The filth inside the air conditioner in the bedroom.
Recently, the appliances in our home required a spate of repairs. It all started with the washing machine, which stopped spinning. This was followed by the router for the wireless Internet, which refused to connect. Then came the lamp and the chandelier in the living room. My attempts to change the light bulbs (which all just happened to blow not long after each other) had caused wires to become dislodged. This was followed up by the air conditioner in the bedroom. It made a clanking noise and ground to a halt one day.
My tension level rose considerably. I’d heard plenty of unfavourable stories about repairmen in Mumbai. Particularly, it taking weeks to get them to turn up. Therefore, I prepared myself for the worst.
Surprisingly, the outcome was nothing like I expected.
The washing machine repairman turned up the same day that he was called. He had the washing machine going again in less than 10 minutes. A screw had come loose. His services were free, as the machine was still under warranty. I no longer had the purchase receipt though, so he made the date of purchase up.
We’re on very familiar terms with the computer technician, and he came promptly as well. The router had to be taken away, but it was returned in working condition the following day. Cost — 200 rupees.
The electrician proved to be a little more troublesome. He took a few days to make an appearance. This was despite my husband’s best efforts to round him up from the small shop below our building. The first night, he went off on another job. The second night, he claimed there was no one else to mind the shop. The third time my husband paid him a visit, he was laughing. “What, you think I’m coming here for fun?”, my husband growled at him. He arrived at the flat 10 minutes later. His fee to fix the lights — only 20 rupees.
It was the air conditioner repairmen that pleased me most of all though. The situation initially didn’t get off to a good start, when my husband called the number listed on the air conditioner’s service directory. “We no longer repair air conditioners”, they told him. Hmmm.
So, last night, my husband and I returned to the store where we bought the air conditioner. Yes, they would send repairmen to look at it within two to three days. Not even a day later, this afternoon two repairmen arrived at our door (along with the new neighbours, who demanded that I come into their flat meet yet another family member. As if that was possible, when I had two repairmen on my hands!).
The repairmen pulled the air conditioner out of the wall and lifted the top off it. We all looked down in horror. Especially me. The unit was filled with pigeon feathers and other items of pigeon related filth, which had fallen through the grill.
Pigeon feathers and other filth from the air conditioner.
It’s no secret that there’s not much love between me and the resident kabootars (pigeons). They vigorously and repetitively mate and breed, right outside the bedroom window. They also camp out on the air conditioner. I’ve tried everything to discourage them. This includes spraying them with water (from a high powered water gun, more commonly used for celebrating the Holi festival), and smashing their eggs. Nothing works.
My disgust was palpable. So was the repairmen’s amusement. They proceeded to very diligently clean the air conditioner. It started to work again! I was overjoyed. Even more so when they went to the trouble of sweeping the floor. But the best bit? A purchase date was again made up and written on the service form, so it didn’t matter that the air conditioner was a few months out of warranty. The repairs were free.
What a relief for India to “kindly adjust” in my favour. I couldn’t be happier! Although the pigeons are another story. They’d better not show their faces around here for a while.
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Sharell, I’ve had almost uniformly good experiences with repair technicians also. At the moment I’m in the midst of a more stereotypical one, where I’m waiting for days for the fridge guy to show up. He came on Wednesday and whatever he did made things worse so that the fridge doesn’t cool at all. The service center today assured me that the technician would be here before 8 pm today. It’s now after 9 pm. AARRGGGHHH!! Thank goodness we have a second, smaller fridge as backup, or I don’t know what we’d do!
Good luck with the pigeons. We tried putting spiky nails on one ledge to prevent them from sitting there, but they just built their nest on top of the spikes!
Glad to hear that someone else has had positive experiences too! I’m really starting to love and appreciate how most things in India can be repaired so quickly and easily. That fridge guy sounds like an absolute nightmare though. It’s probably really hot in Delhi at the moment too, so a fridge is very important. Really hope it gets fixed soon. Do give us an update!
Nothing seems to stop the pigeons.
Our neighbours tried running wire through their external window grills to stop them from getting through, but that didn’t work either. They still got through, and then couldn’t get out again. Mumbai is infested with pigeons, they breed faster than rabbits!
Ever tried having a plumber over?…. this species is almost extinct.
Nope, no plumber needed here yet (although we did have to get one in Varkala Kerala — one of my western friends refused to stop using toilet paper and completely clogged the system up.
). Fingers crossed we won’t need one again.
What funny about this whole story is that the fact that the demanding neighbour come over in the middle of this without any disreagards to what you are doing.
Hi Sharell, first time commenter here. I’ve been enjoying your blog for a few days now. I love reading about your life in Mumbai. Especially about the Hindu festivals and getting on with the locals.
I am in a similar situation to you, but I live in Japan with my Japanese husband. Although things seem to be somewhat tamer here, there is always something that surprises me.
Keep up the blogging!
Interessant!
christina v – yep, that’s exactly the situation. The neighbours have no regard for what I’m doing at all, which is why I get so irritated with them!! I’m sure they wouldn’t leave two repairmen alone in their flat, so why expect me to do it!! Grrr.
Shufuinjapan – welcome! I’m glad you like the blog.
Your blog about being a Japanese housewife looks interesting too.
It’s always a pleasant surprise when India conspires to work WITH you.
Hey Sharell
“A purchase date was again made up and written on the service form, so it didn’t matter that the air conditioner was a few months out of warranty”
Again u see the “informality” that i talked about came into the picture….and u loved it.
It gives me immense pleasure when people have good experiences in India and Vice Versa.
Ronny, yes, I’m slowly starting to wake up to the benefits of informality, but have trouble believing that things can operate like this! Back home I would’ve had to show the purchase receipt, and filled out warranty card — or pay the cost of having it fixed. Here, sab chalta hai. It will take a while for me to accept that it’s possible. I’m too used to rules, regulations, and processes.
great!..Sharell surprising to knowyour computer technician costed so less! does he own a shop etc? I would have imagined a higher charge surely for router problem..but yes india at times can surprise with good service (rare)
I think the computer technician that came was an employee of the shop — there’s quite a few guys in the shop. There mustn’t have been much wrong with the router I guess. But I’ve always found the service from that shop to be reasonably priced and really good. Maybe because we go to them for help so often!
Hey Sharell!!!
Long time no talk to! It’s be CRAAAZY busy here….and I haven’t had an opportunity to post ONE little blog on my site…but I take time to read other’s just to remain a little sane.
I have an idea for you….take some crazy glue (or whatever other industrial strength glue you can find) and glue some nails pointy side UP on top of the outside of your air conditioner unit.
Works like a chaaaaarm here for the outside units! Muahahahahhaha!
Sharell,
“and smashing their eggs”
You broke the pigeon’s eggs :O !!! No relax, its not illegal coz the ubiquitous kabutar is not endangered or any such thing like that but don’t you think it was a little harsh? We Indians are used to sharing our living space with all kinds of animals and while most people I know wouldn’t call themselves animal lovers, none of them would willfully harm an animal, least of all an inoffensive one like a pigeon. A lady I know who is usually so anti animals in her attitude was so mortified when by mistake she broke a couple of lizard eggs that she couldn’t eat that day. The concept of reincarnation is very deeply ingrained in most of us. Our departed ancestors can (if you go by our mythological stories) reincarnate as practically any animal. Crow, monkey, goose, cow, dog and so on.
Well I guess that’s one more think you’ll get used to, living here.
Arjun
Hi Arjun! I’m definitely going to have to disagree with you on this one. It was a last resort action after trying unsuccessfully to chase them away and stop them from breeding. I’ve had to resort to smashing their eggs numerous times now (but I always make sure I do it straight away before the baby has a chance to form. Just like eating a chicken egg really!) because they are out of control with their breeding. They continually hatch two at a time, with no gap in between. Some of the babies have even turned out deformed. The pigeons have taken over the apartment building. Their nest is right outside my bedroom window where my desk is, and all day there is a row of pigeons mating, fighting, and preening. They have destroyed my flowers and driven me insane with their mating noise. Not to mention their roosting on the air conditioner caused it to break down — the repair men found the inside filled with pigeon feathers and other mess that had fallen through the grill. I’m an animal and bird lover (we even kept pigeons at home when I was growing up), but to be honest, I’ve never felt so much dislike for a living creature in my whole life!!
These pigeons are definitely not inoffensive.
Hi Sharrell, to each his own. I myself don’t confess to any particular affection for the Indian Rock Pigeon (Columba livia). They are everywhere, they poop everywhere, their noises are irritating, their eggs, nests and feathers are everywhere and yes they have no control over their breeding. You can say the same for human beings too. Anyway killing them is not going to reduce their population all it will do is desensitise you. The only option is to get used to them as most Indians have. Anyway, I thought this fake news article was quite funny.
http://www.fakingnews.com/2009/07/mps-express-concern-over-pigeons-making-love-in-public/
best/// Arjun
Hahahaha. That article is too funny. Especially:
Thanks for brightening my day!
Isn’t getting used to the kabootars desensitizing myself? And besides, I’m definitely not killing them. It would be like saying people who eat eggs are killing chickens! I’m engaging in proactive preventative breeding measures, so that will definitely reduce their population. Two pigeon eggs broken = two less pigeons. If I have any doubt that the baby may have started to form properly in the eggs, I am humane enough to leave the eggs there. There are so many other places the pigeons could go to breed, hopefully they will get the message they and their filth are not welcome on my balcony!
Ha ha ha, Sharrell, I can see you must have had a career in advertising “proactive preventative breeding measures”. This is classic advertese. Actually breaking their eggs will only prompt them to breed again. The same reason why killing street dogs in the past has not helped reduce the population.
Anyway all the best for your war.///Arjun
All i can think of doing is to smile
U r really lucky dat u got da appliances repaired so fast & at pretty reasonable rates!Here,wenever an appliance stops working,we are prepared 2 stay widout it for a week atleast-dats da tym most technicians take 2 cm & repair ur stuff.Inspite of repeatedly calling dem,visiting der shops,pleading wid dem,dey dnt budge at all until dey wish 2.The worst thing bout da repairmen here r dat dey keep chewing pan & spitting here & der,even wen dey see a dustbin,dey wil nt spit der.Pan stains r one of da most irritable stains which tk a lot of tym n effort 2 cm off.Dats y wenevr smtyn stops workin in r houz,I & my hubby go insane-less bcoz of da appliance not workin & more bcz of da repairmen!
Why dont u try plastic bird nets?Dey r quite effective I’m told.A friend of mine used dem & surprisingly got chutkara frm da kabootars!
buy a small plastic owl or falcon and perch that on your air conditioner, just outside where pigeons can see and ever day move it around. they will recognize its shape to be a predator and stay clear as long as you keep moving it every day so they wont get used to it in one place.. doesn’t take much of a move just a few inches and turn it a bit once a day