PACK OF THREE

Pack of three

Part of my planned tour of pleasure to Delhi this winter was to taste the famous Dunkin Doughnut at its outlet in Connaught Place.  As I parceled all the stuff that I wanted, I felt an urge to taste the the neatly arranged Chocolate Munchkins that adorned the display window.  I asked the sales person for ONE and was dismayed when I was rudely told that "it was sold only in a pack of three costing Rs. 25/-".  I argued that this wasn't a packaged product and was sold in piecemeal and therefore I cannot be forced to buy three.    It was clarified by the Supervisor in charge that nothing can be purchased in this place below the bottom rice of Rs. 25/-.

Later that week I visited Pushkar, Rajasthan on the holy day of Karthika Pournami to pay respect to the one and only Brahma Temple.  No sooner did I reach the vantage point, I was solicited and whisked away by a  tour guide, poojari and driver all three rolled into one. After being lectured about the significance of the Holy Trinity of Lord Vishnu, Shiva and  Brahma for an hour at the holy banks, I was asked to make Anna Dan' to the Sadhu Sants for one day. I opted to offer Anna Dan with a dedication to Lord Shiva. The benign Brahmin immediately cautioned me that it has to be for three days since it would offend the other two Gods.  Later that evening I went to a hosiery shop to buy under-garments and was surprised to see that they were dispensed in a pack of three.

It would appear that India has finally caught on with the  crafty business, utility and revenue models that infest the west.  

There was a time in ancient India the number three had ritualistic significance and connotations. Such as:  One must always encircle a Hindu temple three times before departing. One must ritualistically swirl one's right hand  three times around the food with the appropriate mantra before one commences eating it. 

Our colonial laws also mandate that we tender at least three days advance notice before commencing any legal proceeding against an opposite party.  At the Hoopla stall in a fair you are given three turns to play a game. In life itself, you get three chances to get your act together, before you are disqualified for anything.

Some rustic said to me that every grain has a name of the person who will eat it and therefore food is dedicated without any sensibility or pride of making it donation. It is an oft read cliche that the left hand must not know what the right hand gives away.From this scenario where we provide free feast to the community en masse  during festivals and funerals, we have now reached a stage where even the government is unable to provide one free noon meal to poor school going children.  Things got so out of hand that some smart alec IAS officer opined the oft repeated American cliche " there is no such thing as a free lunch".

Today not only do you not have a free lunch but you have to buy things in a pack of three.