Bengaluru rain leaves auto driver drenched, passenger's kind gesture goes viral
As Bengaluru witnessed unprecedented rainfall on April 29, Priyanka was travelling in an auto from JP Nagar to Koramangala when sudden showers lashed the city.
A Bengaluru auto driver was delighted after a passenger gave him a T-shirt as he got drenched during a ride amid heavy downpour in the city earlier this week.
As Bengaluru witnessed unprecedented rainfall on April 29, Priyanka was travelling in an auto from JP Nagar to Koramangala when sudden showers lashed the city. She documented the journey in a video on Instagram explaining that the weather was clear when she booked the auto, but it began drizzling soon after before quickly turning into a heavy shower.
The autorickshaw had no protective covers, leaving both Priyanka and the driver soaked within minutes.
Despite the situation, she said that the driver remained considerate, repeatedly checking if she was comfortable. “I could see he was feeling bad that I was getting drenched,” she said, adding that she reassured him since she was heading home.
As the rain intensified, she asked the driver if he was feeling cold. He replied with a smile, “Lag rahi hai, kya kar sakte hain madam (I do feel cold, what can we do, madam)?” What stood out to her was his sense of responsibility. “Madam, aapka request accept kar liya thaa, isliye nahi ruk paaye, nahi toh auto kahin khada kar deta main (Madam, I had accepted your ride request, so I couldn’t stop, otherwise I would have parked the auto somewhere),” he said, explaining that he chose not to halt the ride after accepting her booking.
The driver, who said he lives in Banashankari, added that he would continue working despite getting drenched. Moved by his situation, Priyanka decided to help. Before ending the ride, she asked him to wait and brought him a T-shirt. “The moment I gave him the T-shirt, his smile said everything,” she said.
Speaking about the experience, she wrote, “Sometimes, humanity is just about noticing someone’s discomfort and doing whatever little you can.”
Watch the video here:
The intense showers, triggered by a strong pre-monsoon thunderstorm, brought parts of Bengaluru to a standstill. Heavy rain accompanied by hail was reported in central areas, with ice pellets accumulating on roads in localities such as MG Road, Trinity Circle and near the Mahatma Gandhi Road Metro station, leading to waterlogging and traffic disruptions.
The Bengaluru auto driver’s video, meanwhile, has resonated widely online, highlighting a small but meaningful act of kindness in the middle of a chaotic day.