dis 's a vry intrstng pst. a vry dmb 1 actly. i's so disgst'd wid d use of d sms lingo dat i decidd2 wrt d post
evry tym i gt a fwd on ma mob, i hate it... bt tis k. tis nly sms
bt sm ppl use it in nrml wrtng 2. in bks, psts, emails, etc. cnt evn rd wht the hel 's writn in it. wts wrng in ppl wrting it prprly? is it dat painfl? wht the hel d'yu thnk u hv achvd in wrtng in dat stupd way? u thnk its smrt? wel, tis nt smrt, tis luks ugly.
whts d urgncy? a few xtra wrds and ltrs wnt kil u! u gng 2 bg plcs, 2 cmpns, 2 univs, bt ur eng 's bd, vry bd. i wndr hw ppl ll evr rd ur writng, wht'd dey thnk f u?
dis wrtng styl stinx. tis d wrst. nr do ppl tel wot dey wnt 2, nr do d rders gt wot's wrtn. so, d whl purpus f hvng a lang's dstryd. tis lyk graffiti on d wls in strts, nw in bks, emails, nd oder plcs lyk nwkng syts...fcbk, orkt wateva u nam it.
d bst wy of gvng info 2 oders is via wrtn way. so, 1 mst hv gd enuf skls 2 wrt prprly. so dat, ppl cn ndrstnd wot u r tryng 2 sy, nly den it '' b gd.
the 21st century one letter wonders :-
k
s
u
r
n
d
v
y?
m
>1 letter wonder(why) :-
ll
hz
grl
gyz
wot
lyf
wot
dis
stf
dey
wru
and many more
this post has taken me more time to type out than what would've taken me to put up a post in my normal style of thrice the length!
Gosh. i'm finding it difficult to type with proper spelling after just 15 minutes of scribbling like this!
Well, English, wherever you are, your days are being counted
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Destination Nagpur
In the past four months, I changed from a stay-put rock, that didn’t even roll (let alone gather any moss) to a traveller beyond (my) imagination! Not like I was on a weekend tour of some spot, but had something or the other to do, somewhere! After trips from Madras to Coimbatore to Neyveli to Coimbatore to Madras to Coimbatore to Karur to Coimbatore to Madras to Nagpur to Coimbatore to Madras in 6 weeks, it is now time for another trip!
Nagpur! This time, it’s the destination! I had to join the National Power Training Institute, Nagpur on the 16th of August. I had a two week break in Madras, where I enjoyed mom’s food, time with family at home, met some good friends, baked cookies, ate, slept till late, watched TV till TV got bored of me, movies on comp/theatre etc and some more etc.
Saturday, 14th Aug night, I had to start my journey to Nagpur, one of the places where I used to live more than a decade ago. I didn’t have a lot of packing to do, as most of the things from Coimbatore were coming along in the same bag to Nagpur as well. Clothes had to be washed, and ironed and put back in the bags. Nothing new, as such. Went to ‘Central, to board, what maybe my favourite train, TN express. The station was crowded, as usual. There were 15 trains starting in the next one hour or so, I believe. Huge TV screens and huger speakers on them were blaring announcements and advertisement. I had to pull my two luggage through the crowd, which always seemed to move in the direction opposite to my motion! My tall figure did help me find the safest path to move ahead, out pacing slow people, who would be walking on just the path which will prevent you from overtaking them with your two baggage. I reached the platform where stood my train. It’s a long train. First came to two or three general/unreserved compartments – overcrowded, yes. Then the AC ones –many of them. Then came the sleeper coaches. (I wanted AC coach, but got only Sleeper coach, as AC was already full... too little too late, I was). S1,2,3... finally, S7!
Lo and behold! I had to check again if it really was my coach, because the place had more people than in the unreserved compartment! My bay had a whole brood! And, (gulp) I had to travel in side-upper! And I came to my bay not willing to look behind to say sorry to the people over whom my luggage (trolley kind) had stamped over. “hey, it’s not my fault. You are the unwanted piece in here. If you want justice, get out and go find some room in the compartment meant for people without tickets!”. And I told to the man in my place to move away, as it’s my place. He moved a bit, giving me enough place to sit. Then I asked him to move his legs away, so I can put my luggage in place. He said “ok boy, put one of your luggage here, we will put one of ours”. I was having none of it. “where would I put this? It’s my berth, I am using my place. So, if you can excuse me”. I don’t know if he did, but I wasn’t bothered. I had to put things in place before I got a headache due to this crowd! And I sat down there, waiting for the TTE to come with a tear gas (and me hypothetically wearing an oxygen mask :-P ). There were 13 people sitting in the space where 8 are allowed to. And there were a couple of little rascals on the upper berth too. Who were they? Mamta’s kin or what?
TTE arrived, told them “your ticket isn’t confirmed, you can’t stay here” to a few of them. One half had confirmed berths, other half stuck to them. Oh God! Sleepless night, I thought to myself! But soon enough, I fell asleep, thanks to the train, and my berth position that made the train’s motion rock the “cradle” I was sleeping in.
Dawned 15th Aug, Independence Day #63 for India! Proud to be an Indian!
Independent India turned 63, meaning I turn 22! It was 1 am on my watch, and I checked my mobile phone – I had received calls and messages from family and friends. And before I could blink, my family called again and wished me. I couldn’t reply to the sms, as my mobile got completely screwed up, and would obey only at 1 pm or so! (apologies for the late replies). And I slept again, got up at 7 pr so in the morning, and just peeked below my berth – 5 people already sitting there! Gosh! How am I going to get down??? And the pantry-men were already making calls for breakfast and tea! Even if I try to not listen to them, my tummy could listen. Ah well, it’s my berth! It’s my day! Off I hopped from the berth, like a stick insect unfolding and stretching itself before a jump, and went off to get myself refreshed for the new day! Chased away the little nutcases who transcended the borders and crept into MY territory. Ahh... its always nice to have some space for yourself. TEA! Err...tea flavoured water... hmmm. Now, something to eat? Bread cutlet it was. I liked it, and good for me, it didn’t upset my tummy later in the journey.
The weather was nice. I travelled the same route I did a month ago. This time, it was even better. Clouds, and a bit of drizzle. The only part I didn’t like in this journey, was that my phone was getting very poor reception all throughout the journey. Many couldn’t reach me, I couldn’t reach many. I did receive sms, but couldn’t reply back. And sms were charged as much as the calls. One or two sms would get sent, the rest, I called and thanked for their wishes. Even customer care was busy, not reachable or inexistent on that day! Happy Independence Day!
The “crowd” split into smaller packages and fit into several other bays, and I got some room to breathe! Lunch came around the mid-day mark, and I ate fast. I didn’t want to fill my tummy full. I knew that I could treat myself better once at Nagpur. By 2 15 or so, the train was about to chug into the station, but pulled to a stop just before the station, probably waiting for a signal to move ahead. When it stopped, that instance, the compartment was filled with cool air. And there was a big thunderclap up in the skies (no rain though). I enjoyed the moment, while most others in the compartment were concentrating on lining up in front of the door to get down. The train stops at Nagpur for fifteen minutes. Even if I was blindfolded, legs and hands handcuffed, and dumped on to the upper birth of the bay right in the middle of the coach, I can easily come out within 15 minutes! Sigh! Its correct when they say, “patience is a virtue”. I had to resist the temptation of wanting to eat the hot samosas that a pantry vendor had in a basket right next to me. “five more minutes bagrat, you will be in the land of Haldiram’s “
In five minutes, I was in Nagpur. I got down, dragged my luggage out, and waited for the man from my hotel to pick me up and take me to the hotel. On my way, I was reminded again – it is Independence Day. And, my b’day. After taking a good bath I had a good lunch (Version 2). First time I had milagai (chillie) bajji! No, never in Madras. But...err.. this was the hot one! Lucky that I had ordered alu paratha. There was a cup of cold curd, and half of it went in, to extinguish my burning tongue (I can still feel a tinch of that). After I was done with the lunch, I went online, and facebook was filled with more of wishes, and I wished them back (thank you all, you all made my day). And then I went out to get a SIM card. The guy wanted some local ID proof, so, I couldn’t get. So? What next? What a question? A little twirl of the head, and there it was – Haldiram’s ! I just barged in and got myself a big box of sweets, and ate half of it minutes after entering the room. Cursing the cable operator for not telecasting ESPN for the big match, I was browsing through some random channels, enjoying bits and pieces of the movies shown on hindi TV channels, till each of them hit the most irritating part – commercial break! So, I was actually watching a new movie altogether. We sports buffs do not have patience during a break more than 1 minute long, in some cases, 2 minutes. But, God bless the operator, he brought in espn for ten sports, and I was enjoying the big match. My dad then reminded me of dinner. At half time, I ordered my dinner, and it came just in time for the second half – paratha, alu gobi, lemon soda! What a way to finish on my birthday!
It was a crowded journey, a jammed mobile, cool weather day, Independence Day, my birthday, a few big treats (all to myself) and a dream which was well chased. NPTI, I head to, on the Monday!
Nagpur! This time, it’s the destination! I had to join the National Power Training Institute, Nagpur on the 16th of August. I had a two week break in Madras, where I enjoyed mom’s food, time with family at home, met some good friends, baked cookies, ate, slept till late, watched TV till TV got bored of me, movies on comp/theatre etc and some more etc.
Saturday, 14th Aug night, I had to start my journey to Nagpur, one of the places where I used to live more than a decade ago. I didn’t have a lot of packing to do, as most of the things from Coimbatore were coming along in the same bag to Nagpur as well. Clothes had to be washed, and ironed and put back in the bags. Nothing new, as such. Went to ‘Central, to board, what maybe my favourite train, TN express. The station was crowded, as usual. There were 15 trains starting in the next one hour or so, I believe. Huge TV screens and huger speakers on them were blaring announcements and advertisement. I had to pull my two luggage through the crowd, which always seemed to move in the direction opposite to my motion! My tall figure did help me find the safest path to move ahead, out pacing slow people, who would be walking on just the path which will prevent you from overtaking them with your two baggage. I reached the platform where stood my train. It’s a long train. First came to two or three general/unreserved compartments – overcrowded, yes. Then the AC ones –many of them. Then came the sleeper coaches. (I wanted AC coach, but got only Sleeper coach, as AC was already full... too little too late, I was). S1,2,3... finally, S7!
Lo and behold! I had to check again if it really was my coach, because the place had more people than in the unreserved compartment! My bay had a whole brood! And, (gulp) I had to travel in side-upper! And I came to my bay not willing to look behind to say sorry to the people over whom my luggage (trolley kind) had stamped over. “hey, it’s not my fault. You are the unwanted piece in here. If you want justice, get out and go find some room in the compartment meant for people without tickets!”. And I told to the man in my place to move away, as it’s my place. He moved a bit, giving me enough place to sit. Then I asked him to move his legs away, so I can put my luggage in place. He said “ok boy, put one of your luggage here, we will put one of ours”. I was having none of it. “where would I put this? It’s my berth, I am using my place. So, if you can excuse me”. I don’t know if he did, but I wasn’t bothered. I had to put things in place before I got a headache due to this crowd! And I sat down there, waiting for the TTE to come with a tear gas (and me hypothetically wearing an oxygen mask :-P ). There were 13 people sitting in the space where 8 are allowed to. And there were a couple of little rascals on the upper berth too. Who were they? Mamta’s kin or what?
TTE arrived, told them “your ticket isn’t confirmed, you can’t stay here” to a few of them. One half had confirmed berths, other half stuck to them. Oh God! Sleepless night, I thought to myself! But soon enough, I fell asleep, thanks to the train, and my berth position that made the train’s motion rock the “cradle” I was sleeping in.
Dawned 15th Aug, Independence Day #63 for India! Proud to be an Indian!
Independent India turned 63, meaning I turn 22! It was 1 am on my watch, and I checked my mobile phone – I had received calls and messages from family and friends. And before I could blink, my family called again and wished me. I couldn’t reply to the sms, as my mobile got completely screwed up, and would obey only at 1 pm or so! (apologies for the late replies). And I slept again, got up at 7 pr so in the morning, and just peeked below my berth – 5 people already sitting there! Gosh! How am I going to get down??? And the pantry-men were already making calls for breakfast and tea! Even if I try to not listen to them, my tummy could listen. Ah well, it’s my berth! It’s my day! Off I hopped from the berth, like a stick insect unfolding and stretching itself before a jump, and went off to get myself refreshed for the new day! Chased away the little nutcases who transcended the borders and crept into MY territory. Ahh... its always nice to have some space for yourself. TEA! Err...tea flavoured water... hmmm. Now, something to eat? Bread cutlet it was. I liked it, and good for me, it didn’t upset my tummy later in the journey.
The weather was nice. I travelled the same route I did a month ago. This time, it was even better. Clouds, and a bit of drizzle. The only part I didn’t like in this journey, was that my phone was getting very poor reception all throughout the journey. Many couldn’t reach me, I couldn’t reach many. I did receive sms, but couldn’t reply back. And sms were charged as much as the calls. One or two sms would get sent, the rest, I called and thanked for their wishes. Even customer care was busy, not reachable or inexistent on that day! Happy Independence Day!
The “crowd” split into smaller packages and fit into several other bays, and I got some room to breathe! Lunch came around the mid-day mark, and I ate fast. I didn’t want to fill my tummy full. I knew that I could treat myself better once at Nagpur. By 2 15 or so, the train was about to chug into the station, but pulled to a stop just before the station, probably waiting for a signal to move ahead. When it stopped, that instance, the compartment was filled with cool air. And there was a big thunderclap up in the skies (no rain though). I enjoyed the moment, while most others in the compartment were concentrating on lining up in front of the door to get down. The train stops at Nagpur for fifteen minutes. Even if I was blindfolded, legs and hands handcuffed, and dumped on to the upper birth of the bay right in the middle of the coach, I can easily come out within 15 minutes! Sigh! Its correct when they say, “patience is a virtue”. I had to resist the temptation of wanting to eat the hot samosas that a pantry vendor had in a basket right next to me. “five more minutes bagrat, you will be in the land of Haldiram’s “
In five minutes, I was in Nagpur. I got down, dragged my luggage out, and waited for the man from my hotel to pick me up and take me to the hotel. On my way, I was reminded again – it is Independence Day. And, my b’day. After taking a good bath I had a good lunch (Version 2). First time I had milagai (chillie) bajji! No, never in Madras. But...err.. this was the hot one! Lucky that I had ordered alu paratha. There was a cup of cold curd, and half of it went in, to extinguish my burning tongue (I can still feel a tinch of that). After I was done with the lunch, I went online, and facebook was filled with more of wishes, and I wished them back (thank you all, you all made my day). And then I went out to get a SIM card. The guy wanted some local ID proof, so, I couldn’t get. So? What next? What a question? A little twirl of the head, and there it was – Haldiram’s ! I just barged in and got myself a big box of sweets, and ate half of it minutes after entering the room. Cursing the cable operator for not telecasting ESPN for the big match, I was browsing through some random channels, enjoying bits and pieces of the movies shown on hindi TV channels, till each of them hit the most irritating part – commercial break! So, I was actually watching a new movie altogether. We sports buffs do not have patience during a break more than 1 minute long, in some cases, 2 minutes. But, God bless the operator, he brought in espn for ten sports, and I was enjoying the big match. My dad then reminded me of dinner. At half time, I ordered my dinner, and it came just in time for the second half – paratha, alu gobi, lemon soda! What a way to finish on my birthday!
It was a crowded journey, a jammed mobile, cool weather day, Independence Day, my birthday, a few big treats (all to myself) and a dream which was well chased. NPTI, I head to, on the Monday!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Those Seven Weeks
Fresh from college,
corporate is where I was going to.
Vacations had ended forever,
or so I thought it must have been.
13 hours of an elongated journey,
with a lot of expectancy,
I stepped into my new home,
the weather all so very drizzly.
Hills, trees, green and green,
clouds to “cap” them all.
As cool as it can be,
my working environment was as good as it can be.
New faces, new seniors,
I had to meet.
So many accents under a roof,
even Tamil spoke Malayalam (and vice versa)
Attendance a must,
swipe the card or bite the dust.
Training in AC halls,
oh God, this must be fun!
I thought college was done,
but the tests brought back memories.
So many faces familiar,
reminded of (college) pals, and more and more memories.
Breakfast and lunch,
perfect to put you to sleep.
Lectures were tackled,
with closed eyes and minds, and snores.
Coffee(/tea) break now and then,
Vending machine was a trouble every “then”.
Tea bag in the cup, Coffee it dripped in...
Imagine the concoction, I couldn’t drain it in.
Smiles and wishes aplenty,
always brightened the day.
Cultural barriers wherever present,
We all broke through them.
“Inch” by “inch” knowledge was built,
after each session, half of which was lost.
Tools and rules came many,
notes I wrote, heed I didn’t pay any .
Subjects were alien,
trainers very friendly.
My project group ,
filled with gems of every good like.
Fun filled batch it sure was,
fun, fun, fun, all the time!
Bhaai, sis, hero, tau, dada, et al..
one little happy family my batch was.
Project deadlines didn’t matter much,
the bus to be caught had higher priority!
cleanest of routes,
peacock to airplanes sidelined it in turns...
Local transport, always fun,
green coloured Rs 7 ticket filled my wallet.
Always thirsty when trodding back,
1 litre water bottles filled my room.
4 weekends I spent away,
3 I spent in the city.
and in thise 3- Movies, friends, eat-outs,
I wish weekends were many!
New people, different people,
I met them many.
All taught me something,
none of which I will ever forget!
New friends came thick and fast,
all I did was grasp them all.
It was fun being one amongst them,
miss them one, miss them all (pls stay in touch... I know you will)
The clock had to tick,
the Earth had to spin.
There was a dream,
I had to chase.
With all those good days,
now behind my back.
I have to write,
my life’s next chapter.
As I wait for the next phase,
I am reminded of those 7 weeks.
As good as they were,
memories I always hope to relive.
Cbe, Cbe.
To all my pals at Coimbatore :-
Adieu, folks. Thanks for the wonderful memories we all had together! Hoping to see you all sometime, somewhere, somehow. Take care!
( - comments and suggestions welcome - )
corporate is where I was going to.
Vacations had ended forever,
or so I thought it must have been.
13 hours of an elongated journey,
with a lot of expectancy,
I stepped into my new home,
the weather all so very drizzly.
Hills, trees, green and green,
clouds to “cap” them all.
As cool as it can be,
my working environment was as good as it can be.
New faces, new seniors,
I had to meet.
So many accents under a roof,
even Tamil spoke Malayalam (and vice versa)
Attendance a must,
swipe the card or bite the dust.
Training in AC halls,
oh God, this must be fun!
I thought college was done,
but the tests brought back memories.
So many faces familiar,
reminded of (college) pals, and more and more memories.
Breakfast and lunch,
perfect to put you to sleep.
Lectures were tackled,
with closed eyes and minds, and snores.
Coffee(/tea) break now and then,
Vending machine was a trouble every “then”.
Tea bag in the cup, Coffee it dripped in...
Imagine the concoction, I couldn’t drain it in.
Smiles and wishes aplenty,
always brightened the day.
Cultural barriers wherever present,
We all broke through them.
“Inch” by “inch” knowledge was built,
after each session, half of which was lost.
Tools and rules came many,
notes I wrote, heed I didn’t pay any .
Subjects were alien,
trainers very friendly.
My project group ,
filled with gems of every good like.
Fun filled batch it sure was,
fun, fun, fun, all the time!
Bhaai, sis, hero, tau, dada, et al..
one little happy family my batch was.
Project deadlines didn’t matter much,
the bus to be caught had higher priority!
cleanest of routes,
peacock to airplanes sidelined it in turns...
Local transport, always fun,
green coloured Rs 7 ticket filled my wallet.
Always thirsty when trodding back,
1 litre water bottles filled my room.
4 weekends I spent away,
3 I spent in the city.
and in thise 3- Movies, friends, eat-outs,
I wish weekends were many!
New people, different people,
I met them many.
All taught me something,
none of which I will ever forget!
New friends came thick and fast,
all I did was grasp them all.
It was fun being one amongst them,
miss them one, miss them all (pls stay in touch... I know you will)
The clock had to tick,
the Earth had to spin.
There was a dream,
I had to chase.
With all those good days,
now behind my back.
I have to write,
my life’s next chapter.
As I wait for the next phase,
I am reminded of those 7 weeks.
As good as they were,
memories I always hope to relive.
Cbe, Cbe.
To all my pals at Coimbatore :-
Adieu, folks. Thanks for the wonderful memories we all had together! Hoping to see you all sometime, somewhere, somehow. Take care!
( - comments and suggestions welcome - )
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Sunday + Aug 1st = friendly memories
It was Sunday, the first of August, 1999, when I arrived at the city of Madras (Chennai, if you must) and then on I officially became a south Indian (the location was the only missing criteria) and have been so till date! Seven years of schooling in Madras, and four years of UG in Tiruchchirapalli have now gone past me. Today, in the streets of Coimbatore, where I was traveling in bus I noticed a placard, an advertisement outside a store - "August 1st - Friendship Day cards available". And all those memories from 11 years down the tunnel of life sprang up in a jiffy.
I remember, my uncle came to pick us up early in the morning from the railway station, the traditional "Central". The previous day was a rainy day, I suppose, the streets were wet and it was overcast. My parents were very happy to be back in the South, this time for a "longer-than-vacation" duration, permanency! By Wednesday, my sister and I got admission into a school (which was already 2 months into the academic term) and from Thursday onwards, we were attending the classes! So, like within 10 days I had made the transition from studying in a north Indian school to a south Indian school, and believe me, you don't want me to list out the differences. In about a month of so, I had made some good friends, made up for the lost studies (lucky, I came just after an exam...couldn't have been ready to face an exam as soon as I enter, can I? ) and improved my Tamil (Appu, remember "Avaadi"? :-P ). It did take me some three to four years to bring it to tolerable limits, but that one month was enough for people to accept me as a Tamilian ;-) .
Tomorrow will be Sunday, the first of August, 2010! The first Sunday of August is celebrated as Friendship Day, all across the world (I guess). Its what I figured out 11 years ago and confirmed it as the years went past by, never bothering to check the record books for instant clarification. Friendship... How shall I define it? Should I define it? It'll be a disgrace to someone's friendship to bring it within the bounds of a definition. One presents abundant care, kindness, love and affection put together in an infinitely sized nutshell named friendship! Each one has his/her own way to express it, and develop it.
Having been to four schools and college in my little life, I know that friendship is a divine state which can only be enjoyed from within. How I enjoy the company of my pals, you will never understand or feel and nor can I do the same about yours. But what I (/you/we) can appreciate is the bonding that happens sub-consciously! And, most of these bonds are not going to be broken, (sans some sad exceptions) come what may. Even if you are not in touch, don't worry, the friendship is not going to take a hit. I have seen this through my very eyes. My dad and his school-friends have been out of touch for 30 whole years, and when there was a re-union of their batch, he somehow got the contact numbers of his classmates, his best pals. You won't believe how much they remember about those good old days! They can visualize it all. I understood friendship that day! Time and distance are no factors! Origin and language are no barriers! Looks and brains are no catalysts! Its just the communication your heart makes with your friends'.
This is an oxymoron, but I hope you saw the truth in it. The four years at college exposed me to people from more than 15 cultures. People of all kinds mingled like dust in the wind (no reference to the classic, here) and a few particles stuck onto me. After four years of college, I have friends, some of whom I met on the fist day of college, in my second year of college, in the third year, and even in the last semester... And all of them came into my life because we share something in common. Or, supplement something, and make the friend's life seem more complete. Yes, without my friends, my life is incomplete.
Even at work, as if the corporate culture and multinational inter-culture can make any difference to my heart, I made so many friends that I am overwhelmed by the warmth I receive in the chilling cold workplaces every single day. The guys on the bus, the warm smile as soon as I get down, the numerous waves of hand and "good morning"s from myriad people, the talkative gup-shups not withstanding the lectures and sessions, eat-outs... Who said man (/woman) forgets his (/her) childhood (read as - college/school life) when he (/she) enters corporate life? Do you even know how just a smile can get you a friend? I know, I have. And the friends help me sustain the smile. I just pray the smile I give them all never fades.
To all my friends, wherever you may be :-
Wish You All A Very Happy Friendship Day!
I enjoy(ed) your company whenever and wherever I had it, and I (will) miss you all whenever I am away from you. I am sure our friendship will last a lifetime! Thank You, All!
With a broad genuine smile,
P Bharathram
I remember, my uncle came to pick us up early in the morning from the railway station, the traditional "Central". The previous day was a rainy day, I suppose, the streets were wet and it was overcast. My parents were very happy to be back in the South, this time for a "longer-than-vacation" duration, permanency! By Wednesday, my sister and I got admission into a school (which was already 2 months into the academic term) and from Thursday onwards, we were attending the classes! So, like within 10 days I had made the transition from studying in a north Indian school to a south Indian school, and believe me, you don't want me to list out the differences. In about a month of so, I had made some good friends, made up for the lost studies (lucky, I came just after an exam...couldn't have been ready to face an exam as soon as I enter, can I? ) and improved my Tamil (Appu, remember "Avaadi"? :-P ). It did take me some three to four years to bring it to tolerable limits, but that one month was enough for people to accept me as a Tamilian ;-) .
Tomorrow will be Sunday, the first of August, 2010! The first Sunday of August is celebrated as Friendship Day, all across the world (I guess). Its what I figured out 11 years ago and confirmed it as the years went past by, never bothering to check the record books for instant clarification. Friendship... How shall I define it? Should I define it? It'll be a disgrace to someone's friendship to bring it within the bounds of a definition. One presents abundant care, kindness, love and affection put together in an infinitely sized nutshell named friendship! Each one has his/her own way to express it, and develop it.
Having been to four schools and college in my little life, I know that friendship is a divine state which can only be enjoyed from within. How I enjoy the company of my pals, you will never understand or feel and nor can I do the same about yours. But what I (/you/we) can appreciate is the bonding that happens sub-consciously! And, most of these bonds are not going to be broken, (sans some sad exceptions) come what may. Even if you are not in touch, don't worry, the friendship is not going to take a hit. I have seen this through my very eyes. My dad and his school-friends have been out of touch for 30 whole years, and when there was a re-union of their batch, he somehow got the contact numbers of his classmates, his best pals. You won't believe how much they remember about those good old days! They can visualize it all. I understood friendship that day! Time and distance are no factors! Origin and language are no barriers! Looks and brains are no catalysts! Its just the communication your heart makes with your friends'.
"Every one is unique, just like everyone else"
This is an oxymoron, but I hope you saw the truth in it. The four years at college exposed me to people from more than 15 cultures. People of all kinds mingled like dust in the wind (no reference to the classic, here) and a few particles stuck onto me. After four years of college, I have friends, some of whom I met on the fist day of college, in my second year of college, in the third year, and even in the last semester... And all of them came into my life because we share something in common. Or, supplement something, and make the friend's life seem more complete. Yes, without my friends, my life is incomplete.
Even at work, as if the corporate culture and multinational inter-culture can make any difference to my heart, I made so many friends that I am overwhelmed by the warmth I receive in the chilling cold workplaces every single day. The guys on the bus, the warm smile as soon as I get down, the numerous waves of hand and "good morning"s from myriad people, the talkative gup-shups not withstanding the lectures and sessions, eat-outs... Who said man (/woman) forgets his (/her) childhood (read as - college/school life) when he (/she) enters corporate life? Do you even know how just a smile can get you a friend? I know, I have. And the friends help me sustain the smile. I just pray the smile I give them all never fades.
To all my friends, wherever you may be :-
Wish You All A Very Happy Friendship Day!
I enjoy(ed) your company whenever and wherever I had it, and I (will) miss you all whenever I am away from you. I am sure our friendship will last a lifetime! Thank You, All!
With a broad genuine smile,
P Bharathram
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Dream.Chase.Realise.
The invariable mark of a dream is to see it come true.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every soul must dream. For, thats the only way You are going to realise what You want! For eleven years, I was carrying a want, that became a dream as the years went past by. And then came another "dream", the seeds of which were sown some 8 years ago. I couldn't have asked for a time that could mix the realization of the two dreams, peppered with nostalgia and served with happiness :-)
My family shifted to the South from the good ol' North (India) in 1999. I reached Madras on the 1st of August, a Sunday, the Friendship day. Since then, I've not been further North than Thirupathi till this past December. I used to miss the good old days when I used to board the same train - the Tamil Nadu Express, either at Nagpur (around 1.30 pm - 2 pm) or at Delhi/Hazrat-Nizamuddin and enjoy the rolicking ride down South. Especially the last two of those years when I was near Delhi... The little but old(est) ranges in the central India will leave you in amazement. I still remember, as a kid, I would enjoy the time in the afternoon when the train reaches one station near the foothills, and gets an additional engine to supply the extra workforce to drive the train through the tough terrain. Then for 30 or 60 or 90 for God-Knows-How-Many-Minutes, the train would go through tunnels, and cliffs and around the hills, just like the motion of a snake on a tree. From atop a hill, it was fun to spot another train some miles away, lower down the hill, traversing the same track. WOW! Some memories do not get erased, do they?
Well, after coming to college, I was even more wanting to get on a trip all the way to Delhi and return the same night on the very same train - "TN". It never materialized. Late in 2009, after 10 years, 4 months, 23 days, I did go on a trip up north, to the West Bengal, but that doesn't satisfy me. I just had to go on MY route!!!
Towards the end of my college life, I did have a special liking to the power sector, an interest that developed over the years since childhood, but, paid attention only in the recent past (read, 8th std onwards :-P ). And there it was - a ticket to power sector, waiting for me, behind the veils of an exam of unknown level of "toughness". I had no choice but to take it, having little luck with my attempts at the two power sector companies that visited my college. This had to be it, make it, or wait, and make it, or wait again and make it... I was so sure there was no "break it" in here. I just had to put my efforts in and make them count. After all, you have to chase the dream you built, else it'll leave you forever.
So, here I was, standing with a happy-go-lucky rank in the exam! Well, I was one step away from laying my hands on the power I let slip, err, I slipped, rather...not my mistake I missed it. Nevertheless, I was here, sniffing success, and about to munch it between my jaws. And right on top of it was the destination - Nagpur, the sweet old home of mine, so long ago, 13 yrs ago, the same old lovely, largely dry, but lovely all the same, Orange City of Nagpur. i had to be in Nagpur for the counselling. And yes, yes, yes, I got my ticket booked in the same old "TN Exp"!
After a tight day at Madras, where I had to wash a suitcase full of clothes and repack them and then start to the station for the journey, it was a pleasant trip to look forward to. A downpour signaled the train's departure from the station, and pretty soon I was defending my lower berth I didn't want to let go off to anyone. Very much unlike me (as you would've read in my previous post) I clung on to my lower berth like it was "my precious" and successfully slept the night in the (made to believe) cosy berth. Early in the morning, I think it was Warangal, when I woke up in time for my breakfast. The whole route was cloudy, and a la Coimbatore, not wanting to rain! Lovely, without doubt! My camera was burning in my suitcase, but I considered it wise not to take it out...I have to "dig" it out from the suitcase, actually, and it wasn't going to be worth all that drama, knowing that I had to set things right once again once done!
Soon, I was falling asleep once in a while (conducive weather, you see) and the tamil-only people opposite to me would wake me up to ask me what station it was stationed at, and which state it is in. After around 11 or so, there were a series of coal mines and half the place was black with coal. Large coal mines or debris could be seen in many places. And pretty soon it was Maharashtra, and I received a welcome message from my mobile service provider, which I didn't receive when I entered Andhra. It just felt like someone was welcoming me home. I had a quick lunch, it arrived quite late, and my subconscious tummy was wanting my mouth to push things faster. So, before I knew, my lunch was done and was all geared up to get down at the heart of Indian Railways. After bidding my tamil fellow travellers a goodbye (they were heading to Delhi), I hopped out of the train onto the busy station and walked out of the familiar (oooooh) station and suddenly found the place unfamiliar... where did the overbridge come from? What is that multi-storey building doing there? Oh yeah, dumb me! Its been 13 yrs, not 13 months! One gentleman whom I thought was waiting for his relative at the station, suddenly turned to me and said "Auto, sahab?" . And then, recovering from my daze, I told him the name of the hotel I booked and I was there in about ten minutes of the ride, that took me through the streets of the busy shopping hub Sitabur(l)di of Nagpur. Nothing, nothing has changed here. People flock in HUGE numbers here too, and more and more and more shops of myriad varieties are bound to woo you to buy stuffs which you might not have felt the need for a minute or two earlier. Its almost impossible to be in the place for an hour and just "window shop".
I checked into my "could've been better" hotel and without moaning much about it, took a bath and turned on the TV and learnt that India vs Sri Lanka episode number 8346524576545129918723987984's 2nd day was washed out due to rain. I felt Murali chose the wrong test to retire... Sigh... I couldn't stay put in the room for long, could I? I went straight down to the receptionist and asked him " Where is the closest Haldiram's ?". He replied "go down the street, turn right, its at the next road-junction. Just five minutes walk". With a big "thanks", I handed over the large brass keychain and jogged onto the streets, like its the route I have been walking day in day out for years! I had a sense of belonging to this place... Five minutes, yes, and there it was - Haldiram's , Sitaburdi! A two storeyed building, air-conditioned, uniformed work-force, ice creams, restaurant! This is far better than what it was... Wait a minute, where do I get chaat stuffs? A worker pointed to the first floor. It doesn't take me more that a few leaps (at 6'+ ) to reach the first floor and there was my order - Papri Chaat! And it was there, in 5 minutes! And I don't remember what happened for the next fifteen minutes, but I was lost in some awesome mix of taste and satisfaction, a feel of getting to something which you always wanted. I was in the taste capital of the Indian savories industry and treating myself to one of the best ever delicacies to fill your mouth with (hey you! yes, you! stop licking the screen... where is your hand-kerchief?)! And with the satisfaction of a rattlesnake which devoured a rabbit, I lazily came downstairs and looked at the fifty or so number of sweets. Amazed! People just came in and went out, like as if this is a grocer's. Mannnnnnnnnnn!!! how do you select? How does a tourist get his share of worth in such a little time? I settled for some laddus and a couple of other goodies (censored, to stop you from dehydratig :-P ). Then, I was off to explore a little bit more, to tell the truth - to burn the calories I put up till now from over the journey :-P . Well, whatever it was, it was going to get replenished pretty soon, because I-Spied the city's best veg restaurant, Neivedhyam within striking distance. I didn't have to go any further, I just returned to my room and said - 8:45, I know where to head to! And gobbled two or three of those ghee-wet laddus! hmmm... yummmmm...and, to cherish the taste, I am going to gobble one of them now, the one I brought all the way along with me. hold on folks... (3 minutes later)... aaaahhhhhhhhhhh. Muhahahahahaha! :-P . Its just as good as good can get :-)
So, my dinner - Neyvedhyam - butter naans and alu-gobi! My goodness! This was my best dinner since the dinner I had in a dhaba in the streets of Shimla in '98! Not for nothing are they the best veg restaurant in the city! With a tummy resembling a pot, I somehow carried myself to my room and reminded myself of the primary purpose of the trip!
And the purpose was solved, the dream was realised, and I did get my admission into the National Power Training Institute- Nagpur at around 11 am, 7 hours before I expected! Well, it was a joyous occasion! It was, like I said, a dream come true :-) . From "where do I eat my lunch" to " c'mon, lets celebrate", the change in moods was evident on my face, a wide smile, which took some time to come off. And pretty soon I was back in my room, and was telling the good news to family and all my well-wishers. And yes, the Indians bowlers were enjoying a good spell at that time, or so they seemed. After a while, I went out to Haldiram's yet again to celebrate - No pav bhaji yet, said the man behind the counter :-( . Papri chat, once more, and some fried rice please! (PS: fried rice ain't good there). Papri chat was once again the culprit in sweeping me off the floor for a few minutes!
I returned to my hotel room and planned my evening - eat at Haldiram's, eat Pav bhaji at haldiram's and buy goodies for home and the friends back in CBE! And in the evening, it was a plan well executed. I bought assorted varieties of sweets, so, my pals can nourish the goodness encapsulated in the little sweets! And then was the exercise we all have to do before we leave - pack. Space management! You never know how good your spatial mathematics is until you try to fit an elephant in your suitcase! You know, if you push that box a little to the left, and put that book in the outer flap and turn that set of clothes on its sides, you can find enough space to play snooker! All packed, all set, time to check out and leave the place! The smiling receptionist arranged for my trip to the station. It was late in the night and was raining, so, it was kind of him to do so. I reached the station some half an hour before the scheduled arrival of the train. And, not surprisingly, the train was delayed by half an hour and the lady on the mike was "sorry for any inconvenience caused". Well, we are used to this inconvenience, so we didn't mind :-P .
In the one hour time-window, I noticed how busy the station was. A train would arrive/depart/start/terminate at Nagpur every five-ten minutes. You can see people flooding the platforms every now and then. Vendors would carry their portable stalls on their shoulders over the over-bridge and rush to the platform where the new train is about to arrive. I pity those fellows, its almost 24x7 for them! Just 3 minutes before the arrival of my train, the train which was on that very platform departed, giving and impression that my train would be further delayed. But nope, my train was just behind this one, but it was creeping into the station, literally. I could've knelt and been faster on my kneels! It took five minutes of the period called "forever" for it to reach the station and after allowing the crowd mixed with kids and youths and middle-aged to pensioners, I boarded my coach the last. After a minute of making the people in my bay realise that I have a berth in my name, and it wasn't any of their five, I pushed my baggage under the seat, chained them and went to the (sigh) upper berth and slept.
In the morning, I realised two things - One, this train, which actually covers 50 hours of travel overall (mine was only half of it) DOESN'T HAVE A PANTRY CAR!!! And I was waiting forever for my breakfast, and ended up eating samosa, which neither my taste buds, nor my tummy appreciated! Two, my bay consisted of 8 more people on the five other berths - two couples, an old lady and 3 kids! Sheeesh, the kids! my my my! I was like, please, bring me to some station, I am hungry (I had a tea, I don't think even I can make tea as bad as that) and I want to sleep! Soon enough came Vijayawada (I think) and I bought myself a good hot meal and finished it even before the ones in my bay could settle on what to buy! Hunger... Drank half a bottle of water, waited for the train to start and then went to my berth and dozed off! Next thing I knew, it was about 3 30 or so. I got down and was sitting there, chatting with the dad of two of the three kids... Learnt they were going to Thirupathi and that they had little idea about South India!
After Thirupathi, I was free! No one else (almost) in my bay for the rest of my journey! And Coimbatore was scheduled to be reached at 1 15 am, so, long time to go from the 5 45 that was on the clock at Thirupathi! I ate a little more there, and then went to sleep, then was chatting with a fellow passenger (railways worker) for some time till he got down at the station, which was the first one inside the TamilNadu limits on the route. Then I went off to sleep furthermore and woke up for good at Erode. Coimbatore was just 2 hours from here and I was in no mood to risk a miss. I wanted to be awake and window gazing was not a bad idea. the cool night air blew across my face as I blankly looked into the dark world, glittering in patches of street lights. And in about 1:50 hrs, it was there, finally... Coimbatore! the very place I had left some four nights ago. But, this time, it was much eerie, silent, empty. An auto ride in the cool environment (28.4 degree Celcius) took me to my room, and the nostalgic watch on my left read "1.45 am". I informed my parents who were both awake around that time, so all could sleep with ease now.
But I was not done yet, I badly wanted to see the way Pakistani bowlers thrashed the Australian line up! Unable to find a downloadable highlights package, i settled to allow the webpage buffer the highlight and thought of watching it in the morning. I had informed my parents to wake me up in the morning. I didn't want to miss my bus to office (just 5 hours away). Well then, it was time to sleep. I kissed my admission letter and then put it back safe inside and within a second or two, I was asleep!
The best trip I've had in the decade! Two dreams coming true at the same time, at/to one of the finest locations I could recollect.
Well then, all I can say is, chase your dreams, whatever it may be, and I'm pretty sure you will reach it one day!
--comments, suggestions, views welcome :-) --
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Every soul must dream. For, thats the only way You are going to realise what You want! For eleven years, I was carrying a want, that became a dream as the years went past by. And then came another "dream", the seeds of which were sown some 8 years ago. I couldn't have asked for a time that could mix the realization of the two dreams, peppered with nostalgia and served with happiness :-)
My family shifted to the South from the good ol' North (India) in 1999. I reached Madras on the 1st of August, a Sunday, the Friendship day. Since then, I've not been further North than Thirupathi till this past December. I used to miss the good old days when I used to board the same train - the Tamil Nadu Express, either at Nagpur (around 1.30 pm - 2 pm) or at Delhi/Hazrat-Nizamuddin and enjoy the rolicking ride down South. Especially the last two of those years when I was near Delhi... The little but old(est) ranges in the central India will leave you in amazement. I still remember, as a kid, I would enjoy the time in the afternoon when the train reaches one station near the foothills, and gets an additional engine to supply the extra workforce to drive the train through the tough terrain. Then for 30 or 60 or 90 for God-Knows-How-Many-Minutes, the train would go through tunnels, and cliffs and around the hills, just like the motion of a snake on a tree. From atop a hill, it was fun to spot another train some miles away, lower down the hill, traversing the same track. WOW! Some memories do not get erased, do they?
Well, after coming to college, I was even more wanting to get on a trip all the way to Delhi and return the same night on the very same train - "TN". It never materialized. Late in 2009, after 10 years, 4 months, 23 days, I did go on a trip up north, to the West Bengal, but that doesn't satisfy me. I just had to go on MY route!!!
Towards the end of my college life, I did have a special liking to the power sector, an interest that developed over the years since childhood, but, paid attention only in the recent past (read, 8th std onwards :-P ). And there it was - a ticket to power sector, waiting for me, behind the veils of an exam of unknown level of "toughness". I had no choice but to take it, having little luck with my attempts at the two power sector companies that visited my college. This had to be it, make it, or wait, and make it, or wait again and make it... I was so sure there was no "break it" in here. I just had to put my efforts in and make them count. After all, you have to chase the dream you built, else it'll leave you forever.
So, here I was, standing with a happy-go-lucky rank in the exam! Well, I was one step away from laying my hands on the power I let slip, err, I slipped, rather...not my mistake I missed it. Nevertheless, I was here, sniffing success, and about to munch it between my jaws. And right on top of it was the destination - Nagpur, the sweet old home of mine, so long ago, 13 yrs ago, the same old lovely, largely dry, but lovely all the same, Orange City of Nagpur. i had to be in Nagpur for the counselling. And yes, yes, yes, I got my ticket booked in the same old "TN Exp"!
After a tight day at Madras, where I had to wash a suitcase full of clothes and repack them and then start to the station for the journey, it was a pleasant trip to look forward to. A downpour signaled the train's departure from the station, and pretty soon I was defending my lower berth I didn't want to let go off to anyone. Very much unlike me (as you would've read in my previous post) I clung on to my lower berth like it was "my precious" and successfully slept the night in the (made to believe) cosy berth. Early in the morning, I think it was Warangal, when I woke up in time for my breakfast. The whole route was cloudy, and a la Coimbatore, not wanting to rain! Lovely, without doubt! My camera was burning in my suitcase, but I considered it wise not to take it out...I have to "dig" it out from the suitcase, actually, and it wasn't going to be worth all that drama, knowing that I had to set things right once again once done!
Soon, I was falling asleep once in a while (conducive weather, you see) and the tamil-only people opposite to me would wake me up to ask me what station it was stationed at, and which state it is in. After around 11 or so, there were a series of coal mines and half the place was black with coal. Large coal mines or debris could be seen in many places. And pretty soon it was Maharashtra, and I received a welcome message from my mobile service provider, which I didn't receive when I entered Andhra. It just felt like someone was welcoming me home. I had a quick lunch, it arrived quite late, and my subconscious tummy was wanting my mouth to push things faster. So, before I knew, my lunch was done and was all geared up to get down at the heart of Indian Railways. After bidding my tamil fellow travellers a goodbye (they were heading to Delhi), I hopped out of the train onto the busy station and walked out of the familiar (oooooh) station and suddenly found the place unfamiliar... where did the overbridge come from? What is that multi-storey building doing there? Oh yeah, dumb me! Its been 13 yrs, not 13 months! One gentleman whom I thought was waiting for his relative at the station, suddenly turned to me and said "Auto, sahab?" . And then, recovering from my daze, I told him the name of the hotel I booked and I was there in about ten minutes of the ride, that took me through the streets of the busy shopping hub Sitabur(l)di of Nagpur. Nothing, nothing has changed here. People flock in HUGE numbers here too, and more and more and more shops of myriad varieties are bound to woo you to buy stuffs which you might not have felt the need for a minute or two earlier. Its almost impossible to be in the place for an hour and just "window shop".
I checked into my "could've been better" hotel and without moaning much about it, took a bath and turned on the TV and learnt that India vs Sri Lanka episode number 8346524576545129918723987984's 2nd day was washed out due to rain. I felt Murali chose the wrong test to retire... Sigh... I couldn't stay put in the room for long, could I? I went straight down to the receptionist and asked him " Where is the closest Haldiram's ?". He replied "go down the street, turn right, its at the next road-junction. Just five minutes walk". With a big "thanks", I handed over the large brass keychain and jogged onto the streets, like its the route I have been walking day in day out for years! I had a sense of belonging to this place... Five minutes, yes, and there it was - Haldiram's , Sitaburdi! A two storeyed building, air-conditioned, uniformed work-force, ice creams, restaurant! This is far better than what it was... Wait a minute, where do I get chaat stuffs? A worker pointed to the first floor. It doesn't take me more that a few leaps (at 6'+ ) to reach the first floor and there was my order - Papri Chaat! And it was there, in 5 minutes! And I don't remember what happened for the next fifteen minutes, but I was lost in some awesome mix of taste and satisfaction, a feel of getting to something which you always wanted. I was in the taste capital of the Indian savories industry and treating myself to one of the best ever delicacies to fill your mouth with (hey you! yes, you! stop licking the screen... where is your hand-kerchief?)! And with the satisfaction of a rattlesnake which devoured a rabbit, I lazily came downstairs and looked at the fifty or so number of sweets. Amazed! People just came in and went out, like as if this is a grocer's. Mannnnnnnnnnn!!! how do you select? How does a tourist get his share of worth in such a little time? I settled for some laddus and a couple of other goodies (censored, to stop you from dehydratig :-P ). Then, I was off to explore a little bit more, to tell the truth - to burn the calories I put up till now from over the journey :-P . Well, whatever it was, it was going to get replenished pretty soon, because I-Spied the city's best veg restaurant, Neivedhyam within striking distance. I didn't have to go any further, I just returned to my room and said - 8:45, I know where to head to! And gobbled two or three of those ghee-wet laddus! hmmm... yummmmm...and, to cherish the taste, I am going to gobble one of them now, the one I brought all the way along with me. hold on folks... (3 minutes later)... aaaahhhhhhhhhhh. Muhahahahahaha! :-P . Its just as good as good can get :-)
So, my dinner - Neyvedhyam - butter naans and alu-gobi! My goodness! This was my best dinner since the dinner I had in a dhaba in the streets of Shimla in '98! Not for nothing are they the best veg restaurant in the city! With a tummy resembling a pot, I somehow carried myself to my room and reminded myself of the primary purpose of the trip!
And the purpose was solved, the dream was realised, and I did get my admission into the National Power Training Institute- Nagpur at around 11 am, 7 hours before I expected! Well, it was a joyous occasion! It was, like I said, a dream come true :-) . From "where do I eat my lunch" to " c'mon, lets celebrate", the change in moods was evident on my face, a wide smile, which took some time to come off. And pretty soon I was back in my room, and was telling the good news to family and all my well-wishers. And yes, the Indians bowlers were enjoying a good spell at that time, or so they seemed. After a while, I went out to Haldiram's yet again to celebrate - No pav bhaji yet, said the man behind the counter :-( . Papri chat, once more, and some fried rice please! (PS: fried rice ain't good there). Papri chat was once again the culprit in sweeping me off the floor for a few minutes!
I returned to my hotel room and planned my evening - eat at Haldiram's, eat Pav bhaji at haldiram's and buy goodies for home and the friends back in CBE! And in the evening, it was a plan well executed. I bought assorted varieties of sweets, so, my pals can nourish the goodness encapsulated in the little sweets! And then was the exercise we all have to do before we leave - pack. Space management! You never know how good your spatial mathematics is until you try to fit an elephant in your suitcase! You know, if you push that box a little to the left, and put that book in the outer flap and turn that set of clothes on its sides, you can find enough space to play snooker! All packed, all set, time to check out and leave the place! The smiling receptionist arranged for my trip to the station. It was late in the night and was raining, so, it was kind of him to do so. I reached the station some half an hour before the scheduled arrival of the train. And, not surprisingly, the train was delayed by half an hour and the lady on the mike was "sorry for any inconvenience caused". Well, we are used to this inconvenience, so we didn't mind :-P .
In the one hour time-window, I noticed how busy the station was. A train would arrive/depart/start/terminate at Nagpur every five-ten minutes. You can see people flooding the platforms every now and then. Vendors would carry their portable stalls on their shoulders over the over-bridge and rush to the platform where the new train is about to arrive. I pity those fellows, its almost 24x7 for them! Just 3 minutes before the arrival of my train, the train which was on that very platform departed, giving and impression that my train would be further delayed. But nope, my train was just behind this one, but it was creeping into the station, literally. I could've knelt and been faster on my kneels! It took five minutes of the period called "forever" for it to reach the station and after allowing the crowd mixed with kids and youths and middle-aged to pensioners, I boarded my coach the last. After a minute of making the people in my bay realise that I have a berth in my name, and it wasn't any of their five, I pushed my baggage under the seat, chained them and went to the (sigh) upper berth and slept.
In the morning, I realised two things - One, this train, which actually covers 50 hours of travel overall (mine was only half of it) DOESN'T HAVE A PANTRY CAR!!! And I was waiting forever for my breakfast, and ended up eating samosa, which neither my taste buds, nor my tummy appreciated! Two, my bay consisted of 8 more people on the five other berths - two couples, an old lady and 3 kids! Sheeesh, the kids! my my my! I was like, please, bring me to some station, I am hungry (I had a tea, I don't think even I can make tea as bad as that) and I want to sleep! Soon enough came Vijayawada (I think) and I bought myself a good hot meal and finished it even before the ones in my bay could settle on what to buy! Hunger... Drank half a bottle of water, waited for the train to start and then went to my berth and dozed off! Next thing I knew, it was about 3 30 or so. I got down and was sitting there, chatting with the dad of two of the three kids... Learnt they were going to Thirupathi and that they had little idea about South India!
After Thirupathi, I was free! No one else (almost) in my bay for the rest of my journey! And Coimbatore was scheduled to be reached at 1 15 am, so, long time to go from the 5 45 that was on the clock at Thirupathi! I ate a little more there, and then went to sleep, then was chatting with a fellow passenger (railways worker) for some time till he got down at the station, which was the first one inside the TamilNadu limits on the route. Then I went off to sleep furthermore and woke up for good at Erode. Coimbatore was just 2 hours from here and I was in no mood to risk a miss. I wanted to be awake and window gazing was not a bad idea. the cool night air blew across my face as I blankly looked into the dark world, glittering in patches of street lights. And in about 1:50 hrs, it was there, finally... Coimbatore! the very place I had left some four nights ago. But, this time, it was much eerie, silent, empty. An auto ride in the cool environment (28.4 degree Celcius) took me to my room, and the nostalgic watch on my left read "1.45 am". I informed my parents who were both awake around that time, so all could sleep with ease now.
But I was not done yet, I badly wanted to see the way Pakistani bowlers thrashed the Australian line up! Unable to find a downloadable highlights package, i settled to allow the webpage buffer the highlight and thought of watching it in the morning. I had informed my parents to wake me up in the morning. I didn't want to miss my bus to office (just 5 hours away). Well then, it was time to sleep. I kissed my admission letter and then put it back safe inside and within a second or two, I was asleep!
The best trip I've had in the decade! Two dreams coming true at the same time, at/to one of the finest locations I could recollect.
Well then, all I can say is, chase your dreams, whatever it may be, and I'm pretty sure you will reach it one day!
--comments, suggestions, views welcome :-) --
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