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Traffic Jam
Traffic Jam
TRAFFIC
JAM
Traffic
jam pickles
Were
kind of jar bottles
Filled
with Toyota, Honda S.U.V’s
Few
outdated Ambassadors, Fiats, Chevrolets
Chryslers,
Rolls Royce’s, Maruti Zen’s and Wagon R’s
Mahindra’s,
Tata, Scorpio’s
Jeeps,
luxury Lamborghini’s, Bugatti
Ferrari’s,
trucks, Nissan’s, Lorries
Mercedes
Benzes
Even
buses, motor bikes, cycles and scooters
Made
a super spreading of finest
Strawberry,
raspberry or mulberry
Jam
on toast
Or
a butter knife on
A
slice of bread spreads
Melting
rays of orange marmalade tangerine
Suns
pickled, salted sun beams
Stiff
crispy breeze sometimes warm
As
hot chocolate smoke
Wafting
deliciously through the scented morning air
Coffee
mocha or whipped latte so summery and light
Sometimes
as cold as chippy iced tea served with mint
Even
a cold coffee snow shake milky and white
Or
sometimes as black as smog through dust whipped
Black
Brew Coffee of polluted air
You
relish with a dab of
Spice
on buttered toast or fiery ginger biscuits
Like
its eye shattering sky scraper cookies
Toasting
Mugs of Coffee to STARBUCKS!
Rather
Mugged$%@#!One just made it through!
You
could say by skin of one’s teeth
And
sheer dint of perseverance over
Speed
breaker bumps
Zigzag or crisscross
Crossroad
junction Traffic jams
Noisy
horns and honkers
With
their honking blares
Popping
out like blooming trumpets
Spontaneously
from nowhere
Silencing
chirps and twitters of playful birds
Through
curvy lanes or wide welcoming streets
On
stone cold roads of tar or hot and Smokey Bitumen
With
famous names well spelt such as
Bit
of a mouthful
Perry
Cross Road, Turner Road
Hill
Road, Linking Road
Marve
Beach, Juhu Beach
Aksa
beach, Madh Island
Amar
Mahal Cross road Junctions
Sky
line horizons via Carter Road and Bandstand
Promenades
Worli,
Mahalaxmi, Curry Road, Bela Pur
Dadar,
Mahim, Santacruz
Parel, Andheri, Malad
Shitladevi
Temple
Or
Haji Ali Mosque
Marine
Drive Queen’s Necklace
Chowpatty
beach
Or
right up to the ferry rides.........Gorai Beach
In
summer solstice high tides or wintery low tides
Even
the address you named
Lordship
Sandhurst Road
William Mansfield,
1st Viscount Sandhurst
Titled from its British Regime
Grant Road, Charni Road
Matunga,
Sion
Marine
Lines and Church Gate
Spelled
correctly, misspelt or renamed
Anytime
now waiting to be rechristened
As
these jinxed my faint recollection
At
prime age
Just
ripened as ‘Old age wines
In
new bottles’
Called
Traffic Jams
Faces
of jolly riders on bikes, tempos and cars
Also
those waiting in long queues at bus stands
Whilst
basking or baking in the sunshine
Withers
with perspiration
Furrow
of brows and grace
In
a bottled jar of standing ovation
By
its motor vehicles at attention
In
long queues and bee lines
Like
a beehive reception
Hub
caps and tail lights
BUMPER
TO BUMPER!
Now
at ease like those soldiers
Taking
a breath out during March Past
Just
stood out the passengers
Of
the curry road highways
Persistently
waiting for green to go
When
red would still be at standstill
And
yellow through rosy eye tinted lorgnettes
Of sparkling white wine in bottles
To
watch both sides
The
traffic signal of witches and sorcerers
Boosted
my morale
With
a heavy sigh of relief
At
the busy circus pandemonium of ‘Jungalees’
As
if lions, tigers, wolves, owls, zebra crossing lines
Vultures,
eagles, giraffes, penguins and elephants
Trumpeted
and snarled with ogling eyes so many
Big,
small and gigantic
Looking
criss-crossedly or squint eyed
Buck
toothed, jagged or straight as a fence of barbed wires
Passing
through braces, stadiums
Gazing
at places like frenzied shopping malls
In
two minds whether or not to stop
And
open your green wallet no. 9
Hyper city Phoenix malls.....Lower Parel
Kamala
mill compound.....Ikea mall
Hyper
City.....Bandra Kurla Mall
Reliance
mall....Santacruz and Juhu mall
Whilst
unfailingly waiting in turn
To
cherish special moments passing by
Prince
of Wales Museum, Taraporewala Aquarium
Nehru
Planetarium Dr. Annie Besant Road
Near
Lotus Colony, Worli
Wankhede
cricket stadium, Churchgate
Also
in line Lohar chawl’s wholesale
Market for electrical goods
Fashion Street for unisex clothes
The
rarest kind....
An array like boutique stores
Displayed
on street hangers
Of
course Chor Bazaar
You’d
surely wish to wrangle and quibble with sellers
To
buy a leather buckle or a belt
Maybe
a Vintage camera or
Queen
Victoria lamp to negotiate
A
dime or a dollar for hoarder’s fortune tale
A
Perfume and pocketful of scents!
One
couldn’t but help sightseeing whilst journeying
Famous
hospitals Holy Family, Lilavati
Nanavati,
Bhabha Hospital
As
well nursing home clinics like Agarwal
At
the end of 14th TPS road
Suiting
ones budget and tastes
Even
eying a few sibling buildings so small
In
comparison to their neighbouring
Giant
Brother Sky-scrapers around Nepean Sea Road
Centre
of Mumbaikars Urban Metropolitan
Redevelopment
the latest new trend, lingo and
Talk
of the town!
A
game named Monopoly as the dice rolls out
Betwixt
famous builders and those residing owners
To
come to a whopping settlement in crores to millions
A
choice for a bigger house
Or
green dollars in exchange an ‘OUTRIGHT SALE’
Instead
of shelling outrageously high outgoings
Whilst
those Match box houses
Chawls, shanties and slums
Made
of Tarpaulin tents and cement blocks
Near
Santacruz Airport and
Crowded Dharavi leather Markets
Along
the destinations sprouted up like tender
Lentil
Baby saplings
Stood
apart like the underdog
Dons of an underworld kingdom!
Statues
of busts small or tall
Rare
figurines that cost from ten paise to a fortune
‘Iconic
shrine’ at Nariman Point
‘A
child gives birth to a mother’
On
the way Mahim Causeway, Machhimaar Nagar
Even
the Rotary Club Drummers
‘COVID
WARRIORS’......
On
the way to Bandra Station
‘Silent
Girl’.......
Sitting
on top Pali Hill
‘Man
reading book with dog on leash’......
Between
the junction of Candies
And
Mac Queen’s Banquet Hall
Mac
Ronell’s bungalow gardens
Down
the hill
Mother
or Arts
‘Creativity
gives birth to creation’
As
well art streets in Mumbai
Thrives
every nook and corners
From
by lanes of Ranwar and Chapel Road
To
the underpass of Reclamation
Even
at Kala Goda
An
outlet for enthusiasts of art with
Flamboyance,
flair and talent
Even
historical landmarks
The
Lion of Bombay statue
Neta
Pherozeshah Mehta
Who
drafted the Muncipal Corporation Act
In
front of the Civic Headquarters April 3rd 1923
Down
Dhobi Talao, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Fort,
Mumbai
Completes
100 years
And
Statue of Equality
Also
known as the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial
A
monument dedicated to the 20th century
Indian
intellectual and Father of the Indian Constitution
To
be located at Indu Mills Compound
In
Mumbai with a staggering height of 125 feet
Underground
subways at V.T and elevated railways
Metro
tunnels Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar
Even
called the Blue Line and newly constructed bridges
Like
Worli Sea Link
That
one glimpsed Sea Link View Point..... Portmanteau
You
carried on foot a hike or by bus
Loitering
by and taking in its
Revealing breath taking beauty
For
some selfies on your handy mobiles
Through
travel by roads
The
Versova-Bandra Sea Link in progress
Near
Carter Road
Which
would have connectors
At
Juhu Koliwada and at Joggers Park
Unfortunately
as I foresee
Beat
all Traffic Jams in Future History
The
Bridge of the new Millennium Century
‘Like
a bridge over troubled waters’
Sprawling
over the Arabian Sea
Sand,
rock and Pebbles
Its
many sugar coated coastal building names
Like
Sea Pebbles, Wavelash, Sea World
Sea
Glimpse, Sea View Apartments
Sea
shells, kisses by Sun and Sand
One
of the many where elite made
Their
comfortable and cosy Birds’ nests
To
once a while glimpse with binoculars
The
mermaids and Sea Dragons
Of
Bandra Breathing Fire
A
global fusion of inlets
Mixture
of sea and surf
Or
surf and turf cuisine
Five
Spices served in many Chinese Restaurants
Expensive
or in one’s budget
As
it pleased the customers to engage
In
mouth watering buffets and tongue tingling palates
Sizzlers
and Soul Fry of China Gates!
Even
some Temples, Mosques and Mausoleums!
Prathnalayas, chapels and Churches
Like
Mahim Church and Mount Mary’s Basilica
Turning
sacred veils upon heads
Those
healed by blind faith
Adoring
sacred images
Crosses
and idols
That
propped here and there on pavements
Ganpati
Visarjan statues also
That
made way alongst the Traffic jamboree
For
immersing into oceans and rivers
Its
sacred devotees got a glimpse whilst commuting
By buses, taxis or auto rickshaws
Hearts
full of Prayer praises and lament!
Unity
of many beliefs and traditions!
Amidst
Diversities of varied Cultures
Like
those basket weavers weaving
And
binding straw and hay
Binding
all faiths together
And
balloon sellers selling balloons
Of
different colours just
Looked
like coloured faces
Of
human race!
Highways
and its Glamour makeover flyovers
To
make your travel easy as pie
A
bridge betwixt two mountains
Or
one that came close by if you believeth in miracles
You
could bring it to you in a span of a finger’s distance
The
breadth and whole Eight Mile by Rap Lord Eminem
A
spell binding holiday to Lonavala, Matheran
Mahableshwar,
Ooty, Kerala, Sindhudurg Fort
Tourister
picnic spot to the top
Of Malabar Hill’s Hanging Gardens
Beckoning
the dead
Nearby
Towers of Silence built by Zoroastrians
The
famous Rajabai Clock Towers
In
the confines of Fort Campus
Of
the University of Mumbai
Golden
Temple in Amritsar
Brindavan
Gardens of Mysore, Karnataka
Jaipur’s Pink City, Bangalore’s Garden City
Taj Mahal in Agra, Poona or Goa!
Through the crowded mayhem
nter;
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cluster of strange foreboding animals
And
bewitching humans
Forecasting
through radio channels
Radio
Jockey hosts like RJ Erica, RJ Malishka
RJ
Anurag Pandey and RJ Neil
Announcing
jinx of pulsating stops
Solo
or full of bandwagons
Traffic
jams at the dire signals Dire straits or
Maybe
even a stampede heavy metal Iron Maiden
Horns,
bugles, trumpets, bells and whistles
Sometimes
at busy traffic road junctions
Playing
along a juxtapose of rock or soul, samba
R and B, Funk and retro, Medley Mix
Even
classical rock and roll by Elvis Presley
Melodies
and lyrics
From
their radio stations
Heavy
fines at turn around tolls and pay booths
For
heavy vehicles or as light as a sandwich
Between
two trucks and Lorries
Your
poor motor bike scharrowed past
Zeroing
in one of two finely tuned arrow lines
Maybe
for checking rider’s passport....the driving licences
A
few important papers.....registration
And
smoke free ride called PUC Pauti
For
pollution GIGA and BETADUSTMITES through its
Smoking
exhaust pipes like tobacco filtered
Yearly
insurance rigmarole hike
A
regular check or a Hafta to be paid
To
the police constable or Havaldar
Of
the Solapur Taloka
Maybe
breaking the rules was indeed a crime
A
risky game for some Dare Devil Dan’s
Than
those who play it safe
Buttoning
their raincoats or collars of
Long
sleeved sweaters and gloved mittens
As
the rule goes
‘Better
safe than sorry!’
‘To
be within one’s limits’
‘Rather
out of boundaries’
L
sign for Learners tackling steer wheels
Instead
of mowing down pedestrians
You’d
be sorry IF........
Your
helmet you forgot to don
As
your prized suit of armour
Unfortunately a No Parking zone resulted in
towing
Rash
driving, dodging, overtaking and cutting
Breaking
signals at the traffic zones
DUI
says it all for party goers
A heavy dose Cocktail of drinks and drugs
Fast
driving as well accident prone heavy trucks
Loaded
with boulders, stones, rocks or pipes
Jutting
outside as if on delicate splice ropes
In
the doldrums now bound to unravel knots
Hazardous
chemicals, petrol, oil, diesel containers
Heavy
duty Concrete Mixers
Even
trucks full of gas cylinders stacked
So
high it just landed you with goose bumps
In
case they rolled like those bottles of refreshments
Cold Drinks piled like Nine Pin skittles in
tall trays
Downhill
Bowling ball super twisty Ghats
Mountains,
Alleyways and sharp turns
Inside
dark tunnels ahead!
Better
‘HORN PLEASE’
‘KEEP SAFE DISTANCE’
The
Bumper reads ‘GOD MY STRENGTH’
Along with spilling water tankers
Precious
droplets that made
Oceans and mermaids cry!
Such
Havaldar’s in Topi’s
Partners
in crime
You’d
pay the ticket or fine
Naka
Bandhi on some rare spots
Some
special Bonafide days
With
triangular pin pointers or round as globe floaters
Called
Traffic Barriers
You’d
pass by unless you were the thief to keep in check
You’d
be scrutinized under their bulging glares
Sometimes
they commissioned as Rattraps
Handcuffs
for the burglars, smugglers
Escaped
convicts and bandit thieves
It
seemed such a funny coincidence
To
masquers of such a masquerade
Maybe
rich, poor or middle class
All
in a jamboree traffic jam
Of
a traffic cuff parade
Even
horses and bullock carts
Made
their way through
With
or without their safety owners
And
in jest safety seat belts and harnesses
As
well cats, dogs and rats
Would
be proud as punch to say “Wow”
As
if they knew traffic rules
At
the traffic signals, so experienced as Blind Bats!
Passed
by as easily as a knife cuts
A
Birthday Cake
Or
rest you know sad business!
A
smash!
By
a group of Birthday Bummers!
Driving
like Mr Toad at top speed
Like
in Wind In the Willows a classic tale
By
Kenneth Grahame
Not
for the faint or chicken hearted
Chicken
or egg which came first?
Why
did the poor Chicken Cross the Road?
You’d
be musing yourself all ten thumbs
Whilst
twiddling your funny toes!
One
you’d sadly guess
Who
threw Peanuts in the water?
As
if you were water chess board
Your
friends who bullied Peanuts and
Threw
you into a hollow well in deep water
In
jest whilst
Gambolling
playfully with school verses
One
rainy day
Returning
home from a school bus
By
the bridge over the horror creek
Like
in the novel Goosebumps! For sure!
So
many dived or drowned there
Dangling
like poor baubles of a Christmas tree
That
fell one by one into the blessed creek
Like
Poor little Peanuts! Dear Me!
While
passing through
And
if caught to be pickled
In
such a soup or jar
The
hours passing
Maybe
one or two
If
prolonged duration
Another
four to five
At
such junction ‘Moongfalli’
And
‘chana’ paper cups
Were
brought by willing spectators
Of
the jam vehicle called Time Pass Kapalandi’s
Even
ambulances and fire brigades
Made
their way through the mayhem
Each
zipping with buzzers above
Their
heads
Whilst
tail lamps were flashed
To
precaution the motorists behind
Even
cruising past
Bodyguards
of a bolted vaulted bullet proof car
Jolting
with red light blinkers in a long line
By
a procession of cars behind them
Famous
Bollywood Actors of Jabberwickey
And
Ministers of Jabberwocky
A
white blinding limelight as if a spotlight
A den of Vipers or thieves!
A
different brood of chicks
Hiding
beneath many layers glitz, glamour
Fake
facade, Politics and subterfuge so coy
Like
a tan on Animal Hides!
Whilst
on long road trips one witnessed
Dangerous encounters
Road
rage, grizzly crashes
A
death with fate! Spate of Car Accidents
A
rocky ride through
Rickety
rackety bumps and pot holes
That
cushioned the streets
Like
moon holes and craters
Comfortably
at its pipes and joints
So
often dug out from beneath Hells Chambers
To
shed gravel, rock and cement
Thus
hindering human development
At
the cost of Developing Country
So
often used as a lame excuse
By
corrupt ministers to fleece
Mary’s
Snow White Sheep’s pockets
Journeying
by the rich upper class
Top class gentry seated
Inside
super air conditioned parlours
Their
limousines with chauffeurs and butlers
Attending
them with rich collared stiff uniforms
Or
air conditioned buses transporting white collars
Turning
a blind eye
Through
sometimes rolled down window panes
Sun glass shutter shades
At
the poor beggars and vagabonds
Those
who earned silver dimes
Selling
note worthy and unique Knick knacks
To
them were of no use
But
certainly the middle class
Would
get a hand at those
Maybe
a skillet, ladle
Dekchi to sizzle and fry
A Tagine clay pots for cooking
Or a box of turnips, beets or
Carrots
freshly farm plucked
Even
a basket of fresh red roses or bouquet
A garland of mogras and champa jasmines
For
their new cars to hang
As
a precious religious decor
Black
fur tails for Rakshaash Bandicoots
From
biting car wires and cables
Lime and chillies necklaces
To
safe guard ‘Boori Nazaar’
Sold
by blind vendors to cast away
Maybe an evil eye!
Even
Blue Collars handling menial tasks
Instead
of Mental in a Work Class Lingo
Travelling
to and fro in BST buses
Tightly
jam packed like a tin of sardines
Going
to faraway work places and home back
Transported
them in a jiffy
If
you are used to the tortoise and hare
Instead
of rat races
A
bumpy ride though decent fare
Their
daily grind and routine businesses
The
busyness of a joyride
From
here to there and there to who knows where
Turned
to a living nightmare
It
would be a challenge for Greenhorns
To
board right buses displaying their number plates
Written
boldly in Hindi or Marathi
Woe
Begone! You misjudged numbers upside down
Seven
for nine and one for eleven
And
landed yourself in a trouble coop
Like
a Headless Chicken blindly running for help
Helter
Skelter for shelter!
In a strange Dump ground or Shipyard store
room
Where
Bombay Ducks hung like garlanded wreaths
Dockyard Harbour line
Right
to Sewri Creek, Thane or Panvel
In
Sweet Dreams an eternity
A
blooming error of Judgement
Or
a Mistake!
As
the busy driver of taxi cabs
Or
black and yellow auto rickshaws
Played
roulette with the ever changing rates
Soaring
at every turning by the traffic lights
Your
heart would beat as from rupee hundred
Your
jolly ride
Would
reach a fare of five hundred
So
maybe next time you’d wait the long queues
By
bus or maybe train journey
You
certainly would not afford the plane
In
jest I say
To
travel from Bandra to Borivalli
Or
maybe from Shivaji Park to Malad
Or
Bhayandar to Virar
Maybe
Palghar to Boisar
Right
up to District Thane
These
traffic jams were too mad
And
demanding of your precious hour
To
scavenge like a hungry dog
Its
reflection through a pond of reflexion
Maybe
garbage truck full of beggars
Rummaging
through its remaining tasty bones
Called
HUMOUR and FEMUR
That
he would relish
As
a jaunty free ride
Maybe
behind that lucky scooter
Your
son would give you a hitchhike
To
your favourite market in town
Crawford
Market
Where
scavenger crows
Would
muse through such left over
Dustbins
to scour with glee the remnants
What
you called Flea Market
Or
one dollar or 99 rupees for everything
That
it showcased on busy streets
Through
narrow cul-de-sacs
That
never had a proper route out
The
busy highway
Just
a dead end!
That
would be the correct address
Of
a place out of a dictionary
A
no man’s end or Timbuktu
Navigating
without a Google Map
Your must-have roadway language glossary
But
of course you’d pitch in
A
couple of bucks for the bee line
To
fill in your son’s fuel tanks!
A
couple of coins only five
To
fill in the tire air
Such
a Pickle of a soup in a jar
Called Traffic Jam~
