May 22, 2006

From their homes

In taxis and rickshaws in Bombay, you'll often see a brightly coloured sticker of a young woman sitting under a tree, her head on her elbows on her knees. Below, these three words: "Ghar kab aaoge?" ("When will you come home?)

The reference is, of course, to the number of such drivers who have left their wives and families in small villages while they work in the city.

Always leave me a little sad, those stickers.

Two days ago, I saw this -- just the words, no picture -- in a rickshaw:

Ya malik kyon banaya motor banane wale ko
Ghar se beghar kar diya motor chalane wale ko
!

"Oh Master, why did you make car makers? You've driven the drivers from their homes!"

No comments: