IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN OF OUR PROHIBITION SHUNNING CULTURE

Have you noticed the space below any of the signboards, which read – DO NOT SPIT HERE? To your utter dismay you will find large patches, which resemble blood stains, symbolic of years of spit deposition, sponsored by the easy availability of raw tobacco, mawa or the recently banned gutka.

Rising close to the challenge are the signboards, installed near railway stations – DO NOT CROSS THE RAILWAY TRACKS. Such messages, I guess, generate high dose of kinetic energy and provoke to risk all. Therefore instead of using the foot over bridges, the railway authorities take years to build, many prefer crossing over the tracks, putting their lives in danger and cursing; if at all they miss out on the biggest thrill of breaking yet another rule.

Equally pitiable are the signboards, which loudly announce – DO NOT URINATE HERE. This space is largely used by those, who don’t prefer standing in a queue. But they have no qualms in performing with their fly open in public view.

These are just a few instances of old and recent times, which make our nation seem like a circus of oddities. The latest to join the row are the recently installed escalators in railway platforms and metro stations. I cannot understand why some people prefer running over them, even though they are meant to transport us to upper or lower levels at a friendly speed! This urgency is to be found in both cases, during ascending and descending.

Speaking about escalators, I have been busy discovering a new breed from the last few days. This new breed prefers using the escalators in a reverse manner. In short, if the escalators are gliding down, they will try to pace upwards, defying the onward motion. And if the escalators are moving upwards, they will try to run down, once again defying the onward motion.

Such examples paint a picture of a banana republic. Are we not educated enough? Or are we being too bold to represent ourselves as born rebels. I am not bothered about what the world thinks of us as a nation and us as a nationality. But I am deeply concerned about the falling standards of complying with prohibitions.

In the first place, why are such prohibitions imposed on us? Definitely after years of lampooning, somewhere we need to be coming across as well cultured living beings. But animals are faring well and we humans are repetitively failing in keeping up with them.

Just last week, while I was busy withdrawing cash from an ATM counter, a man just walked in, not even bothering to read the board, which informed – ONE PERSON AT A TIME. Being a one machine counter, he should have waited for his turn. I overheard the conversation he had with the guard manning the ATM. The guard did mention to him that two people are not allowed at the same time. To which, this man replied, “Don’t teach me your rotten rules and regulations. I am in a hurry. It is that guy who needs to quickly get done with his bloody business.” He entered while I was still withdrawing my cash. Under the influence of alcohol, he stunk badly. I ignored the situation, not without wondering about his intentions.

Even at cinema theaters, during the movie screening, and having been requested in advance across the screen to either SWITCH OFF YOUR MOBILE PHONES or PLEASE PUT YOUR MOBILE PHONES ON SILENT MODE, there are those who prefer speaking aloud over the phone. Just try to reprimand them and pat comes the reply - “It was an urgent call and I had to attend it.”

The point I am trying to make is, it doesn't take much to follow certain rules. Being a rebel helps when we are leading a revolution. Such unnecessary actions yield nothing. I am saddened over the fact that such actions are contradicting the efforts of innumerable volunteers, who champion such causes. Is it then advisable to bring shame to their good work, which they are doing to better our society? Or are we happy being inhabitants in the public domain of our prohibition shunning culture?

Think, Understand and then Act.

-vociferous