Sunday, 10 August 2025

KAR-BEKAR

  


My Wagon R was purchased in Feb 2006, I had assumed command of the unit, having sold my previous Maruti 800 couple of years ago, while moving to Leh-Ladakh on a field posting which was followed by my deployment in United Nations for a Peacekeeping assignment. Now back in the civilisation a convertible being a basic necessity, a small hatchback was chosen as it could be driven comfortably by my wife as well. The car  has served us well over the years, with initially my better half driving it around for her school, institute,  NGOs, shopping etc. Then my daughter drove it around to the hospital as a young medico, until this 15 year rule kicked in. We did some memorable family trips to Badrinath, Kedarnath from Patiala, to Simla, Kasauli or finally Delhi to Indore when Delhi

cops refused to let us drive it despite the renewal of registration. So much so that both my kids wanted to be driven in the Wagon R after their marriage with their respective spouses. Bruised and battered but still fighting fit,It is practically  a family heirloom now.


Some years ago, a new policy was unveiled whereby, vehicles 15 years or older needed a renewal of registration for another five years and thereafter they were to be simply retired with no benefits. The policy was conceived apparently to keep the rising levels of pollution under check and in the bargain, give a boost to the automobile sector of the economy, as the vehicles scrapped will obviously be replaced. It was supposed to be a win-win for the govt and also for the environment, except that the consumers were suddenly faced with a major challenge in creating the financial resource for purchase of a new vehicle. 


Be that as it may, it is the cars who are up in arms now, as having served their masters/mistresses well, this step-motherly treatment whereby they were suddenly rendered ‘be-kaar’ and their ‘car-acass’ were to be consigned to the scrapyard. No voluntary retirement benefits or gratuity, enhanced disability payout etc were payable, although they have had their share of accidents and brushes with the traffic authorities.  Ladies do not normally take kindly to the seat belts, the reasons are obvious, their carefully chosen attire starts appearing ‘tired’ when they alight after their gruelling drive through the streets encountering all kinds of human and inanimate obstacles thrown in their way. The traffic inspectors are at the receiving end, whenever the lady was checked for this violation, and more often than not, the married ones realise the futility of the argument which would ensue, and just let them off with a perfunctory warning. Anyway, I am digressing, we can discuss the driving skills of the dames some other time.


So cars have represented that they be permitted ‘kar-seva’ as they can still contribute to the society rather than forcing them to become modern day Sage Dadhichi (who gave up his life, so that his bones could be used for making Vajra the deadliest weapon for the ‘Devtaas’), after all their self sacrifice does boost our economy. While we are discussing mythological aspects, the Sagun ‘Sa-kar’  car owners are not keen to take on the mantle of ‘Nira-kar’ (without car). No doubt the formless existence (nirakar) proponents are more evolved, but then as mere Earthlings we would prefer to be ‘Sa-kar’ (personified God).


As an advisor (salah-kar) all that I would like to suggest to the govt is this ‘Car-obar’ (business) needs a review where fitness of the vehicle should be the factor and not its age which should determine whether it should continue to serve their masters/mistresses or like the humble faujis who get to serve only 15 years and then are forgotten, these too shall be left for the itihaskar (historians) to dig out  decades later.






                   

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