[For those who missed Part I: Srirangam IS. Cycle-rickshaws were. Auto-rickshaws rule. Proceed.]

Proceeding with the auto-rickshaws, these are cushion seated engine-powered conveyances, with a black clothed top and a glass covered front, with the rest usually in yellow painted metal. They are also bestowed with red air-horns that make cheap and loud noises, resembling that from a (group of) cat(s) caught in between the wall-corner(s) of the closing door(s).

The 'starting' of these yellow auto-rickshaws (of course, named Sri Ranga) with their red horns, is a sight to watch. The passenger inevitably sits inside. Most of the auto-driver is usually outside, with his one leg (on the auto-floor), one hand (on the auto-accelerator) and one part of the brain (left lobe) inside the auto-rickshaw. The 'starting' begins. It first involves a series of jerks with the starting lever, the vibration from which spreads over the entire auto-rickshaw with the passenger (shake well before use?).

On the 23rd time (count varies each time, depending on how bad the auto or the counting is), when the lever becomes almost vertical in rage, something happens. To prevent the driver from wrenching off the lever forever, the auto-rickshaw starts with a coughing wail. Similar to the sounds from a crybaby with whooping cough, about to be robbed of his/her candy.

The drivers for their part are indeed rough-looking men (capable of committing the above deeds with the auto and the kid), clad in multicolored outfits, which in turn were covered in brown shirts with black badges. However, the hearts of these men were made of pure (yellow?) gold. At least of some such hard metal.

Because, why then they were addressed as 'transport executives' by the guys with MBA degrees from the Bharathidasan Institute of Management (BIM), in one of their reports titled, 'Crowd Psychology Near Any Roadside Bhel-puri Shop?'

To explain further, Srirangam has (only) one of these bhel-puri shops beside the Srirangam Main Auto-stand. 'Main' because there is another smaller auto-stand, opposite the Devi Talkies that shows old movies. That is, old for my father (Keechaka Vatham, Ashok Kumar etc.).

Getting back to the bhel-puri shop, it is a 'joint' where after a 'sightseeing' evening walk, college junta used to crowd in for a brief spicy chat. It is here that my BIM-graduate enemies got their inspiration for that aforesaid report. Enemy because I used to hate all MBA aspirants and wouldn't play cricket with them (nowadays, I hate all men of my age. I play video games.)

The transport executive title popped out of a particularly inspired rambling from my enemies, while sharing a spicy chat (conversation) over the buzz of the gas stove and the din of the bus stand.

That report was second only to Umberto Eco's Crowd Psychology in the Sahara (appeared in his Focault's Pendulum) and the report's authors became an instant hit.

I personally hit more than one of them. But that's another story.

To be continued...