A glass of steaming milky syrupy tea is best served cut. One by two or two by three, it embodies the spirit of sharing and camaraderie (and more significantly a resource crunch). Come, have a sip.
Desi jugaad or Indian ingenuity is legendary. Be it churning lassi in washing machines or using condoms to provide a smooth finish to tarred roads, necessity is the mother of amazing inventions in our nation. Even governments here run on jugaad.
Yesterday, in Vaishali, the boom town of Ghaziabad, came across a rickshaw that looked a little different, with headlights, indicators and all. On further investigation, discovered an engine beneath the seat.
The driver/owner of the rickshaw (I cannot recollect his name) says that his motorcycle rickshaw contraption is one-of-its-kind in the area.
He charges a premium of Rs 5 over the usual rickshaw fare in exchange for speed. Fitted with a moped engine, the motorcycle rickshaw (or should we call it a moped rickshaw?) gives 40 kilometres to the litre. He assures that his vehicle wouldn't topple if it encounters a bump at 40 kmph (the top speed according to him).
Asked about braking, "Power brakes," he replies with pride.
His only worry is that the transport department says that he cannot ply his vehicle without a license plate, something he expects to get soon.
With the narrow cycle rickshaw tyres, travelling at high speeds doesn't seem to be a good idea. Moreover the absense of proper suspension wouldn't make the journey very comfortable in the bylanes of Ghaziabad.
It is quite common to find carts (thelas) fitted with scooter engines on Indian roads, but it was the first time that I saw a petrol-powered cycle rickshaw. Do let me know if such example exist elsewhere.
By the way, what happened to the much hyped solar-powered rickshaws that were supposed to be launched in Delhi?
Yeh Bullet meri jaan Manzilon ka nishaan Zindagi ek safar Chalna shaam-o-sahar Iski raftar ki Baat hain aur hi Lambi raahon pe Ye kya gazab ki chale Raaste taye kare Faasle taye kare Ye Bullet... Enfield Bullet Ghazab ki sawari.
This song is embedded into my mind right from childhood. The music has a distinct qawwali feel complete with the harmonium (though the instrument isn't desi and was actually banned by All India Radio for being inappropriate for Indian classicial music), tabla, claps and all.
If you ride a Bullet or are just a Bullet aficionado (like me), I suggest you set it as your ringtone. Here's the stuff
Initially thought that it would have made for a good post on All Fools' Day, but then realised that such tricks are no longer a novelty.
Admit it. You've always been crazy about topless models. Mahindra Classic The call of the wild
Mahindra & Mahindra's jeeps are very popular in the hills that I grew up in (alongwith Willys) and also in Bhopal where I studied for a while. They also used to be the staple mode of transport for police around the country before the Maruti Gypsy and other subsequent models came in.
The M&M Classic was launched in 1996 and still (it been quite a few years since M&M took off the model from Indian showrooms) has a considerable fan following. It is one of those cult vehicles. Needless to say, I also wanted to own one.
The day before yesterday, on my way to work I got stuck in a traffic jam. Nothing new. With the number of vehicles on Delhi's roads coupled with the Kanwariya season (a few days back three Kawariyas on a motorcycle hit my two-wheeler from the rear at a red light) this was expected.
But going a little further I could see smoke and on coming closer I found the source, a Hyundai Santro was ablaze. I had read about such accidents in the papers, they happen quite often. I parked near a petrol pump and captured this video on my mobile.
I want to own a Harley, but 'rich' I'm not. To fulfill this desire I'll have to pool in my life's savings for just the downpayment, the rest would have to be financed by some company, with me shelling out the EMI.
It doesn't get cheaper than this. Seems to be worth the wait, but then will have to take a test drive first and that seems to be some months away.
The Nano (or the Rs 1 lakh/$2500 car - the cheapest in the world) is a a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623cc, four-door five-seater car.
It is 3.1 metres long, 1.5 metres wide and 1.6 metres tall and reports say that it gives a mileagle of 23km/litre.
On second thoughts, I'll wait for a year and then get a second-hand, or to use an euphemism, a pre-owned Nano.
Meanwhile, all wannabe taxi drivers back home in Shillong would be wondering about how viable would it be to negotiate a 30 degree incline with seven people inside (yes they will manage to squeeze in seven, if not more) on a 623cc engine.
But then if the 173.52cc autorickshaws can manage to crawl up the hill, the Nano would surely fare much better. As for Delhi, it wouldn't make much of a difference, there's not much difference at 10kmph.
Car modification is a craze for many and a booming business for some. I have seen some vehicles transmogrify into altogether something else. But here's one that I really liked. Not much done, only a little sawing and adding the beams. The erstwhile bestseller on Indian roads - the Maruti 800 (recently overtaken by its much younger sibling Alto) is also a pick-up van.
Saw it parked outside the office yesterday and took a few quick snaps. It seemed to be modified from an older variant of the 800. Interestingly it didn't have any number plate.
The wild west has its Harley-Davidsons. In the relatively tame east we have the Royal Enfields. The motorcycling legend celebrates its golden jubilee in the land of the Mahatma this year. The first indigenously produced batch of 163 Enfield Bullets rolled out of the assembly line in 1956. But actually it was back in 1949 that the 350cc Bullet debuted on Indian roads. Its 1901 establishment in England makes it the oldest surviving motorcycle brand in the world!
This legend is ubiquitous on the Indian landscape. The milkman to the policeman, the soldier to the sophomore, all can be seen astride a Bullet. The advent of Japanese bikes may have dented its mass appeal. But the fact remains that the late arrivals are Boys' Toys and the Enfields will remain Men's Machines (though this bastion has been breached of late by a few woMEN).
Supposedly still made the way they used to be, these single cylinder timeless classics have accelerated their way into the hearts and minds of motorcycle enthusiasts across the Indian subcontinent, the United States, Europe, Japan and also the lands down under.
Enfield is not only about the power, it is also a tradition backed by a century old history, it is a way of life.
Desi jugaad or Indian ingenuity is legendary. Be it churning lassi in washing machines or using condoms to provide a smooth finish to tarred roads, necessity is the mother of amazing inventions in our nation. Even governments here run on jugaad. 
