Amazing service at an Indian government office!! Am I dreaming???

A couple of days back I had a crush on the Indian postal service. Since yesterday I have fallen in love with its amazing service. Anyway before you can make out anything, let me explain the situation I was in.

After marriage, my wife moved immediately to Singapore. Her address on the passport had her Bombay address. Even when she was working in Chennai she did not have much proof of her address in Chennai. We couldn't add her name on the ration card unless her name is removed from the Bombay card. So after our son was born, we realized we needed a proof of her address in Chennai. When we tried to change the address from Bombay to Chennai in Canara Bank, even they needed a proof of address. They gave a suggestion that we apply for a proof of address card at the Post office as the marriage certificate was in my Chennai address. And we can use it to change the address at the bank.

And so began our trip (my mom and I) to the post office after nearly 10 years. All the events mentioned are as it happened, no exaggeration...

Day before yesterday we went to the Mylapore Post office at Kutchery Road at around 4pm just to inquire on the procedure. First we were surprised by the big free parking spot at a government office. Then we walked in towards the post office with the words "Confused" written on our forehead. We were thinking whether to go up to the first floor office or down to the basement office. Just then a guy walking out of the basement office asked us what we were looking for and guided us to an officer at the basement. As we walked in to his office, we saw he was talking to a few guys. He stopped mid way to help us. He explained in detail on what to do. For normal application I had to apply in our local post office at a charge of Rs.220 and for tatkal I had to go down to the head office at Mount Road at a charge of Rs.600. He also gave us an Rs10 application form. We came out surprised at the pleasant attitude of the officials. (Actually we were more surprised at the non arrogant attitude of government officials). More was yet to come the next day when we went down to the head office...

Yesterday evening around 3pm we(my mother and I) went down to the Mount road office. And with the usual words written on our forehead we slowly walked in. Too many counters, none mentioning anything about address proof or anything loosely similar!! A guy walking across asks us what we were looking for, and he directs us to the customer service in the nearby room. He then directs us to look for Mrs.S***** in the 3rd floor of the next building. And so we go hunting for the lady. On the way there every guy approaches us to direct us on where we need to go. As we finally found her, she comes to us with the biggest smile possible and says she is indeed the one in-charge, but we will have to go back to the counter near the customer service and pay for application and come back to her. This was the only little mishap that ever took place at the post office. We went back to the counter, paid the 600 bucks. I thought the guy at the counter was rude, esp when he loudly announced that the personal identification marks column was not filled. After filling it, when I returned to him, he accepted it and with the biggest smile he could possibly give he directed me to go to Mrs.S at the 3rd floor of the next building. When I went back to Mrs.S, we saw she literally came out from a meeting to collect our application. She informed that the card would be ready in exactly a week's time and she would send a SMS to my mom's mobile number once its ready. I inquired if my wife will have to come personally to collect the card. Getting an affirmative reply I told her that she just delivered a son last week. She thought for a second and asked me to come and collect it as the verification officer would in any case confirm my wife's presence at the given address.

We left the place around 4pm with a totally different respect for the postal service. But it did not end there... Today at around noon, less than 24hrs has passed since we had submitted the application, there was this guy from the post office at our doorstep to do the verification. It was just a few minutes, he confirmed that my wife was home and double confirmed with our marriage certificate and left. He did not even want to have any drink when my mom offered. No lanjam was even mentioned anywhere let alone given to anyone. I'm yet to see how fast we receive the card. But as of now, I'm totally impressed by their service.

The Indian postal service is unbelievably so good....

Seriously.

I love Chennai and I'm proud of its rich postal heritage.

Thaali thevaiya???

Before I start writing anything to in this thread, I wish to clearly say that the views expressed are solely mine and not intended to hurt anybody!!

I recently received a fwd frm my sister in law. It was abt someone opposing one specific argument in the 'Neeya Naana' show in Vijay TV. The argument was - Thaali Thevaiya. A guy who was totally against this idea had written a (very) long article. The following is the link to what was printed in some local magazine.

http://www.tamilhindu.com/2009/11/tele-medias-degrading-hindu-religious-feelings/

The person who had originally written (the attachment about culture and other similar stuff), has clearly written out of his sentimental heart rather than his brain. And avarukku vaela vettiyae kidayatha?? Or is he similar to someone in Maharashtra in the making. He's written (goddamn) 29 pages!! I read about 10 pages of the attachment and I didn't bother to continue as I felt it was a waste of time. I had already spent quite some time on hunting the "Thali Thevaiya" episode on the internet!

I saw the episode and I agree that both sides had a few rude and illogical people. But that does not mean the idea behind the argument was wrong. A person wearing or not wearing a thali has to be her own choice and I firmly believe that any married women who does not wear a thali is not in any way insulting our culture. What is culture anyway?? A couple of centuries back widows had to be burnt alive with the husband's body. What was culture centuries back is totally stupid to us now. Our great grand parents got married when they were 10 and 8 yrs old. What was culture then is now illegal. Few decades back, widows were forced in to wearing white sari and tonsuring their head, do we follow that now?? Aren't we educated?? Don't we know what is right and wrong?? Even now 'Jallikattu' is so common in our villages. We also know people die in this sport and yet we continue to torment a anjarivu mirugam in the name of culture.

One girl argued that when she was still a bachelorette, men at her work place used to flirt with her. Now after marriage it seems, everyone shows more respect. All because of a single thali!! She feels secure after wearing a thali!! It is very true. But what the naduvar - Mrs.Nambi Aarura asked a question made me think a lot!! Lets say a lady gets married at 28, from about 16yrs to 28yrs she does not have any security, but only when she wears a thali she gets that security. Weather married or not shouldn't women get the same respect?? Don't you think we need to change attitude of the society??

Anyway, in the show, whatever is telecast is personal opinion of the participants. If a person does not want to wear a thali and she wishes to let people know that she does not like to wear one, its her right of speech. At the same time no one can force another person to wear/remove a thali, especially in the name of culture. Even though I was born and brought up in a Tamil culture, I do not like to wear a veshti, does that make me guilty of hurting Tamil sentiments. Even though I am a Hindu, I go to Church for Christmas, so am I against Hindu culture. This is stupidity to say people do not respect culture jus because they do not wear a thali.

I don't know what enmity the writer has got against Vijay TV and the sponsors. Though he's not said much about one of the naduvar Nirmala Periyasami, he did add sarcasm to whatever he wrote about her. I wonder who gave the rights to him to write about her. A few weeks back I saw an episode abt inter-caste marriage. The show definitely did not show as what the (inter-caste married) people did was right, even though the only mistake they did was to fall in love. I saw the same show for Bankers. A lot was said against the bankers and also in support of the bankers. I got to know a

lot of info I didn't know. It could really help a lot of financially struggling students. The show is actually very good. In the same "Thali Thevaiya" show, before every commercial break, they showed different types of thali in Hindu culture. It was clearly show casing the vastness of our culture. I think the writer jus want to publicize himself. That's why he's gone to this level.

My point is simple!!

You want to follow culture or not depends on each person (avaravarudaya thani patta karuthu).

Jus because a person does not follow culture does not mean he insults the culture.

And regarding the boycotting of the sponsors!! I felt it was funny!!!

Assume a cricket match scenario... Lets say its the Pepsi cup final. India and Pakistan are playing. India loses to Pak in the worst way possible, added to the fact that Paki players sledge indian players a lot!! Now will you stop drinking Pepsi becoz it sponsored the match in which India was humiliated!! 'Boycotting the sponsors' logic apdi dhaan irukku. The sponsors are jus doing it bcoz the show had good TRP rating. They have no idea what arguements are taking place.... Anyone with basic common sense should buy a product because of its quality and not because of its cover and definitely not because of what programmes its sponsoring!!!

And lemme say again, the views expressed are solely mine and not intended to hurt anybody!!