When NANO made me a celebrity….

Yo ppl…..i am the proud owner of one of the first one lakh NANOs that were given out on by a lucky draw…..one of the very first…!! Sincerely have never been lucky in LUCKY DRAWS in particular…..yet this one was real lucky… it was a birthday gift from my parents……
Though I got my NANO on Janmasthmi…14th Aug.’09……due to all the mahurat and stuff…..but the moment It was on the road…..it was a real crowd puller…..
Hehe…ironically….veteran auto giants like….Volkswagen, Merc, Audi…..you name it……all grace the roads of my city….Jodhpur..i.e….yet none of them gets a 3rd look…BUT my NANO……was followed wherever it went…..talking of a 3rd look….it was being stared at…..
we stopped at a sweet shop….which is on a very busy market place…..and everyone was staring at us with dropped jaws as if we’d just parked a SUKHOI on the road……
Some were taking pictures and some were asking questions bout the experience to dad…..mum was having fun amidst all the fanfare….but I was feeling real awkward……. You know what……we long for attention wherever we go…..I being an Arien…..carry this need as a part of my personality..yet this sudden outburst of attention was embarrassing MAN..!!
Okie….agreed that NANO is the ppl’s car…..but that does not mean that you simply start peeping and fondling anybody’s car….like some locals actually opened the doors and started taking a closer look at the interiors…….When I’M SITTING INISDE THE CAR….!!
To add to all the attention….!! My NANO is “racing red” in color…..so it catches the eye all the more….PHEW…..too much of catching….
Next stop was the petrol pump……..OH MY GOD…….an entire bus full of villagers came running out and in a moment they were all around the car……with a quick reflex..i locked all the doors from the inside……but mom was so much into it that she was answering all the questions…..and I was again feeling SO WEIRD… the remarks were as candid like.. “DEKH DEKH……NAINKI AAigi…..” (as in… look…the NANO is here) also add the special effects of our very sweet marwari here….
To top it all……the petrol pump guy was so enchanted that he couldn’t stop staring……please…..at the car……huh…….had it been me…..he wud have been history……moving on……..he was double excited to see the petrol outlet in the front bonnet….and triple excited when he saw a spare tyre and the AC in the bonnet and not the engine….!! I still remember his face……as if he had been asked to fill a space ship!!
The next stop……was the Ganesh temple on a hill top…..thanks to BAPPA….it was not crowded….but the pujari was pleased and took a gr8 deal of pride in saying that I have done the pooja on one more nano….prior to this……as if it were a short term project with Walmart….and would add luster to his CV….
We didn’t stop anywhere else after that…..but to this day whenever…..MY NANO hits the road……it still is EVE-TEASED….like…..”OYE NANoohh” etc etc….heheheee……it’s a huge rage amongst kids…….
Now I am a celebrity and my RED NANO is very famous……the TATA MOTOR dealer told me that mine is the only red one and that ppl who have booked NANOs in other colors want a red one now….!! They are even willing to pay a premium…..!! GOOD GOD……
BUT my DUG—DUGEE……is not for sale…….
I feel a sense of pity for the celebrities….after having a brief stint with a minuscule level of stardom……these guys I must say have tremendous amount of patience……and when sometimes they crack up…..it sure is a big thing……
Thanks Mr. Ratan TATA…u made me a celebrity…….!! Even if for a few days….
Cheers..!!