21 Mar 2005

Roadsigns, India

Just returned from a short trip to Alibag and Kihim - popular weekend coastal hangouts for the local populace. We had a great time, not because of the locale but because everyone was in the mood to enjoy... My advice, both are not worth the visit. The Marina beach in Chennai is pristine when compared to these two !

i am a self-confessed signboard reader - keeping myself amused reading signboards while travelling. They are informative, educative and often, downright hilarious (yes, you have guessed correctly, i do not drive, prefer the comfort of the navigator's seat!).

A puncture-repair shop professing "cold and hote remolding" (the cold-retreading process, i presume?). The village modi-dukaan proclaiming itself "Hanuman Super Market. Or the more bold "Night Spot Reshma - Bar and Permitroom", complete with the drawing of a dancing Bedwin girl between Night and Spot - probably the right watering-hole to get lubricated with turgocharged Vorion 50,000 or something more potent. All the intellectual (and other...) stimulation that you needed!

The big hit on this trip was the Public Works Department roadsigns that read in Marathi "gatirowdhak yetey aahey" (speedbreaker is here) complete with a slanted arrow indicating that the sign stands faithfully next to the axle-breaker on the road. No early warnings here, choose between reading the roadsign and a slipped disc!

Of course, the spead-breaker is not white-painted! Why should it be, can't you read the sign ??? (We are all so very logical, further confirms my faith in the success of all software development outsourced to India !)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The Wall talks.....& travels....and sleeps.....and comments....and sweats.....and drinks sometimes to remember...sometimes to forget....so goes The Wall...