Beggar alaram

Beggar alarm

For ages it was cock that provided its service of morning alarm with a sweet cook-a-doodle-do. This was taken over by alarm clocks and I feel this will soon be taken over by beggars -- at least in the locality where I stay.

I have a habit of getting up around 7 in the morning. The efforts to wake me up start right around 6.30 a.m. It’s not my wife who curl my hair to wake me up, nor it’s my dog (anyway I don’t have one) who lick up for a sunny morning. Well it’s non other than queue of beggars that walk past the street at top of their voice.

Did I say queue -- yes. It’s amazing to research the begging industry - bet you. They are also through professionals.

Could you believe a beggar dressed up for his job right at the spot where he is supposed to start at sharp 6.30 a.m.? Possibly he may be covering some other area prior to reaching ours.

Once I decided to check on this bunch of harassers. I realized that the first fellow prepared himself at the corner of the street and began his march with his first yell. What’s more amazing is that these buggers also have some favorite’s apartments and house. They know that they get alms regularly here. Here are the places that they would stand more and keep yelling at the top of their voice.

They are so smart - even if a sound of window opening comes from a nearby building or a floor -- they are up and right on target where the window has opened. As one throws some alms -- they nicely pick up and if its one rupee coin -- thank you and blessing are toned down. If anything more than one rupee, you are sure that entire locality get the idea that he has got the cake -- his / her blessing would be heard all over!

As he covers the street, believe me you need to check on their accuracy -- what -- the next one is ready at the same corner of the street -- all set to stage his performance. The next one begins with his patented lines and favorite houses.

This is followed by a woman and few more. What is interesting is they are all from different age groups including the old ones -- but all have a voice that can reach comfortably upto 5-7th floor.

I also mentioned that they are through professionals -- you know what -- if one happens to enter the locality even before the earlier one has completed, he / she will either step back or go slow on his chants.

What more, if anybody is late -- then the next one won’t wait for. He too will go on top of his voice to make the other realize that its time for him to exit. It s a day like two alarms going off at the same time!

They are present in all seasons. Some of they work on 6 days a week basis while new entrant and those nearing retirement – catches on 7 days a week.

All this is over by 7.00 a.m and I swear many more like me would have by then got up.

All this I watched through one day and the only question that was left was -- how do they managed to have consistency in chanting top of their voice. Mystery was resolved one day when I happened to travel early to railway station for catching a flight. Few of the know faces were having tea and biscuit. As I passed through, they all departed in different direction.

Business ka business and social service too. Well I feel government should starting thinking of bring this huge unorganized market under a proper organized network. And how about also leaving service tax and income tax -- what say!