India, April 17 -- It's said that beggars can't be choosers, but going by recent experiences, I beg to differ.

Begging is no more a simple act of seeking alms. It's become a craft that requires a skill set of persuasion, communication and dogged determination. Beggars have evolved with time. They are experts in reading body language and ascertaining the paying capacity of their targets. Their means and methods of extracting money out of the pockets of people have undergone a sea change, too.

Earlier, I would keep a handful of coins in the car dashboard to ward off frequent alms-seekers who knocked on the window at traffic signals. With the advent of UPI, coins have almost dried up and I've begun keeping packets of biscuits to distribute...