It was a usual evening in a MBA course. Suddenly you hear a day off. I was in no mood to try studying the whole day and I thought of different ways of spending the day. I made my mind to go to Pollachi, my second home. My uncle’s house was at Thenkumarapalayam a beautiful village around 15 kilometers from Pollachi. The first bus to the village was around 4:45 in the morning. I reached the place by 3:15 which was real early.
Like before I watched the busy activity at the Bus stand. There were news paper agents trying to segregate newspapers for different place. It was a Sunday so they had to even take care of the supplementary sheets. Many a time at BIM I have seen people throw their other frustrations at the paper boy. The news paper agents had to ensure that their boys are safe from the Elite class of people who sit and read news paper without even think how it reaches them.
Growing population is reflected by the activity that you can see in many of these public spaces. You have limited bus service for the number of people who travel. As soon as you see the sight of bus coming into the bus stand you can see the bus being mobbed by the people waiting to find a place for themselves inside the bus. “Kursi khi moh kiskho nahi”. Everybody likes to have a seat in this country. You actually try to avoid seeing the sight as you would feel if someone will get hurt trying to find a place to sit inside the bus.
This is not the only instant when I would want the people to be safe. While traveling on a bus every time I see someone putting their hand or head outside the window inadvertently I have asked them not to. Not everyone listens to you, so I generally take up a seat in the left hand side so that I even I avoid seeing someone do that against a roaring truck or a bus from the opposite side. It is not just with people I don’t know.
Once I asked my friend not to stand close to the edge of the platform and I certainly knew what would be response (“JC I have traveled by train before and I can look after myself “) but I couldn’t stop.
At last I got the bus at 5:10 and reached home by 6 am.
Traveling has given me time and opportunity to think and reflect on lot of things. It is during travel I find I spend a lot of time with my self. Some people go to sleep; others read a book while traveling. If with people I enjoy their company or else I am in deep thoughts while looking at the scenic beauty. It was during this time I think I started to think a lot of issues which I would have left unnoticed. I would think where I was heading to and what I would do? (Not in the literal sense!)
It is no exaggeration if I say that I have traveled to all corners of India. There are certain things you need to experience to feel the real essence. Like what it means to say - India is Diverse. The real meaning of this three worded sentence is best understood if you have experienced the different people, the places and not to forget the food.
There are cities like Mumbai which creates a fear in you of getting lost. (For those who are new to the city). There are many friends of mine who are absolutely in love with the city. I was moving from one platform to another carrying my big luggage that a local metro train reached the platform. I found a big human wave sweeping the foot over (over bridge). I felt that I would get lost in a city like Mumbai.
There have been other places where you would love the tranquility you get with the settings you find yourself. Nashik and Darjeeling were such places. If you had a choice you would want a home in places like these. Kerala for that matter would amaze you the greenery. So many beaches and waterfalls but still it doesn’t bore you.
During a commissioning assignment I had to visit a place called Jeypore. (No typo error, it is a place in Orissa Koraput district and not the Pink city). The district has been identified as one of the most backward districts in the country. The company was so generous that we were made to stay at the best hotel in the area which wasn’t that good. I would never forget the Dosa I ate there. A Dosa which was half baked with some smell of Fermented barley. Never did I try a south Indian dish again. But yeah the parathas that were available on the roadside were amazing.
I would remember Calcutta for its rasgollas, beautiful ladies and Kali temple; Delhi for its wide roads, old buildings and the bazaars; Bangalore for just one reason, it hosts a lot of my friends.
I have always liked the village side for its lush green fields and the friendly people.
It is during the travel that you get to meet people. Every time I traveled in train there would be nice cute kid in our bogie. Once from Chennai to Calcutta and the other from Mumbai to Bangalore through the Western Ghats- I discovered my passion for photography during these travels. The pictures I tool during my Darjeeling trips were a big hit. If not for my philanthropic assistance to my friends I would have made good money had I sold those pictures at school.
Things are different now. I like to drive my Bullet for long distances. My three months new Bullet has already taken a ride from Chennai to Trichy (330 Kms) and to and fro ride to Madurai (from Trichy 280 Kms in all). I just love the machine. Last few weeks we have been touring the temples nearby. History, cultural heritage, language and temples are so much to do with each other. India with so much of places to offer (heritage sites), big coast lines punctuate with so many beaches India attracts tourist lesser than the tiny SriLanka. Guess the B School grads should look at this as an opportunity and make a business plan.
Traveling, biking, photography really goes with my passion of being connected with people, nature and India.
I have seen his movies... Primal Fear, The unfaithful, Pretty Woman
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