THE WORLD OF ASHRA AND WASTA

Muhammad El Desouki is first a friend and then a translator. He is a lawyer by training but now a supervisor in an entertainment firm. He has been my eyes and ears and nose during this short visit to Egypt. He is originally from Cairo and knows this place like the back of his palm.

Here in its ‘Haraahs’(the bylanes) he has grown up playing ‘Korah’(football) and drinking coffee in its innumerable coffee shops. He loves Cairo and you can see it in his eyes.

“There is life here. People have a heart and we still have a lot of time to love and laugh.” I get the drift. He has seen many new roads come up every year. From a handful of public buses, ten years ago, now hundreds plying to different parts of the state. He has watched in dismay unplanned towns gobble up the rich agricultural lands in Kyrdsa and Giza. And loved the way others like Naser City and the 6th Oct have expanded and developed .

He looked wistfully over the Nile and the many people walking lazily on the Cornice and gave a deep sigh, “How I love this place!”


“Show me your license young man,” a policeman walked up and thrust his head through the window the Toyota mini van.
“Come on quick show me your National I Card”
“But I am not driving so I am not carrying one. The driver has his.”
“Ma-yinfa’sh...,” (It won’t work) growled the man in uniform.
“I have a ten pound, will that do?”
“Mashe.” (Okay)


The matter was resolved in seconds. We were once again enjoying the balmy breeze of the Nile and glittering lights bedecking the many barges and cruise boats, beckoning curious tourist to take a ride along the Nile.

“That was quick. Is this common here?” I couldn’t help asking Muhammad even at the cost of making him feel a little uncomfortable. This was one ugly side of his beloved Cairo. I assured him I knew how it felt. India was so much like Cairo in every way.

“Fuloos (money) and wasta (contacts) can make a lot of difference here. It is a shame but it is true. It is quite rampant in Cairo,” he said with a heavy heart.

To this Shreyes added, "Even if some documents are missing the driver has to prouduce the mandatory 'ASHRA GENIEH' (the bribe money) - that is most important piece paper in these parts."

"Are we not encouraging it by giving in so easily?"

“It is matter of debate. Sometimes it can cost much less if stops at fuloos.”

“ Hmm! I know what you mean. It is no different in India.”

“Ofcourse not. We are very different!"
" Well... What do you mean?"

"Don’t forget our national passion is football while yours is cricket.”

Now that’s a huge difference. We burst out laughing.