The drive through UP

We are adventurous folks - self and better half. We like nothing better than to jump into the car early morning and drive off through the country( I tried this in US as well without the wife, but that's another story) with the kids loaded in the car with a great deal of required and possibly required stuff. The kids have also grown used to them though my daughter throws up often( possibly at the idea of it all) and I think that they even miss the rides, once in a while. Once a decade ago - missing close by places to drive from Hyderabad - we set out for Goa and through back roads and non roads reached Goa in about 2 days - all this when the kids were 5 and 1 respectively. Now you get the idea when I say adventurous.

Anyway coming to our recent trip to the Delhi and driveable places. Borrowed my brother's car from Delhi and started with the morning sun - towards Corbett. The road was as described by tourist brochures as "dual carriageway" - except they forgot to mention that locals use it as two roads that happen to run parallel. Very good to keep awake at the wheel and also enjoy the eternal delight of Indian highways - you never know what is coming around the bend!! Imagine how much the developed country guys miss - the lack of pure excitement and adrenaline, for which them need to pay to drive on a race track!!

Actually this part of the trip ie to Corbett had pretty good roads ( for UP, that is) as we were to discuss in a few days. Now I noticed a curiuos phenomenon - every second car overtaking us was Brand New. I know this because the tape or lace( or gift wrapping)was still in place. As we noticed car after car with this tape in place - we started to wonder about the recession - could a reverse be happenning in UP and all the car companies were keeping this under wraps. As the day progressed - we saw some pretty beat up cars with the tape. Curious, I say.

Then we came across a car which clearly was on its last legs - still with shiny tape in place. Aha - It was clear than the people wanted to show that it was a new car. We even surmised that the service chaps probably included it as a free giveaway with the service. Maybe each service place had its own tape color and type - a sort of identity which says - I get my service at khokan & co!. Cool, uniquely UP!!

With the elections on and the caste equations top of mind and sociology churning at the back of the mind - I struck on the notion that the color of tape may indicate a particular caste. This we felt was a distinct possibility as it was impossible to fool anyone with some of the sorry cars with the tape, if they were trying to pass them off as new. Could Mayawati's gang have black tape as their gang color? Malayam's red?. I could imagine a non caste member putting in the wrong color and getting roundly thrashed for his efforts by irritated caste members. Much like some Patel blokes in Gujarat going around with mushtache and beating up any outsider having a similar facial hair. I wanted to interview a few car wallahs with tape but alas such activity would have been seen with a jaundiced eye by the family.

So the mystery remains and would like someone to throw some light on this. MN Srinivas - where are you?