I have seen God

Recently I visited Mumbai, to visit my sister. I was advised by her to get down at Dadar Station and take local train to Vile Parle and then, an auto to her house. My previous visit to Mumbai was some 6 years ago. I followed her advice and took local train to Vile Parle. My tension started, the moment I got in to local train.

Travelling all the way to Mumbai and then from Dadar to Vile Parle, has no tension. The real tension was to get in to an auto and reach my sister’s house. From my previous experience with auto walas in Mumbai and my daily experience in Hyderabad with them, I was really scared of bargaining with an auto wala, who asks exhorbitant rates, which always shoots my blood pressure up. Anyway, as I cannot avoid the inevitable, I dared to ask an autowala, outside the Vile Parle station. He asked  me to get into auto immediately. I did not understand. I asked him “how much?”. He shouted on me “ Baith jaayiye ji, policewala chalaan maarega” . This is an unexpected angle in my tension.  Even before I decide what to do, I got in to the auto and the journey started. 

It took some 10 minutes to reach the place, I have to go. All these 10 minutes, my mind was under tremendous tension. Many questions were doing rounds in my mind. How much he will ask, will he be satisfied if I pay him Rs.100/- or will he ask for more. What if he asks for 150 or 200, as it happened previously. Paying Rs.100/- itself is very high and if he ask for more what to do. Not that I don’t have money, but it is unjust in nature and looting people in broad daylight. Is there nobody to stop this?  How to fight him? I have already travelled without agreeing on a rate and hence I have no option, but to pay him whatever he demands. But is it fair? Why auto and taxi drivers in all these cities behave like this. In Chennai, in Bangalore, in Hyderabad, wherever I go why these auto walas loot people. It seems all the auto and taxi drives of all these major cities are being trained at one place only, in looting people. Can’t we do anything about this? What if I write to Kejriwal to do something about this and stop looting aam admi. But will he do anything because auto wala is also an aam admi. Moreover he may feel that an auto-wala is more ‘aam’ than me. So writing to him may not be useful...  The mind was whirling and the flow of questions was  unstoppable. Finally, the dreadful moment has arrived and he stopped the auto in front of the apartment building, where my sister resides. At that moment, the driver looked like a villain, we see in films.

I gathered all the strength in me and asked him how much? He answered may be in less than 10 seconds, but those were 10 years for me.  He said “Rs.38/-“. I did not understand. I cleared my ears and dared to ask him again. Again he repeated the same and showed me the metre reading. Again thoughts started running in mind. Is he doing something I don’t know? Is it a new trick or is he really asking me to pay Rs.38/- only or Rs.138/- which I am hearing wrong?  It must be Rs.138/- only. Good God this autowala is not totally unfair, asked only 138/- not 200/-. Mind was telling me that something is seriously wrong somewhere. Anyway I have taken my wallet out and gave him Rs.150/-. I expected him to take it and go away, as is the case in Hyderabad, where auto walas never believe in change and look at you, with an expression that clearly says “Chillar Log”, if you ask for change.

The auto wala said “ Bhai saab, itna kyon de rahen hai, maine bola Rs.38/-“ ( Why are you giving this much, I said Rs.38/- only) and handed me back Rs.100/- note. Something is really wrong.  I immediately shoved the note in my shirt pocket and took my luggage and wanted to disappear before he changes his mind and ask for more. I hurriedly took my luggage and started to go into the gate, then he called me. I know this man is going to ask for more. Anyway I am prepared for Rs.100/- let me get rid of him by paying another 10 or 20, If I am lucky. I went back to him. He pulled the strings of my heart out and I almost fainted. He gave me Rs.10/- note to me. Yeh kya ho raha hain? Why is he doing like this? Is he really giving it to me or am I dreaming? Do I take it or ask him to keep it. Why this man is behaving like this? Is he mad?. I took the note, feeling as if I am receiving  5 crores cheque from Amitabh Bachhan, after winning Kaun Banegaa Crorepati. I thanked all the Gods above and again took my luggage, when the final blow came, he gave me Rs.2/- coin also. I fainted or felt like so. The driver understood my state of mind, and told me “Hum mehanat karte hai aur shaan se jeete hai saab. Hum aapse jyaada paisa nahin lete” (We work hard and live with pride and we don’t take more money than what is to be paid by you).

 My mouth was dry and speechless. I asked him his name. He replied “Laxmi Narayan”. When I looked at him, I felt I am looking at N.T Rama Rao, showing the viswaroopam as Lord Vishnu in all the mythological films, looking at which I always felt excited in my childhood.

I have seen God that day. For a stupid common man, who else can be the God.

 Later my sister told me that all the auto walas are doing like this only in Mumbai, now-a-days. Again many thoughts started doing rounds in my mind. Why don't all the auto and Taxi drivers of all the major cities get trained at the same place, where Mumbai auto and taxi drivers are getting trained.....