The Pune Lockness Monster

Yesterday while traveling back to my flat from CIL I couldn't help but to notice a crowd of around 100 people standing at the bank of the river. Additionally there was a massive traffic jam as people were looking into the river from their cars and bikes as well. I couldn't see anything in the river and asked Shashi, my driver, if he knew what was going on, but he didn't know either. I quickly forgot about this as we continued on our way back to Koregaon Park.

This evening while traveling back from CSS to the flat Shashi informed me that a snake had been spotted in the river yesterday and that is why the crowd had formed (mind you I've seen more snakes in 4 months in India than in my 28 years in the US). I asked if it had been a snake the size of the one from Anaconda or something like that and he said he didn't know. Finally Shashi reluctantly broke down and told me that his curiosity got the best of him and after dropping me off he drove back to the river (45 minutes away), parked the car and got into the crowd. After a 1/2 hour staring into the river he asked what everyone was looking at and was informed that a snake had been spotted in the river. He then proceeded to spend another 1/2 hour staring at the river to no avail for the snake to surface. The snake never did.

I laughed so hard at Shashi telling me this story because it reminded me of another life lesson I've heard here in India: if you go to a market, spit on the ground and stare at it, within minutes a crowd will join and stare at it with you!