MY Struggle!
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FYI - In Karnataka, for convenience, we translate the common English words to Kannada by adding an extra 'u' at the end of the word.
For example -
'List' in English
'Listu' in Kannada :)
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@ 6:30 am -
I with my family reach the polling booth (i know that's a little too early!!). We are reminded that Polling starts only @ 7.
Oops! we opt to go for a morning walk! :)
@ 7 am-
I stand in the queue. My turn comes, but people inside the booth say "Nimma hesaroo, listu nalli illa!! Alli hogee amma, number nodikondu banee!!" (Ur name is not in the list. Go there Mother, see the number and come back!)
FINE, we march back to the "booth help desk", to find our names and number in the list.
@ 7:30 am -
I start wondering when the list will be "Ctrl+F" enabled!
High time 'technology' is introduced in elections!
Unable to find our names, they say - "Aa booth nalli hosaa listu irrathe.. alli nimma hesaru irrathe nodee!" (In that booth, there will be a new list, u will find Ur names there!)
.. We March back. Again back in the queue. This time the Police fella recognizes and gives us a smile. My turn comes and Guess what! I get the same stupid response.. "Ur name is not there is the list!!"
Grrr.. !!
@ 8:00 am -
BACK HOME
@ 8:00 - 8:30 am-
Thought process - "haudoo, yaarge vote-u madodhoo??" (btw, whom should I vote for??) .. BJP naa, Congress-aa ?
Anyway no name in the "listu", what's the point in pondering!
@ 9:00 am-
One of the Help desk local guy delivers the identity number home. We again gear up and go back to the polling booth (Hoping it's the last time for this election!).
@ 9:15 am-
Same Police fella after seeing us for the third time - "Yenu Madaam, Innu vote-u haklilvaa?" (What madam, still haven't voted?)
Me - "Aiyo, Innu Illa, Ivaage number sikthoo.. !!" (Not yet, we got our numbers now!)
I enter the booth..
Polling-Booth-Fellow(PBF) - "Yenamma numberoo??" (What Mother, whats Ur number??)
Me - 1149
PBF searches, finds 1149 (Ah At last!!) BUT, it was some grand ma's pic.
He raises his head, adjusts his spectacles and sees me to see if the grand ma's photo matches with mine!! :|
PBF - "Nimma hesaru illamaa!" (Ur name is not there Mother!!)
OH GOD NOT AGAIN!! :|
Back to Help desk
Me - Yenu idu, tirga hesaru illa anthatre avaru!! (what is this, they again say our names are not there in the list??)
Help desk fella to his assistant- "Nodu rajaa, avara hesaru sareege hudkoo (See my King(dear), search their names properly) .. aamele card kalee beda chinna (and don't lose the card, My 'Gold')
In the mean time some other Help Desk fella - "Madam, Nimma hesaru sikhtalva.. bere booth nalli idde.. 66 alla 67 booth-oo" (Madam, we got Ur names already, its in Booth number 67 and not 66!!)
9:30 am-
I go in, I vote. That beep sound which had scared me Last time, didn't bother me this time!
2 hour struggle to get my index finger coloured with the blue ink..
Sigh!
