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Tuesday, September 11, 2018

THE FLOATING DIARY (Short Story Journal – 26): AUTO RICKSHAW

There are times when we don’t want any lessons from life. The essence of life is hidden in the happiness of this beautiful journey that we all traverse. A beauty lies in experiencing this journey and being happy about it!

Today morning, I attended a meeting organized by one of the partner companies of my employer. Their office is located within a business park in Powai. After the meeting, I came out from the office and stood outside the main gate of the business park. It was five-thirty in the afternoon and I decided to return home a bit early. At that hour of the day, the locality was pretty sparsely populated and a public transport option was rarely visible. I decided to walk along the footpath, hoping to find a taxi.

Presently, as I turned around a corner, I saw a lone auto rickshaw standing under a tree. The yellow-black colored vehicle stood and reflected its bright color as a striking contrast to the concrete buildings within the business park and its outskirts. As I approached it, the head of a man popped out from within the auto rickshaw. The man’s face revealed an energetic manifestation mixed with an enthusiastic expression that drew me like a magnet.

“Good afternoon!” said the man. “If you are looking for a ride, my rickshaw and I are at your service!”

I could not hold my smile on seeing his little skit. I replied, “Yes, I am looking for a ride to return home. Would you take me to the Chakala Metro Station in Andheri East?”

“Please hop inside sir!”, replied the young man, “My name is Ganpatlal. You can call me Ganpat…”

I felt amused as I looked around the interior of the auto rickshaw. Half of the interior was adorned with pictures of deities from almost all religions practiced in India. Whereas, the remaining half was decorated with posters of famous Bollywood celebrities!

“I must say, the interior of your auto rickshaw is quite fascinating!” I said, to begin a conversation.

Ganpat turned his head slightly and said, “Sir, this auto rickshaw is my whole world! The interior is a reflection of my own heart and soul and reflects the colors of my own personality.”

A cool breeze was blowing and gave me a soothing relief. I continued to listen to Ganpat as he spoke in his laidback lyrical tone, “Sir, I was orphaned at a very young age and was brought up by my step parents. However, even they abandoned me when I was fifteen years old. For a few years I was lost in agony but then I decided to find my own way. I borrowed some money and bought this auto rickshaw! Five years have passed ever since that time and I have made this auto rickshaw my best buddy!”

I smiled as I listened to Ganpat. He continued, “Every day I help hundreds of people commute to different places. However, I make sure that they all remember me forever! I was born an orphan and abandoned as an orphan, but my work would engrave my name in everybody’s heart! Sir, in every street of Powai, you can find at least one person who is a regular customer of mine. They vary from little school-children to office goers to retired senior citizens commuting to the bazaar. They all know me by my name… Ganpat! I do not belong to any religion, so I respect all of them.

“Half of my auto rickshaw’s interiors are decorated with their pictures. I feel they all bless me and my passengers!” he added, “The other half is full of posters of Bollywood stars whom I admire because their movies take me on a magical dreamy journey where I can be anybody! When I finish watching a movie, I feel as if I am the protagonist! I come out of the movie theatre with my mind full of beautiful stories where I am the HERO!”

“Your lifestyle is really impressive Ganpat!” I added in reply.

Ganpat replied, “Sir, my auto rickshaw is my biggest inspiration! It has given me a life of pride and honor. The yellow-black color tells me every day that after every dark night, comes a sunny bright morning! That is the dual nature of life and this entire world! I speak relentlessly while I drive my vehicle… my passengers love this gibberish that I speak. They find it interesting!”

Ganpat kept on speaking throughout the entire journey. I could feel his words like music. There was nothing special in his personality or his words. They were simple expressions, but I loved listening to him. The weird association of Ganpat and his auto rickshaw reminded me of the lines in the famous Brook Song by Alfred Lord Tennyson…

 For men may come and men may go; But I go on for ever…

The yellow-black vehicle with its lyrical driver would vanish amid the multitude of other rickshaws roaming around this city. A passenger would perhaps forget about them within a short time. Yet, Ganpat and his auto rickshaw would continue their journey… Such is life, just like a flowing river! So many tributaries, so many brooks come and join it while it continues its eternal journey… forever!

After my ride got over I told Ganpat before he went away, “I will never forget you Ganpat! Be like this forever. I hope our paths cross again in future and I get another chance to enjoy a refreshing ride on your auto rickshaw!”

As I write my diary today, I wanted to note down about Ganpat and his auto rickshaw. There is no learning in this experience, there is no teaching also. There is a simple feel good factor that I would like to experience, every time I would read it in future! This is the beauty of life… a good feeling, a melancholy and a zeal to go on and on and on!

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