THE REAL VALUE OF “RUPEES TWO” IN MODERN INDIA (6th Jan 2010, 0400 Hrs)
For Indians living in urban India, rupees two means almost nothing more than a small change… that is often given as alms to beggars or else tips while having a garma garam chai in road side stall… however, I and my friend had a real life experience to know what ‘rupees two’ means to a poor Indian. It surely opened our eyes in disbelief as reality struck us with a thunderbolt!
31st late night, my friend and I boarded a Maharastra State Transport Bus from Kalyan to Bhiwandi on my way to Shirdi. Since our trip was decided at the very last moment, we had to make our journey from Kalyan to Bhiwandi, then to Nashik and finally Shirdi by bus.
Now, the fare from Kalyan to Bhiwandi is Rs. 8 /- per individual and most of the passengers had given the conductor a ten rupee note… the bus was crowded and he didn’t had any small change with him to give the balance rupees two to each passenger… My friend gave a 20 rupee note and we just sat quietly, presuming the conductor would give the balance later to us. The journey time was just 30 minutes and we could see how each passenger (mostly workers returning home after late evening shifts) was getting restless when the conductor was just collecting the fare and issuing tickets without returning the balance rupees two to them.
Few of them shouted and demanded the conductor as to why he is not giving the balance amount… in this case just rupees two! The conductor surely was agitated after a long stint on the New Year’s eve, stretching to almost midnight and ushering 2010. So he kept himself busy issuing tickets and said in a disturbed tone to take the money later. Many of them said what if they would forget while getting down in hurry at their stops? The tussle between the poor conductor and passengers continued till the bus arrived Bhiwandi.
However, just for your information, there were many passengers, who searched their pockets for small change and even managed to give it to the conductor to take back their ten rupee note… We realised the real value of ‘RUPEES TWO’ for a poor Indian during our recent bus journey. I told my friend… for us it is just a small change but for other passengers it was such a precious amount that they would not let go off so easily…
Strange it may seem, to many of us living in cities, but imagine how the poor Indians are spending each precious rupee they earn while commuting every day from home to work and return… The escalating prices of everything has really hit the poor Indians badly… wish our government does something better for them, so they could live with honour and peace!
For Indians living in urban India, rupees two means almost nothing more than a small change… that is often given as alms to beggars or else tips while having a garma garam chai in road side stall… however, I and my friend had a real life experience to know what ‘rupees two’ means to a poor Indian. It surely opened our eyes in disbelief as reality struck us with a thunderbolt!
31st late night, my friend and I boarded a Maharastra State Transport Bus from Kalyan to Bhiwandi on my way to Shirdi. Since our trip was decided at the very last moment, we had to make our journey from Kalyan to Bhiwandi, then to Nashik and finally Shirdi by bus.
Now, the fare from Kalyan to Bhiwandi is Rs. 8 /- per individual and most of the passengers had given the conductor a ten rupee note… the bus was crowded and he didn’t had any small change with him to give the balance rupees two to each passenger… My friend gave a 20 rupee note and we just sat quietly, presuming the conductor would give the balance later to us. The journey time was just 30 minutes and we could see how each passenger (mostly workers returning home after late evening shifts) was getting restless when the conductor was just collecting the fare and issuing tickets without returning the balance rupees two to them.
Few of them shouted and demanded the conductor as to why he is not giving the balance amount… in this case just rupees two! The conductor surely was agitated after a long stint on the New Year’s eve, stretching to almost midnight and ushering 2010. So he kept himself busy issuing tickets and said in a disturbed tone to take the money later. Many of them said what if they would forget while getting down in hurry at their stops? The tussle between the poor conductor and passengers continued till the bus arrived Bhiwandi.
However, just for your information, there were many passengers, who searched their pockets for small change and even managed to give it to the conductor to take back their ten rupee note… We realised the real value of ‘RUPEES TWO’ for a poor Indian during our recent bus journey. I told my friend… for us it is just a small change but for other passengers it was such a precious amount that they would not let go off so easily…
Strange it may seem, to many of us living in cities, but imagine how the poor Indians are spending each precious rupee they earn while commuting every day from home to work and return… The escalating prices of everything has really hit the poor Indians badly… wish our government does something better for them, so they could live with honour and peace!
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