TPL Diary (III)

On the bus to Chandigarh, 22 January 2011

There is something about the jat dialect that is pleasing to my ears, maybe its boisterousness, its unmistakeable hubris. So I am listening attentively to the exchanges between the driver and the conductor and a pappoo who’s obviously taking a free ride and trying his best to blend in. I like the driver. He’s a big, handsome man with a bigger humour that at first looks out of place to me. But soon I realise it cannot be any other way. I like how he calls the conductor ‘parichalak’. They keep getting into loud arguments since the conductor apparently has wound-up nerves. Each time it ends with the driver breaking out into large guffaws and asking his mate ‘not to take tension’. The pappoo is astute enough not to take sides. He joins in the driver’s laughters and also helps in the conductor’s shouts at the slow moving passengers.

I am also listening to a few selected songs that make for good listening on the road. After many trials I have settled on a few favourites. On top is ‘Airbag’ which is ideal when you are on the expressway between Delhi and Chandigarh. The menacing traffic, imposing flyovers and the overall miserableness of landscape that passes by make perfect backdrop for the track. Few other Radiohead tracks that work well are ‘Idioteque’, ‘ National Anthem’ and ‘Let Down’. Joy Division’s ‘Isolation’, ‘Digital’ or even ‘Love will tear us apart’ are along the same lines. On a more cheerful note, you have Stereophonics’ ‘Dakota’ which sort of works in any situation. (Personally, whenever I start from Delhi (or Baijnath) on bus, cheerfulness is not the most dominant of feelings. I find it easier to be morose and just stare out of the window. Hence, the above choice of songs)
Being on the road also gives you a chance to try out tracks that you may not have the patience for otherwise. That’s why I always include some jazz and classical music in my playlist. That’s how I came to like Miles Davis’ 30-minute plus fusion epic ‘Prelude’ (to what? I have asked often).

We pass Ambala Cantt. and I see this great line of army tanks along the railway track. Then there is another pool of them near a lake where some children are playing ‘gilli danda’. Then another and I almost jump out of my window! I can’t imagine what must be keeping those kids from climbing onto those tanks!

Near Chandigarh, a couple of youngsters get in and immediately I sense a showdown between them and the conductor. The poor man’s nearly at the end of his tether and the last thing he wants now is nonsense from a bunch of wiseass cool dudes. As always it’s hard to remember what sparked it, but yeah we do have a row. My sympathies naturally lie with the conductor who from nowhere booms, ‘Talk in Hindi, I am also para likha! Don’t argument with me in front of sawaari’.

With that memorable quote in my head, I get down at Sector 17 ISBT.