Every morning as I open my windows, there is a real-time playlist waiting for me. They play on auto mode, I can't shuffle or skip the order. In the last 10 years, they have been so consistent, that I inadvertently hum with them now...
🎧Iddi-aaaa-ppam - Puttu- "Iddiappam"is counted as a healthy breakfast down South. This man wheels in by 7 AM IST. He is popular & punctual . There are homemakers waiting with empty "tiffin" boxes. Once he arrives, many breakfast tables & school lunches get filled. For the unversed, Iddiappam is Idli in noodle form plated like a Dosa. Puttu is a cylindrical variety from the same family.
Then comes...
🎧Meeen Ma Meen- Thats "Fish" in tamil. His 1st shout declares he is selling fish. 2nd Shout to describe the varieties he has. A distant voice from a balcony will enquire about its prices. In response, & in full volume he will broadcast the "pricing" . All this info is of no use to me. But I have come to an understanding that, some knowledge is door delivered, whether you want it or no.
A thought jump here! 🤔 👀Will AI replace these ☝ people too?
AI or No AI a lot of services have silently left the job scene. Where is that community who traded Old Clothes for New Utensils? How often do we spot a milkman delivering milk from his Aluminium can?
Sooner or later, more services will leave the street. But before that happens, a Roll of Honour 🏅to those who have graced my alley..
My playlist by the Window continues ...
🎧Raddhi Paper-waale- From yelling his voice out, to holding a loudspeaker, he has had, his share, of technological progress.He makes 2 rounds each day -once in the morning & again by the noon. He is the only 1 to appear twice on my Playlist.
🎧Pattu ku Pannam - A screeching lady behind some blaring speakers. She has often woken up my sleeping kid. Thats my first memory of her. Then curiosity took over. Each time I attempted to check, what she was trying to sell. I only saw an auto passing by. It took a while to connect the dots. A pre-recorded voice behind those speakers tours with the Auto. They repurchase "Silk" (pattu) for Cash (pannam)
🎧Nei Ma Nei - A Ghee vendor, selling clarified butter to my tenant. Tenant vacates (business lost😞) she makes me her customer. Sympathy marketing - where you lose 1 customer and win another by creating compassion. She starts on my playlist and ends up at my doorstep.
Reminded me of a vendor selling goods at Tanjore Bus Stand. He was shouting “Pondaati Kolapanta” "Pondaati Kolapanta"(translation: I am going to kill wife). I looked and he was actually selling Bonda, Tea, Cola, Fanta.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a ghee vendor on the street.. At least you were able to spot that pattu Auto, by the time I go out to see that vendor, there is nothing on the street! That one is very fast :p
ReplyDeleteI spent my childhood in Delhi. And I still remember the shouts of two street vendors. One, a knife and scissors sharpener on road with a cycle pedal operated grinder.
ReplyDeleteAnother a vegetables vendor with a unique rhyme.
A nice blog post.
Interesting post bringing back old memories.
ReplyDelete