Musings, facts and fun

Karva Chauth and Indian Telly have a divine connection made from heaven. Yesterday I came across a hilarious video snippet from the Hindi serial "Sasural Simar ka ". If you haven't heard about this soap opera, may I tell you that you are missing on the ability to fathom the heights that Indian TV can reach today. While the name may sound like an innocuous saas-bahu style serial and it was like one when it all started out several years back; the story has taken a turn for the supernatural now with an entire bracket of ghosts, demons and serpent (yes snakes!) showing up in what must be an intriguing plot. Anyway, coming back to the point. The video was about two ladies decked up in the finest of  designer sarees —likely sponsored by one of the many advertisers —keeping the Karva Chauth Vrat for the same man and waiting for him with a sieve in hand for the ceremonial fast break at the end of the day in their respective rooms. Since I do not follow the series, I do not

Many Indian trucks you come across on the road would be carrying signs of this form “ Blow Horn” or “Horn Please” on the rear end . These phrases are pretty ubiquitous on trucks throughout the nation and are meant to encourage a motorist approaching from behind to explicitly sound a horn if they wish to pass. Coming from a place where horns are very scarcely used on the roads or their usage in general is frowned upon, you might be surprised. While the origin of this phrase on the trucks may have a historical need due to single lane roads in the past, but today horns happen to be an indispensable tool while driving on many Indian roads. Kerala is one place that I know of which is quite different in this regard. I was instructed by my driving tutor to sound a horn whenever I approached a bend, a crossing or if I was attempting to pass someone.  Why would this be? Firstly, the usage of side mirrors isn’t common. While this may not be true for all In