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PANCHAYATI

 PANCHAYATI

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

19/II/2024

 

There is a typical Marwari word called ‘Panchayati’. It has nothing to do with any panchayat or its near abouts, but is the best source of information, catching up on the latest news, views, rumours, evidence, opinions, interpretations, assessments, understanding, insights or to get an idea of something the other person already knows but reconfirms.

It is a harmless chat, a polite tête-à-tête, a conversation between individuals or a group of people. Topics could include canards being spread on WhatsApp, the maid, the government, and any topic on earth, if it helps kill some time. What is the outcome of Panchayati? No one knows but here in the Suncity, it is a way of life.

One can get sucked into that discussion rather you get addicted without realising it. Let me give you a few examples of Panchayati.

I was standing in line to withdraw cash from an ATM. The man ahead of me had put his card at least ten times. I was getting impatient, as I had other errands to do. He would pull out his card, rub it on his head and shirt, look at me and insert it again and again. Luckily, there was only one person behind me who was more impatient than me.

That man walked past me, opened the door, and asked the one inside, ‘kain hoyo, ‘AC chale koni ke’. The man inside said, ‘paiyya deva koni, thain dekho kain hoyo’. Before I could say something, the other man was in, did some jiggery-pokery, ‘kitno paiyya nikalna hai’, he asked that man. ‘Bank mathe peha hai’, do you have money in your account? The other man said, ‘peeha to ghano sai, but abaar mane sau cahije’. Mirchi vada khano hai.

They got into a conversation besides the act of inserting their cards. The first man could not withdraw anything, but the second man did his transaction and walked off. While walking out, he tells me ‘net koni chaale’ for breaking the line. This is Panchayati.

I was still waiting when another man came from behind, peeped into the ATM and stood behind me for a change. ‘Maharashtra’ he said looking at the number on my Bullet. I was in no mood for a conversation. I nodded my head. ‘Athe kikkar’. What are you doing here? I kept quiet. ‘Fauji lago ho’, I nodded my head. ‘Naukri kathe karo’. I am retired, I said. ‘Letire lago to koni’, he said in Marwari. ‘Pension meele hai’. I gave that chap a dirty look.

‘Athe kathe raho’. O bhai, what is your problem? ‘Yun hi poochun, thora time paas ho jayi’. This is Panchayati.

Luckily, the man inside got fed up, kicked the ATM, and walked out. I rushed in to withdraw cash. When I came out, I saw that man sitting on a Muddha, in conversation with the shopkeeper adjacent to the ATM. Good that he had caught another murga.

I was on my way back from a photography session from a lake nearby. I stopped at a shop on the highway where they make fantastic Dal ka ‘vadas’.

This man who was about to fry the pakoras got into a conversation with me. How does one get sucked in, cannot be explained?

He was holding a bundle of spring onions in his hands and chopping them into pieces with a pair of scissors. ‘Tour’, He said. It was natural for him to conjecture as I was carrying two backpacks, one with my camera and the other a tripod. I nodded my head. ‘Lambo ke choto’. Long or short. I said, ‘choto’. Hmm, kathyon aye ho. I said, jodhpur. Luckily, my bike was parked in a way that he couldn’t see the number, or else I would have to tell him all about Maharashtra again.

‘Thay kitni baar tour par jao ho’. How many times do you go on tour? ‘Jab man kare’, I said. ‘Jholo main kapro bharo ho’. I said, ‘nahi camera hai’. ‘Thay kapro koni badlo’. Now what do you say? I said, ‘ek din main kya kapre badalne’. By now his oil was smoking and he had started putting the batter for Pakoras into his wok. I thanked my stars.

‘Photo kheencho thain’, He asked. ‘Hmm’, I said. ‘Kin ri kheencho’. ‘Chiriya ri’, I replied. ‘Mahri bhi keencho, par abaar koni, not now’. I asked why? I am not dressed for the occasion, he said. I had another few minutes to kill, till the pakoras would be done. I walked out to bask in the sun.

I collected my pack and didn’t wait a second before he drew me into another session of Panchayati. These become more of a ‘Pakau’ session. How can you avoid them? I wonder!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

© ® NOEL ELLIS

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