[Reader-list] On the Chowk, in the Gali and beyond. (independent Research)

[ambarien qadar]

Standing @ the gate>>02.5.03

Late afternoon. The gali was full of slanting shadows of electricity poles, night lamps and Katias (local electricity connection wires anchored onto the main lines with pride).

Javed bhai was on his cycle. Turned around the nukkad and looked confused. 

Was collecting the cable rent for the month from house to house. 

After handing out my payment slip he asked for house no. 173/3.

It should have been my neighbor’s.

But the house next to mine was numbered 567.

He looked irritated. Asked for a glass of water and moved on.

In the silence of the afternoon, his cycle made screeching sounds like an old engine.

The pamphlet he gave me was in black and white.

It had icons of different channels on its left and right sides.

The middle carried: Manoranjan Network wishes you a Happy Summer Vacation.

Manoranjan is the raja here
I remember someone say. 

Raja was the name of the cable network that lost out to Manoranjan many years back. 

Home cable gives the latest films (Hindi/ English) and Pakistani music videos. New shops or beauty parlors that opens in the area have their advertisement on the Home network. 

One of the local offices at which Javed reports is at the Batla House Chowk. It is run by the sons of Bal krishan Yadav. They also own the oldest mobile retail outlet in the area.

Bal krishan offered me a chair and a glass of water as I settled to interview him. 

Came to Joga Bai in 1972. "I was a handsome man then", he told me.

There was a cottage near what is know known as the Batla House pulia. Mr. Butler lived there. Batla house was initially Butler House.

" Who was this Mr. Butler?" I asked him.

" shayad woh angrez tha.." he said.

Bal krishan sells steel utensils in his shop. 

His shop does not have a name. He does not believe in names and advertising. 

A customer walked in looking for a pair of tongs. Bal krishan told him to check out shops in Okhla. 

The customer said, " but here..the place where I’m standing is Okhla 
isin’t it?" They exchanged confused looks. Bal krishan argued that it was Joga Bai. They argued for long. But the customer remained unconvinced.