We were like dolls at the hands of the mogembo. Distressed, dejected, low-spirited and helpless. He had already taken the whole amount and we were fully in his trap and there was nothing we could do. We fully understood that only a Mangal Pandey could revolt against him and hence we relied upon our destiny to save us. We now only hoped that this villain does not extract our organs by killing us and sell them to some sheikh in Dubai. If he happens to think so, I was sure that he would have killed me first in the greed of getting 4 kidneys. Farooq would have been the last person to get killed or rather i would say he would not have been killed because he would have already made a lot of money by killing me and atul.
Enjoying the trip was the last thought that came to our mind. We were already shocked by the way our trip was progressing. The rational part at the topmost region of our body had gone dumb and we were behaving as robots in the mogembo's hand. Suddenly a new voice cropped up "Go and sit in the bus. The blue bus. Jaldi jakar baitho time nahi hain". I wondered if it was my conscience. Soon realised that it was Mogembo's assistant. We boarded the bus and were about to sit on the seat available on the first row. The assistant shouted "Nahi wahaan nahi. You have to sit behind on the last 7 seats". Again our Jacky chang Nilesh protested, "what do you mean?...we also have paid the same amount as others". The assistant was well trained by mogembo and hit back at us saying "If you demand or command you wont get. Go to the last seats. do not demand or command". We like programmed robots sat on the last seats as per the order given by our master. Anyways, we did not have the habit of sitting on the front rows. Only Carl Costa dared to sit exactly below Prof. Amonkar's nose.
The bus started and we were on our way to mysore our first sight seeing destination. We were slowly getting into the groove now and though we thought the villain to be mogembo, our perception about him was changing as the bus was in good condition besides the guide provided on the bus as well had good knowledge about the places in karnataka. We had started enjoying the trip and were having fun by playing some witty games. By this i mean doing "Foktepana", mind you doing foktepana requires quite a good amount of energy and brains. Manesh as usual was at his best doing it. We also played Antakshari in the bus. After around 3 hours of journey we were at the beautiful city of palaces.
Huge palaces and gardens all around the city. Mysore boasts itself of great history of maharaja's and their rich hobbies. The vrindavan garden was what we were looking upto as we had heard about it a lot for good things like light dance. Sandeep had already started imagining all naughty things when Manesh told him that Vrindavan garden has a light dance. However, soon after Manesh clarified that it is just water fountains and bright lights dancing together. I could understand Sandeep's grief at that point. We reached Vrindavan gardens at around 6:15 in the evening and we were told to return to the bus in half an hour as we had to travel a good distance before we reach our hotel. We all prayed and our god was Michael johnson, jesse owens and also PT Usha as we had to almost sprint to win the race against time. We also wanted to see the water dance and return back to the bus in half an hour.
Ready steady go. Off we go with a bang. we also compelled the sweet looking couples usually in their comfortable and convenient positions engrossed in their so called future plans, to give us an expression and they obliged. We were running like galileo in the garden except that we were not naked. We jumped, jaggled, banged with our aim just one, Vrindavan water fountain dance. It was suppose to start at 6:30 and we had just 15 minutes to cover the distance which was around 6 kms. Ketan's mathematical mind had already started to make the calculations. He declared we have to cover a kilometer in 2.5 minutes in order to get there in 15 minutes. Now how on earth are we going to measure time and distance was each ones headache. Persons like me not very good at calculating thought I should run as hard as possible. The flowers in the way were clapping, the leaves appreciating our determination, the concrete under our foot giving us the support to indeed cover that distance in record time. We were still 2 kms away and Manesh suddenly realised he also had a camera to capture these moments. Except for Atul nobody was in mood to click, however as if it was our respectful duty we all stood creatures in a hurry. Finally we could see the finish line and a incharge there told us that there are still a few minutes to start the water dance. Nilesh also had his hands raised to acnowledge his fan following in the stands before me reminding him that we were here to see the vrindavan garden and not 100 mtrs sprint.
Yes we had done it and we were about to witness the water fountain dance, the lights had started and music which consisted mostly of string instruments. It was an amazing sight, with all different colours and water fountain dancing on the tone of the music. We relaxed for the first time since our disastrous trip started. The music playing its part and lively colours as if asking us to forget the bad things that have happened because after a black colour there is a white colour and then a green colour and then a yellow. After a soothing stress free session at the gardens it was time for us to return back to the bus and we now had just 10 mins remaining to reach the bus. Ketan was attempting to make another calculation before he realised that we all had already started running. We were back by the same way, over the bridge and in the bus at the right time.
Such a trip to Vrindavan garden was one of its kind and this can be done only with friends together!!! Rocking experience Long live Lee Family.
Stay tuned for the Ooty experience in my next blog. The chilly december climate is awaiting us.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
7 friends in Bangalore - Part3
We woke up early the next morning excited about visiting the youngest city in India. We were all set to visit some good views (not girls....I actually meant views). We had a different kind of feeling on that first morning on our first visit outside Goa. A little tensed, a little afraid, somewhat excited and many such feelings coming together and filling our minds with so many different thoughts at the same time.
I am always amazed by the capabilities of our mind, how can it handle all different feelings simultaneously and we now in the cyber world speak about multi threading and such concepts in a tech saavy manner as if we were working on a world changing project. In the haste of admiring all the technically complex things around us, We forget to admire the most beautiful, complex but easy and the most configurable thing manufactured and evolved on this earth - the Human being. Truely a wonder produced by God.
With all this going through our mind we were totally unaware of what was going on outside our rooms in the hotel. We heard a knock on our door. It was Nandu again with his smiling face. We were not staying in an Ashram where Nandu was the head saint and hence we promptly came to a conclusion that he had come to our rooms to gain something. He said to Manesh "Kya sahab...Neend kaisi rahi?". Manesh was quite impressed and happy with Nandu as he had brought us to such an nice place at very reasonable rates. Manesh replied "Bohot achee neend ayee..." and then turning to us said "Goyan sudha itli bari nhid yena mare". Nobody was interested as we all were engrossed in getting ready. Manesh realizing that his joke was not good to attract anyone of us, turned back to Nandu. Nandu said "Sahab, be ready at 9:00 AM as our bus is leaving at 9:00". With this sentence we all except Farooq turned around with double respect for Manesh, as we never knew he had also arranged an Bus for us. We all thought "He surely possesses great organisational skills". We were standing besides the next Dhirubhai ambani. Looking at each of us faces he shrugged and asked Nandu "Which bus, what bus....Humne koi bus nahi bulayee...hum apne aapse ghumne jayenge" to which Nandu prompty replied "You cant do that sir, Speak to our boss". All of a sudden Dhirubhai Ambani had disappeared and Manesh fokto had taken its place. We all along with Manesh went out of the rooms to have a conversation with his so called boss. I felt this getting scripted like a movie scene where we are being called by a boss from some mafia who had kidnapped our heroines. I was expecting a final fighting after which we walk out of the hotels with heroines by our side.
But this was not to happen, the boss did not look like a gabbar singh or a mogembo who will require a Dharmendra or a Mr India with special powers to fight against. He looked more like Prem chopra or a shakti kapoor who loose against the meagre heroes as well. We were relieved a little and thought lets see what he has to say.
The boss started. "Look boys, I am the owner of National travels and our bus is leaving at 9:00 and offering you a package tour to Bangalore, Mysore, ooty, kunnur and kodaikanal. Just 1000 is what you need to pay for this tour of 4 days. This proce will include everything i.e. Bus and staying in hotels".
Manesh interrupted "Wait a second Mr. We do not need your package tour and are happy travelling on our own. So please...thanks."
The boss was enraged "This is a very reasonable deal that i am giving you and very cheap as well. You will get to see.....".
Manesh interrupted a little sternly this time, "Thats fine, however we do not require your services, we are fine with moving around on our own...."
The boss this time turned red in anger, the redish tint seen even on his dark coal colour face. He said "Zhant....salo tum kya samazte ho....ye jo maine tum logon ko saste mein hotel diya hain woh kya aisehi hi diya hain....Tum log yahaan mazein mein reh rahe ho...rickshaw bhi free di...woh kya tumhe akele apne aap ghumne ke liye....Tum log muzhe nahi jante.....I can sittt here and a call will get you arrested in no time. You better go with us or else watch out...marke bharta bana dega mein"
To this we all were confused of not knowing what to do, frighted as well as a little angry and now we thought this boss only looks llike prem chopra, however is no less than a mogembo. Nilesh our jackie chan or thats what he thought himself to be, took a march towards the boss saying "Do whatever you want to...we aren't travelling with you. You cant force us..."....Our mogembo was not to be taken aback by this sudden resurge from Nilesh...he said "Okay lets see then how you get out of this hotel".
Manesh, until now quite and shocked by the events taken place, got himself to his own senses and went down to Nilesh to calm him down. After a short discussion we decided that we compromise with him such that he wins 100% and we loose 100%. So it was a 100% deal. After analysing the consequences that might take place considering that he is a localite, we thought of taking his package tour. Nilesh was not be calmed down he said in Konkani "Fonya yo re...Tuka dakhaita @#$%%". That could have again taken the situation out of hand if Manesh had not interrupted. Thats the reason why I call Nilesh a witty character. He said everything in Konkani and not in Hindi. This had two advantages ...First, All his frustration was dumped. and second, we looked upon him as the bravest among us.
So finally with all our excitement down to the X-Axis and frustration at the infinity point on Y-axis, we were in Bangalore with the mogembo gang (with no Mr India among us), getting ready for the tour with not knowing whats in more for us during this package tour.
More to come in the next blog. Keep tuned!!!!
I am always amazed by the capabilities of our mind, how can it handle all different feelings simultaneously and we now in the cyber world speak about multi threading and such concepts in a tech saavy manner as if we were working on a world changing project. In the haste of admiring all the technically complex things around us, We forget to admire the most beautiful, complex but easy and the most configurable thing manufactured and evolved on this earth - the Human being. Truely a wonder produced by God.
With all this going through our mind we were totally unaware of what was going on outside our rooms in the hotel. We heard a knock on our door. It was Nandu again with his smiling face. We were not staying in an Ashram where Nandu was the head saint and hence we promptly came to a conclusion that he had come to our rooms to gain something. He said to Manesh "Kya sahab...Neend kaisi rahi?". Manesh was quite impressed and happy with Nandu as he had brought us to such an nice place at very reasonable rates. Manesh replied "Bohot achee neend ayee..." and then turning to us said "Goyan sudha itli bari nhid yena mare". Nobody was interested as we all were engrossed in getting ready. Manesh realizing that his joke was not good to attract anyone of us, turned back to Nandu. Nandu said "Sahab, be ready at 9:00 AM as our bus is leaving at 9:00". With this sentence we all except Farooq turned around with double respect for Manesh, as we never knew he had also arranged an Bus for us. We all thought "He surely possesses great organisational skills". We were standing besides the next Dhirubhai ambani. Looking at each of us faces he shrugged and asked Nandu "Which bus, what bus....Humne koi bus nahi bulayee...hum apne aapse ghumne jayenge" to which Nandu prompty replied "You cant do that sir, Speak to our boss". All of a sudden Dhirubhai Ambani had disappeared and Manesh fokto had taken its place. We all along with Manesh went out of the rooms to have a conversation with his so called boss. I felt this getting scripted like a movie scene where we are being called by a boss from some mafia who had kidnapped our heroines. I was expecting a final fighting after which we walk out of the hotels with heroines by our side.
But this was not to happen, the boss did not look like a gabbar singh or a mogembo who will require a Dharmendra or a Mr India with special powers to fight against. He looked more like Prem chopra or a shakti kapoor who loose against the meagre heroes as well. We were relieved a little and thought lets see what he has to say.
The boss started. "Look boys, I am the owner of National travels and our bus is leaving at 9:00 and offering you a package tour to Bangalore, Mysore, ooty, kunnur and kodaikanal. Just 1000 is what you need to pay for this tour of 4 days. This proce will include everything i.e. Bus and staying in hotels".
Manesh interrupted "Wait a second Mr. We do not need your package tour and are happy travelling on our own. So please...thanks."
The boss was enraged "This is a very reasonable deal that i am giving you and very cheap as well. You will get to see.....".
Manesh interrupted a little sternly this time, "Thats fine, however we do not require your services, we are fine with moving around on our own...."
The boss this time turned red in anger, the redish tint seen even on his dark coal colour face. He said "Zhant....salo tum kya samazte ho....ye jo maine tum logon ko saste mein hotel diya hain woh kya aisehi hi diya hain....Tum log yahaan mazein mein reh rahe ho...rickshaw bhi free di...woh kya tumhe akele apne aap ghumne ke liye....Tum log muzhe nahi jante.....I can sittt here and a call will get you arrested in no time. You better go with us or else watch out...marke bharta bana dega mein"
To this we all were confused of not knowing what to do, frighted as well as a little angry and now we thought this boss only looks llike prem chopra, however is no less than a mogembo. Nilesh our jackie chan or thats what he thought himself to be, took a march towards the boss saying "Do whatever you want to...we aren't travelling with you. You cant force us..."....Our mogembo was not to be taken aback by this sudden resurge from Nilesh...he said "Okay lets see then how you get out of this hotel".
Manesh, until now quite and shocked by the events taken place, got himself to his own senses and went down to Nilesh to calm him down. After a short discussion we decided that we compromise with him such that he wins 100% and we loose 100%. So it was a 100% deal. After analysing the consequences that might take place considering that he is a localite, we thought of taking his package tour. Nilesh was not be calmed down he said in Konkani "Fonya yo re...Tuka dakhaita @#$%%". That could have again taken the situation out of hand if Manesh had not interrupted. Thats the reason why I call Nilesh a witty character. He said everything in Konkani and not in Hindi. This had two advantages ...First, All his frustration was dumped. and second, we looked upon him as the bravest among us.
So finally with all our excitement down to the X-Axis and frustration at the infinity point on Y-axis, we were in Bangalore with the mogembo gang (with no Mr India among us), getting ready for the tour with not knowing whats in more for us during this package tour.
More to come in the next blog. Keep tuned!!!!
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