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Gangajal - Or, One Day In The Life Of An Unknown Indian

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by ojaantrik, May 31, 2021.

  1. Balajee

    Balajee IL Hall of Fame

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    Welcome back OJ-da after a loooong absence. From the time ths happened and now bottles of Ganga water must be made to carry the red mark signifying that the content is non-vegetarian and a written warning that its consumption could be an act of unintentional cannibalismj,
     
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  2. ojaantrik

    ojaantrik IL Hall of Fame

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    Thank you Srama. Only the other day I was thinking about you. I realised that your number had disappeared from my phone. This has been happening to me for a while now. Don’t know why. I had planned to inform you that I have now published a little collection of my stories, most of which you must have read here. Of course, I revised them a bit. The book is called Of Men, Women and Other Creatures. You won’t be able to access it, since it’s available on amazon.in. Cheeniya has written a short review for it in the amazon site. Regarding the present blog, I thank you for your kind comments. It is a little long, which is why hesitated to put it up here. It was a good decision, since some of you have read it. To tell you frankly, I have started new experiments with writing. Along the “stream of consciousness” line. This was one of them I think, or wish to think. There are a few others and may be I will publish them sometime in the future, once COVID retreats. Quite apart from “stream of consciousness”, I am also inspired by R.K. Narayan. Let’s see where I land. I don’t have much time left on earth! Keep thriving.
     
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  3. ojaantrik

    ojaantrik IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Thyagarajan,

    I used to be a regular here for a good number of years. It's good to hear from you, since you must have joined around the time the frequency of my visits began to go down. Good to know that I reminded you of Deepavali, especially during these difficult days. Last year Deepavali was hardly celebrated. You are right. This snippet is somewhat long. Longer than it is meant to be. In fact, it is possible that I had decided to write less here since my compositions were getting visibly longer. Stay safe good friend. Best wishes.
    oj
     
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  4. ojaantrik

    ojaantrik IL Hall of Fame

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    Hey Balaji, great to hear from you. In these terrifying days, one has forgotten how to smile. I located something I had written that might make people smile. But it is a little long. So, I hesitated a lot before posting this. It's just pure fun. I don't think I had any other social or political issue in my mind when I wrote it. As you know, I hardly have political thoughts to share. That's a difficult subject I guess. Stay safe Balaji. Best wishes.
    oj
     
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  5. Viswamitra

    Viswamitra IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Sri Ojaantrik:

    I am so happy to read your snippet after a long time. I hope you will continue to write your "Stream of consciousness" series here in IL besides publishing, if the book is not accessible to us. I had a chance to enjoy reading many of your snippet including your trip in Japan and your young age career as teaching. Many times, I used to travel in time backwards (50+ years) when I read your description about Calcultta streets, houses, your favorite shops, etc.

    Coming back to your current snippet, you have the knack of presenting your snippets vividly to make me feel present along with you in the queue in the post office. I never knew that one can book a place in the queue by telling someone in the front or back. Invisible person is a funny way to describe those who book their position in the queue. Thank you God, you don't have deposits in the post office savings account.

    Speed post line should move fast enough to indicate the efficiency of the post office, isn't it? The government employees wherever they are work with same lifestyle of walking away from the counter when people are waiting without announcing anything to people waiting. Don't they have token system like banks in the post offices so that you can take a token and wait anywhere instead of standing on the line?

    If you prayed to offer Ganga Jaal of 500 liters, perhaps, the invisible person would have disappeared in front of you and the girl would have stayed in her seat until the post office close time. You took me to days when I patiently waited outside my house as a child to receive the postman and the mail he brings with him. When I heard that post offices decided to stop offering telegram services, I felt as though something was taken away from me. I remember the younger days when I read both good and bad news through pink telegram sheet. When I finished my CA, I checked my results in front of the Hindu office in Chennai and walked up to the Mount Road Post office to send a telegram to my parents in Neyveli. When the post master asked me what should be the content of the telegram after thinking various options for using minimum words, I finally decided to use, "Qualified Auditor", just two words to save money.
     
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  6. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    @Viswamitra
    Super and superior response cum feedback.
    A tad nostalgic as I reflected upon your jotting here.
    Thanks.
     
  7. jayasala42

    jayasala42 IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Viswa Sir,There is token system in many post offices.But due to covid crisis only five or 6 people can sit on chairs inside the post office.Others have to stand in Q outside the post office with token on hands.
    Jayasala42
     
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  8. Thyagarajan

    Thyagarajan IL Hall of Fame

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    Not of recent as I hardly utilise their services now.

    I used to see agents of both genders occupy a handful of Desks and bench busy with their canvassing for small saving deposit and filling of forms or applications when senior citizens patiently standing in queue for depositing cash or withdrawing money from their monthly interest schemes. I have also seen every now and then the lady post master come out from her seat to them and order them out.

    I happen to see a old man in his seventy + when I was just turning fifty five in a long queue with a tender in hand. When his turn came before mine, he was tendering that tenner into the counter asking for one post card and revenue stamp. The postal clerk refused to accept tenner and requested him to tender exact change. He said he had no change: but much to my surprise and his delight, the lady behind the counter told him to pay at another time.

    He hesitated. I told him I would pay and told counter lady so. Old man thanked and left downstairs. I finished business at the counter and other counters and came downstairs after some half an hour or so. The old man surprised me by giving the cost of revenue stamp and one post card.

    We became fast friends and participated always in our thick and thin situations. He is now reported lost to COVID only a fortnight ago by his gynaecologist daughter just before leaving for North Carolina.
     
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  9. satchitananda

    satchitananda IL Hall of Fame

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    So wonderful to see you here again. What do I say OJ-da! Each sentence and every word is epic! If I were to give a detailed response to the snippet, I'd have to write one twice the length of your original one. I can never stop being amazed at how apparent non-events like standing in never-ending postal queues - which at best can be annoying and at worst soul-wrecking for ordinary mortals like me - bring out such hilarious posts from you. Your posts force me to imagine the situation and I surprise myself at the sounds of peals of laughter in a room uninhabited by anyone else other than me and am acutely conscious of the the only other two inhabitants/occupants - the BH and the domestic help - in various rooms hearing the sound of me laughing all alone. Hmm. Must make sure I don't get deported to a loony's bin - the nearest one is about 4 kms away. Not too far for the BH to finally get rid of me!!!
     
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