Training The Taxi Driver

Training the Taxi Driver

Whether it is the discourteous Delhiwala, the shrewd Mumbaikar or the incorrigible Punewala, (I rate a city by its taxi drivers) the training needs are always there! Some do not know the road, some pretend not to, all of them using ingenuity to reach your pocket. I always tell them about courtesy, helping foreigners, language to be used etc. Technically it is known as a “captive audience”, the driver cannot jump out till we reach the destination and is forced to hear me out. I explain why only this country says “Atithi devo bhav” and the reason behind it.

One enterprising chap in Mumbai asked me the way. This they ask to study you, and to know how much you are aware of the city and how he can move you around in circles before reaching (I have always believed that books on psychology ought to be written by taxi drivers and pickpockets). I told him that you are the taxi driver, not me. You are supposed to know the roads, the places where police checking is going on, where there is a traffic jam etc. I know all the roads of Mumbai and but I have trust in you. I have trusted you with my life when I sit in your taxi hoping that you will not have a major accident. If I can trust you with my life, I can also trust you with the route. He was very happy, “sir, very few people talk to us like that!”

Hope he is still doing a good job.

Ratnakar Misra

VP, National HRD Network, Patna Chapter, www.nationalhrd.org.in

(This was published in NHRDN Newsletter.)

What is Chatth Festival?

1 . What is Chatth Festival?

It is a very important festival of Bihar (earlier Magadh).

It is the birthday of Jarasandh, King of Magadh during Mahabharat. His father was childless, one Saint gave him a fruit to give his Queen. Since there were two Queens , he gave half to each. In due course of time half child was born to each Queen, but were lifeless. They were thrown into the jungle.

Just before sunset that day a demoness named Jara was looking around for food in the jungle

and found one half, it looked tasty and she picked it up.

Then she found the other, which also she picked up. The moment they came

together the child became alive and the Kings son was born. Jara was the mother, Sandh means joint, so the King's son was named Jarasandh.

The sun was setting, so this is the only festival when the setting sun is worshiped. To celebrate the birth of a prince the rising sun is worshipped next morning. It was the sixth day by Indian Calender and that gave its name Chatth!

Jarasandh was a very powerful and won every battle. His end could only come when he was torn in half. Where this wrestling took place can be seen in a place known as Nalanda in Bihar.