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Fearing disruptions in business during the peak Diwali season, traders have urged Rahul Gandhi to defer the INDIA bloc's November 1 rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan until after Bhai Dooj. Since he has avowed that he isn't "anti-business" but "anti-monopoly", the Leader of the Opposition may not disappoint the merchants of Delhi 6 and nearby areas.

Humouring the request could also help the Congress leader extend his vacation a bit. But if Gandhi decides to return to work on time - and there is no protest rally either - then what should he do? One of the options is to gain firsthand experience of the lanes, bylanes and sublanes of Chandni Chowk. The LoP would need a minimum of over a week to get a rough idea of the locality. Going around the marketplace will help him understand why the traders have asked for the postponement of the Opposition show of strength.

The labyrinthine crush of sellers, hawkers, vendors, shoppers, pedestrians, food lovers, pushcarts, cycle rickshaws, bikers and even idlers could be an epiphany - the shopkeeper isn't satisfied with daily sales as he contrasts his cashbox with the crowd; the buyer never feels the pain of spending because, by the end of the day, the body is so weary that one can think of nothing but rest; and the champions of wheels are just as much philosophers as they navigate through narrow passages, convinced they are on freeways. The idlers are always poetic.


This organised chaos also conveys a political message - never lose sight of the target despite pulls, pressures and obstacles, and there is order within disorder too.