Padharo Mhare Desh-Welcome to Rajasthan

 Road Trip from Delhi To Jaipur

Ever felt like you owned the world, after taking a loan and neck deep in debt? That’s how I felt after buying our first car. The aroma from fresh plastic made me dizzy giving a high hard to describe.

On the very first weekend after getting the car we hit the Jaipur Highway. A brand new car, “Dhoom Machale” blaring from speakers, almost empty highway, it was a heady cocktail; the louder Tata Young crooned the harder I pressed the accelerator. But  pleas from Missus to slow down brought me to senses.

Once Missus and kiddo dozed off to the lullaby of rubber meeting the road mixed with the songs, I again pressed the accelerator.

Once in Rajasthan every few KM there were signboards “Padharo Mhare Desh–Welcome to Rajasthan”. I winked at the smiling couple in the signboard and shouted “Hawa MahaI, here I come” & lowered the window to feel the wind.

The NH8 is one of the best highways in India and I was enjoying overtaking the trucks, cars, and buses, blowing my trumpet, err I mean horn loudly. Few KM before Jaipur the road narrowed down on a turn; I steered deftly and smiled at my own dexterity in handling the curve. But just as I finished the curve I saw a police barrier. I braked hard to stop the car to screeching halt just inches before the barrier.

A police officer came running and asked me to get out of the car. Wife and kiddo woke up to the sudden brakes and were trying to understand what happened. The police officer took out his challan book, “Sir jee you were speeding over 100 in a 50 KM zone, and it will be a fine of 500 RS”. I was still in shock at just escaping an accident, but managed to smile and said” Sir jee this is one good Padharo Mhare Desh”

The officer closed his challan book, took off his sunglasses and looked at me.

“You have your family in the car and you drive like a maniac. Do you realize if your car had not stopped you would be in a hospital? Instead of feeling sorry you are telling me jokes? This is not a racetrack, give me your papers.”

He checked papers and realized it’s a brand new car. He now smiled “Hmm, new car, so that’s why all this speed, OK, I will let you go without fine, only if you promise to drive safely at least for the sake of Baby, pointing towards  kiddo”

I meekly thanked him and slowly pulled out; it was indeed “Padharo Mhare Desh” for us.

Now ever since, I feel like speeding, that nice police officer whispers in my ears “You are a family man”. The police officer did not fine me but I learned to drive safely on my first and best drive of my life, in my own car, because of a nice police officer.