Domain Maximus: Farewell and thanks for all the rides…
Sankalp
· 3 years ago
I have simliar, not so rosy though, memories of our old old Vijay super.
Yes! I am the first one to post a comment!
Christina Anthony
· 3 years ago
This was a really sweet walk down your memory lane :D Mus be the only thing i've ever read abt a Bajaj Chetak :) It's funny how we attach memories to inanimate objects :) (does a chetak qualify as inanimate though?? it does move rite :D) Nice reading this.
Also liked the previous post on ur Hindi skills (or lack of them rather) Reminded me of my own disastrous attempt to learn the language for 10 years in school. Heheh but if it makes you feel any better.. I switched to French in 11th grade and although I was considerably better at it, the French too share the concept of giving sexuality (heheh i shud say gender, shudn't i? :D) to things.. :) So u wud have been fighting the same battles anyways :)
Akhilesh Tilotia
· 3 years ago
A befitting farewell to one of the most memorable and endearing automobiles of India!
You should definitely mail a copy of this to Rahul Bajaj! He might gift you (your uncle) the last Chetak ever made! :)
hs
· 3 years ago
Bajaj had one great commercial flooding TV in the DD-only era: Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer... Hamara Bajaj!
Man, I have similar feelings about my 8 year old Hercules MTB Oversize 9000 bike...I even got it from home to NITT, where it is presently the object of much ridicule...let them say what they want, but all those shiny new Thrillers and Machs are no match for my faithful old steed...
Thanu
· 3 years ago
I have great memories of my dad parrot green Chetak. It has been repainted to Grey.
Shruthi
· 3 years ago
Excellent post! Very vivid descriptions. My dad had a sturdy big blue Bajaj Chetak too - it went long back, but yes, the memories are still strong.
Akshay Raut
· 3 years ago
Couldn't agree more. The chetak is a part and parcel of the Indian society. So although my dad has a car, he still uses his 33 year old Chetak. And yes, it still works just fine.
alsoanon
· 3 years ago
Hv not read the 2 opening posts of the yr but felt must, at the outset, thank u for coming bk! guess can now return to read the posts, begin the day well n wish myself happy new yr all over again:) Thanks for the fish pal
freespirit
· 3 years ago
How on earth do you come up with these things!!!! How How how????!!!!!!! I miss my dad's rusty old Hero Majestic moped.... *sob sob*. I hate you for bringing back tragic memories!!!
:-) Ramya
anthony
· 3 years ago
R.I.P
Feel like crying. But it was a Bajaj Super that we had. similar though?
creation2k5
· 3 years ago
Made me think of dad's "now rusting" Kawasaki... I still remember, how for year's together, it was my only intimation to switch of the tv, and go study, as the racket it made, was announcement enuf, that "dad was home!!!" ;)
Amit Pandey
· 3 years ago
Sid, you missed stating the fact that Chetak was probably the first vehicle which could intially be bought only againsts Foreign Currency. This being so as it was made primarly for the Export Market.
Nice Post but why am I having a hunch that you have exhausted your Quota of 2 New Post (in 3 Months) and heading for a siesta.. Prove me Wrong !!!
the observer
· 3 years ago
Hi there!Was looking through your blog.Nice posts.Also came across an old one talking about you getting into IIM A.Talk about providence!I have just got six calls from the IIMs and would love to interact with someone about the interview/GD process.Although you may state that it has been a long time since you have been there,i could do with any help.so please,please,please help me out.My e-mail ID is pranavnarasimhan@gmail.com.My blog is up at http://pranavian.bogspot.com....looking forward to a response from you.Thanks!
the observer
· 3 years ago
Hi there!Was looking through your blog.Nice posts.Also came across an old one talking about you getting into IIM A.Talk about providence!I have just got six calls from the IIMs and would love to interact with someone about the interview/GD process.Although you may state that it has been a long time since you have been there,i could do with any help.so please,please,please help me out.My e-mail ID is pranavnarasimhan@gmail.com.My blog is up at http://pranavian.bogspot.com....looking forward to a response from you.Thanks!
Ravi
· 3 years ago
We still have a Bajaj Chetak in our family. It was earlier lemon yellow. Its now Metallic Bottle green. Three years ago we got it rebored & it is running as good as new. This is one long lasting machine.
Deaths Head Roy
· 3 years ago
Yeah, the very first motorised two wheeler that I learn to drive was a lovingly maintained Bajaj scooter that my dad had. Though I never liked it then, I know how helpful it was at a time when we could not own anything more. RIP - Bajaj scooter.
Nice post dude!
Venkat Ramanan
· 3 years ago
Hey Sidin! I came to know of your blog day b4 yesterday (though I had read your " South Indian men" article some months back.) For the past 2 days, I am hooked on your articles in the blog and one word I can say about them is "EXCELLENT". You have got this amazing talent of putting a small incident in right words mixed with sarcasm and humour! That is a great talent and I definitely hope to see a book from you and I am ready to pay any amount (less than Rs. 100 :)) ) for buying that book. Great going dude! And, whenever you get time, please write something :) Cheers! Venkat
you love humor?
· 3 years ago
if you like humor...try the link below....its deadly.. http://aashraya.blogspot.com/2005/11/vyasas-dissertation.html
Aqua
· 3 years ago
Good to read a new post after a long time. Happy new year sidin and keep those whacky post coming!
Aqua
· 3 years ago
and yes....really .bajaj should present you with a chetak for this post....i bet even their marketing dept couldnt come up with a better article.
Maverick
· 3 years ago
Me too...I own a piece of history of the Great Indian Bajaj. The only Bajaj model whose production lasted for one year (as far as my automotive knowledge goes) -- The 3 gear Bajaj Cub 1987 model!! It runs and works even today!! Starts in just two kicks with the "tilt and straighten" routine. Thanks for the emotional and patriotic post on the bajaj :-)
alpha
· 3 years ago
This was a great piece..I am so awed by the way you write so effortlessly and highly hilarious at that.
The previous post was a riot!
alsoanon
· 3 years ago
6 out of 26 had/ have a bajaj scooter in the family - that’s almost 25% of this very random sample. tells us a lot abt the product. In the absolutely Indian dictionary where prepone means to advance, and surf and dettol are common nouns for detergent and antiseptic lotion respectively, Bajaj is a means a scooter.
My favourite “scooter treat” was to be allowed to ride pillion behind my father with me facing not his back but the other way! This way, in ones’ mind’s eye, the scooter would transmogrify into a car and the stepney would become the steering wheel and one could vroom across the city in this absolutely fabulous “wonder-car” that just had to be the fastest thing ever in reverse gear! And when one got bored with all that driving, it was great fun engaging in blink-n-miss conversations with the uncles and aunties on the road. They of course would mumble unmentionables at this whacked out kid making not-very cute faces at them! But then who cared – the point was not to entertain but to be entertained – and that one managed!
My ID not me
· 3 years ago
Good Post. My Dad still has the chetak booking papers (paid in Dollars) for which he always wanted to take refund as by the time his allotment was made he had again gone abroad. Though the Chetak always remained a commuter and never became a cult, i was surprised to see too many emotions attached to it. Talk to some one having a 'YEZDI' or 'LAMBRETTA' and they will tell the EMOTIONAL attachement and what they feel when they have part with it or hear some happenings. I feel the Bajajs could have reveived the Chetaks and Supers the way Siddharth Lal (Enfield/Eicher) did for Bullet and made it again a cult with a demand for new models among youngsters. Scooters still sell I see the swanky Hondas on road.
If I tell ya, I'll have to kil
· 3 years ago
You have a gift! I loved both the posts. 2 in 2 days after a drought lasting gawd knows how long!!
I miss my mum's TVS Luna. Mother and daughter had plenty of adventures on it during the 4 yrs we were in Dehradun. We drove on Rajpur road at top speed. Mother and daughter. Sniff....
Write more often will ya.
John
· 3 years ago
Hey,first time on ur blog....had an interesting fwd some moths ago..."The Travails of Single South Indian men of conservative upbringing"...have had quite a few laughs on it along with friends....and somehow found your blog address...you write damn well..i guess its as good as telling ashwariya rai tat she is beautiful...u might have got tat compliment umpteen number of times...anyways..one more wont hurt..interesting read ...your blog ...will try to come back as much as possible...oh by the way ....im mallu tooo....completely agree with our situation..bye for now
Safari Al
· 3 years ago
Dude...good to see you back. hope ATK is treating you alright.
And hindi is terrible trust me. but i think in french too everything is either got nuts or no nuts. i am not too sure, i think i learnt it for four months. all i know is this speech i mugged up ,
some thing like
"Bonjour, je mapelle BLAH. je suis tres heure por doux raison..."
i have foprgoteen the rest.
VIVE la france.
raven
· 3 years ago
my first time here... nice post to start off with :)
chetak... dad's first one is a faint blip.. the second one a memory for the lifetime... i got my first bicycle after he bought his scooter, thats how old it was... and he sold it after i left my bike at home when leaving 2 years back... thats how new it was :)
sad that its gone... happy for all the while it was there.
Rinku
· 3 years ago
Reminded me of my own Bajaj scooter that I sold last year. Good writing.
All Comments
Yes! I am the first one to post a comment!
Also liked the previous post on ur Hindi skills (or lack of them rather) Reminded me of my own disastrous attempt to learn the language for 10 years in school. Heheh but if it makes you feel any better.. I switched to French in 11th grade and although I was considerably better at it, the French too share the concept of giving sexuality (heheh i shud say gender, shudn't i? :D) to things.. :) So u wud have been fighting the same battles anyways :)
You should definitely mail a copy of this to Rahul Bajaj! He might gift you (your uncle) the last Chetak ever made! :)
Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer... Hamara Bajaj!
(Buland=Highly praised, Sturdy; Tasveer=Photograph, Image)
:-) Ramya
Feel like crying.
But it was a Bajaj Super that we had. similar though?
Nice Post but why am I having a hunch that you have exhausted your Quota of 2 New Post (in 3 Months) and heading for a siesta.. Prove me Wrong !!!
Nice post dude!
I came to know of your blog day b4 yesterday (though I had read your " South Indian men" article some months back.) For the past 2 days, I am hooked on your articles in the blog and one word I can say about them is "EXCELLENT". You have got this amazing talent of putting a small incident in right words mixed with sarcasm and humour! That is a great talent and I definitely hope to see a book from you and I am ready to pay any amount (less than Rs. 100 :)) ) for buying that book. Great going dude! And, whenever you get time, please write something :)
Cheers!
Venkat
http://aashraya.blogspot.com/2005/11/vyasas-dissertation.html
The previous post was a riot!
My favourite “scooter treat” was to be allowed to ride pillion behind my father with me facing not his back but the other way! This way, in ones’ mind’s eye, the scooter would transmogrify into a car and the stepney would become the steering wheel and one could vroom across the city in this absolutely fabulous “wonder-car” that just had to be the fastest thing ever in reverse gear! And when one got bored with all that driving, it was great fun engaging in blink-n-miss conversations with the uncles and aunties on the road. They of course would mumble unmentionables at this whacked out kid making not-very cute faces at them! But then who cared – the point was not to entertain but to be entertained – and that one managed!
Though the Chetak always remained a commuter and never became a cult, i was surprised to see too many emotions attached to it. Talk to some one having a 'YEZDI' or 'LAMBRETTA' and they will tell the EMOTIONAL attachement and what they feel when they have part with it or hear some happenings.
I feel the Bajajs could have reveived the Chetaks and Supers the way Siddharth Lal (Enfield/Eicher) did for Bullet and made it again a cult with a demand for new models among youngsters.
Scooters still sell I see the swanky Hondas on road.
I miss my mum's TVS Luna. Mother and daughter had plenty of adventures on it during the 4 yrs we were in Dehradun. We drove on Rajpur road at top speed. Mother and daughter. Sniff....
Write more often will ya.
And hindi is terrible trust me. but i think in french too everything is either got nuts or no nuts. i am not too sure, i think i learnt it for four months. all i know is this speech i mugged up ,
some thing like
"Bonjour, je mapelle BLAH. je suis tres heure por doux raison..."
i have foprgoteen the rest.
VIVE la france.
chetak... dad's first one is a faint blip.. the second one a memory for the lifetime... i got my first bicycle after he bought his scooter, thats how old it was... and he sold it after i left my bike at home when leaving 2 years back... thats how new it was :)
sad that its gone... happy for all the while it was there.