Monday, April 12, 2010

Akbaar Walah in Delhi

For those who have lived in Delhi will understand and appreciate this: There is this unique way of getting your morning paper delivered in Delhi that I have not seen anywhere else in my travels. The akbaar wala (news paper delivery boy) comes around on a bicycle with loads of newspaper out on the carrier in the back and a couple of bags full of news paper on the handle bar. He basically rolls up the news paper and puts a rubber band cut out from worn out cycle tire tubes around it. This wrapped up news paper is then artfully delivered right at your door step the while akbaarwala is still on his bicycle. Now that seems pretty straight forward but wait until I tell you that people live in flats (condominiums) that can go upto four floors. Some of these condominiums have been Sublet out as well. The only way to get news paper delivered to some of these folks is via their balcony and in some cases an open window in their flat. The delivery person has to remember which news paper and magazines gets delivered to which balcony, doorstep or window, roll up and delivers while continuing to balance on the bicycle. He basically does not want to get down and slow himself as each akbaarwala could have more than 500 flats to deliver in the wee hours of morning.

Newspaper delivery in Olympics any takers...


--Raj

3 comments:

  1. In early eighties I was living in a terrace room at Rajendra Nagar I still remember that morning when the news paper tied with the rubber band hit dirctly like a missile on my right eye. Fortunately the eye was saved. This shows how careless we Indians are about others. Even then should we call it a six sigma method.

    Vijay Kakde

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  2. I guess this is one of the perils of excess population in the urban areas. Everybody is competing for space and comforts and that is driving selfish attitudes unfortunately..

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  3. It is not the increased population to be blamed ;but the carelessness of the vendor. We Indians never care for others. We are the most selfish people.

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