the detour

Back after a week long vacation (if you could call it that) at Bangalore. The first time I visited the city was about 6 years back. Then, I had viewed the city with the eager eyes of a little girl and I sat amazed at the huge buildings, busy people and the bustle all around. Also, I had liked seeing trees on either side of the road wherever I went. That one fact still filled me with joy because I thought at least they aren’t rooting up existing trees on the roadside like in Trivandrum. But this time I got a more realistic view maybe because I could be critical in my outlook now. The city is a polluted mess and I found the air too heavy to breathe. It has more people than it can accommodate and is suffering under the strain. The roads are like an unending maze, you turn a corner and you are lost! For a person who gets lost frequently even in Trivandrum, I found the roads of Bangalore to be too intricate.

The city also seems like it has had a massive alien invasion. The aliens in this case being fellow Indians from all parts of the country especially the southern end variety! I wonder how the natives put up with so many others sharing space with them. If I were to see too many non-malayalis here, I would definitely feel odd simply because I am used to hearing Malayalam around or my ears are tuned to hearing nothing else.

Enough of my critical thinking. I believe too much of thinking puts extra burden on the brain and is to be avoided on all costs so that the brain is relaxed and content to give a better perception! Yea right! So ill keep it strictly to facts! The first two days, I gave a nightmare time to my uncle and aunt with a fever running high and long wait for me wherever I went. Then aunt and I were on a shopping spree. I would say I was just the passive observer because we were hopping from shop to shop all over town and I was subject to valuable advice on household crockery, oil bottles, bed and pillow covers and the like :|. It was truly a learning experience and by the end of it she was so exhausted probably with my lack of knowledge on such intriguing subjects that she asked me to bring mom along the next time I visit. Even I thought that was a great idea! But she did know some great shops (by which I mean economic) and I could get some shopping done :D.

Next day, I was to meet Jo and have a stay-over at her place after 12 long years! Aunt took me some place where we met Jo and they shook hands and aunt handed me over to her :D. She took charge of me and we went to her place where we talked on and on sitting in the balcony overlooking the huge and beautiful campus of CPRI. That reminded me of the lovely past of ours when we were bubbly kids endlessly mischievous but at our best behavior when we wanted. We caught up with all the gossip about schoolmates, current lives and much more and it was fun as before. Moreover, I got to taste aunty’s sambhar after a long time! She was talking about how we, as kids used to make elaborate plans of ending up in the same college and being hostel-mates when one among our trio left. Sigh! Lost days! (I am gona write another post on that!)

I assured Jo I’ll find my way back to my uncle’s place the next day but she was apprehensive about it. So she accompanied me all the way back even with a presentation on the same day. I am glad she did coz I am sure I would’ve lost my way otherwise :D. She left me few yards beyond uncle’s place and I went into another apartment with the same name even though it did not resemble the one I left the day before. May be they had repainted it or given it a new look while I was away..you never know! :D. Finally, I somehow reached the correct apartment and started packing. The bus was in the evening and I wasn’t looking forward to another bus ride as the way to Bangalore was too tiring and hectic. Either due to fear of another such journey or the polluted air of Bangalore, I had an attack of breathlessness (second symptom of swine flu in 4 days time :D). It was followed by a violent bout of cough and cold and the lady sitting next to me in the bus was yelling at me for not using a mask. She promptly took out hers and didn’t even turn to my side for a long time after which she asked me to get medicines. Given a chance, she would’ve happily thrown me out! However, I was feeling much better somewhere after the Kerala border (the illness was completely psychological I tell you). I felt really delighted to be back home and I realized the sad fact that however much I convince myself that I never get homesick, I do, especially when am sick! Cough syrup, vintage wine and a dose of antibiotics later, I am back in full senses and ready to begin the search for ‘direction’. I confess, I am lost even in life! :D