I Saw The Sign
Email forwards as a rule are pretty toxic. But every once in a while, there comes along a rare one, which warms the cockles of your heart. This site called 'Puneri Patya' for example, which deals with quintessentially 'found-only-in-Pune' signboards in Marathi. Had been receiving tons of these pics in forwards, saw a watermark on one of the jpgs, and found this site. Chock full of goodies.
These messages, as the intro on the website goes, are the absolute antithesis of everything you'd expect on a sign board. A series of '**** you's, to counter those irritating P's And Q's, if one may say so. They are all in Marathi, and I daresay you'd want to learn the language in order to check them out. Yes, they are that good. Brilliant subtle (and not-so-subtle) sarcasm, and a strangely uplifting meanness to them. Haven't really seen stuff like this anywhere before.
Some English translations just to illustrate what I've blathered about so far. (Warning - they sound a lot better in Marathi. There's only so much that you can translate.)
--> Other flats/shops/offices/staircases in this housing society are not exactly recreational spots for your kids. Keep them in check while you're visiting here.
--> (Above a washbasin.)
Wash your hands and gargle, without making ANY sort of noise.
--> Please note - Soiled currency notes will NOT be accepted here.(And yeah) DO NOT ARGUE.
--> The lift in this building knows that it's being summoned, when you press the button once. Do not keep jabbing at the button till it comes. It really doesn't help, in case you haven't noticed.
--> Do not spit here. If you have any manners, that is.
--> (At a PCO)
If your call does not get through, return the change that we had given you in exchange for your notes in the first place.
--> (A brilliant version of a No Parking sign - to be read from the offender's perspective.)
Damn, I'm a bleeding idiot. What the hell am I doing? Oh yeah, parking in front of this gate!!
(A simple 'No Parking in front of the gate' sounds so, so, so characterless in comparison...)
--> (Some real frustration on display here)
We kind of know that mankind has descended from apes. Do not make us keep re-living that fact thanks to your behaviour. Thank you.
--> (And lastly, the ultra-dark...)
No Parking. Even for Rickshaws.
These messages, as the intro on the website goes, are the absolute antithesis of everything you'd expect on a sign board. A series of '**** you's, to counter those irritating P's And Q's, if one may say so. They are all in Marathi, and I daresay you'd want to learn the language in order to check them out. Yes, they are that good. Brilliant subtle (and not-so-subtle) sarcasm, and a strangely uplifting meanness to them. Haven't really seen stuff like this anywhere before.
Some English translations just to illustrate what I've blathered about so far. (Warning - they sound a lot better in Marathi. There's only so much that you can translate.)
--> Other flats/shops/offices/staircases in this housing society are not exactly recreational spots for your kids. Keep them in check while you're visiting here.
--> (Above a washbasin.)
Wash your hands and gargle, without making ANY sort of noise.
--> Please note - Soiled currency notes will NOT be accepted here.(And yeah) DO NOT ARGUE.
--> The lift in this building knows that it's being summoned, when you press the button once. Do not keep jabbing at the button till it comes. It really doesn't help, in case you haven't noticed.
--> Do not spit here. If you have any manners, that is.
--> (At a PCO)
If your call does not get through, return the change that we had given you in exchange for your notes in the first place.
--> (A brilliant version of a No Parking sign - to be read from the offender's perspective.)
Damn, I'm a bleeding idiot. What the hell am I doing? Oh yeah, parking in front of this gate!!
(A simple 'No Parking in front of the gate' sounds so, so, so characterless in comparison...)
--> (Some real frustration on display here)
We kind of know that mankind has descended from apes. Do not make us keep re-living that fact thanks to your behaviour. Thank you.
--> (And lastly, the ultra-dark...)
No Parking. Even for Rickshaws.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, October 02, 2007 at 9:21 PM.
9:23 PM, October 03, 2007AWESOME!
I just did a chain-mail routine to all my friends about this.
Have you ever lived in Pune though?
-PeAcE
--WiTh
---GuNs
4:24 AM, October 04, 2007
The lift one is so good and the kind that someone like me needs to read every day. I am one of those idiots that punches the lift button again and again and then again. *sheepish grin*
2:19 AM, October 08, 2007
Hilarious..no wonder us mumbaikars are a bit wary of the puneris.. ;)
2:32 AM, October 08, 2007
I wonder how they manage the sarcastic bits in Marathi. I really need their Bengali versions. Sarcasm is so unusual in that language
10:35 PM, October 11, 2007
nice work by th puneites i must say...
also liked ur translations...quite precise!!!
hey...i wrote anothr story...this one's a proper story...wud really like it if u read it and comment on it... http://dimaagkoshot.blogspot.com/2007/10/oops.html
thx...
6:36 PM, November 02, 2007
lol... proper laugh riot i'd say!!
11:00 PM, November 12, 2007
Guns,
No man... haven't lived in Pune. Reading these made me want to :)
Woodsmoke,
We all do :D
KS,
You can say that again...
Ad Libber,
Marathi is a beautiful language, not in the least when used to be sarcastic. It has a fantastic flavour to it. Wonder whether Bengali can be sarcastic now... :)
Shamanth,
Yep... very nice work
Sam,
It is man. Trust you to have seen these yourself around Pune...
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