We reached Ettumanoor, the start point, around a quarter past midnight. After the farewells, I'd accompanied my cousin, Kannan and his family, who're Ernakulam bound, in the same bus with the understanding that Shaji, the 'saarthi', would arrange an auto rickshaw from Chottanikkara but since there weren't any he'd extended the bus' trip to Thrippoonithura - damn sweet of him!
We reached my cousin's flat after about an hour and hit the sack, soon after, by around 0130h. Alarm was set for an early morning departure for Guruvayur and accordingly, I could board the train by a quarter past six and reached the temple town by a half past eight. And then 'terror' struck!
People who'd disembarked from the train were trying to board the first auto rickshaw that came their way and as I was getting out of the railway station, I was privy to a strange sight. Many of the ricks were refusing the passengers after being told of the intended destinations. Puzzled, I, too, had joined the queue and did not make haste as I had no deadline to meet. And then came the first, the driver of which, didn't even have the courtesy of telling me as to why he was refusing to take me along as he drove away. Then came the second and even a third, which buzzed past in the same brusque manner!
I was slowly getting irritated and angry. In fact, to the third guy, who'd driven past, I'd asked the reason for his refusal to take me along and he didn't even bother to answer - so much about people friendly utility services! And what baffles me is the abrasive arrogance exhibited by the guys who come from very poor background. Is it a show of their protest against one's ability to hire them? After a wait, finally, a rick had come to a stop in front of me. Mohan his name was and as I was getting off at my house, I asked him the reasons for my unpleasant experience.
With an apologetic smile, he said that this was a daily feature when the rick drivers vied with each other to 'ensnare' the passengers who're headed for longer distances and to my mind that was only possible if a traveller opted to go to the farthest edge or to a nearby town through Guruvayur, giving the temple town the skip! A mad thing to do in the circumstances!!
If this is not terrorism, what is?
Tailpiece.
Mohan added that he never resorted to such meanness and latched on to any trip that came his way, short or long, as his customers were important to him. Nice words, but something needs to be done to break the 'mafia behaviour' of the auto rickshaw drivers!
We reached my cousin's flat after about an hour and hit the sack, soon after, by around 0130h. Alarm was set for an early morning departure for Guruvayur and accordingly, I could board the train by a quarter past six and reached the temple town by a half past eight. And then 'terror' struck!
People who'd disembarked from the train were trying to board the first auto rickshaw that came their way and as I was getting out of the railway station, I was privy to a strange sight. Many of the ricks were refusing the passengers after being told of the intended destinations. Puzzled, I, too, had joined the queue and did not make haste as I had no deadline to meet. And then came the first, the driver of which, didn't even have the courtesy of telling me as to why he was refusing to take me along as he drove away. Then came the second and even a third, which buzzed past in the same brusque manner!
I was slowly getting irritated and angry. In fact, to the third guy, who'd driven past, I'd asked the reason for his refusal to take me along and he didn't even bother to answer - so much about people friendly utility services! And what baffles me is the abrasive arrogance exhibited by the guys who come from very poor background. Is it a show of their protest against one's ability to hire them? After a wait, finally, a rick had come to a stop in front of me. Mohan his name was and as I was getting off at my house, I asked him the reasons for my unpleasant experience.
With an apologetic smile, he said that this was a daily feature when the rick drivers vied with each other to 'ensnare' the passengers who're headed for longer distances and to my mind that was only possible if a traveller opted to go to the farthest edge or to a nearby town through Guruvayur, giving the temple town the skip! A mad thing to do in the circumstances!!
If this is not terrorism, what is?
Tailpiece.
Mohan added that he never resorted to such meanness and latched on to any trip that came his way, short or long, as his customers were important to him. Nice words, but something needs to be done to break the 'mafia behaviour' of the auto rickshaw drivers!
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