My Experiment with Chennai Road Transport

I am always overawed by the huge variety of vehicles in chennai. Autos, share autos in all shapes and sizes, a variety of cars, buses, two wheelers, call taxis, trucks, load vans, and the list goes on. In Madurai, that is where I come from, I would have seen a few buses, a lot of cycles and tricycles, some share autos and very few cars. We rarely get to see Audis and BMWs as we see in Chennai.

Back in 2006, I came to Chennai in search of a job. As I had no own vehicle I had no other choice but to take the buses. That was my first experiment. In Chennai, the bus stops are too big and long and I often get confused on where to stand. More than me it is the bus drivers who are erratic. Once I was standing in the Saidapet bus stop waiting for 5A bus to go to velachery. I was standing right near the board which displays the numbers of the buses. The 5A bus arrived and all the people started running towards the bus. I got scared whether they were either trying to hit the bus or attempting a mass suicide.  All the people got into the bus on running itself, and then the bus stopped twenty feet away from me. Before I could run and catch the bus, it left. Me not being PT Usha, missed the bus. So From then on I have learnt to get onto a running bus or stand twenty feet away from the bus stop.

The next experiment came with the share autos. I come from Porur. To come to office, I have to take share autos from porur to guindy. From guindy, I have to take M119 bus to reach SRP tools. I was amazed by the very first fact that the van like structures called TATA ACE is called as share autos here. The share auto drivers are very patient people. They will not budge until the very last seat in the share auto is occupied. So I make it a point to always get into an auto that has only one seat left.

One day, I got into a share auto which had only one seat left and the auto started off to guindy. But luck didn’t favour me. At DLF IT park, except me all the 8 people got down from the auto. Both the share auto driver and me were very very disappointed.

As I knew he will not move, I got down from the auto and started shouting “ guindy, guindy”. The driver was shocked and was staring at me. Fortunately, the share auto got occupied and then he moved and I reached guindy.

At guindy, there is a line of M119s parked. I got into the bus in which the bus driver and conductor got in. The driver started the bus and was roaring. All the people in the bus stop rushed into the bus, fought for the seat and was happily settled. Then the bus moved a few inches and then stopped.  The driver and the conductor got down and went away. When I was confused on what went wrong, the bus standing right next to the one I am sitting started and was roaring. Now all the people in my bus, got down and went on to catch that bus and left.

Actually this bus had moved so as to pave way for the one standing behind. Feeling so deceived and irate, I got down and then hired an auto.

Now, my third experience came next.

I told him “Anna, SRP tools, taramani”. “OH , ascendas ah?, “ NO no, SRP tools bus stop, anna”. I had to argue with him to switch on his meter box. He became so irated. He said “Ok, then you have to give me 20 rs extra”. I reluctantly gave in and said OK. He started the auto and when we were crossing Phoenix mall, the auto was bumping so badly. I didn’t know whether it was due to the bad roads or he was angry on me. The auto was bumping so heavily that I was clinging on to my dear life. When I reached office, I was happy that I was in a one whole piece. 

From all my experiments I have understood that the best way to get around the city is to perhaps have a two wheeler and stay near to office. 

My diet with my Mother in law

There are two terrifying things in a woman’s life. Fortunately, I’m blessed with both. One my weight and two my mother in law.

Last month i went for a complete health checkup. I underwent a series of tests and spent half of my salary. I collected the reports and consulted the doctor. He gave me a serious look and said “Sevitha, obesity is a major problem. You’re prone to diseases like cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid, and android.”

I was shocked. He continued saying hypertension along with blood pressure, liquid pressure, vacuum pressure is on your way. I was already pressure less, but my husband was pressurized. My husband looked at me and said “Honey. Please take care of your health. After all, who will do the laundry.

The very next day i decided to go on a strict diet and joined a gym where they plucked the rest of my salary. At the gym, they gave me an ever green diet plan - green vegetable, green salad, green grass, green, green, green. Exactly a menu for a cow.

What i don’t understand is in spite of eating only green grass, why are some cows fatter than me?

I came home from the gym and received a phone call from my mil – “Hi Sevitha. I am going to come home tomorrow”. I realized my doctor’s words were coming true – hyper tension along with blood pressure on my way.

Next morning, she reached our house, went straight into the kitchen and started cooking. That was when my hubby told her about my diet plans. After keenly listening to it, my mil gave me a wicked smile.

She said “No problem Ajay. I will take care of it.”

Leaving the kitchen to her, i rushed to the gym. My trainer, after seeing me, he was instantly inspired and asked me to stand on the weighing machine. As soon as i got on it, it started beeping with an automated voice – ONE PERSON AT A TIME. I looked at my trainer and said, “After all… weight is just a number.”

He then asked me to raise a 10 kilo bar, i lifted it like a chocolate bar.

His ego was terribly hurt. He never gave up. He asked me to do 25 minutes of running, 25 minutes on EFX, 25 minutes of floor exercise, and finally he gave me 25 table topics. I was exhausted.

I came back home. And the breakfast was ready.

I went to the dining table and saw two idlies in my plate…5 idlies and 2 vadas in my husband’s plate……It gave me the same feeling of someone else’s appraisal letter and my appraisal letter…

For a minute, i thought of slim goddesses like Priyanka chopra and Kareena Kapoor and quickly gulped the two idlies and started to office. Vada…..poche!!!

I reached office at 10 am and exactly an hour later i started to hear different sounds from my tummy. i couldn’t wait for lunch time. During lunch, i rushed to the cafeteria and opened my box ravenously. I saw two chapathis and a small cup of dal.

I understood why my mother in law said, “I will take care of it”. After work, i reached home by 8pm. When i entered the house, i smelt fresh ghee in the air. I was about to dive on the food. Just then my MIL told, “Sevitha, Wait. Let Ajay come”.

I was waiting for my lovely husband to come.

A few minutes later, my lovely husband arrived. My mil served him hot puris and chicken and she brought a hot pack from the kitchen with a smile. i opened it so eagerly to find biryanis. But i found 3 dry rotis.

Rotis!!! Really!!! I felt like stuffing all three roti’s in her mouth and suffocate her to death. Oh…no she is my mother in law, how can i kill her?

Frustrated, i skipped my dinner and went to bed. But I was not able to sleep. I kept rolling….and rolling…. and rolling…..in the bed but my husband kept burping…. and burping…. and burping….in the bed. I got up from the bed and rushed to the kitchen. I brought all the possible dishes from the kitchen to the bed room. My husband was shocked and was staring at me. I saw my MIL standing at the door and smirking at me. I looked at my husband and told “Sergeant at arms!!! Please ensure the doors are secured until i finish eating”.  

Ladies and only ladies!!! Dieting is a tough job. Do it. But do it only when your MIL is not around.