the fevicol ad-astirring of memories-the day it rained in makrana
Everytime i see the fevicol ad as regards rajasthan public transport-i am reminded of of my journey to makhrana to purchase marble and the journey which resulted inthis tale requires the language and sense of of humour of a shakespeare or a wodehouse-but i will try to do justice with my limited literary talents.
Building a house in any part of india is like emulating shah jehans efforts in constructing the taj mahal-the stress involved is almost similar.the dimensions of the house may be 500sq feet or 5000 sq feet-the stresses and strains are the same.
I will not talk about the contractors, plumbers, architects, electricians, marble layers-polishers-because if i start detailing the deeds and misdeeds of these assorted characters-tolstoys war and peace will look look like a commercial.
My architect brainwashed me into believing that i have to go to makrana to buy the best marble in india-and i a simpleton -knowing only to open up up abdomens and do the needful agreed to go to makhrana to purchace the marble-i went to mumbai-from there to del hi-and then to jaipur-by flight-and then was told i have to travel to makhrana by train-a jolting 8 hour journey-but it was bearable.
Once i reached makhrana-i was put up in a hotel called shalimar-this was in 1997-things might have changed now-but at that moment of time it was the best hotel in makhrana-unfortunately for me it was a jain hotel-good plumbing and soft beds do not compensate for omar khayyams prescription for a happy life-accustomed to a bit of wine and song,the omens were discouraging.
what surprised me on my checking in into my room was the amount of rain that i experienced in my journey from the railway station to the hotel.i was given a contact in makrana-a local bank manager-by one of the local marble traders-and this bank manager came to my room totally covered in slush-and told me i will take you around makrana for the next 3 days to check all the marble godowns-and when i looked with disapproval at his muddy state he said doctor after one day, you will be like me.
I did not understand his statement-till he came with an umbrella on a mobike the next day to explore the marble storehouses of makrana.we who have seen the monsoon of south india do not understand the havoc that heavy rains can create in a state like rajasthan-for three days i was on the pillion of a mobike with rain throughought the day-no drainage-no visible roads-an incessant river flowing through the whole town-no visible roads-this bank manager taking me through invisible water filled pathways-and at athe end of the day coming back to the hotel splattered with slush and mud fram head to foot.
i have still not come to the point of my story-that fevicol ad-all this rain had washed away the railway tracks-and i was told by my local guide-the bank manager -that there was one bus from makrana to jaipur-a totally non luxury bus-where with a bit a mamool-i would get a seat-but for the duration of the journey, i was forbidden to get up from my seat-a small matter of 12 hours.
desperate to get back-i said yes-went to the bus stand -got a seat -and at this moment of time-scouts honour-without exaggeration-found that the journey entailed 2 people sitting on the railing of my seat and putting their feet on both sides of my body-i am not joking -when i saw the fevicol advertisement-i understood their predicament-again echoing another ad-kitna adjust karne ka hain!
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