Random Expressions

These are some quick verbal snapshot, purely from an outsider’s viewpoint:

• The traffic flummoxed me the most. To put it bluntly: there is absolutely no traffic sense prevalent in this city. Cars, autorickshaws, cycle rickshaws, cycles, bullock carts, thelas, scooters, motorcycles - all pile onto the narrow roads in a huge din and enormously noisy mess, vying for the smallest space available to maneouver.
• Traffic signals are meant to be broken. Rarely have I seen anyone stopping at them (except at a place called Hariparvat, near Sanjay Place - a busy intersection). Often, there would be a traffic constable standing, yet people jump red lights with abandon. In fact, stop at a signal at your own risk, because you will be immediately surrounded by irritated honking drivers trying to jump the signal.
• For its size and signals, the number of traffic constables are aplenty. Often, at many crossings one can find three-four of them standing. And yet, there would be a traffic jam at that very place. Obviously, they are futile in controlling the traffic.

• Apart from the arterial and main roads, the condition is otherwise pathetic. God forbid if you have to go just beyond the city boundaries - you are in for trouble! My car hasnt driven as much as it has been shaken!!!
• The entire Agra thrives on a central M.G.Road that is the city’s spine. Across both sides on this stretch of some 12 kilometers lies the full town. (As per a friend’s information the road was built with efforts of Sanjay Gandhi). The road starts from a turn below a flyover on the National Highway(the official entrance to the town) curves  it way in front of Sanjay Place (the biggest commercial center), cuts through several important crossings and extends beyond Sadar Bazar through Agra Cantt.
• Sadar Bazar, on the tip of Agra Cantt, is the most posh market. And the widest and cleanest one as well. All branded shops are found here. It’s a good place to laze around, and even the traffic movement is regulated. On evenings, there is always some rush - and its maximum on Sundays. Tuesday is their weekly off.  
• The area names are quite unique. Although the newer places have quite common (and overlapping with Delhi) names like Kamla Nagar, Sadar Bazar etc. But, check out the names of the older areas -Sai ka Takiya (I freaked out the first time I heard this one!),  Chhatta Bazaar, Seo Ka Bazaar, Ghatiya Azam Khan, Chhipitola, Daresi and, of course,  a slew of ‘mandis‘ : Raja Ki Mandi, Shahzadi Mandi, Jeoni Mandi, Rui Ki Mandi, Hing ki Mandi, etc
• In an era of multiplexes Agra-ites still use the olden word ‘Talkies’ for their cinemas. Bhagwan Talkies, Anjana Talkies and Sanjay Talkies to name a few.
• Bhagwan Talkies, a decrepit hall playing old Mithun and Govinda re-runs with new names, is an important landmark as it is bang on the corner from where M.G. Road starts (the entrance to the town as mentioned above). [Again, beware of the traffic-junk there! In fact, today’s Amar Ujala carried a detailed analysis and description of the pot-holed and vehicle-filled road there!]
• Communal differences, though not overtly visible, are there somewhere within. The frission between the two major Indian religions is quite deep, and a sore one at that!
• While the world swoons over Taj Mahal, Agra-ites themselves do not have much love lost for it. I have heard quite disparaging remarks on it, some based on communal lines. Times of India recently carried an article how Agra’s past, including the Taj, are viewed more as a liability. The centre has refused to move the town for applying for a Heritage stage. On the surface it seems a loss. But their logic is quite correct - there is hardly any flavor left from its Mughal past. If you remove the small Taj corridor, Agra is just another U.P. small-town!
• There are quite a bunch of bars - some with shady names (and equally shady interiors) like Chandni Bar and Sonam Bar. Of course, it has a fair share of better ones as well. Though, don’t do the mistake of comparing with some pub/bar from Delhi, Mumbai or - even, i guess - Bangalore!
• The food-stuff, especially Indian snacks, are particularly tasty here. I tasted some of the finest ‘kachoris‘ here. Also, samosas and daal-baati find a satisfying taste here. To add to this, there are some unknown but extremely sumptuous mithais that I have eaten. Round all this up with thick lassi in kulhads, and you have the most lip-smacking and satisfied-burp-inducing Indian fast/junk food ever! Needless to mention, Agra is the ‘petha‘ hub!
• Manish has given a succulent elaboration on various Hindi dialects. He explains that Braj/ Bundelkhandi is the dialect spoken in this part of the state. However, despite that I seem to have heard more shuddh Hindi overall, and way above than what we get to hear in Delhi! For example words like ‘uddeshya‘ or ‘cheshtha‘ are rarely used in everyday lingo in Delhi, whereas here I often hear them!

These are just a few points that came to mind. I will update as soon as I have some more insights.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, September 7th, 2006 at 8:00 pm and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.