A Journey to Paradise with 'Hell Mates'

   I just returned from Delhi on a purely personal turned official tour and Anup hit me with a tempting idea.

   ‘Dada, let’s go to any hill station. For a long time, we haven’t gone anywhere’.

   Well, frankly speaking, I needed no excuse. I hate this soaring temperature of Tamil Nadu after April and excruciating burning sensation second to none. Every morning I wake up hoping, probably today my ordeal will come to an end and it will rain. But as my less fortunate luck, perspiration wet my clothes and face, instead of rain water and I curse my fate vigorously. At this moment, the idea of Hill Station is intriguing like having delicious Chole Bhature or Momos in Tamil Nadu. I had to tell yes instantly.

   I know exactly why our Parliament doesn’t work and MPs always fight. Our group is not 543 strong, but the mere 7 to 8 members are enough to create ruckus on any decision. The question was simple. Where to go, how to go and where to stay? And, we split ourselves on numerous proposals, some crazier than the members themselves and we fought with each other like bulls in arena. We debated among Ooty, Kodaikanal and Munnar. And then, Shailabh wanted to go by bike, Ranajit by hired taxi and me for cheap local bus. We tried to book guesthouse or hotels, but it seemed that whole Tamil Nadu went to Kodaikanal. ‘Rooms illai’. At last, Amit assured that we would get rooms for sure after reaching Kodaikanal, because he ‘knew’. We stopped arguing and searching hotels and looked forward for ‘saviour’ Amit, but our saviour abandoned us at the crucial moment just like a wicked cunning Parliamentarian and we were found in a local bus looking each other’s faces meekly.

The Fat Guy and a Murderous Rage

   Ardhendu is damn fat; and he’s not unhappy about it. The careful selection of world’s finest ‘fat-cells’ throughout his whole body gives an impression of living ‘laughing Buddha’. The rustic sense of humour and a crazy cute face has made this guy as life of our group. After reaching Kodaikanal, he suddenly announced that there was no need to take help of touts and confidently walked forward. Startled, we followed him ignoring the touts, offering us rooms. He walked for a mile and stopped before a lodge, whose name board was hidden behind. We noticed a person was sleeping inside under a blanket. We badly needed warm clothes and blankets in a warm room. Chilled wind was piercing and it was 5 in morning. Ardhendu woke him up, asked for a room and he said no in a sleepy voice and we were back in empty road. We narrowed our eyes to this fat guy. He released white smoke and spoke calmly, ‘Two years before I stayed in this lodge and thought it would be empty. Ok let’s go back to bus stand and talk to any tout’. If murder wasn’t illegal and punishable, I could’ve done that in the very morning on our first day in Kodaikanal.

   Tout took us probably every corner of the small town and after frantic search which lasted for two hours, a hotel was found with exorbitant charge, but we settled in immediately for lure of warm blankets. Bear Shola Falls is near, but the sleepless previous night and cosy weather caused havoc dizziness on us and we went for a good snap, not before we three, Ardhendu, Anup and me smoke Marlboro and drank Chevalier. And after a drink I always love to think.

   Clearly our country is divided into two nations. And two different economies have been sprout out to serve them. In Kodaikanal too, I have seen people having access to huge wealth snub others and hate to receive services made for poor tourists; whereas poor like us watch them from a distance and though don’t hate, they just cannot afford to receive services made for rich.  The gap is widening and none can be oblivious to the fact. I felt kind of sad. But Chevalier and warm blanket started to work and made me warm enough to enjoy Kodaikanal, ‘the gift of the forest’. We booked a SUV and went to some site-seeing as a must ritual. Those who had cameras and smart-phones clicked photos in permutation and combination, everytime requesting new poses. Some tried ‘selfies’ and some were continuously updating their feelings and whereabouts to the world through Facebook. It’s really privilege to watch so many people together, each having fun in their own ways. And with friends, every moment becomes beyond price. While watching Pillar Rocks, I couldn’t stop myself from comparing my previous trips in hill stations. I remembered Nainital, Mahabaleshwar, Lonavela, Ooty trips with her and also I remembered that sometimes after fight, friends seemed to be better companion to her. But now, the very thought of her reminisced countless sweet-little memories, a romantic walk in cool evening beside lake literally holding her hands, teasing each other in a dim-light restaurant and smelling her endearing fragrance. I started to miss her right away and re-discovered a truth, for God’s sake you cannot compare everything!  

Weird Humans

   The site-seeing was disastrous and boring. Traffic jam and our ‘evil’ driver spoiled our mood. We wanted to return to hotel, but not before a formal complaint to the travel agency. A weird side of human nature was unveiled to me. The ‘formal’ complain ran for half an hour and the guy in desk turned from utterly arrogant to meekly feeble before our ‘fat guy’, and surprisingly our mood switched to joyous and we all came out with broad smiles. And I thought, Instead of going for site-seeing, we should try this in first place. Some money would be saved!

   Some people leave their footprints ever in memory, even if they meet for a second. I met a Bengali waiter in a Punjabi Dhaba in Kodaikanal while packing for dinner and I was sure, I would never forget him. Name was unnecessary, so I didn’t ask; but the eccentric waiter proudly informed me first hand that he shook hands with Rajiv Gandhi and he received a bonus of Rs. 53,000/- previous month and his salary was Rs. 28,500/-. I didn’t know how to react! The restaurant was full of charming girls and I wanted to watch them before going back to a place, where they were extinct. But the waiter was speaking to me as if he was in a drama. Sometimes his voice was husky and he was whispering and sometimes he was loud enough to draw the ire of manager. And finally while handing over the packet, he whispered to me as if revealing a sinister conspiracy, ‘I have given few onions and green chillies in the packet’.

   Night was chilled, quiet and fun packed. We played cards for long and fought for the side of bed. Ardhendu’s snoring is as famous as his body and the sound isn’t monotonous like others. I recorded the weird jingle in my mobile. And before going to sleep, I called her. I had to. It’s a ritual.

Plan isn’t our thing

   Bear Shola Falls was dry, water would flow down only in November or December, but the picturesque forest was woken by our noisy voices in morning, while we clicked photos and laughed at pranks. We had checked out the hotel and headed for the famous lake in Kodaikanal. Our legs were heavy and bags were heavier. Fat cells found beautiful nests in our stomach too. Bryant Park was near. Flowers were abundant; but we were in no mood for flowers or the 157 years old Eucalyptus tree, even the girls with fashionable dresses! We needed rest. In park, while everybody was busy with clicks and walking, we sat on a concrete bench and sighed. We saw children, running around and playing balls and soap bubbles. I also wanted to play. Ardhendu suggested card and we played card in Bryant Park among thousands colourful flowers for one hour after paying Rs. 210/- as entry fees.

   Kodai Lake was created in 1863, after 18 years of establishing of Kodaikanal by British Bureaucrats. It was an instant hit among tourists, but the mercury emission of nearby Hindustan Levers Thermometer Factory had polluted the water making the water contaminated and now only boat ride is possible in the lake. Ardhendu suggested, ‘Let’s take a cab from here to bus stand. I simply can’t walk’. His poor leg muscles were in severe burden of big fat upper torso. But as no car was available for hire before Bryant Park, we started walking towards Bus Stand, which was just 1 km away. The cool breeze from lake was touching our hairs, making walking slower. We continued walking for 20 minutes, until Ardhendu yelled with a heartbreaking tone, ‘What the hell! I think we are in wrong direction’. We looked at each other tiredly. That means either we had to go back 3 Kms or walk forward another 3 Kms. Both seemed impossible. We sat for a few minutes beside the lake. Tourists were cycling on rented bi-cycles and boats were floating on the green coloured lake like swans. It was beautiful. We resumed walking, now slowly. Occasionally we drank tea, smoked Marlboro and clicked the views. We started enjoying. And smile was broadened when we saw the signboard of a restaurant, Hilltop. We immediately settled in. I and Anup brought a readymade plum cake and we celebrated Ardhendu’s birthday in the restaurant itself.

   Sometimes life seems to be perfect with abundant smiles and good things. I knew I had to return and servitude would resume, but I wished I hadn’t. Time was up. Ardhendu took a bus to Madurai and rest of us boarded a bus bound to Tiruchirapalli. And after few hours, when we reached our complex it was dark, humid and hot. None was in mood for a dinner. Anup played Good Samaritan and offered Maggi noodles to famished exhausted creatures. Shailabh and Anup started a debate on the powers of Army in riots and I realised we were really back.

A Promise to be Broken?

   I was walking towards my apartment, when I got a call from her. I hadn’t noticed the security guard stood up and saluted. I was recounting the sweet memories of my latest trip and I started missing Kodaikanal more and more. She assured me that any time I could go there, as it was near and it would be with me always. Like a child I slept with a promise only to be broken.

   Next day I woke up shivering with cold. I didn’t understand first. ‘Am I still in Kodaikanal’? I switched off the fan and opened balcony door, and awwww! It was rain, pouring everywhere, drenching the quest of birds, soil and the whole city. I went out and fresh cool water washed my face, soaked my clothes, touched my bare feet; and I tasted it. It wasn’t salty, it wasn’t my sweat. It was delightful.