Directionless Delhi

Last week 2 incidents happened that have kind of forced me to write this post. One was when I was going to a school in Rohini and other when I was searching for some showroom. I had a vague idea of their location, which was the prime reason for my peril. So whenever I was struck somewhere I asked the local rickshaw puller, shop keeper and what I got was an instantaneous, almost reflex action pointing to some arbitrary direction, where on reaching I was again at the mercy of some hawker, walker or whatever, who again gave some weird directions like “Seedha jake right”, “Aage se left phir right phir left”, and so on till some geographically well versed bystander intercepted a rickshaw-puller who was sending us some 2-3 miles ahead , told us the right way to our destination, which was in the same lane which we were circumscribing.

The point that I am making is are we Indians become too lazy, callous about other person’s time and resources that we just tell him something or the other, to get him off our chest, let him fend for himself. Sometimes the tip-offs are so out of this world, leading you to roads where none exists. But Why should they care , if thanks to them a person gets late or even misses the exam, interview, appointment. But the thing is it is a vicious circle, what you sow so shall you reap and what you tell so shall you receive. You will also be made to run in circles in a labyrinth of roads, as your penance.

But yet, people feel proud, when someone asks them for directions, in the sense they think they are worthy of it( the fact is there is no one else to ask) and so they can’t just let that we don’t know the way, the latent pride that wakes will die a premature death, and so they point to some arbitrary directions, they feel elated as a result of their charitable act of letting someone reach their destination.(yeah right!!!)

Also they get a vicarious and at times sadistic pleasure at the expense of some poor chap feeling confused, stranded and inevitably late. People have become so insensitive to the travails of the hapless commuters. Also, I think, they that even if they tell something wrong, some sane person on the way will lead us to our destination. They are sure, that the person asking is not so sure of them. They hope, or they know that some guiding angel will descend from the heavens and lead to their destination.

This may be funny, but not for one who loses a potential job, scores less in an exam as a result of reaching late which might be potentially harmful to his future. Now, the only solution to this menace is that every commuter in India especially Delhi should have a GPS touchpad so that he can correct anyone who dares to lie( as if he will still ask).

P.S: Now if anyone of you happens to get lost in Delhi, and have no choice but to ask someone, take around 3-4 opinions , one from the rickshaw-puller, shop-owner, hawker and some sane looking passerby, and they go ahead with the one that has the majority. Democracy in it’s practical avatar.