AFTER more than one and a half year I am away from my home, my people and truly wanted to be myself, that very fanatic, very childish who wanted to fly away to some far and quite land of eternal solitude, where life just becomes a celebration of joyful living with my own soul.
After my stay in Delhi's sophisticated ultramodern setup for last 20 days finally I decided to travel to serene Shimla hills and beyond that to fagu and kufri in search of my dream house and did managed to see some good properties and hopes of my future enchanting, peaceful life seems feasible now.
I booked ticket in Delhi-kalka- shatabdi and very early morning at 5am I left Delhi. On the road to railway station people were sleeping on streets and road dividers. I went into deeper thinking about life and its problems that so many people suffer and its painful at least for me watching all the misery around. Waiting for the train I noticed that my e -ticket didn't had my seat and coach number printed so got worried as how to search my seat and suddenly realised that I had screen captured images of ticket in my netbook, I hurriedly pulled out the netbook and got back my seat and coach number. I felt relaxed and at ease.
Boarded the train and and next to my seat was a guy seating who looked friendly and even he
smiled to me. I too smiled and said hello and we felt too comfortable talking as if we had known each for quite long time. He (Hitesh) told me he works in Microsoft in United States .. We guys kept discussing things and talking till he reached Chandigarh. We exchanged numbers and email ids . He left and from platform he looked back to say bye . What more one wants in this big bad world where people are so bad and artificial and practicality kills every soft emotion in every human being. I felt happy and saw my hope resurrected.
Train left Chandigarh, chair car cabin looked empty and I felt nice because I don't like lot of crowd but during this time I noticed a person sad and tired who served tea and food to everyone in the train. he came to me and asked me if I need anything and he was extra polite and sweet with continuous smile amalgamated with sadness. He took a seat behind me and I asked him to come and seat besides me. He hurriedly came smiling and I asked him why he is so sad looking as if frustrated with the whole world. He smiled and said " I made every effort to serve people what they wanted, from newspapers to food but few people behave so badly that I feel very low and tired of all this." I told him that didn't I noticed his hard work and his smile too. Serious and genuine efforts never go unnoticed and someday it certainly gets appreciation. I asked him (Krishna raane)not to feel sad because of few insensitive people. I felt I gave him hope and his happiness made me happy that at least I made some one happy. I called him a "Dost". I always knew that its not status of people that makes me talk to them but its their hearts, simplicity and emotions that attracts me.
Train stopped at Kalka station and I walked giving a deeper look to toy train as if wanting to ride the train till Shimla. There outside I got a van for rs 1200 and finally me and the driver drove up hill roads to Shimla. Music from the car stereo and add to that beautiful surroundings of Himachal made me sing few lines of song " waadiyan mera daaman ,raaste meri baahein , jao mere siva tum kahan jaaoge". In the car it was me and driver only and it was truly worth paying 1200 rs. I almost felt being transferred to era of 70s and 80s movies of Rajesh khanna. I felt very filmy and romantic with my own self.
I paid for drivers lunch though he kept insisting that I don't pay but I told him that I am happy doing it because he again resurrected my hopes that better people still exist. We guys discussed many things and till shimla I felt I was with my friend, its vibrations that I feel from people and act on that and also its about finding right people which mostly happens to me. I thank god for always being so sweet to me.
In shimla I walked till lower areas of Mall road and felt really tired because it was after so many months that finally I am walking so much. It was Gulmarg hotel where I changed almost 3 rooms until I liked one and even warned reception guy that he provide me with a room with window facing valley.
I took bath and changed my clothes and left the hotel in the evening to Mall road in search of ATM to withdraw money. MALL road was full of people from offices, tourists , local girls and boys and bazaar was as usual happening. I found the ATM and there my money went back inside the machine and felt so confused as what to do. Bank was open and I found asst. managers(Nikhil, Pawan) from my place who made me very comfortable and even wrote an application for me and assured me that my money will be transferred back to my account by next day. He was thrilled to see a guy from his place in Shimla all alone. He even asked me why I am here and he didn't liked mountains and so even suggested me not to find a house here.
I was equally happy finding right people on my trip. First day on mall road I was walking alone not knowing that suddenly for next few days I will have company of some friends. He asked me to come to bank in the evening the other day. I went to the bank the next evening and later had dinner together and we did it until I left Shimla. I am an emotional person and so it was obvious I get attached to sweet people and I almost tried to give him hope in true sense when he shared some of his very private disasters with me. I asked him to be very strong and never lose hope. We discussed things as if we were old buddies and days spent with them made me feel as if for long time I have been in Shimla.
I took a taxi next day for Fagu to look for the property and on road to Fagu, views were just magical, it was clean and quite and cold. Shimla I never liked too much because its badly polluted and huge crowd suffocates me. Faagu provided much of a relief . Here, I did what I came for and again later next day I visited Fagu with another group of real estate guys. Two guys were young and we got together very well more as friends. We almost had lot of "masti" and blast on the way and I told him to drop me to Kalka station. I said what I pay to taxi ,I will pay to him too. I knew people work hard and friendship doesnt mean I use someone in the garb of relationships. Shimla to Kalka was very amazing journey. Not for once I felt I am with wrong people. I took them to Coffee Cafe day on the way and had Cappuchinos. We all made it clear to each other that we are friends even if the property deal doesn't happen and on Kalka station they wanted to come to platform to say good bye but I said , "its fine, you guys leave " and it was really a moment that makes me think that really we all have love and feelings for even strangers but either we don't realise it or kill this whole emotional aspect.
In train again I found myself in the same coach where Krishna rane served, he came to me smiling as usual and he looked almost attached to me. He gave me the food tray and I ate, he sat beside me, I told him I don't eat sandwiches and really didn't eat much since morning. He left without saying anything and brought me extra "samosa" and tried to give me one more food tray but I was almost full so I didn't eat more. he cared for me on the whole journey till Delhi, even people around looked at me that I was being taken care of so much. I asked him not to show extra attention to me like I am privileged.
Train arrived Delhi and before leaving I gave him 100 rs thinking that its not a tip because "tip" will ruin this whole feeling of emotions that I have for him. In real I don't give tip in hotels or anywhere. I considered him as a friend and someone my own and gave him my card and told him you will always be a friend irrespective of what you do or what you are.
I walked out and took an auto rickshaw and again that auto driver resurrected my hope that people still think so much about others pain . After I commented on how people were being almost dragged to the dhabas as if they have to eat in those dhabas or they will be murdered. He told me he feels sad when he cannot help people from Bihar and UP who he sees everyday being tortured by goon like rough dhaba owners opposite Delhi railway station. I told him what more beautiful I need to end my this short trip than a sensitive young autowala with his so emotional observations about life. His life is an everyday struggle for survival and peoples abusive words are his everyday sweet songs and harshness of life kills such people every moment. My words made him feel good and I could see stars in his eyes that people have after some recognition.
I finally reached home and took a deep breath because I knew my magical, fantasy kind of journey has ended and I am back in the real world with real bad people around me. I would say "thanks god" for making my trip a trip that felt if I was in that short time zone for quite long time and met best of people, smiled throughout and got best of experiences to cherish for long and feel nostalgic when I look back. wows..but good things come to an end too.
While climbing the stairs I murmured lines from Jagjit singh's ghazal from a movie tum bin "एक लम्हे में सिमट आया था सदियों का सफ़र, ज़िन्दगी तेज़ बहुत तेज़ चली हो जैसे" Perfection in their happiness people rarely achieve ever. I did.
1 comment:
ur a gr8 analyser, u analyse other people feeling really very well, its happy to know tht u enjoy there.
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