Thursday 18 July 2013

Forbidden


Cable Television was already introduced, but it was still the luxury of limited wealthy section of the society and the remaining people were pretty much satisfied with our very own Doordarshan. During our schooldays, we noticed those huge dish antenna's in some wealthy colonies and even at the terrace of some fat cats of our town. I think I was in my 7th or 8th standard, when cable connection came to a colony very near to our house. Well, it was a good business opportunity for some of the unemployed youths of our locality. We were pretty much excited with that, but the cable guys were not ready to extend their business to our territory. They said that there were very few houses  in our area and they had to pull a huge cable. The installation cost would be much more and also it would have been very difficult for them to maintain. But most of the people didn’t want to miss that opportunity, especially grownup kids like us, the house wives and particularly few young uncles. Ultimately it was being decided that the cable connection would come to our region and everyone supposed to share the installation cost.

But there was a slight problem, we had a lawyer neighbor and he was not at all interested for the cable connection. He used to say "Watching TV is HARAM", but he already had a TV at his house and his entire family enjoyed Chitrahaar and the Sunday evening movies on Doordarshan. 

When the cable guys tried to pressurize him he said "Bro, first of all I shouldn't have kept TV at my house, but unfortunately my wife and kids can’t live without it. Now you guys asking me to take cable connection? Aur kitna paap karwawoge mujhse? how many more sins you guys would ask me to do?

Later, somehow they were able to convince the lawyer and finally he took the cable connection. After few days, their business progressed and they were blessed with many more new connections. In order to continue their good quality of service, the cable guys needed to put some amplifiers. After some research, they identified that the lawyer’s house was the best place to put an amplifier. The guys discussed that with the lawyer, but he was not at all interested with the idea. He was quite upset that out of so many houses, they targeted his house only. He said that the amplifier would require power and that would have increased his electricity bill. The guys said that it’s just an amplifier and it wouldn’t have consumed more power than a transistor. They tried to convince him that his electricity bill wouldn’t have increased, even by 10-15 rupees per month for that amplifier. 

But the lawyer was adamant and said "Aree Bhai, watching TV is HARAM and on top of that, I already took cable connection. I am doing a big sin by watching cable TV and now you guys want me to put an amplifier at my house. That would only mean, indirectly I would be spreading this sin far and wide. I’m already a Paapi and you guys are determined to make me Maha Paapi."

The cable guys had a hard time for few more days and later they came up with a proposal. They asked the lawyer "Please allow us to put an amplifier at your residence and we would give you a discount of Rs 25 on your cable bill for every month."

Even though the lawyer initially hesitated, but ultimately he agreed on that.

62 comments:

  1. Haha money makes the world go round

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  2. Watching TV was simple and interesting when we had a very few options. It becomes boring and some times irritating when we have more (Channels). In south, Tamil Nadu, when the cable connection was introduced, we used to ask the people if they had 'SUN TV' connection instead of 'Cable Connection' as it was very popular and the only Tamil Private Channel available in those days.

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    1. Correct Udaya, life is always simple with fewer options. With more options people get confused and be come more demanding. Can't help it though, that call development :) Haha.. SUN TV for cable connection, like Colgate for tooth paste :) :) Thanks for visiting out here dude!

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  3. Hahahha...Discounting Cable Bill..I guess he thought he will be getting discount in his share of PAAP...
    Nice Read..But when I was young and saw such dish I thought it to be a big Umbrella used for some purpose until I came to know about Cable

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    1. Haha Big Umbrella :) Discount in PAAP :) glad U liked this post Harsha!

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  4. Haha... adamant lawyer uncle :)

    Dropping by Writing on the go

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  5. Money solves all problems! :)

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    1. Haha Indrani, most of the problems :)

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  6. Our scruples when new devices are invented and introduced look really silly after a few years.

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    1. Very true Vimala :) technology is developing so fast and things are getting outdated pretty soon!

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  7. I like reading your posts and have nominated you for the ABC Award. The details are available at http://njoyeverymoment.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/abc/ In case you do not accept awards, just acknowledge as an appreciation. :) :)

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    1. Thanks Swati. Glad to know that U read and enjoy my posts. First of all congrats for Ur ABC award. Thank U so much for nominating my blog for the award. It's a pleasure and an honor for me!

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  8. Very humorous account of 'paap' and 'paapi'. I remember in those days cable connection was a rage. When a TV show called 'Tara' was aired on Zee TV such was its popularity that it made half of our colony get the connection and thus started the game of TRPs :)

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    1. Yeah, I could remember the name "TARA" :) Cable connection was a big thing those days. Glad U liked the post Bushra :)

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  9. Really difficult customer this lawyer guy turned out to be.
    Must've been kind of irritating for you guys to see him watching the TV and then making it seem like he was doing a favour on you people.

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    1. Haha Brendan, Lawyers are usually very difficult to handle :) He was little irritating in several other things as well :)

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  10. Money has its own music .. :) we are bound to dance :D
    Reminded me of those DD days .. DD metro for cities :) .. When chitrahaar was madly awaited ..when a black and white portable TV was the most happening gadget at home .. :)

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    1. Very true Jack, we are bound to dance with the music of money :) Chitrahaar was very popular those days and also Rangoli. I was a big fan of Vikram Betal :) B&W portable TV with the box cover was very popular :)

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  11. You make such interesting and humorous reads with such simple things. Watching TV is HARAM....now how many of us have heard that!! :)

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    1. Thanks Aditi :) I'M glad U find my post humorous and interesting. Even now a days also some orthodox people believe that "Watching TV is HARAM..." :)

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  12. Hello Jahid bhai, so refreshing to come to your place (I hardly manage to read anything these days). This post, like some of your earlier posts is full of nostalgia, and I can completely relate to it. Even my father didn't take cable connection until I passed high school, thinking that our studies will be hampered. Such was the mentality those days. But those were still golden days, at least we didn't have the problem of plenty :)

    Such a refreshing wwrite-up once again with a sweet dose of nostalgia in it. Keep writing Jahid bhai.. milte hain break ke baad.. :)

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    1. Hello Deepak Sir :) long time, must be quite busy. Really glad that U liked this post and refreshed some of Ur old memories. Yes, those days parents were really concerned about TV, but now a days even the kids are bore or watching TV I guess :) Thanks for Ur wonderful comment :)

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  13. Cable TV stole the magic out of our DD channel. Else Dd was offering stuffs like Malgudi Days, circus and tehkikaat... Even after watching cable tv for close to 2 decades i have nt seen anything as good as that. Ta nana tana na na of malgudi days is the best i heard!

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    1. Correct Neo. People are usually happy with lesser options and now a days we are confused what to watch. I've hundreds of movies in my laptop and when I'm in mood, i waste so much time to decide which one to watch, use to seethe ratings in IMDB. Ultimately my mood would change and wouldn't watch any movie :) :) Someof the old TV soaps were too good.

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  14. Hahaha.. I still remember, we used to have cable connection only during summer holidays, as my parents felt it would disturb our studies... Chitrahaar and Sunday morning Rangoli(that too only last few songs used to be recent ones), were the only option... My parents got a permanent connection, only after my Engineering and my brother left home to study in hostel....

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    1. Haha Meghana, nice to hear about Rangoli and my dad was a big fan. I could remember last few songs used to be latest ones :) Parents were really concerned about TV, but now a days I think even the kids are also bored or watching TV :) I'm so glad this post refreshed Ur good old memories!

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  15. hahaha...interesting read indeed:)'money mantra' a cure for another of his sin(allowing the amplifier to be put at his residence)..hehe..The write up does bring back the memory of DD/cable era and as put by Meghana we too had it during holidays only.

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    1. Thanks Shwets :) Glad U enjoyed the post and could refresh some of ur good old memories. Money could do lot of things :) Thanks for visiting out here Shwets!

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  16. Ha Ha :) Good read :) Even the adamant lawyer agrees anything for money !!!

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    1. Haha Sushmitha :) money is a very powerful thing!

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  17. Haha..money money must be funny in a rich man's world!!!!

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    1. Haha money is a serious thing and can't be funny :)

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  18. Very nicely written. Could almost visualize him from your description.

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    1. Thank U so much:) glad U liked the narration and could visualize him from the description. Thanks for visiting!

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  19. hilarious story.
    money makes us forget everything no? quite sad!

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    1. Thanks dear. Yups, money almost makes us forget everything :) Thanks for visiting out here!

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  20. Good one Jahid...I still remember how my father was against taking cable connection those days and ws feeling sad when my friends used to discuss abt the popular serials :-(..I started watching cable tv only after coming to bangalore.

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    1. Thanks Dimpy. Haha.. U were little too late for that :) My father was against taking cable connection those days, but couldn't help it :)

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  21. TheChronicled People can be unnecessarily difficult. I think I have aunt like that.

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    1. Very true Scopium, some people could be unnecessarily difficult. Thanks for visiting out here!

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  22. Finally the lawyer became maha paapi :P

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    1. Haha.. Yes, the lawyer became Maha Paapi :) Thanks for visiting here buddy!

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  23. The lawyer became Mahapapi but on Discount :). Yes I remember DD National and DD News used to air good and interesting programs those days. They were golden days.
    ______________________
    http://www.indiatalks.tk

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    1. Haha.. The lawyer became Mahapapi but on Discount :) Yes, those were the golden days. Thanks for visiting out here Abhishek!

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  24. jahid your anecdotes are very interesting & well presented.Yes it took me back to simple old days.Today even with countless channels,sometimes it is hard to find a program of choice.

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    1. Thanks Indu Ji :) Glad U like my anecdotes and the presentation. Even I also become very confused sometimes when there are hell lot of options and need to choose one. Be it movies, mobile phones, TV, freeze, restaurant, etc etc :) :)

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  25. As usual, delightfully funny. :)

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    1. Thanks Sakshi :) glad U enjoyed the post!

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  26. Another example that discounts can make most Indians agree on everything.

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    1. Yes Roohani :) discounts are quite capable to make most human beings agree on almost everything. Thanks for visiting out here!

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  27. Funny! Of course, 25 Rs. mein pooja karke paap dho lega :)

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    1. Haha Suresh Ji :) it's quite easy actually, we could wash all our sins with just few bucks :) Thank U so much for visiting out here!

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  28. Trust a lawyer to come up with something like this. Delightful read Jahid.

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    1. Haha.. Lawyers always have their own logic :) Glad U liked the post and thanks a lot for visiting out here Alka!

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  29. Haha! Nice post. I guess he accepted the discount in order to set-off the rise in electricity bill due to amplifier, and at the same time the amplifier would benefit the others around.

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    1. Thanks Manju! Haha.. discounts are always very attractive :) and yes, amplifier would benefit the others around!

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  30. The power of money, that "take the 25 ruppes in" worked on the cable guy's favour finally

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    1. Yes Uma, a simple example of power of money :)

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  31. hahaha...power of money.....very nice....

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    1. Hehe.. Dr Archana Ji :) yes, power of money. Glad you enjoyed the post and thanks a lot for visiting out here !!

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