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Monday, January 20, 2014

Traffic Jam


Life stands still, yet again
      In a huge traffic snarl
The wheels of life grind to a halt
   Building frustration like wound rubbed with salt
Fear of missed buses, trains n flights
  Become surreal as time ticks at bitter end
A bane of city life, no solution in sight
  Gets depressingly long with every passing night
The eerie sirens of an ambulance
  Stuck in maze of vehicles all around
Is grim reminder of battle vainly fought?
  Gasping for fresh air at this terminal still!

PS: Picture Kind courtesy Google

59 comments:

  1. Aah! The traffic nightmares... Thank God, we left them behind in Mumbai, though some parts of the pink city give that to us still. The saddest is when the ambulance is not given way to move ahead!!

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    1. Lucky you, Shilpa to live in Jaipur which does not witness such chaotic jams:) Indeed it is pathetic that even those in need like patients have no easy passage!

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  2. Stuck in maze of vehicles all around...
    BRILLIANT!

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  3. Hi Rahul, what a clear description of traffic rush hour, I have to say its something I don't miss at all, where I live currently, traffic is nonexistent. In cities Ive noticed that drivers become so tensed and aggressive due to these manic traffic situations. Well written as always.

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    1. Sam, I wish I could travel to the place where you live someday to admire the beauty without traffic jams:) Thanks a lot for being there!

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  4. Is grim reminder of battle vainly fought? -'amazing'
    The post may be small but accounts to a lot, specially on a day where Delhi stood still-in the traffic. partly due to the parade practice and partly due to the 'dharna' of the government which is determined to even sleep on roads for a better tomorrow..:)
    Nice post Rahul Sir..

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    1. A huge thanks, Jemina for being able to relate to the poem so well! The dharnas and processions create even a bigger mess with traffic:)

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  5. I once read that the longest traffic jam in history was in China or somewhere for eleven days hi hi

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    1. That is too long. Thank god the most I've had is not more than 2-2.5 hours.

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    2. Agree Jaishree, even I had read about it! We are lucky to have not beaten that record yet:)

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    3. KK, I have been stuck for almost same time on different occassions!

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  6. Great one Rahul, but I see a bigger picture of our chaotic life here which is in no way different to a traffic jam! So stagnant ,so much confusion and so clueless !

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    1. We some how excel in creating chaos even for ordinary things, so your observation is bang on!!

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  7. Did you write this while stuck in a jam Rahul ji?

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    1. While stuck in jam only frustrating thoughts creep in and rarely creative ones, KK!

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  8. It is a grim battle! We don't have much traffic over here, but I do hate jams.

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    1. Blessed you are, Lady Fi, that you do not witness such frustrating moments:)

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  9. To survive a traffic snarl, one needs Zen like patience.

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    1. Am sure you would be witnessing them rarely now, Purba:)

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  10. I suffer them regularly on Bangalore roads. And really, you need to summon all your calm to sit through them.

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    1. Traffic on the roads in Bangalore is as nightmarish as in Delhi on MG Road, KG Circle and many other areas. This is the price we pay to live in big cities, Rachna:(

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  11. These traffic jams are the hazards of living in big cities-even my medium sized city is not spared....the glut of vehicles on roads multiplies by the day it seems.

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    1. Even smaller cities have not been spared from the misery in India where the vehicles keep increasing with infrastructure not keeping pace,Induji!

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  12. Types,having lived there for years I know what happens when it's traffic jam.I can't forget the stretch between Bandra- Mahim till Cadell Road

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    1. I too have experienced traffic jams in Mumbai, Chowlaji and the worst one at 1 AM at night on Andheri - Navi Mumbai stretch before the new flyovers came up!!

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  13. I miss listening to RJ Naved, struk in traffic - losing track of time...Guess, that is because I now walk to work and don't get struck in traffic :P

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    1. Nice one Akanksha! This reminds me of an article by Khushwant Singh when he returned from a trip abroad and landed in Mumbai. The moment he hit the road the familiar stench greeted him and he realized he is finally home:) Enjoy the walks in the meanwhile !

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  14. So well expressed, sir - all the bundle of emotions that come along with traffic jams!

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    1. Thanks a lot Arti! We all have experienced this so often that those emotions come naturally:)

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  15. You know, I never thought of life like that. It is so true though. Thanks for sharing.

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  16. Ha , ha Ashwini... every one has a similar experience to narrate! I can relate to the frustration well that you highlighted! In Chennai to the traffic has grown tremendously!

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  17. thats so relevant to bangalore...sigh*

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    1. Just agreed with Rachna on the same in an earlier comment!

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  18. Traffic jam are everywhere.... going unstoppable! Nicely composed

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    1. Yeah... too much traffic, Jeevan!! Thanks for reading!

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  19. A poem out of frustration or the endless wait? Nevertheless the poem is beautiful. Traffic jam seems to be an acceptable hindrance for us Indians I guess

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    1. Every situation can ignite a spark to write:) Thanks a lot Bindu!

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  20. Now you have to be more prepared with a chief minister, who can create traffic jams at the drop of the hat.
    Crazy city, crazy ministers who have no plan whatsoever to govern, but have many plans to unleash chaos.
    I feel really bad for people who need to reach some place urgently, like the ambulance. fire engines etc., people can die but our personal agenda is more important. How selfish we have become.
    An apt poem for the present day situations.

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    1. More worrisome are the daily jams on the road which lead to immense wastage of resources in terms of time and money! Wish public transport gets better!!

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  21. Oh traffic. It is so frustrating to be caught up in a bad jam. These days it seems like I have been running into these always.
    www.thoughtsofpaps.com

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    1. None is spared barring a few, Asamptha from the torturous wait in jams!Thanks for reading!

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  22. Same story here...life in Folsom was much better... past few days have been so crazy, I cannot tell you...I keep calling friends in India and talk to them and time flows while I thrive through the traffic...I liked your rhyme :)

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    1. A big thanks, Latha for having liked the rhyme:) How we wish that these traffic jams disappear!

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  23. You've written what we all feel. Everyone can relate to it. Gteat poem on an unusual topic. :)

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  24. Thanks Saru! An appreciation for poetry coming from a great poetess, will motivate to write more and hopefully better :)

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  25. Even as I fret in a traffic jam, like you, I too worry insanely about that ambulance honking desperately somewhere, trying to get past the mess. Who is in there? Will he or she be fine till they finally make it to the hospital?? Alone, it is hard, but with someone else in the car, at least there is someone to share the time with :)

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    1. Such a pleasant surprise to see you back here is no less than a New Year Gift, Zephyr:) The insane traffic keeps getting from bad to worse and those who get stuck are the unfortunate ones who have clamored for progress!

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  26. The eerie sirens of an ambulance
    Stuck in maze of vehicles all around
    Really sad :/
    A powerful poem on a different subject!

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  27. Traffic jams are a nightmare, Rahul. Bangalore has a lot of them. Very well written poem. Loved it.

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    1. Thanks Rachna for liking:) Traffic nightmare in Bangalore , I too have seen!

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  28. Have an enjoyable weekend Rahul!

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  29. Traffic jam! :) Have a great weekend!

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  30. Traffic jam and poetry? Nice way to channel our angst and irritation!
    :)

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