Road Ro(a)meos…

Roads, particularly Indian, are witness to some of the most exhilarating, grotesque and comical incidents, day in and day out. Regretfully macabre at times, but most often than not, amusing. Peoples’ reaction on road is in-comprehensively capricious, as much as the incidents dramatically spontaneous, insinuating a perfect complement. And the blessed soul that brings about this perfect synergy is the chirpy, bubbly, ubiquitous Romeo who appears to have mastered the pervasive art by repetitive design. And mind you, the characteristics of such road Romeos are the same, by precision - North to South, East to West, thankfully re-affirming my vacillating belief, that there is ‘Unity in Diversity’.

Not only does this special class of creatures have common traits, the modus operandi also seems to have been mastered at a common school under the watchful eyes of a hardcore stickler. The classes’ penchant for the fairer sex is remarkably intriguing, as they display their affinity for them so blithely in full public view making some of the most horrendous acts look so amusing. Distinguishing their class from the lesser mortals, each member of this special class invariably displays their paranoia with consummate ease, by clobbering around a female road accident victim in droves, leaving the most severely injured male victim to fend for himself.

While the most vivacious members take conspicuous lead to nurse the victim and offer water and things like that, the lesser ones gather the spill offs, bike etc, cursing the lead group for their blatant overzealousness, in muffled tones. Making a beeline behind a female rider, getting too close and nudging, at the cost of their life at times, is another idiosyncrasy that distinguishes this femino-savvy, class from the rest.

Within the same group there is another subgroup- the socio-savvy, that displays its ebullience with as much vehemence as their brethren, but with a difference. The scene of act is again the road and it is a marriage baraat this time. While the dulhaa obediently stashed on the recalcitrant Ghodi (that would not budge unless it is nudged, and smudges in case of an overdose), is all gaga over the ‘once-in-a-lifetime princely treatment’, the accompanying baraatis also nonetheless treat themselves to a princely aura.

The usually taciturn members of our socio- savvy clan however are the ones’ that steal the show hands up. While the other baraatis revel in the grand extravaganza by dancing away to glory, the members of this class assiduously don the role of self-styled traffic cops and start directing the traffic by waving their hands dexterously in all directions. Well, then who says that the experience on Indian roads can only be fatalistic?