I wanted a change yesterday. Same old park, same old walking style, same old people. I decided to change my morning walk route and venue. Since it was rather a quieter Sunday morning, decided to take a walk along that lengthy stretch of old airport road.
I reached in front of Lord Siva temple. Many of you would have seen that Siva, big and white. We could see him from a long distance earlier. Once a big commercial building was constructed in front of the temple, one has to take that narrow passage to reach near Siva. That too standing in a queue. But you can have the
'darshan' faster and stand in front of Siva momentarily as a very important person, if you buy a VIP ticket.
Suddenly I saw a man running towards a cab which was parked in front of his car, blocking his way. He was furious. He had a huge brick in his hands. He had bhasma ( vibhuti ) on his head. Let me call him Bhasmasura, as this was happening in front of Siva temple, he was wearing bhasma ( Vibhuti ) on his forehead and he was extremely angry, looked like an 'Asura' (demon).
( Bhasmasura was a strong devotee of Siva. He gets a boon from Siva that if he touches anybody's head that person will turn into ashes, bhasma. He becomes a threat to gods themselves. God Vishnu decides to stop this menace. Vishnu takes the shape of Mohini, a beautiful lady dancer and dances in front of Bhasmasura. Bhasmasura falls in the trap and wants to marry Mohini. Mohini says that Bhasmasura has to dance with her following her steps. As dance gets intensified, Mohini touches her head with her own hand. Bhasmasura without realising the implication touches his head with his own hand and turns into ashes. )
I stopped my walk, stood on the foot path to observe. I watched the episode from a distance, as I didn't want to skate on thin ice, should the fight becomes too physical and dangerous. It was a cab that had blocked his way. It looked like some thing was happening between them while they were moving on the road. The cabbie finally decided to block Bhasmasura's way by abruptly stopping his vehicle in front of Bhasmasura's car.
Brick in his hand, the asura was shouting at the cabbie. Cabbie was shouting sitting inside the car. I went closer as I thought their morning exercise would remain verbal. Suddenly the cabbie got out of his cab and said something. Asura did not like it. He had the height advantage, he caught hold cabbie's neck with his left hand, brick still on his right hand. I knew a few more bad words, some body would break some thing.
Without moving closer I shouted "Enithu, sumne gallatta maaditheera" ( what is this, just fighting? - in Kannada), local language is of immense help in these situations. I could see impact of this. A few people watching all the fun also joined me. Asura looked at me, good sign, his anger was reducing. I could not see cabbie's face as he was struggling hard to look up, he was constantly punching on Asura's pot belly while this wrestling was going on. Asura dropped the brick down, we moved froward and separated both of them. Exchange of a few more unpleasant words, the episode ended.
I resumed my walk.
As I was walking, I decided. I need a checklist from tomorrow if not today itself. I prepared that list in my mind it self, let me write it down now. May benefit some of you !
I reached in front of Lord Siva temple. Many of you would have seen that Siva, big and white. We could see him from a long distance earlier. Once a big commercial building was constructed in front of the temple, one has to take that narrow passage to reach near Siva. That too standing in a queue. But you can have the
'darshan' faster and stand in front of Siva momentarily as a very important person, if you buy a VIP ticket.
Suddenly I saw a man running towards a cab which was parked in front of his car, blocking his way. He was furious. He had a huge brick in his hands. He had bhasma ( vibhuti ) on his head. Let me call him Bhasmasura, as this was happening in front of Siva temple, he was wearing bhasma ( Vibhuti ) on his forehead and he was extremely angry, looked like an 'Asura' (demon).
( Bhasmasura was a strong devotee of Siva. He gets a boon from Siva that if he touches anybody's head that person will turn into ashes, bhasma. He becomes a threat to gods themselves. God Vishnu decides to stop this menace. Vishnu takes the shape of Mohini, a beautiful lady dancer and dances in front of Bhasmasura. Bhasmasura falls in the trap and wants to marry Mohini. Mohini says that Bhasmasura has to dance with her following her steps. As dance gets intensified, Mohini touches her head with her own hand. Bhasmasura without realising the implication touches his head with his own hand and turns into ashes. )
I stopped my walk, stood on the foot path to observe. I watched the episode from a distance, as I didn't want to skate on thin ice, should the fight becomes too physical and dangerous. It was a cab that had blocked his way. It looked like some thing was happening between them while they were moving on the road. The cabbie finally decided to block Bhasmasura's way by abruptly stopping his vehicle in front of Bhasmasura's car.
Brick in his hand, the asura was shouting at the cabbie. Cabbie was shouting sitting inside the car. I went closer as I thought their morning exercise would remain verbal. Suddenly the cabbie got out of his cab and said something. Asura did not like it. He had the height advantage, he caught hold cabbie's neck with his left hand, brick still on his right hand. I knew a few more bad words, some body would break some thing.
Without moving closer I shouted "Enithu, sumne gallatta maaditheera" ( what is this, just fighting? - in Kannada), local language is of immense help in these situations. I could see impact of this. A few people watching all the fun also joined me. Asura looked at me, good sign, his anger was reducing. I could not see cabbie's face as he was struggling hard to look up, he was constantly punching on Asura's pot belly while this wrestling was going on. Asura dropped the brick down, we moved froward and separated both of them. Exchange of a few more unpleasant words, the episode ended.
I resumed my walk.
As I was walking, I decided. I need a checklist from tomorrow if not today itself. I prepared that list in my mind it self, let me write it down now. May benefit some of you !
- Go out of the house only if it is absolutely necessary
- Try to avoid using own vehicle, simply walk or avail cab/auto/bus.
- If at all a situation arises to use my own vehicle drive safely, obey all traffic rules
- Never show emotions or utter a word when I get angry, provoked by erratic and rash driving by others
- If the anger is such that it will do more harm to me by suppressing it, then utter a few words, shout. But then drive as fast and erratic as possible after that, towards home to avoid any physical assault. Park the vehicle. Get inside home, lock up myself. Look at this check list, from the beginning all over again !
"Kanakam moolam, Kaamini moolam, kalaham pala vidham, ulakil sulabham" a great poet wrote this in Malayalam. Which means "because of gold, because of love(girl), quarrel of many types, plenty in this world". This short list of just two things was applicable in old days. More items need to get added to the list now. And the most important item at the top of the list is - road rage !
Drive safe. Rage less.
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