by Swatee Jog
Uday is a very noble soul indeed, keeping us updated about everything that happens in Belagavi, instantaneously. So when someone says, do you know so and so happened, you invariably say, Yes I know, AAB has sent a message. There’s just one message of his which we all just don’t like is that of a power cut.
And he’s done just that. He told us days ago that tomorrow ‘Batti gul’ in Belagavi. As though he’s saying, ‘Go figure out what you wanna do the whole day’. It is an irritation that bothers everyone at home.
First of all, the housewife who is dependent on the electricity for her Sunday morning grinding for the Chutneys for breakfast, the oven, the microwave to satiate the hunger of the family who tends to eat more when idle. She needs it again for the vacuum cleaner, for the washing machine and then the background music to tide her through all this work.
No current? She has only two options, either wake up early on Sunday and finish all tasks or just drop that idea. Both major irritants. The kids are cranky for they don’t get their dose of TV. The fridge won’t budge and all ice-creams turn mellow.
The men-folk are confused about how to spend time at home when each one actually starts looking at the other and wonders what to speak. A tricky situation for kids who dread that the parents’ and grandparents’ attention suddenly turns on them. You’re lucky if you have a genset or the inverter at home, which supports you for a few hours.
Most ice cream centers shrug off their shoulders helplessly by noon. The only solace is the mall, the theatre and the fancy stores on Civil Hospital road which keep running on generators. So off you head to cool your day at the theatre. Mark my words, you are not going to get a ticket easily tomorrow. Keep your phones and power banks charged.
Too bored to go out? Here’s a handy list for you to spend your day tomorrow.
1. Sleep till as late as you can. Wake up to brunch actually
2. Sleep some more in the noon. A long siesta has done no one any harm
3. Pull out your cupboards and do some cleaning. You’ll thank yourself for all the space that will get free
4. If you can manage yourself, clean the house without troubling anyone and without yelling and yapping.
5. The weather’s just fine for a small picnic to just about anywhere around Belagavi. Vaijanath, Rakaskop, Hidkal Dam, Kittur Fort, Sogal, stroll in the Belagavi Fort, walk around the lake.
6. Take the kids or your friends to show the wonderful temples at Halasi, Degaon, Kittur, Degaloli. If you know little about these places, just Google or refer my articles online on the same!
7. There’s plenty of cleaning required in the flood affected areas. You can volunteer in some village to help them
8. Join your mom/spouse/ grandma to go shopping for the coming week. Groceries, clothes, veggies, locks need lost keys and repairs need time. A home needs so much, you’d never known earlier.
9. Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner. Search on youtube for some innovative décor ideas. You will thank HESCOM who gave you a whole day to experiment with decoration
10. Meet your friends at some open space. Belagavi is lush green these days. Don’t spend your time inside restaurants staring at each other. Travel to Hindalga, Ambewadi, Camp, Fort, Yellur Gad and chat with friends to your heart’s content
If you think of more ideas, please post them here for others to see. Anyway, we’re all going to check AAB till the phone battery goes phutt.
If you are still left with time, just stare at the watch. 9 to 5 is a pretty short time in office, but much longer when you stare at the clock that long!
Those are quite some fabulous ideas to reconnect with your family and friends. But it doesn’t seem to be a huge problem as we in Bangalore face powercut every other day, most of the Fridays and any other random day. And unfortunately you can’t do anything about it or take advantage of it as you can in Belgaum. So belgaumites,go for it… Have a great day of improving your interpersonal relationship or a day out with friends..