Recently, the video of an entire family precariously perched on a motor cycle along with what appeared to be most of their belongings /contents of their home, went viral on social media. This once again started everyone off on the ‘it happens only in India’ refrain. Check out the video of the family of seven on a motor bike and why so many felt that this in fact happens only in India.
One can clearly count one man, five kids and what must be the poor mother sandwiched in between somewhere. Then there are two dogs: one on the side, another clutched by one of the boys in front and even a cockerel in there somewhere. Then there are various bags and items of luggage as well as a stout stick all somehow managing to stay connected to a moving two-wheeler.
Some could see a third dog, some weren't sure whether or not there was a hen in there somewhere. There was debate as to the number of living souls riding that bike.
That is one fearless family thought the tweeple. Others thought this was foolhardiness. There is perilous amount of overloading but no safety gear in sight. And that dog to the side…. seems to be clinging to the bike using willpower alone, it would seem.
The bike that can take this much punishment and still function is worthy of admiration. This commentator feels that the family, as well as the motorcycle manufacturer both, are deserving of praise.
Though no bike manufacturer can legally show such an ad, this is a great unofficial advert for a bike’s build quality and load-carrying capacity. And as this commentator said, this can happen only in India.
If you overlook the criminality of overloading a bike and endangering the life and limb of so many members of the family, you have to admire the rider’s skill.
There are many who scorn the ownership of the car that is famously the ‘cheapest car in the world’. Though I love my little Nano, I would admit that all this would be beyond its capabilities.
Even an SUV would find it difficult to be able to fit so many humans, plus animals plus that much of luggage into it felt some.
I googled the song and found that it is a song called Salaam Rocky Bhai from a Kannada film called KGF Chapter 1. I don’t understand the language so I have no idea if the song is apposite for the video. I do however know that I have now heard this madly catchy song on loop several times and I cannot get it out of my head.
Many commentators thought that the video reflects wretched poverty and compulsions born out of that poverty. Some felt that this wasn’t a laughing matter and felt sad that so many have to make the best of whatever meagre means available at their disposal.
While some expressed sympathy for the family, others expressed envy for what must, by definition be a close-knit family. This commentator wonders how many people would stick by their family members even when times are hard.
The response to that would be that this is a family that has to stick together because of hardship, not in spite of it. We may smile at the video as a phenomenon that happens only in India. However, it may be a good idea to also give a thought to the complete lack of options that would force a family to travel like this.
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