The thing about nostalgia, when associated with an object, is that it can imbue it with such sentiments that you no longer see it as inanimate. It becomes a living, breathing entity reminding you of the times you touched it, used it, or rode it. That's what the mention of Bajaj Chetak does to countless Indians for whom it wasn't just a scooter but a companion that tirelessly ferried them to office, the market, kids' school, or even far-off picnic spots, year after year, for over four decades.

The Ambassador was the ride of the babus and netas, and the Padmini or Maruti 800 was still a luxury for most households. But the Chetak embraced the Indian family of four with such ease that it inevitably became its fifth member.