A weekend getaway this
A very quick (Shuru hone ke pehle hi khatam ho gaya types)
train trip to Khammam, 250 kms from Hyderabad ended rather on an enjoyable
note. Thanks to one of my office
colleagues’ for inviting a bunch of us (10 in toto) for a family function of
his. Boarded on an Intercity express
that was to ferry us to our destination in under Three and a half hours. The time that would take someone to watch
Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gum albeit that this would be an experiential moving movie a
la 4D kinds unlike a vicarious one.
I got my seat in a different compartment from the group that
was with me. I was a tad disappointed that
I would be away from the chit and chat with my group but reasoned out to
comfort myself that this would be a good opportunity to finish “The Last
Lecture” that was gathering dust in my almirah and occasionally I could gaze
out of the window to breath in the fresh country side air. I did not get a window seat…cry cry…wail…wail. Now, the seats in the train are so designed
that the 3 seats on one side would probably be fit for 2 lean adults and one
child. And I had the dubious distinction
of sharing the seat with a rather stout lady, her husband and their 3 year old
child who would at his own free will kick me and the dad would go…”Nahi
Beta…aise nahi karte” and would offer a meek apologetic smile. A few minutes later another bout of
“kick…kick” and another sheepish smile.
This went on for some time while on the other end..there was jostling by
the kapeee kappee fellows running up and down the compartment. The Chayye, Chayye… Kapee, Kapeee,
moongphalli, Idleee vadaaa, Tamata Sooop, Tamata Sooop rang in the ears every
other minute amidst the thatak thatak….. thatak thatak rhythmic beat as the
train thundered past some non-descript stations while I buried myself into the
book and shut out the surroundings that really was turning out to be Kabhi Gum
and Har waqt Gum as misery seemed to pile on.
The three and half hours was seeming to be more stretched than it
normally would.
Was I glad that the destination finally arrived !!! We were greeted by our host at the station
and quickly ushered into a waiting Chevy Tavera that got us to our hotel. The afternoon was spent travelling a distance
of 240 odd kms to and fro to the Temple Town of Bhadrachalam. This was the time when there were good
exchange of views and counterviews with my colleagues and their spouses on the
state of the Nation, the state of the State, the bifurcation, the RaGa and the
NaMo…what is ailing all of us now, what should be done and what should not be
done, what should he do and what should she do….and the likes. Suggestions and recommendations on what is to
be done for up-lift-ment of everything that is there in the world flowed like
the water flowing down the Niagara falls.
Had a wonderful Darshan of Lord Rama.
Thanks again to another of my colleagues who was instrumental in getting
us the best ever time in the Temple.
Come evening, we witnessed a grand “Dhoti” function at a
theme park in Khammam. Excellent surroundings
and a dazzling stage decorated with some of the whitest upholstery and
exquisite flowers greeted us. The milieu
comprised some very neatly dressed people immersed in their own giggles…”oh,
its been so long since I saw you”..”oh you have not change one bit in all these
years”….”oh, your son has really grown tall”…”oh wow…your saree is so
beautiful”…I am sure would have done the rounds. Post an elaborate dinner, we headed back to
our hotel rooms.
Caught the next mornings’ train, and to my good fortune, we
were all together this time round. And I
GOT A WINDOW SEAT…wooohooo J. Our conversations of the previous day
continued into the next 4 hours while downing several of the Chayes and Kapees
and the Time pass Moong phalis. I
thought we arrived quicker than the journey that took us to the other way. This ofcourse I reckoned was thanks to the wonderful
company and the difference it made…
To sum it up…a quick getaway that had some wonderful
ingredients…I got my day time windowless and windowed train experience…imbibed
some tasteless chais and coffees. And
the silver lining I guess is turning a little longer while I head with my
family on another of those train journeys to Hampi this evening….
Prasanna Meher Nori
23rd December 2013
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