They say rain is the greatest equaliser. It falls on the shoulder of all, rich or poor, men or women. It has no bias. I disagree. The rich can protect themselves. They can drive or book a cab if the public transport is crowded. A woman can carry a fancy umbrella. And don’t even begin with the variety of rainwear available.
A greater equaliser is the pothole. Whether you are driving a Merc, a Vespa or are lunging on a public transport bus, you will be elevated from your seat for a split second before crashing down hard. This is the power of the pothole to make everybody equal, even if for a few second. And when you are in a city like Mumbai or Bengaluru, there is greater probability of this hard-hitting equality.
Another equaliser is the speed breaker. And the traffic lights. We all got to glide over and wait. Those are the rules. But like everything else in India, it is easier for some to obey the rules. If you standing wedged between two samurais in a public bus, the signal is a torture. If you are in a car, it is a moment to check your cells or fix your make-up.
But, when it comes to the pothole, it knows no capitalist mercy. All will abuse the state with equal vehemence for beautifying the roads with unique water bodies.
Like the school, where everyone was treated equally, the potholes teach the same lesson to everybody. They teach us about patience and tolerance. Every year, we expect the government to do something, and every year they teach about patience. We learn to be compassionate, as government prioritises cow protections and love jihad over the basic civic amenities like safe roads. After all, parliamentary hugs need more attention than your neck.
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Potholes all increase the esprit-de-corps among the different sections. Whether you are Ambani riding in a BMW or the dabbawallah on his cycle, you both will use the basic Indian curse words when you get the ultimate kick from the pothole. All educational and class difference go out of the window in that one moment.
The Potholes are so beneficial for national equality and unity, that I entreat the government to ignore the puddled potholes. In fact, they should let them go every year, in the light of the great public service they provide.
