"April is the cruellest month", T.S. Elliot had said. Well, the cruelty has spilled over to May, peaked by the end of it and still showing no sign of abatement.
The heat is at its tormenting best in Calcutta. As far as my memory serves, the city hasn't faced the brunt of the sun's wrath like this in a decade. By the time I leave for the office (around 3.30 in the afternoon), the roads already wear a deserted look with only the heavily-panting dogs for company.
The rickshaw-pullers present a pitiable sight by stretching across their vehicle and trying to maximise their comfort in the most uncomfortable position possible. Yet they manage to steal a sleep. Anyone approaching them for a ride is given a reproachful glance. You are made to feel like the most condemnable tyrant alive on this planet.
Boarding an auto is like entering a furnace, with the cramped space making matters worse. Some auto drivers still have their musical sense intact. They play the built-in stereo at full blast... the choice of songs and the sweltering heat making it the ultimate test of your patience. I, too, am musically inclined but expecting someone to stomach a remixed version of Altaf Raja’s “Tum to thehre pardesi…” is just too much to ask for.
The heat is at its tormenting best in Calcutta. As far as my memory serves, the city hasn't faced the brunt of the sun's wrath like this in a decade. By the time I leave for the office (around 3.30 in the afternoon), the roads already wear a deserted look with only the heavily-panting dogs for company.
The rickshaw-pullers present a pitiable sight by stretching across their vehicle and trying to maximise their comfort in the most uncomfortable position possible. Yet they manage to steal a sleep. Anyone approaching them for a ride is given a reproachful glance. You are made to feel like the most condemnable tyrant alive on this planet.
Boarding an auto is like entering a furnace, with the cramped space making matters worse. Some auto drivers still have their musical sense intact. They play the built-in stereo at full blast... the choice of songs and the sweltering heat making it the ultimate test of your patience. I, too, am musically inclined but expecting someone to stomach a remixed version of Altaf Raja’s “Tum to thehre pardesi…” is just too much to ask for.
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