Carwash, on a Song

Shibani Kashyap can sparkle the wheels as well as she can hold on to a note, never mind the fog

A hosepipe is not a good idea on a cold January morning. So it was something of a surprise when singer Shibani Kashyap turned up bright and willing to wash cars at a petrol pump in New Delhi even as the morning fog hung on.

Shibani comes bravely geared up in beige knee-length boots and a leather overcoat of the same colour, not really the get-up for washing cars. But the misfit ends there. She looks quite the pro as she gets her hands on a brown Honda City with a not-so-clean washcloth. Next to go, the soap water sponge.

8220;I used to clean my own car when I was living in the UK so this is pretty similar to that,8221; Shibani says, quite enjoying her task now. It takes her 20 minutes to scrub the entire car before she hits the hosepipe to splash some water. 8220;As a child, I used to snatch the hosepipe from my grandfather while he8217;d be washing his car, it8217;s so much fun.8221;

The chatter goes on as she picks up a piece of cloth to clean the car dry. Then, the wipers click into action on the windscreen.

Not a speck of dust left on the sparkling car, Shibani is more-than-ready for a bigger challenge 8212; a car so muddy, it is tough to tell the colour. The driver had left the Scorpio at the petrol pump for an automatic wash but Shibani decides to wash it manually instead. This time, she starts with the hosepipe, washing the mud off. Then she scrubs clean the car with a sponge and washes off the foamy water with the hosepipe.

The mud is so badly stuck on the car tyres that Shibani takes about half an hour, struggling to get it off. 8220;Ye hum kar lenge We8217;ll do this,8221; offers a man working at the station but Shibani would like to do it herself. A few minutes later, the tyres are as clean as new and Shibani is done washing cars.

Putting away the washcloth and patting her overcoat, she packs up for the day: 8220;I8217;m not self conscious at all, the whole experience was a lot of fun. But,8221; she adds, 8220;there8217;s nothing like washing your own car, it8217;s like your baby and it8217;s a different experience altogether8221;.