Gap

A bus travelling through vast fields.
Courtesy: World Bank Photo Collection on Flickr | License: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Late winter , air was still cold and dry. One would shiver given the harsh environment. They had begun gathering and load luggage in the bus. Meeting and greeting every new-comer. There are smiles and chatter all around but his is an anxious soul. He has made some plans for the trip but he could hardly include his fancies. As the night grows deeper, people start boarding the bus and taking up seats.

He is early to board and blocks two seats. As she enters the bus, he can do little to stop himself from wishing her to sit beside him. But as she takes a seat two rows away from him, not even recognizing his presence, he becomes a bit more sullen and decides to go to a lonely corner window seat in the back of the bus. He unconsciously wishes no one to be aside him and spontaneously, in his brain, decides to keep everyone away.

As the front seats in bus are no longer available, this damsel thin and clad quite candidly takes the seat beside him. Without being asked he tells her, "I am not closing the window, even when the bus is at full speed." She simply nodes and shrugs her shoulders and leans back in the seat while talking to a figure in bus's corridor. He keeps silence. Bus jostles and makes slow movement on city streets. The wind is hurting him, but he is adamant. He can still bear it as the city is still warm and his jacket is thick.

He is deep in thought. By now the bus is on city outskirts and moving swiftly as traffic has now dwindled down. The winds are coarse and blunt. He braves them in the face, keeping his pride intact. His back towards his co-passenger, he is not aware of the discomfort being caused to her. Suddenly, he feels a hand on his shoulder. He is suddenly mild and no more rigid, she whispers, "Please, close the window". Making no arguement, he just closes the window silently trying to plug the gaps that might leak wind to her. He is careful, yet aware not to let it be evident. Through the night he gazes at her, making just mild talk. His brittle surface giving into a warm interior.

By the day break, bus has reached its destination. The party is supposed to move to the train for their journey onwards. The hustle-bustle is back again. The night's silence lost. And the companions having moved as swiftly as they had come together just for a journey amongst hundreds of days. Train honks as the orange-red sun begins to warm the Earth on South-Eastern horizon...

Same Place... Same Time...

A simple facade.
Courtesy: Alexandre Dulaunoy on Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0

(originally posted on Facebook) 

Red Stripes: Duh, ugly face sits in front of me, checking me out sheepishly :$ :$ :$..

Blue Tee: *not caring, checks her out* : Huh! Another one out of school, (needy) tags a guy, flaunting her ladies...*turns around, looks on the other side* Black cat is grace, big lively eyes dancing... capture her, hold the stance and she goes... ah.. livid, elegant, mesmerizing...

Red Stripes: Vulture, uncouth... learn to dress and sit, (you) shit-face, eating mouthful!...

Blue Tee: *defiantly...*: Jealous? Robbing the guy of his pocket money... I still prefer the lady ;) She is my new crush, for next 2 years (may be)... You notwithstanding!!! *laughs illiterate*

Red Stripes: *downs a glass of water, distances from his guy, visibly fuming*: Asshole, u hoe! U r a nobody…

Blue Tee: *loses interest, falls in love*: Flowing hair, shapely curves, enthusiastic smile…
Living a virgin? Sure…
Ain’t got no gf? No…
It’s plain, nobody loves you... Right, me too searching for “nobody”…
*snaps… those pink lips*

Black Cat: *batters eyes, throws hands in air*: I know you looking at me… I don’t mind, but keep your distance please

Blue Tee: *acknowledging*: I understand, just be serene…

Black Cat: *leans into Curly Hairs, The guy won’t learn…* : Stalking?

Blue Tee: *guessing…*: Umm… No, just trying… Romantic?

Black Cat: *been there, done that*: I am serious business, not romantic!

Blue Tee: *smells the food, yummy! Worth a lick…*: I see. Want to ask… When will you girls loose the mommy feeling? Such a big crowd surrounds you like barbed fences…

Red Stripes: *taking interest*: This seems interesting…

Black Cat: *smiling inwardly*: Big prizes are never easy… Upgrade, be a human… Before the animal stint…

Blue Tee: *slight serious, yet not losing it, recovers… smiles*: I understand. I appreciate. But madness (love) can be a solo trip… *turns back, checks Red Stripes* she still beats you, any day…

Red Stripes: *calm and relaxed, more composed than ever*: It’s OK… Go on…

Black Cat: *stands up, to leave. Turns around, tying her hair, greetings…*: Time to leave… Nice time… You will learn

Blue Tee: *not blinking his eyes, continues to stare. Silence ensues…*

Black Cat: *walks beside Blue Tee… No words… Look nice… The last glance probably*

Curly Hair: *jumps into the air, loud to the crowd…*: Bye! Bye! See you tomorrow…

Blue Tee: *wide eyed… amazed…*: Same place??? Same Time???

Red Stripes: *on looking, laughing…*: Cheap!!! Are you for real?

*Silence follows… Fan’s noise… Fun continues… Hopefully!*

Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur

8PM, 21/08/2012, Tuesday

Underdog

A Bungalow on Barakhamba Road, New Delhi.
Courtesy : linuskendall on Flickr.

Sunlight filters into the first floor balcony of this building of colonial standing. It somewhat perturbs but nonetheless is fun to get some tan on a winter noon. As he and his friend walk through an array of oil paintings, done meticulously on canvas, they are increasingly appreciative of artists' talents, craftsmanship and imagination.

At once she catches his attention. In black stilettos she stands tall, wrapped in her skin tight jeans, her long hair falling over her slender shoulders. He is reluctant to look away, though repeatedly being told how mean it is to stare. He is adamant and continues to gaze as she continues with her task, detailing potential buyers about the paintings, cost and stuff. She mesmerizes walking through the stacks, her heels clicking against the wooden floor. As his friend continues to be increasingly engrossed in details of artwork, he is more and more lost.

As he is not to relent, she now acknowledges his gaze - having caught him looking on numerous times. He is also able to catch her stealing glances and occasionally fixes her with his eyes. He is not to advance, as he enjoys this tranquil conversation. Though sure he will not be rebuffed, given the scenario and his intuition, he refrains from making talk; for he probably prefers being an underdog, away from luxuries and limelight while fancying them in every second of his thoughts...

For Sake Of Corridors

A school corridor at night.
Courtesy: Kevin Dooley on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0

The future bleongs to those who believe in power of their dreams. - Anna Eleanor Roosevelt

I admit that I have a lot to write but that's not the reason I am writing. This time the reason is that I have got thousands of things to do, but am not able to determine what to do, besides logging in and out of many of my profiles and I write to give myself 20-30 minutes of nostalgia, free from thoughts of pending submission and due exam results. Anyways here is another story...

An annual function and he is there with his friend. He has not planned anything but she happens to catch his attention. She is tall and slim and wears a Saree. And she is full of energy, as she moves through whole of arena with her friends and other important people in her life, stopping just once to greet him.

He passes time looking at the performances and meeting many other friends, customary to be courteous. But it is evident to his concise that his mind is adamant at catching another glimpse of her. But he definitely is not crazy, probably he should have been, and therefore does not bar himself from the pleasure of an ice-cream on that wintery evening and the fun of tresspassing the stage area while performances are going on.

Later he happens to walk through corridors of the stadium. Camouflaging his intents of creating multiple chances of meeting her. Later the quest proves immaterial as he happens to enjoy a lot with guys, causing small troubles and tit-bits of humour outside the changing rooms as the whole performing teams took their times managing themselves. But usual prime target, that is she, was missed very well, probably by choice. Was he mad to follow her whole way, simply not to speak any special word out?

Kicking Asses!

A graffitti disobeying the laws.
Courtesy: Wrote on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0

There are only two forces in the world, Sword and the Spirit! In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit! -Naploean Bonaparte

You get up late. Dress nice (...it was taught to you in last semester, on one of the days when you were not feeling well, sick you too fall buddy!) and go to the class you like, more than any other class (... being precise it is an elective course in Renewable Energy Sources...)

On day 1, you were 9 minutes late and as you had crossed the 5 minute buffer given by teacher you decided to track back to hostel, without even making an attempt to get into the class.

Day 2, you are 7 minute late (...a nice improvement of 2 minutes...), you try to make a silent entry but are gestured out (...the guy, he is a professor, on podium is man of his words, will not let you in even a second outside the prescribed buffer...). So once again you make a 180 degree turn and join walk with some guys who would proxy for you the whole semester, for simple fun of checking out girls of your department (...must say though starved of the feminine wafts to the core, these are some really cool people I have met; for a change they are actually alive and do not act programmed zombies...).

Later in a 4 hour session, cut to 1 hour 30 minutes (...am ecstatically glad about that...); your spirits are (...sorry your spirit is, got only one spirit though it is very random and miss directed...) raised thinking about steel, nuts, bolts, glass, overhanging yellow lights, poker tables, sail boats and thought of a multi-story club house with exclusive graphic exteriors (...one has a pole dancer clinging to the extended tall column you plan to make into an elevator shaft...), while much touted about teacher fails to faint even the most frail soul in the studio...

Written enough of it. Bye Bye personal Blogging for a rather long spell (trying to do so but this habit is addictive and therefore this announcement does not come with a guarantee...) :) :D :P ;) Meanwhile friends, sworn enemies and non-descripts learn to blantantly disobey with a sly and wicked grin, make people pant and get a spicy life. And yep am not going to stop web-logging for the very precise reason of it being the only perfect platform for me to give away my exhibitionist tendencies with little harms done.

Zip Zap Zoom - VI : Pink Ecstacy

A 500 CC Royal Enfield Bullet
Courtesy: nwflightdesign on Flickr | License: CC BY-NC 2.0

There is no spring without winter, there is no life without death!

Have numerous rides in mind and want to write about all of them. But this time I am writing about today's ride! It started with a call last night, it's true am made enough to waste 30 minutes talking to a guy, planning a bike ride next day! No offense, becuase I believe only good starts happen automatically, but sustaining good things need effort on our part. So that 30 minute long call ended in me influencing Pawan to join me with scooty today. He must be at my room at 12 but as usual no one cares for time, me included!

He calls me to join him at main-gate at 2 in noon. I go to the place, and I learn that he got a Hero Honda Splendour and I am not pleased (...because this means I will not be riding, pillion again)! Anyways, we see off Priyanka and zip on J.L.N. Marg. We decide to visit the only Royal Enfield showroom in Jaipur City! It's on Ajmer road and instead of going straight to the location we move towards Crystal Palm and delibrately ask a couple for the location, and the guy is smart - he doesn't embarasses himself and directs us in wrong direction. Well we are quite understanding guys, we know one must not give any hint to her girlfriend of his own ignorance!

We ask a few more guys and they are grown up folks! Been through life they prefer not to dupe us and give right directions. Once to the showroom Mr. Pawan has to set his hair up (we are going to have a photo session on this royal ride!). I too am wearing a new shirt, well this means I don't have to worry about my hair style. People will be more interested in bike and shirt! We shake hand with the showroom guys and give all hints that a potential customer throws!

Showroom is glass panels, posters of bikes, some models on display, an office table (a big one) and a whole wall with a poster giving timeline of Royal Enfield history. Being a cult, we know quality is prime concern for these guys and the way they exhibit professional eloquence a person understands what their work means to them. We get all the details we need, we had the info but we wanted to know how much the people their knew. And they knew a good deal. Two similar bikes give different experience because one has rear view mirrors and the other doesn't, and to add to it the one with mirrors had 18" tires and other one had 19" ones. We click pictures sitting on bikes and Pawan gets a test ride. At a minimum price of 86 grands, the bike is an experience worth living for.

Back on road we move towards M.I.Road and visit a Bajaj showroom. The experience is not worth telling. It was just visiting a general store and grabbing some grocery items (...brats rarely go shopping grocery!) Pawan drives to SBI branch in the area and wishes me to see girl of his choice! He doesn't accompany me but she being the only girl in bank I am able to recognize her, she is nice (...I must not label her an eye-candy!), but she doesn't gives me any heed!

In Bapu Market we have some street food, all three flavours available on the stall. I have to pay for it, oh bad idiot doesn't even gets his petrol tank re-filled. You will not be able to fool me next time! We ride fast on J.L.N. and talk about things very vague and random. An uncle in Santro is big time nymphomaniac and drives rash to chase a girl sitting pillion to his boyfiend (...he could be his brother or friend also!). Anyways important is too take care of the poor guys who break their leg in mishap just in front of our institute. We call 108 and feel free to leave, people are good and are acting paramedics to the injured.

Zip Zap Zoom - V : Shopping And Food Fiesta

Image courtesy :travellingtamas on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.


Its a Monday and everyone in the hostel room is bored to the core, but this time no one wants to curse things but everyone wants to make an effort to be happy and have fun.

Soon they all decide to go to nearby mall called Gaurav Towers. The 4 guys got 2 bikes. I decide to sit pillion to Vikas, because am told that he drives crazy and its not the speed but his driving style that drives you mad. He in their words can make you scream even at a slow speed of 20 kmph. Hearing all the appraisals I had to experience the whole thing to believe it.

Sitting pillion to this guy I understand what the whole talk was about. Late night bike rides are not new to me, but this driving style was surely. The only limit with this guy was his CD Dawn. He would throttle it to the full, even on the curves. We definitely jumped 2-3 road dividers and half the way was passed, bike making an angle of 45 degrees with the road.

At the mall, all 3 guys are busy checking out clothings as I continue to check myself out in the mirrors simultaneously giving my expert comments on the things they choose for themselves. In a Pantaloon showroom Hrithik Roshan's life size posters grab my attention and I let myself loose to imagine wearing the expensive clothing he endorses. After the mall, we guys come back to hostel for a short refreshment and continue with the plan.

The break ends as we make move for our next destination, a Vaishali Nagar rented house; Vikas lives here. Guys mock me, "You can switch rider if you are afraid". But reality is actually opposite as I liked the road-rash kind riding of this guy who is excellent with Hindi literature, Premachandra and likes being his favourites. This one is a guy with as wide a range of tastes and moods as I do have. We enter a virtual race as my two room-mates zip pass us on a Pulsar while we cruise on Ajmer Road passing Gopalpura Bypass, Gujjar Ki Thadi and several known landmarks in south-western Jaipur before we go off the main roads to enter the streets of western Jaipur, where we shop for some vegetables and water. Soon we reach Vikas's house and now it is time for Vikas and Mahendra to cook food for 4 of us while me and Rohit get busy calling friends, checking out newspapers, browsing Vikas's collection od Hindi literature and yup I train Rohit in Spider Solitaire, a cheap and quick but extensively engrossing time-pass. We do a bit of help too, but that can be discounted for.

As we get the food, we eat a plenty ignoring the fact that it was not awesome but definitely a 1000 times better than the hostel shit. Going by Punjabi standards food had no salt and was good only for a blood pressure patient. Having our share of food and enjoyed it nice, we decide to move back to hostel quickly, mostly to avoid closure of colony gates. Vikas has to guide us out of the mesh of streets. Once on the main road it takes us barely 15 minutes to cover a distance of about 10-12 km, while we do tripling, avoiding the heavy commercial traffic of the nights.

Mango Pickle

Image courtesy : madpai on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

A sudden jerk shakes containers that lie parked in yard at Hazrat Nizammudin railway station in Delhi. The 6 year old is inquisitive figuring out which of the two trains, one in which he is sitting or the goods train beside, is moving.

Soon he is more interested in the mango pickle, that his Mama got packed in the tiffin for the night. He is not very much interested in the food, but mango pickle is his favourite; even with the sore throat. He prevents both his Mama and Dad from having even a single piece of vitamin A and C rich delicacy. He literally enters into quarrel with mamu, who incidentally happens to be his another favourite and very fondly pats him on the back even to this date.

Night passes calmly in that train berth with yellow flickering lights and noisy fans. The morning dawns bright and lanky kid continues to stick his head at the window rail while vendors continue to scream to make a living. He is adamant and continues to take notes of descending numbers, 267/45, 267/44, 267/43... that appear on each passing pole on this route to Indore city in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

At Nagda junction, the engine would shunt and train would move in reverse direction after a break of about 20 minute. Mamu would use this opportunity to prank the guy that the driver is annoyed so we are returning back and the guy would still be happy thinking it to be another opportunity to be in the train for 12 more hours. Meanwhile train would gather pace and switch tracks rapidly, producing melanchonic music of its own kind.

Guy sticks his head out again and this time will exclaim with bright glowing eyes that a diesel engine is pulling the train, unlike the electric locomotive in the morning. He always liked it when the snail like train took a long curve, blowing dirt from rubble clad tracks in the Malwa plateau region. An ecstatic yellow milk drink at Ujjain made this 850 km long journey worth it and a temple sits graciously atop the hill just outside Dewas city, famous for a Reserve Bank Of India printing facility. Indore is an altogether different story, a ride in Premier Padmini, with a PAL logo decorating its steering, to Massi's place is an unparalleled luxury...

The story is not complete but journey part is over and what remains is more sugary!

The Frooti Tetrapack

Image courtesy : Bryn Pinzgauer on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

Hmm! So can you visualize a kiddo with his small flawless neck jabbing out of that white shirt, carefully ironed but yellow with stains of a juicy drink as the guy adjusts his maroon big frame spectacles, pressing his lips wide against the window pane of that yellow-black box that transports him to and from his school.

No juicy stories like the movies. Setting this time is Shiv Ji's statue, Gurgaon, Delhi-Jaipur highway. School picnic stops at the venue as it is a new attraction that has taken shape in the county and is quite popular. Folks make a bee-line for the refreshments they will be getting beside binging upon all the fancy food stuff they have got packed by their mums.

Once everyone is through having glimpses of the tall structure, groups settle at various locations; some taking seat beside the banyan, some check out goodie stalls and few others would settle their bums at some parapet, yet another group of sticky-noses would haunt the teachers...

Later the small groups would catch up at beating one another at their adventure for the day, holing up Firangs to have a chat. This they did to prove that they are good at their 'favourite' language - English, without even thinking that a Firang can be German, French or Spaniard as simply as he is believed to be English. In any case they almost always succeded in their aim of accomplishing distinction of having talked to a jean or skirt clad beauty or in case of girls it would be a tight t-shirt hunk with his 24" biceps crossed in front of chest.

Sooner it would be time to leave the place and bus would jostle a bit as a crushed Frooti Tetrapack would fall behind to tell the tale, "Our group was enjoying here".

Those who have read so far are requested to do a redo and imagine the kid in first paragraph. You will definitely love it when you imagine and visualise it. ;) :) 

Busy Bee

Image courtesy : Kıvanç Niş on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

I am in Jaipur for about 68 hours now. I knew the classes would not begin until 26th but had plans to execute and assignments to complete. Anyways the task still hangs loose as I enjoy my time completing works and preparing for the coming Monday as we would have teachers expecting us of completed assignments, as if they don’t know we have more important and urgent things to do, including the maintain-weight drives in this haunted-food zone!

In last 3 days, I have been part of a happier lot, crazy things of life being more visible to me. As I make my 3rd round to library to return a book which is already 3 weeks overdue I see this guy walking as if a tall camel is cat walking in this dry but colourful (have too say this, need to be gentle and generous) city. The person is my ex-roommate, and you never get over friends and roommates, tells another ex-roommate of me (I hardly can make any difference between both, they all are people who are part of your life), certainly another ex-roommate of mine will never understand this thought as to him a birthday party is a regulated buffet (a Chapatti costs Rs. x, Curd will be another Rs. y and so on… annoying 3rd-first-year-roommate of mine, he is still with me!) thrown to repay birthday parties and treats given by, classmates, roommates, friends and those who wished him on Orkut.

Anyhow I was able to complete this novel by Chetan Bhagat, reading 38 chapters over night, writing two page letter by myself and avoiding internet for some more time. Don’t blame me for I couldn’t help but compare myself with the protagonist of the novel, with some edits. Ananya is a heart throb and am jealous that am not totally Krish, or say there probably is no girl who likes me like Ananya liked Krish! Some answers were there in the novel apart from the entertainment and yup I accept Punjabis are like this, can I oblige by showing you milder and more tamed versions of the breed?, but that is the way they have to be!

As I find some time free from drafting, shopping, anti-ant and break-lock drives in room am engrossed in Call Of Duty. Turning my room into a war zone and taking pride in killing morons from Japanese and German sides. Gun battles, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, grenades, head-shots… … is all that my world is comprised off. Am trained enough to take any bastard trying to tease a north-eastern chicks on the streets of New Delhi, or for that matter Jaipur, Goa or any other city, as the morning newspaper tells me of another such thing happening. Currently I can take pride in saving the world from getting assaulted by German and Japanese forces.

Sheets hanging at window are keeping my room comfortably dark, excessive light doesn’t let this rather sleepless soul have his share of peace. Feel like killing Aman for the asshole has not yet booked the domain I need, though I too have not completed the final design of the website that is likely to shape our future.

Excessively busy for I made rather excellent efforts in about last 3 months to land me in a situation with no time to think of anything else but to meet deadlines. Hardwork pays off, but only if you continue to be patient and don’t loose hope any soon.

And to tell the truth, this life has turned really unpredictable and more in control of me, except the fact that am 99% sure that I will receive a miss call from Foo daily. :) :D Hope you learn to make calls buddy!

Multiple Lives

Image courtesy : phillipC on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

Nov 28, 2008 – Semester - I has ended and we have decided to leave Jaipur at the earliest. Having cleared all the balances and settled things we leave for the bus as Dudi boss threatens to accompany us all the way till Delhi and I poke fun at him, knowing deep inside me that he will not. Journey is casual one with my friends receiving calls and I simply waiting for them to be free and meanwhile checking out scenes on the road and around. In no time, time runs specially fast when you wish it to be slow, we are at midway Behror. Large LCD is beaming time lagged videos of Mumbai Under Siege. Its day 3 of financial capital of nation being held captive by some 10 terrorists as defence forces try to allay them. The scenes of choppers air-dropping troops on roofs of multi-story concrete apartments is thrilling, despite the chilling reality of several lives being at risk. A generation fond of playing Call Of Duty, Medal Of Honor though aware of the gravity of situation can’t help but enjoy the adrenalin rush, impulses the repeated telecast of videos gives. The lack of information make it seek more and as always it is fun to sulk at some other “ideology”, probably a way of establishing our superiority and thus feeding our egos. Meanwhile the second half of the journey continues and its a lazy one, in the later part Avi and I are chatting a lot, looking at the high rises of Gurgaon and changing seats just for fun. DK is my destination. Wait there till Tan and Shaily leave. An auto takes me to home, family still don’t know that I am coming back. As auto stops at a red-light in Delhi cantt I enjoy a short game of “catch-catch” with boys in school bus beside me. Since all the paper balls the boys had fall on the road we had to discontinue and I was once again thinking, is Delhi actually that bad as projected by the crap media reports daily morning in newspapers and TV news. At home, as I wait for my plate of Paranthas, it is all gory videos of blood and wrath at the Taj Mahal hotel, The Oberoi and CST massacre. Every channel is beaming its own theory of attack and the saga continues. The first week of vacations passes seeking more and more info about the incidents and yup planning our maiden outing in Delhi; the Adventure Island trip. Remembering those who paid for human insensitivity exactly 10 months ago I close this post, wishing justice to be brought to a city which certainly is unbeatable in many senses and rivals Delhi excellently.

Unexpected

Image courtesy : aWeeon Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

One fine evening you take an abrupt decision to leave for Jaipur after a short vacation in Delhi. It is just past 7, you reach Dhaula Kuan bus stand are annoyed by the regular polluted and dull evening environment, and suddenly good things begin happening.

After waiting for some time a Rajasthan roadways bus arrives, though you prefer Haryana ones not for quality of service but the excellent and speedy driving style. There are no passengers onboard the bus and you board it with few others. It soon starts rolling on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and you forget everything and start enjoying the state-of-the-art infrastructure available and being developed alongside this stretch. You witness a long concrete ribbon across the horizon complete with dazzling crystal streetlights. Flowing streams of red and yellow lights of four wheelers pacing up and down the highway. A little further and you see the IGI tarmac, and if you are lucky you might see a touchdown. Its fun to checkout a 24 something lane wide and about half a kilometre long bumper to bumper traffic jam, given that you are travelling in opposite direction, at Asia’s largest toll plaza! Once inside Gurgaon, you experience one of the most extreme commercial landscape available in Indian sub-continent with multi-national giants jostling to show there corporate might by means of glass, concrete, steel and lightings used to extensive scales. Think of an MNC and you find its office there!

Cross this fancy showcase you find regular crude Indian industrial landscape with isolated traces of organized construction, this soon gives into traditional rural terrain followed by vast wildernesses having industrial and agricultural developments. You might get bored in this scenario, a movie on laptop, a few calls or SMSs may be good time-passers.

Night draws dark and bus is nearing Jaipur. For the first time driver doesn’t takes bypass and sticks to NH-8, which passes through city of Amer and you are lucky enough to catch views of Amer and Jaigarh forts under bright moonlight, increasing there glory manifold. Drivers manoeuvres the bus well along the narrow, hilly stretches of roads. You for the first time observe an Air Force Station on outskirts of Jaipur. Beautiful scenes of forts illuminated up above some hills and Lake Palace, before breaking into the Pink City region, which is surprisingly still abuzz with activity at around 12:45 in night, probably because of some festivity. Its nice to find a tastefully modified swift parked at Badi Chauper just beside Hawa Mahal.

You soon de-board at Sindhi Camp and wonder why journeys should be unplanned and somewhat unconscious too!

A Colourful Power Cut

00:54 IST, Aug 04’ 2009.

A power cut leaves whole of NIT Jaipur campus in dark. Wi-Fi routers go numb rendering 3.5 hours of battery backup of my laptop useless. I have no option but to look out for traditional means of entertainment  called Radio. In Jaipur the 5 odd stations are serving ill quality of music, mostly very low tone oldies. I plug-in my earphones and move out of hostel to have a stroll, while my friend asks to sit back in the lawn and share the ear-plugs.

Outside the hostel vast darkness spreads over whole of the campus, everything has turned greyscale bathing in bright white moonlight. You can catch nice views all around the campus as there are few things to obstruct the view. Under the star-studded sky you find red-lights flickering atop the newly built high-rises dotting the skyline of city all-around the NIT campus.
Walking on the roads in campus, you find a few solar battery powered streetlights working to not much use. You can find headlights of autos and cars serving to students leaving for their home cities. I meet a pack of guys, interested in knowing if am mad or drunk that am pacing up and down the campus at those unearthly hours! I bullshit them and walk my way down to hostel, where I find numerous faces glowing under lights from the LCDs of mobiles and PCs.
Back in my room as I wonder, how my roommate can sleep so easily in dark and humid room and ease myself on the cot, electric supply resumes. I access net for sometime and then sleep to wake up early, a habit now-a-days!

Zip Zap Zoom - IV

What's new? Well this time I am the one riding! Its not Delhi but Jaipur, vehicle is neither a bike nor a scooter but Scooty Pep. Himanshu owns it and doesn't hesitate in passing me the keys of the vehicle though he knows its first hand experience for me. Abhinav and I get hold of the two-wheeler from back gate. I ask him to drive till the side lanes beside main gate, and after that I take hold of the vehicle and so begins the lovely journey. A round trip beside the railway tracks passing behind GT. We reach Saras Parour and enjoy the chocolate softies. I drive the vehicle out and reach the nearest fuel station, a top up of 20 bucks is fine for a ride. Quite confident now I take on the JLN Marg, moving on towards Gopalpura bypass, we take a little halt at Gandhi Nagar station. Further I drive the scooty through Tonk Phatak towards Crystal Palm, we do not stop there but decide to go for C-Scheme as we want to visit Crossword, book shop I came in first week of my Jaipur arrival about 8 months back, again. The place holds very good memories for me. I had bought a novel there, argued with Dhruv and enjoyed some food and Coke in the shack opposite to the book hub. I simply repeat the sequence as a ritual, this time I click the place too. Further we move and accidentally find Central Park, pass some time there and then ride beside Youth Hostel, Vidhan Sabha and Vit Bhawan. Here onwards I simply have no idea of ways but I know I will reach some place. The random ride leads me to Tonk Road where I simply drive towards Ajmeri Gate and get caught in a VIP mess at City Pulse. About 15 minute waste, further a U-turn from Ajmeri Gate and a left turn towards Albert Hall, back on JLN I drive fast and cool as I feel more free and relaxed. Reaching a top of about 75 kmph the whole 25 km ride was nice fun. I and Abhinav park it at the main gate and walk back to hostel sharing the earphones of mobile to listen music as I check the clicks we had managed...

Having not bathed whole day felt like shit so took plunge into water soon and it was crazy roaming all these hip, upmarket places in li'l too down market Tee and Pyjamas!

Truth Or Dare?

Image courtesy : CarbonNYC on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

Hmm posting quite emotional and depressing stuff lately. Time to break the routine and post some cool and hip masala, but it is also real stuff, as usual, not a cooked story. Times back to my initial days in hostel 7 of NIT, probably initial 1 or half month. Due to Supreme Court instruction regarding safety and ragging, there used to be regular attendance at 9:30 PM, after which entry and exit from hostel was not allowed. On one regular day after the ceremony was over me and my room-mates casually decided to delve into the game of Truth and Dare. Bottle rotates and turns come one by one revealing some fun and dark secrets from everyone falling into the trap. Those who opted for dare had to act various crazy things. And now the bottle suddenly points at me! Truth or Dare, the quetion resonates in my mind. I opt for dare thinking it will atleast keep some things under cover. Well the crazy demand comes from Mahinder, he asks me to go out of the main gate, not giving option of jumping walls, to the back-gate of th campus - a stroll of about 15 minutes. Move into a liquor shop, buy the stuff and get it back to the hostel room once again walking just below the nose of guard attending to his duty there. Having said it all I had to do the stint, just because I didn't want to cheat or was afraid of being called a coward. The next moment I decide and make headway toward the hostel gate, luckily guard does not notices me and I am able to slip away quite easily. Walking down the way I just expect that I find no familiar face on the way and that my face just doesn't give away anything. The dilemma of doing it or not also helps kill the time in the way. As I reach the shop I look around that no one is looking and hastily enter the shop. I ask the vendor for the brand Mahinder had told and quickly agree to pay anything he demanded, first time I was buying liquor and till date it remains the only time and don't know why just wanted to flee even though I was sure I can handle any situation that comes my way. Having it packed in a black polybag (just another beverage then why black polybag?) I try to hide the stuff in pockets of my pyjama. I wish to walk fast as the backgate closes at 10:30 and earlier I am back is better but the sound that the liquid produces with the glass bottle forces me to slow down. Througout the way I just keep a straight face, having learnt that it is the best way to camouflage the act! Hostel gate is in front and once again I am lucky the guard is 'busy' smoking and gossiping his time with a counterpart. I slip into the hostel through the side gate and reach for my room. Mission accomplished. They all cheer and I am happy with the praise that comes my way. Some kind of bravery award I deserve?

The dare I was given, the truth I have written so it is Truth and Dare now. Adventure and fun is life back here in hostels, specially when you are novice and amateur.

Zip Zap Zoom At 90KMPH

 
Image Courtesy : Shiratski on Flickr, check usage terms before using the image.

On July 2 me and my friend, Nilabh, went out for our daily night walk at around 9'o clock. He had his scooter on which we drove to nearby street food place. He is a great foodie and eats like a hobby. Then we rode to the park, where we sat on grass overgrowing due to early monsoon rains. Sharing talks about days happening and a few past memories along with some future plans is now almost a routine with us. Looking onto distant stars and venus, our favourite these days, and moon is what we find interesting. Of course there is lot of "Boy Talk" and girls are always hot topic. But cars, bikes and other rides are what we like more, because girls are something we are not totally into which and that we lack "many" good experiences! Anyway for us "Money is what matters more!" and that is how we console each other. Coming back to the night's proceedings, after about 45 minutes we left the place to go for a ride on his LML NV. Soon we were zipping around on the main road because of a bigger promise of fun. On the road we were still looking at the moon, which was looking like a pizza hanging in the sky! He was driving coolly like always but suddenly accelerated hard to reach a speed of 90kmph on that undeclared highway. Still talking and chatting randomly we were zooming past the establishments on the roadside, there past a bunch of trees, a bus stand, some fruit vendors and a gas station. Then started a flyover we wanted to avoid and thereby took the side lane where a biker suddenly veered left from his path alarming us to avoid the collision. Nilabh gave his final try to avert the disaster while we were apprehensive of our chances of avoiding the hit. In a blink we zoomed past the bike and just could not believe what could have happened. All the memories of wrecked vehicles went before eyes like a movie. Suddenly we were more thrilled and excited and a bit fearsome because of the incident. I reminded my friend that only the driver is responsible for pillion's safety and he acknowledged my concerns by maintaining a decent speed of 40 kmph till we reached back to our homes.
 
The driving experience on Delhi's brightly lit roads is amazing and something for which youngsters like me crave but it becomes a responsibility to ensure safety of self and others as some time enjoying life in limits is more worthy.

Over all the evening proved to be a perfect one but like always as it is with real non-existense of background music, those beats with speed, tones of excitement, metallic sounds of agony etc, played spoil sport.

Feel Of Power

 
Image Courtesy : John Kannenberg on Flickr, check usage terms before using image.

This incident dates back to my class III days in junior school. I was appointed monitor of my class and thus had to shoulder responsibility of managing class in absense of any teacher. At that time it was considered hip to be monitor of the class, so I was more than happy for the duty entrusted upon me. I used to hold a wooden scale in my hand and would leave no opportunity of beating it on a desk in the front row. Many a time the noise orf the stick was far more than that caused by my friends and therefore I was left flabbergasted 'what the hell I was doing?' Remembering those days I think how stupid I would have looked stopping children from doing what is there nature! But the next moment it comes to my mind that the whole reason, for which I behaved like that, was the feeling of power which I used to get by proving my control over a huge group of about 40 fellow students...

Let Me Share A Story

Image Courtesy : mattwi1s0n on Flickr, check usage terms before using image.

An old memory is repeatedly clicking in my mind, let me share it with you all out there and may be we will be able to recognize the fact- "What is told to us amd situations we go through have determinal effect in shaping our views..."
Summers of 2004 I had joined ICCAM summer camp for the first time, which that year was hosted at Youth Hostel, Mussouri, a Himalyan hill station. our group comprised of 22 students of class IX-XII. The second night of 9 day stay in Mussouri and there were huge rains and a characteristic power cut. The vehicle movement on highway passing in front of hostel had diminished because of late night and bad weather. Most of the group was fast asleep thanks to hectic schedule everyone had, but Ashish and his group was not in mood to sleep and was busy chatting, majorly jokes and teasers. Everything was usual till Bhandari got a glimpse of two red eyes glaring at him and his group from widespread dark outside the window. He was left dumbfallen and was too much horrified to speak anything. He didn't utter a single word till his friends shook him by hands. He in a confused tone asked them to keep quiet to avoid attention from spirit outside the window.The laughs and whispers of friends were replaced by deep silence.All of the four were highly teriffied to think anything meaningful and were perspiring in their beddings on that cold night.No one made any move, expect fearful shiverings, for next 15 minutes when a car zipped through the highway, precariously paved through the great lower Himalyas, flashing its lights on the trees in front of hostel room's window and thus revealing the ghost, which was nothing but a monkey who had taken shelter on trees to avoid heavy rains. Every one in the group heaved a sigh of releif and soon fell asleep. The next morning as they shared their story with everyone in the room, there were debates and disccussions on the existence of ghosts, exchange of personal experiences etc.
While some just enjoyed it as entertainment, others were more serious and some like me were busy seeking views of people and inviting others to share some thrilling stories of unearthly experiences!