A Journey to Remember...

My recent trip from Bangalore to Chennai was an underline to the quote 'The journey is more important than the destination'.

My train ticket was not confirmed so I had to cancel it on the last minute. I thought I'd hook on to some bus; but not a single bus to Chennai was free. I was wondering what to do - partially thinking not to travel. Then the 'adventure' spirit in me took hold - I decided to travel up to Hosur and then from there catch a Chennai bus. A rickety TN State Transport bus to 'Thiruthani' was the earliest to start. But the conductor wasn't interested in a short-distance traveler - I had to get a ticket to Vellore instead - I had made my first and only mistake which went on to gather mass as it tumbled down on me.

I guess they do this only in TN State Transport buses - piling up people just like that, no matter how choking it gets inside the bus. I have never seen a KSRTC bus being over packed like this. Is it that the conductor-driver can form a cartel, manipulate the no. of passengers traveled and pocket in the money for themselves?! I guess it can't be as they have to issue a valid ticket to everyone. So do they get any additional incentive that is proportional to the no. of people they transport?!

All the seats in the bus were, as such full; I had to stand. And it wasn't easy to stand either. There seemed to be other souls who had made the same decision as mine and I had to bargain for a space to put my feet down. I guess if one were to wrestle thru' this crowd from one end of the bus to the other, then he/she would have definitely lost about atleast 2 Kgs in all that squeezing and the sweltering 'bio-heat' generated!!

The bus started its snail pace around 10:30 PM. I realized the mistake too late - it was too horrible and painstaking; Its definitely not pleasant to take a whiff of hair oils & roasted ground nuts (and other assorted aromas), when all the time you have to dodge an armpit that's dangerously close and someone breathing right on your neck.

Some rectification had to be done: Even after purchasing tickets to Vellore, I decided that I can't 'stand' this, and decided to get down at Hosur. I just prayed to the great Almighty that I should reach Hosur faster and there should be a fleet of comfortable Chennai buses, all waiting for me. It was motivating enough to make me keep that grim face of young warrior who has put his own comfort behind for a greater goal!!

The bus was inching, it started to rain and there was a huge jam near the TN check post. Ultimately & untimely, around 12:30 AM, the bus reached a deserted ground which I got to know as some place in Hosur. No fleets of buses, no respite, no point getting down.

Ah! Why should God play this wicked joke on me?! What kind of entertainment is he seeking in this 'ungodly' hour?!!

I was getting irritated and frustrated by the minute - I was almost growling to the people standing nearby for not allowing enough leg space; The young warrior was slowly turning to a nasty misanthrope.

I was thinking why I had to endure such a stupid journey. Yeah, I was totally surprised by my attitude - I had always thought of myself as a down-to-earth guy, a very tolerant and patient person, but at that point in time, I was disparaging people around me - that its just very unfair that an educated, high-earning, software professional, had to travel in all such discomfort!!. And above all, I was damning my mother, who in the first place had given me this 'idea' of catching Chennai bus from Hosur - poor lady! How in the world, is she supposed to know how Hosur bus stand looks?!

My techniques for more effective standing, proved to be frail distractions to my overall discomfort. Shifting weights between legs, leaning as much as possible on the iron bars - oh man! I have only 2 legs anyway and I have to stand only them!! All the goodness of the massage that I pampered my body with in Wayand (Kerala), just a week before, were all gone in drain!!!

A middle-aged portly person near me somehow managed to squeeze himself to sit between the seats, and right on my feet and kept shifting his weight around; I had the chance of my life time to vent out whatever anger that was boiling inside me. The poor person got up and decided to stand; he said 'Nazhaikku kalaile 7:15-ku duty; intha bus poratha paatha nalaikku than poi serum pola..'.. I'm not sure how true that statement was, but I felt so bad that I had talked to him that way - after all, he must be as old as my father!

The mighty Lord of tiredness got hold of me - I guess it was more owing to my anger than because of my standing. I now, could no longer pretend that I can with'stand' this journey nor I had the energy to be angry with the world!!

We reached one of the 'rest joints' on the highway. People got down to loosen themselves; I was thankful to sit for sometime. So were the other people who had been standing all the while. The people, who had seats, were kinder enough not to get into the bus till it started. Meanwhile, another passenger who too was standing made some space by shifting luggage, so that I could sit. A true messiah!!

When the bus started, I was quick enough to squat, lest the fat middle-aged person sits down and occupies most of the space. But, oh wow!! It was not any comfortable - I had to literally crouch myselves into 2, with my knees almost touching my chin, as if I'm doing some yogasana. Not being used to such gymnastics and rubber effects in the recent past, my ass started to pain!

Lesson: Go to gym and cut down some flab off my stomach.
Business Idea: Tummy Tucker Program with Amazing Results!!! Do the 'Fold between Seats' exercise and get the flattest ass, oops, abs in the world!!

Nothing takes you off the pains of the world, than sleep. 'Unconsciously' I began to loose my consciousness and drift off into some dream. I guess, it was about traveling in an empty bus, and I hopping madly from one seat to another!!

And suddenly, the bus' stereo system came alive, loud - songs that'll make every person who can cry, cry!!- with fantastic lyrics like 'Koodi ninna kizhiye, odi pona vezhiye'; with Malaysia Vasudevan 'crooning' with all pathos that he can bring in his voice, punctuated with occasional sobs!! Ah!! how wonderful and how situational!! Not one song was recognizable. Should have been some unique, 'boutique' collection of the most unheard pathos songs!

This was followed by some old time MGR songs!! This was def. more palatable than the others! Now I know, why the driving the bus in 50s!!

At last the bus reached Vellore around 4:00 AM. A sigh of relief came when I glimpsed a Chennai bus, all empty (my dream vandi!!), waiting to start!! 'Hai ra hai ra hai rabba, Hai ra hai ra hai rabba , bus-il uzha ella seat-um enakke enakka!!!'

I'm not sure what happened afterwards; I woke up just in time to see Chennai trying to wriggle itself free from the hovering 'Fanoos'.

At the end of the journey, I was actually not that very tired; nor did I have that gruffly feeling and that unwanted anger! Very sagely, I realized that it was all my foolishness that had made me take up this ordeal and if anyone is responsible, its just me!! Besides, it was not that foolish at all, its def. one experience which I have not had so far in my life. Yeah, it was not very comfortable and I would def. think twice to take up another journey like this. Yet, I was so thankful for the tiredness which was bestowed upon me, without which I would have just sulked and sulked, yell the first thing at my mother when I see her and spoil her day!! I also got to know the kindness with which people reacted to me, when they themselves were not in any kinder situation!!

And I got to know that letting go off things, and cooling yourselves off is one possible course of action in life, and sometime the best; as it goes in the 'Bombay Dreams' song - 'Sometimes standing still could be the best move, you can ever make...'