On 6th August 2013, i.e., the day I landed at Jammu Airport, I knew I had to jot down some things about my Bangalore trip but the delay in this post was made due to two specific reasons: first that I am lazy enough to transfer my random thoughts I had scribbled on my notepad to my computer, and second that the reluctant writer in me dictates me, at times, not to share the banalities. With time, I realized that those one and half months gave me new experiences and memories I could cherish for a lifetime. So here I talk of Bangalore – I went there for my Summer Internship as part of my MBA, along with three of my friends – Rahul, Isha and Suman. It looks like a wholly different country, everything was so different here. This city is huge, both in square miles and possibilities. Our initial hunting for a shelter turned out to be not only a physical exercise but also a taxation to the mind. Though Aman and Suhail helped but it still took us five days to find something that we could call our ‘Home Sweet Home’. (For those of you who don’t know Aman and Suhail, they are one of my best friends from engineering and if it wasn’t for them, our 48 day stay at Bangalore would not have been possible). Isha and Suman transformed the house into “a home”. Things went on smoothly thereafter, we got caught in our new daily routine. Me, Rahul, Suman, Isha: we were all gelling well together. Getting used to the corporate culture at office and Kannada Culture out in the city was something new and challenging.
Then came July 10, when something bit me. Our blood got mixed and I was a changed man, so hot, not the seductively hot, but literally hot. I got the worst fever of my life, bloody mosquito ! I didn’t know what 104° F felt like, until then. My doctor said I might have got dengue. The low Blood Platelet Count in my initial reports got my heart pumping even faster. I didn’t know the gravity of the situation until July 12, when I stopped healing. It felt like THE WOLVERINE in last movie of the series.
Blood platelet count fell from 150k to 90k to 80k and it raised tensions back home as well. Family you know, that’s what they do. Well, the NSI Antigen Test Report came out ‘-ve’. I was feeling better after two weeks, thanks to the care of my compassionate flat mates.
Let’s fast forward to July 27, My Birthday, as I have been told. Never wanted to celebrate, I feel averse to all the public attention – that’s also the reason you don’t get my birthday notifications on your Facebook News Feed. I was thrown surprise parties by my Sphere Travelmedia co-workers at KTPO, Whitefield and by friends back home later that night. Wearing goofy birthday hats and blowing off burning candles were new for me. Overall, it was fun and I thank everyone who made it, for me, a night to remember.
Talking of hanging around in the city, ISKCON Temple was the only attraction we could manage to see (blame it on the corporate culture). It’s a visual treat for the eyes, a place where people can put their faith and experience Krishna consciousness. But what disheartens me is that the temple has become more like a commercial super market, than a place of worship. During my stay at Bangalore, I did some occasional cooking as well. Although girls were the real in-charge of F&B department, not allowing me to sneak into the kitchen, I still managed to show off my cooking skills a couple of times with my Soya Masala Rice.
Like all good things, our time at Bangalore came to an end. The picture perfect climax prior to our departure was orchasterated by ’Rab Jee’ on August 6, with me and Rahul being chased by nearly 20 dogs on the streets of Krishna Palya in the middle of the night. Knocking at a stranger’s door at 0130 hrs is now the craziest thing I’ve done in my life.
Would I like to visit Bangalore one more time if given a chance? The answer is ‘NO’. Why so ? Well, I think I need to see something newer, to grow into more of a global citizen, for whom there can be a home in every city, and every country.
Until next time folks, Hasta la vista !
virtualtarun 