Mindless pusuit of happiness

India is probably a country of extremities. On one hand we have so many people going hungry, impoverished and poor people all around. And on the other, we have these super rich, who waste money like there is no tomorrow. What else can one call people who dole out lakhs of money to get a particular number plate for their car? This is probably the most pettiest of the petty material pursuits of those who want to constantly announce to the world that they have arrived. Maybe more than social status is reeks of deeply embedded insecurities.

This year was the first time ever that the Govt auctioned single digit number plates which hitherto were reserved only for politicians. So the most coveted of these single digit numbers – 0001, was sold for a whopping Rs.12.5 lakh and it was bought by the MD of a listed, UP sugar mill, Dwarikesh Sugar. The base price was fixed at Rs.lakh and he paid 150% more. The other most sought after number plate was 0009 and it got a price of Rs.8.25 lakh v/s base price of Rs.3 lakh. The third most expensive was 0005 – sold for Rs.3.5 lakh.

So why does someone pay so much, sometimes more than the price of the car itself for car number plates. The most obvious reason – to announce when they are on the roads, maneuvering and jostling their way through auto’s, buses, cycles, scooters and scores of cars, that a VIP is in the car. Really? Apart from satiating their own ego, does anyone notice these numbers? And the VIP has to use the same road as the auto and scooter, right? So what is the point of making this announcement?

Another big reason is superstition. In a country which recently took giant strides into Mars, we are prone to superstitions. A particular number become a purpose as though the whole life depends on it. Thus numerological compulsions, the ‘lucky’ factor are also what make most spend such astronomical money on number plates.

This is perfect for Registration & Licensing Authority (RLA), which plans to make maximum use of this superstition, aiming to raise Rs.10-20 crore for e-auction of fancy number plates.  At least someone will gain positively from this mindless pursuit.