Monday, January 14, 2008

First Salary

BABA UMAR
The ‘first’ has always something special about it. Be it first love, first venture outside, or meeting your spouse first time. And to top it all whenever anyone gets his first salary he feels elated and over the top of the world. There is nothing like having your first salary.

For the staff it is always exciting as they finally get the bucks to execute the plans they knit in a month’s long time. “Once my salary arrives, I pay my bills, spend some money on buying clothes and books,” says Shafia Gulzar, a computer instructor. “And by the time I spend all the money I realise it is already middle of the month and just keep wondering when will the month get over so that I get the month’s salary again,” she laughs.

The sheer excitement and the thrill of getting first salary is immense and equally a great experience. “It is actually a huge happiness—your first salary. I am delighted and want to dance at the top of my energy,” says Bashraat Ahmad, who just encashed his cheque from JK Bank. “It is the day I will never forget in my life.”

And when the pocket bulges for the first time, you recollect that your friends had asked for a treat the day when you got selected for the job.
“Yes, after couple of days I want to throw a party,” says Abid Hussain, who got selected in a Mumbai-based IT firm. “And I am also thinking for a Mobile phone, may be I will buy it on the next payday,” he says.
And there are some who think the first salary belongs to their parents.
“First salary is always special, it goes to your parents and some part of it goes as alms to poor,” says a woman, who wished not to be named. “You buy gifts for your family and like to remember first payday that sets the era of your financial independence.”The money, she says, which one gives to one’s parents doesn’t make any difference, nor do parents call for it, but it is parent’s hope that matters.

The first salary is joy which one remembers for long and it is the same salary which gives us the feel of independence.

No no its Nano



BABA UMAR goes round the city and finds out that middle class people are dying to buy the least expensive car.


It might have taken a long time for Indian Automobile giant Ratan Tata to conjure up an idea of coming up with a low budget car ‘ Nano’, but it took almost no time for the people here to reach a decision of buying it. The denizens both young and old seem to have got completely smitten by the Nano car. “I watched ‘Nano’s launch on a Hindi news Channel and on that time I decided to buy one,” says Hilal Ahmad, a book seller. “Who won’t wish to buy it?” chips an effusive, Saqib Parvaiz. “Two wheelers are the things of bygone era, now it is the time to rule these roads via Nano,” he yells.
The middle class families have hailed the innovation here and they are quite excited that they too will be counted among the car owners.
“Now I too will be called for Barat, because in our society only car owners can accompany groom to the bride’s house,” laughs Ajaz Hafiz, a private employee who wants to buy the car instantly. “One lakh is no big deal,” says Nayeem Bilal. “It is within our reach.”

The launch has even caused sensation among the kids and students. They no longer want bikes and Scooty’s, but vroom their ‘Nano’ in colleges and Varsity. “Imagine how it would be like, when I enter the college gates with my silver colour Nano,” shouts Amir Zargar in delight. “Ask your dad to gift it on your birthday?” quips Amir’s friend.

Even the rickshaw drivers are planning to sell their vehicles just to buy the stylish and hot Nano. They say one can’t resist this car which can prove to be a good replacement of traditional auto rickshaws. “A brand new auto rickshaw would cost you more than one lakh rupees and if you are getting a sophisticated car in the same price range, why not to go for it?” opines Mohammad Younus, an auto rickshaw driver.

“And then they (drivers) would stuff in half-a-dozen passengers at two fold rates,” jokes a passenger seated in the auto, who says he too would love to own this small wonder-- Nano.

Hoax abduction drama shocks police



Baba Umar


Srinagar, Jan 13: An abduction drama of a minor which started Sunday morning in Batamaloo area ended in the evening when the alleged kidnapper, also a minor, visited the police station, claiming he was not involved in any abduction.
Suhail Ahmad Wani, 12, claimed to have managed to run away way from a 16-year-old rag picker Bashir Ahmad who allegedly abducted him Thursday evening from Batamaloo bus stand.“He took me to his rented room and locked me there for three days,” said Wani, who is currently with the Police.“I gave him a slip when I left at 9 am and reached my aunt’s place in Eidgah at 11 am,” Wani said.
Wani’s relatives said that they filed a missing report of the boy at Safakadal Police Station.“We gave him money to buy eatables from the market but he didn’t return,” said one of Wani’s uncles.Wani’s relatives, who were outside the police station for hours kept demanding the immediate arrest of Bashir Ahmed.

However, Bashir Ahmed along with the owner of the house he is putting up in also arrived at the Police Station in the evening. Ahmad claimed that he took pity on Wani after who lost his way in the area and brought him to his room.“He was crying and I thought he had gone astray,” said Ahmad. “He wished to work with me and even accompanied me for two days when I went to collect rags.”

Coming to Ahmed’s rescue, the house owner said that Wani was lying and he had been staying in his house with Ahmed for the last four days.“One a day back, Wani told me that Ahmed was his relative,” Bashir Ahmad Gilkar, the house owner said. “He even played cricket with the children outside. He never complained that he had been abducted.”

Meanwhile, police officials who are examining the case said they are investigating and it might be the case of mix-up from both sides. They said the boy will be handed over to his relatives after proper investigation.