This is another story told by krishnan mama..
It is a story of Demand Draft.
Krishnan mama was then working in a Steel Company near Calcutta..
His son Mr.N was studying for Engineering in Kerala.
Krishnan mama was very prompt in sending money to his son.. He was a loving father and never wanted his son's name on the College Notice board or the Hostel. But never for extravaganza.
There are two school of thoughts for parenting..One is "I had never the opportunity for any extravaganza and so i worked very hard and i am now like this." Another one is "I was never able to enjoy like this in my child hood and my children should not be deprived of this..let them enjoy"..But some say the second school of thought would bring out a spoilt child..
Krishnan mama would have been a mixed type of fixing limits for both..Anyway Master N was a good son of a good father and he understood the father well. He never asked for more..
It is month begining at Calcutta..As the salary is only to meet both ends, banking was, for many, only a savings bank account and of course trusted means of sending money to aged parents.. For many a malayali it could be a Demand Draft for a son doing education in far away Kerala. Our Krishnan mama also had his son educated in Kerala and looked upon the Bank as the most trusted means for sending money.
He says..
It was a night mare, without sleep for many days..when a month end is coming..I have to get a Demand Draft for Rs.500/- (Now the very same son would laugh at the mention of rs.500/- But in those days five hundred in equal to five thousand.. nay much more..) to my son. The Draft should reach him before the 10th. Or else, anything can happen..Standing outside the class, caning, The class teacher calling out the names of defaulters and it is another way of punishment.
Those days were days prior to globalisation and the customer was NOT the King. We can never argue with or shout at or be angry with any person in the Banks or Govt offices. The public are treated as servants though they are actually called Public servants. The banks were in sellers market. In banks the branch manager is to be seen only by big customers and DD customers have to be satisfied with Head Cashiers.
Our krishnan mama started the DD exercise every month by the 25th. That is the day to see the Head Cashier and say Hai.. The Head Cashier is more than a God..With the union support, he is even more than a branch manager.His wrath means the end of relationship with that Branch. So one has to be very careful in words and deeds or even in mannerisms..so that it should not hurt him..
This Hai of Head Cashier means that "You are acknowledged" and it also means that he will accept the money. One or the other day again Krishnan mama would go to say "Hai" and during one such Hai, the HC notes down Krishnan Mama's name and gives the date for remittance..3rd, 4th etc.. The salary will be received in Cash only on the 1st or 2nd. (Unlike in these days where it is only credited into the accounts which should be withdrawn by ATM cards and issuing cheques only for making credit card payments) and in between Sundays may be another tension because delay in taking DD means delay in sending DDs.
On getting the salary, Krishnan mama would rush to the Bank. One could not rush to the Head Cashier. He is the most busy man.. He shouts to customers..in between he closes the counter and rushes to the branch manager's cabin..to settle scores..while the customer has to wait. ( a customer in hindi once told me.."Jo Kasht se martha hai wo Kashtomer kahata hai.) So our Krishnan mama would enter the branch and would stand on a corner waiting for the Head Cashier to see him and acknowledge. The Head Cashier during one such rounds outside his cabin acknowledges and a deep breath goes in as a relief.. Then the HC calls by waiving of hand and with all respects like a man before the God in the temple, the cash is given alongwith the DD application slip ( the DD application is a piece of colourful slip which asks for a lot of details and as this is a ususal monthly item, it is filled at home and kept ready for 2 or three months ahead ) and after the Head cashier received the Cash.. that day is over..You should not stand there..In between he will say ..Come in the evening or sometimes, come tomorrow.." The next day the DD is on your hands and the next worry takes over Krishnan mama.. The Post office..
The Post Master and the people at the post office are more friendly but they are never the fast you wanted..
The DD is put in a cover and the address of Master N is written neatly and made doubly sure that there is no mistake and with a prayer..(as we have read in papers ..Post Card received after 50 years..")The DD is sent as "Registered Post" because delivery to the addressee is ensured.
And at last not knowing of all these hurdles, pains, tension, Master N happily receives the DD.. The father waits for the Post Card from N as acknowledgement..and the next 25th the same story again.
(The new generation should visualise how the elder generation suffered and now with internet banking, ATMs Credit cards, etc and with banks competing each other, banking a few decades before can only be an old story.)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Helmet Helmet.
Helmet
The dailies reported this and that of Helmet hunting by Trivandrum Police. I escaped during the last two hunting seasons. Many say that some helmet companies grease some palms and suddenly helmet hunters are busy, the sales outlets are crowded and some try to make undue profit. Some small sellers bring cheap helmet from Delhi and it is talk of the town till some ministers who put on the garb of public servants, interfere and try to stop to hunting and the lull till another dose of greasing..and that goes on.
and i ask many question to myself..
Are the helmet hunters (police)doing the job out of love for the humans?
Why are they doing this job very sacrosanctly, when there are many traffic points unmanned?
Is there any method to see that the entire collections goes to Govt coffers?
If they are so concerned of the people why they don't jointly take up the project of good roads, with other govt departments? Is it not the condition of the roads that make two wheeler traffic unsafe ? Is it not that the wrong way of driving by other vehicles that threaten the two wheel drive? Is there any nexus between the Bus owners / tour operators with govt officials / police and is this nexus that threaten the two wheel drivers? Can the licences issuers tell from their heart that all is well in issuing of licences and this is also one of the causes for road accidents?
I would suggest that the Traffic Policemen answer the above questions from their hearts and then implement the helmet rules..
Again the newspaper printed another controversy..
The Police say that the Trivandrumites are very reluctant to wear helmets
This again prompts me to ask a few questions..
Who are Trivandrumites ? If it is all those who now live in Trivandrum, then I feel that the statement be withdrawn as there are more from other districts of Kerala than the natives..
Or is that the Police find it difficult to implement in Trivandrum, then difficult questions crop up..
Is is because of any company between the insiders.. (Often i have heard that the autorickshaw in trivandrum are never booked by police because many are owned by policemen.) Or is it because the politicians interfere..but there are no ministers from Trivandrum..
I would request the Policemen not to be narrow and give such misleading statements on Trivndrumites.. and to be good samaritans by
a. having a helmet club consisting of helmet vendors, policemen, public activists (not to be selected on the basis of politics)and also the govt departments that deal with roads, water (because it is said that this department have an unerring urge to dig up roads whenever it is newly laid)etc
b. to have as far as possible one ways as many roads are narrow..
c. to charge a fee for parking on the roads (this has become another menace and threatening to life) (For eg the parking in between overbridge and East fort - both the sides are now parking areas..The car owners it sems have forgottten the traffic /parking rules.. it is now as if the jungle law prevails. Some take reverse in to the mid of the roads and more difficult it is when the traffic light is green at the junction and we are speeding to cross the points before it is red. the cars are parked zig-zag and at times we park our two wheeler and go for shopping but when we return we find that there is no space to take out the vehicle..other vehicles are parked all around..
and to my surprise i find some four wheelers parked on the footpaths)
c. conduct seminars, brainstorm sessions in all institutions /offices etc and evolve a good way out..
Only then implement the Helmet Hunt.
[edit blog]
The dailies reported this and that of Helmet hunting by Trivandrum Police. I escaped during the last two hunting seasons. Many say that some helmet companies grease some palms and suddenly helmet hunters are busy, the sales outlets are crowded and some try to make undue profit. Some small sellers bring cheap helmet from Delhi and it is talk of the town till some ministers who put on the garb of public servants, interfere and try to stop to hunting and the lull till another dose of greasing..and that goes on.
and i ask many question to myself..
Are the helmet hunters (police)doing the job out of love for the humans?
Why are they doing this job very sacrosanctly, when there are many traffic points unmanned?
Is there any method to see that the entire collections goes to Govt coffers?
If they are so concerned of the people why they don't jointly take up the project of good roads, with other govt departments? Is it not the condition of the roads that make two wheeler traffic unsafe ? Is it not that the wrong way of driving by other vehicles that threaten the two wheel drive? Is there any nexus between the Bus owners / tour operators with govt officials / police and is this nexus that threaten the two wheel drivers? Can the licences issuers tell from their heart that all is well in issuing of licences and this is also one of the causes for road accidents?
I would suggest that the Traffic Policemen answer the above questions from their hearts and then implement the helmet rules..
Again the newspaper printed another controversy..
The Police say that the Trivandrumites are very reluctant to wear helmets
This again prompts me to ask a few questions..
Who are Trivandrumites ? If it is all those who now live in Trivandrum, then I feel that the statement be withdrawn as there are more from other districts of Kerala than the natives..
Or is that the Police find it difficult to implement in Trivandrum, then difficult questions crop up..
Is is because of any company between the insiders.. (Often i have heard that the autorickshaw in trivandrum are never booked by police because many are owned by policemen.) Or is it because the politicians interfere..but there are no ministers from Trivandrum..
I would request the Policemen not to be narrow and give such misleading statements on Trivndrumites.. and to be good samaritans by
a. having a helmet club consisting of helmet vendors, policemen, public activists (not to be selected on the basis of politics)and also the govt departments that deal with roads, water (because it is said that this department have an unerring urge to dig up roads whenever it is newly laid)etc
b. to have as far as possible one ways as many roads are narrow..
c. to charge a fee for parking on the roads (this has become another menace and threatening to life) (For eg the parking in between overbridge and East fort - both the sides are now parking areas..The car owners it sems have forgottten the traffic /parking rules.. it is now as if the jungle law prevails. Some take reverse in to the mid of the roads and more difficult it is when the traffic light is green at the junction and we are speeding to cross the points before it is red. the cars are parked zig-zag and at times we park our two wheeler and go for shopping but when we return we find that there is no space to take out the vehicle..other vehicles are parked all around..
and to my surprise i find some four wheelers parked on the footpaths)
c. conduct seminars, brainstorm sessions in all institutions /offices etc and evolve a good way out..
Only then implement the Helmet Hunt.
[edit blog]
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