his first visit to Maharashtra as a musician on the invitation of the cultural organisations of the city. He had to satisfy himself with a single performance at Pune. But he has come back with a great impression about Punekars' love for music.

Rasheed Kappan,

Govind D. Belgaumkar

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