Announcement by the Government of India, Jaanu Nagar
[26-09-2007]
Evening was descending. The sun mellowed the red glow that it had cast over the sky. The DTC bus stood at one edge of the road, the board announcing where all it would go pasted on its forehead. Passengers climbed into it, and finding seats they could sit on, sighed with relief. Those already seated repeated for any who climbed in after them, where the bus was headed towards.
A TATA Sumo drove up the road. The words, "Government of India" were printed on its front. Two loudspeakers were fixed on top of it. A sound emerged from them.
Evening was descending. The sun mellowed the red glow that it had cast over the sky. The DTC bus stood at one edge of the road, the board announcing where all it would go pasted on its forehead. Passengers climbed into it, and finding seats they could sit on, sighed with relief. Those already seated repeated for any who climbed in after them, where the bus was headed towards.
A TATA Sumo drove up the road. The words, "Government of India" were printed on its front. Two loudspeakers were fixed on top of it. A sound emerged from them.
It said, "Those who are of this colony are hereby informed that on the 27th, 29th and 30th of this month, two camps will be set up in the colony for provision of electricity meters. Everyone must come to these camps along with the parchees [government issued slips identifying allottees and the plots allotted to them]. Forms to apply for electricity meters for your houses will be provided."
Making this announcement, the Government of India vehicle circled Ghevra, traveling along its main streets. From time to time it would halt in different places for short intervals.
People would immediately approach it and inquire what all they needed to bring with them to the camps. The officer sitting inside would reply, "Listen to our announcement carefully. Make a note of the dates. The camp will be set up near the bus stop opposite B Block. Don't forget to bring your parchees. Go and inform all those who live inside, along the narrow lanes. We can't be blamed if they don't hear us inspite of our loudspeakers. And remember the dates well."
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For some people, this is the beginning of their time in Ghevra. A settlement from Karkardooma has arrived here, opposite G Block, recently. Today they are being called "colony walon" [those who belong to a colony]. The announcement also addressed them this way when it said, "Colony walon, bring the official documents of your plots". The "basti" [squatter settlement] is now becoming a "colony".
The story of this change is also emerging on the walls of Ghevra.
Most people have got their house numbers scraped into the cement of the outer walls of their houses. For example G-134, which tells the block that house belongs to and which plot number in the block it is on. Most numbers jump out of different walls in this way, as if encompassing and pronouncing the entire, brief introduction that each house has in this place as of now.
Still, someone asked, smiling naively, "Why not get a nameplate made and hang it near the door instead?"
A young woman, her skin dark brown like the evening, dressed from head to toe in pink, smiled kindly at this question and replied, "This way everyone knows the plot number of the one next to them unhindered, and ones own identity too remains tangibly before others and stays firm."
In the distance, the DTC bus, now filled with passengers, started its engine and headed out of Ghevra Colony towards its destination, leaving a trail of dust and smoke behind it.
Making this announcement, the Government of India vehicle circled Ghevra, traveling along its main streets. From time to time it would halt in different places for short intervals.
People would immediately approach it and inquire what all they needed to bring with them to the camps. The officer sitting inside would reply, "Listen to our announcement carefully. Make a note of the dates. The camp will be set up near the bus stop opposite B Block. Don't forget to bring your parchees. Go and inform all those who live inside, along the narrow lanes. We can't be blamed if they don't hear us inspite of our loudspeakers. And remember the dates well."
|||
For some people, this is the beginning of their time in Ghevra. A settlement from Karkardooma has arrived here, opposite G Block, recently. Today they are being called "colony walon" [those who belong to a colony]. The announcement also addressed them this way when it said, "Colony walon, bring the official documents of your plots". The "basti" [squatter settlement] is now becoming a "colony".
The story of this change is also emerging on the walls of Ghevra.
Most people have got their house numbers scraped into the cement of the outer walls of their houses. For example G-134, which tells the block that house belongs to and which plot number in the block it is on. Most numbers jump out of different walls in this way, as if encompassing and pronouncing the entire, brief introduction that each house has in this place as of now.
Still, someone asked, smiling naively, "Why not get a nameplate made and hang it near the door instead?"
A young woman, her skin dark brown like the evening, dressed from head to toe in pink, smiled kindly at this question and replied, "This way everyone knows the plot number of the one next to them unhindered, and ones own identity too remains tangibly before others and stays firm."
In the distance, the DTC bus, now filled with passengers, started its engine and headed out of Ghevra Colony towards its destination, leaving a trail of dust and smoke behind it.
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