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Tumse milkar aisa laga - Parinda |
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I am back from a long trip to Rajasthan. It has been my sixth long trip in the past one-year. However, this has been the most different and mysterious of all. There were many moments during the trip that made me contemplate a lot on various things.
Don’t worry, I am no where on the path to gaining Nirvana!
#22nd Jan, 2004 to 24th Jan, 2004:
I shall start off with the two-day journey in the second-class compartment of Bangalore-Jaipur Express. I initially thought that I should have flown and then claimed LTA. But, I was wrong. I got to meet so many people. We formed a lovely family during the journey. There was a retired engineer from the Indian Air Force and his wife who were traveling to Jaipur to attend a marriage; both so kind and ready to share their rich experiences of life. There was a young ambitious businessman dealing in buying and selling of gold; going to Udaipur to meet his would-be wife. There was a smart, music-loving businessman dealing with electrical goods in Secunderabad; going to Jodhpur, his hometown. There was a carpenter who was carrying a huge dhabba of Fevicol and a suitcase. And surely everyone had something to say. Discussions beginning from the sweets of UP to IT of Bangalore and from business versus services to ghosts and love. Pata hi nahin chala ki do din kaise bheet gaye! We exchanged visiting cards and well wishes. By staying in Bangalore it becomes very difficult to come in contact with the real India. This two-day journey surely had a lot of teach me.
24th Jan, 2004:
I reached Jaipur in the morning and the day was booked for visiting places within the city. The Jantar Mantar and Mahals ofcourse fascinated me. But, the most fascinating thing is the Amer Fort. The mammoth structure has its own charm. And ofcourse the Jal Mahal with its beauty adorned with water on all sides.
In the evening I went to meet my dad’s colleague and friend. I had to give him some sandalwood pieces that are widely available in Bangalore.
Had a long evening-night stroll round the city. Once a person gets used to facilities and easy-availability of needs, it becomes very difficult for him/her to adjust in a place lacking or scarce in these. That’s what happened to me. I had to go in search of an ATM for long and also an Internet browsing center. Started contemplating on how much I have changed in the past six months in Bangalore – getting used to availability of facilities within arms-reach. It’s certainly good that India is very diverse; we get to see all things in all measures!
25th Jan, 2004:
Well, this day has been discussed a lot by Sheetal, Neha, Aparna and Richa. But, as S puts it, it’s tit-for-tat now! So, me too going to write about this day – the day when we had a small bloggers’ meet at Banasthali.
On my way to Banasthali, I stopped at a place called Niwai at 8:30am. There was some time left to board the bus from there, and so decided to have a cup of tea there at one of the roadside shops. This brought back my memories of college life, when we used to go at 2am for tea at the roadside shops outside our REC campus. Our favorite used to be tea and mixture (namkeen). There was a superstition in our hostel that if we eat namkeen at Veenu’s roadside shop, then our exams would go well. Well, I don’t know whether its good to be superstitious on namkeens or not, but all my exams during engineering did go well! Infact, the namkeem became so famous that many articles and photographs in our college magazine were based on this!
The bus then went through a long road stretching across the BV campus. I could experience the calm, serene environment (though the gals claim that its not calm inside hostels…obvious!). I got down and my first glance made me feel that I am in midst of a studious ‘beautiful’ (pun intended) environment with girls of all ages carrying books in hand and walking. I went to a small girl who was busy sketching some thing on a chart paper. I asked her where was the nearest intercom. And to my surprise she asked me to pose for her painting if she told me the way to the phone booth! Well, yehi cheez baaki reh gayee thi mere liye! Luckily I saw the phone myself and called up N. N’s voice sounded as if her excitement would pour out of the receiver! I waited sitting under a huge tree, for the lazy gals. My first opinion of the environment was like this is a place stretching for thousands of miles, very calm and occasionally some people moving across. But, it wasn’t as dull as I thought because the gals had arrived. I could recognize Richa and Neha. And was introduced to Sheetal and Aparna. As it is said that the first impression is made in the first thirty seconds, I felt that S was the most cutest-sweetest person I had ever met. And I still hold that viewpoint.
We then moved on to the canteen (or market…whatever they would call it!) I ordered for the most-discussed burger! Well, the patented burger of BV isn’t that disgusting what the buddies claim! I liked it! It can surely be made a staple-food at BV!! We got N to sing a song.
And then started the campus-safari! Sitting on the steps along a poolside watching birds (the ones that have wings and beaks!) catching prey in the water – wow what a lovely sight it was! One can never get that calmness in a place like Bangalore! Though I had a lot to say but somehow let the buddies speak. They spoke of the typical college talks – “usne aisa kiya aur meine aisa kiya aur hostel me yeh hota hai aur classes mein yeh karte hai” kind of stuff! It feels so great to hear such things – the same things that I used to be engrossed in when at college. It makes me feel that life changes so fast – we tend to feel a lot more serious and responsible once starting to work, and thereby losing all the innocence and childishness we have within! R and N were exactly the same as I thought them to be. R is cool, talkative, kind and a bit emotional, while N is cool, a bit shararti, kind, and sweet. Appu, too a cute and typical masti-type gal. But S surprised me a lot. She speaks very sweet and is very sweetish cute – a person with whom you could sit and talk for hours.
Then came the turn to get back to the canteen. I had only a cold coffee. I guess the buddies are waiting to stuff me with pizzas and other eatables, next time! And then I was shown the computer science department. And then I left back to Jaipur by the 3pm bus.
I want to tell a huge ‘thanx’ for the lovely gifts you people gave me! And it’s a great pleasure meeting you people. We surely had a great day!
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