Where you are called Local !!!

 

Who wouldn’t want to leave home?  At least at the age of 10 when your younger brother took a toy that you loved most, you decide to leave home. Or at the age of seventeen, you feel your parents are not agreeing to what you say, you feel like moving out so that you can live the way you want. In my case both these things happened but the reasons are different.

I was the elder son to my parents and as you know, in Indian culture the role of Elder son is very similar to the DC and marvel characters in Hollywood movies. So at the age of 10, when I received the admission offer for class 6 at Navodaya Vidyalaya, they were convinced of my intellectual powers and this was the time to say Adieu. I also accepted the offer as I felt away from home means more freedom. No early wakeup alarms or no pressure of studies. It is like jao simran, jee le apni zindagi offer. However, I was not aware of the Gurukul system until I reached the campus. It was like a timetable not only for the classes, but also for the entire day activities. Within 2 years, I said adieu to the system and came back home.

The next set of adventure of leaving home started 5 years later. This time it was in the form of engineering college hostel. In the earlier tenure, I did not have access to money and freedom, wherein the second one had those. First 3 years of Engineering, I was outside the classes than inside. Movies, Computer Games, Travel and if nothing, sleep full day in the room. Whenever I felt, all were present in the class, I silently walked out of class believing a perfect system is purely theoretical and it does not exist. Back to my DC/ marvel heroes, great power comes with great responsibilities. The 4 yrs of freedom had the responsibility of securing a decent job to survive, which made to the third adventure of leaving home, starting  in Mumbai- the city that never stops

The day I reached Thane Railways station, in Netravathy Express on a Diwali eve, my backpack was filled with polymer textbooks and expectations. I could have at least got rid of the former, if I did justice to my Engineering days. The change from village boy to a metro adult was quite difficult. As in the stories of DC/Marvel heroes here, the villain, who is my existential crisis- knew that I am the hero and I need to fight back. The initial days of Mumbai life was tough. Working 12 hrs per day for almost 7 days a week made me think whether I am staying in my 300 sqft one BHK with fellow colleagues or in the big shop floor filled with man, machines and rubber products. At one point, despite all these odds, I started to look at the brighter side. I enjoyed local train travels, had hangout with friends at Marine drive, ate tons of vada pav and pav bhaji, took trekking trips to outskirts of the city and so on. As the days passed by, the city started growing in me and I realized, you can take yourself out of Mumbai, but never Mumbai out of you.

6 years later, I moved to Bangalore. This time, it was not leaving home, but to build my own home. All these travels taught me something. It does not matter where you are born, where you are travelled or where you are currently in, it is all about where you are called local.

Also when you leave home, its all about leaving your comfort zone and exploring for new things.

However, with all the learning that I gained from my previous journeys, for sure, with the right companion I have today, I can leave home for another adventure any time.

Rain

“What's a rainy day without some delicious coffee-flavored loneliness?”

The above lines stole my attention while I was browsing through some of the pages in internet. I agree with the writer but there is lot more to do on a rainy day other than the company of a coffee flavored loneliness… 4^th June 2016 was one such day, the morning wind through the windows of S11 coach woke me up. The train was just crossing Ottappalam railway station. The hay hut and surrounding greenery on the banks of river Nila mesmerized and made me nostalgic.  Good to see Nila is half alive from the recent mid-summer rains. It was raining outside, slight drizzles giving the feel of rain in a very different way – rejuvenating. 

Actually my journey with rain started from previous day evening. I was at railway station and rain came from nowhere. In very little time it went from drizzle to downpour. The bright lamps at the station gave different color to the rain and it started dancing with the accompanying wind. They danced till all of us at the platform got drench. The bright light from an engine nearing the station reminded me of my journey. It’s time to move…

The book in my backpack also got a little flavor of rain. It was “Kunnolamundallo Bhoothakalakulir” by Deepa Nishanth. The latest tick mark I made in “goodreads” was yesterday on completion of this book.  Coincidentally the very first story from the book is also about rain.

The RE Bullet 350 in the garage was just waiting for me in the morning. As my 2 year old Sidhu says, the “du du du tata” is about to start. The rain from morning is still on, seems like it’s going to give me company for the journey.  The road is slightly slippery and I need to be cautious while driving the bike. My cousin joined me for the ride from an in between town.

We took a diversion from the highway towards villages where one can feel the real beauty of Kerala. Rain was along with us with its magical twists and turns.  In some points it reminded of the fast rhythm in Zakir Hussain’s Tabla concerts and in some it turn down as whispering voice to ears. The road was getting narrow and has paddy fields on both sides of it with water filled from the recent rains which gave a feeling of floating on the boundless layer of water.  In some routes, rain water was flowing on the roads which gave us a good wading ride with our RE 350. Rain has changed the landscape a lot. She has given rebirth to nature from the dry summer weather. The greenery is reborn which cherishes mind and soul. In the beginning of the journey itself, we decided not to take any photographs as it will spoil the numerous “wow” moments we were experiencing through. For us, eyes and mind are the best cameras and storage device.  Nothing else ever can match that. And this journey was really a visual treat.

The bike ride ended at the courtyard of a beautifully built house in a coastal village of Kerala. The sea was not visible from the house but still the roaring sound is audible. We met the author – Deepa Teacher – with a smiling face. We talked about the book, the background on writing them and a lot more. The rain was silent outside. A small drizzle, silently listening to what we were talking about. Meeting the author was a dream come true for me since I read her book two days back. Till yesterday evening at the railway station, I was not having any plan to chase the dream and meet teacher. But the heavy rains at the station reminded me about the first story from the book and I asked myself why can’t tomorrow I go and meet her. When I started from my home with my bike, I was having nothing with me except a “Name” to search for. So this time the Rain has conspired the plan and led me to this unknown address to meet a special person. 

The return journey was through the highway. This time rain was not there. I think her role of guiding us to the destination was over. Now it’s time to cherish the good memories had from the day. The different faces of rain, the countryside drive in the bike and moreover meeting a person whom you were spellbound about meeting since you read the book. Sometimes a lot more a rainy day can offer you other than the company of a coffee flavored loneliness… 

365 dayz.....

Yup, itz been one year since I started blogging… or in other words, for the last one year I was disturbing you people with my “new post in the blog” notification mail… it was on a quick decision I started this blog, was not at all thought of how to fill this page further… but later I enjoyed a lot on writing. Some were merely craps; some were up to the mark ones… still it was a nice experience for me to write “something”

On this time, I really miss my friend briju, who was a strong support for me to write something, constantly scrutinised all my posts and gave valuable corrections, which was really helpful for me to improvise myself. As an unfinished post, last month he left me alone in this world.  Even though he is not with me now… I can feel him, I can sense him…. Very near to me….

I thank all my friends who were with me from the very beginning, and had enough patience to go through all the posts here and made valuable comments to it. I will try my best in future also to keep you disturbed with my new post notifications…   stay tuned… till then  ranjith  signing of….. alvida….. ;)

mumbai local (part II)

It was a Saturday; I was heading towards UD for completing some office procedures of my viva. When I reached Kanjurmargh Station, it was already 15 mins to 12. The board near the counter said it will close at 12. Still I decided to try my luck and continued in the long queue. But for the bad luck I was not able to get the ticket before the counter got closed. Like the fellow passengers I tried to get some coupons instead of ticket for my travel and arranged it from a fellow passenger. The time punching machine was also not working so I used the date, time stamp to validate the coupons and continued my journey.

As I reached matunga station, I was welcomed by the Ticket checking staff. After checking my ticket he found out that the time stamp was of previous day so that I became a passenger without valid ticket. He asked me for fine of Rs 360. I got amazed, mistake was on both sides. First the railway hasn’t placed the proper date time stamp, second I haven’t checked the date before punching. So I was not at all ready to give fine for the partial mistake of mine. He guided me to the office and presented me to his senior. I explained the story but he was also not ready to accept the partial fault and asked me to pay the fine.  The situation was getting worse and he gave me an alternative of going to jail for not paying the fine. I told him that I am a student and currently not having enough money to pay the fine and opened my purse and shown him the id card from it. He took the purse from me and started searching for money in it. At that moment it came to my mind, there was Rs 500 note in my purse which is already kept in an open pocket of it which he can easily find and if he does, he will never spare me. Meanwhile the inspector saw the “bunch” of ATM cards in it and asked me to take money from nearby ATM counter and pay the fine. As the cards were of zero balance account ones I was not having cash in them. I told him the truth. To my surprise or for a higher degree of luck he checked all the pockets except the one having 500Rs and much later after a series of arguments, he set me free without any fine. Had he found the money, I would have been also charged for telling lie, which ultimately effects in non refund of even a single penny from the cash which I had in my purse.

Multiple Personality Disorder ??

Now a days, I am having a habit of opting Bus for my return travel from UD. Even though it takes much time to reach, has some postulates; first of all I don’t need to get crushed in the fully packed train compartment, second I can utilize my Mumbai Magic Bus Pass which is an economically feasible option, and for the last, a ride in a semi filled vessel through the streets of Mumbai in night is an awesome experience if u get a window seat to sit.

On such return trip, I was sitting on a window seat and enjoying a beautiful melody from hariharan on my ipod. It was a Friday night where the bus was not at all filled. Still all seats were pre occupied. A guy was sitting just a seat in front of me. He was buzy in filling the crossword given in a daily newspaper and as I can see, he almost finished the same. From the next stop, a young couple got in. they were standing just near to the seat in front of me. The guy, who was buzy in filing the crossword, changed his attention from it and turned towards the young girl. Couple of minutes later, he just offered his seat to the girl and joined the passengers who were standing. I was amazed by his act. Neither it was a ladies reserved seat nor he was about to get down in next stop. Whatever, it was a brilliant”sacrifice” from him.

I was nearing my destination.  When I got up from my seat, I saw the guy who sacrificed his seat was quarrelling with an elderly lady. The old lady was calling her daughter who was standing behind with a child in her hand, to a just arisen seat vacancy. The guy was also trying for the same seat and he succeeded in occupying it. It was another amazing act from him. The one who left his occupied seat for a younger, beautiful girl: was not at all ready to give chance for an older woman or a lady with a child in her hand,  Yes… it was also a brilliant act from him, may be the one holds a step above which he has performed just earlier. Does itz called Multiple Personality Disorder ??