After being here for a while, everything dynamic about Lucknow ends. The strained ways of life seem normal after a while, and I can only chuckle at that at the expense of a direct comparison with Delhi. The lazy and disorganised life here has a soprific effect, much like sitting on a rocking chair in the winter sun. The most interesting scenes in recent times have been at the Daliganj railway crossing where 3 lanes converge at one side of the crossing and there's a national highway on the other side. These days its also been graced with the constructive work of the municipality, leaving behind a huge pit of 8x5ft. Because the Lucknow junta has greater faith in the law of the jungle (जंगल कानून), everybody decides on their own discretion when the crossing gates are closed, and chaos is born: rickshawallahs trying to fit their rickshaws through every space left (and their passengers forced to follow on heels, picking up dust and tire-marks), two wheelers stranded on the train tracks because the line of rickshaws has met with its counterpart arriving from the other side of the crossing, cyclists trying to carry their bikes through on shoulders, the stranded pedestrian hopping between all kind of tires and car owners trying to narrow down the empty spaces to reduce the rickshaw assault. So that is the Lucknow I have recently been familiar to. That, and the pesky assault of the beggars, which is another long story. But I'm far from summing Lucknow, never can.
After giving up on finding any more dynamic character in the nearby markets and squares (चौराहा), I'm starting to look back in a closer radius.
Spent quite some time observing a cantankerous bull right outside the house. He had occupied the center of our lane and started grunting loud, because of which any inbound traffic made its way back scared. Later he stormed towards the garbage dump and occupied a central position from where he could eat as well as fend off other cows, calves, dogs and ragpickers - all it required was to swing his head wildly. Then later there was the fruit vendor (with his cart) in the same lane outside, fending off monkey assault from all the sides. The monkeys had closed in when one of the customers bought them some bananas. Then they fought among themselves for whatever they could catch and ran away happy. I also had a jolly time chasing them away and matching their violent glances later.
And normally I'm eating and eating more just for the amusement of being fat again.
I just had on me ears these couple of plastic thingies that once held my handkerchief taut, and they looked like a bad choice for earrings. Right now they grace my canines, and I look rather like a Mudokon than the vampire I expected to be.
rightnow: blog done, and now I can go have another cup of coffee, and continue with Jack Kerouac's "On the Road".
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