Bewildered in Bengaluru
“There’s a whole world out there, right outside your window. You’d be a fool to miss it”- Charlotte Eriksson.
I would too have loved to peek out of my train window, only if my train was on time. I don’t know why but every time I embark on a journey, my train gets terribly delayed. Even the most punctual trains experience delays only on my departure date.
21 June 2023, I was loaded with excitement. Hyderabad, my hometown had a blanket of cloud cover that day and since I had done my packing the night before, so I had good 5 hours for the departure. I spent time completing my painting, and in no time it was time for me to head for Secunderabad railway station. Wow, even before I boarded the taxi, my phone slapped me an SMS that read — “Dear passenger, your train is delayed by and hour”.
That is fine, since I am very used to delays. Once it so happened that I had booked a bus ticket to Hanumakonda through the authorized bus booking mobile application. It was only after reaching the bus terminus I was startled to know that there did not exist any bus service associated with that ticket and the station manager hastily put me on another immediate bus. The reason that I was given was a database error. An ordeal!
Now back to my train. Finally, my KSR Bengaluru Rajdhani arrived at 620pm, a good an hour and a half behind schedule. Adding more to the inconvenience, this train was assigned platform 10, from the originally intended platform 01 as shown on the display screens. The entire train got empty and a new sea of humanity boarded the train. Carton boxes, suitcases, bags, kids, babies and mid-aged energetic uncles were adding more to the atmosphere inside the train.
Though I had previously travelled on Rajdhani, but this time my excitement was doubled. Why? Because, it’s a privilege to be pay a visit to the silicon valley of India. An honour equivalent of getting your U.S H1B visa stamped.
Upon arriving at the KSR Bengaluru station, it all started. Just a single stairway that connected my platform to the overhead main exit bridge that was crowded and chocked with travelers climbing, panting for their breath. I happily exited after 20 minutes of waiting, booked a taxi and headed straight to the accommodation near Yelahanka.
Trust me this was the time when I recollected people telling me about:
Nandi hills — I picture myself playing a sitar striking good vocal notes near the Tipu Sultan’s summer palace.
Weather — As if I only want to eat a plate of clouds with glass full of rains.
Sandalwood soap factory metro station — The famous Orion mall, which made me think how poor am I. I was like — “Pramod, are you privileged enough to be at the Orion mall?” Well, I ended buying a box of doughnuts. Satisfaction, you see.
Sri Someswara Swamy temple — Navigating from Yelahanka to this architecture marvel in Halasuru took me 2 hours in the taxi. To me it seemed forever, passing by Sadashiv colony, the narrow lanes of a bazar that were filled with goats before finally making my phone and eyes ready to click the temple’s gopuram.
The greenery — I loved it. The black tar top roads looked neat with lush vegetation everywhere. It reminded me of my Delhi days.
The Bengaluru traffic of course — I absorbed all the CO2 and CO as well from the traffic jams and yes I now feel I am a part of this city too. Lol!
Though it was an extremely short trip to the mesmerizing Bengaluru, I am definitely going to take some time out and make my footprints evident one more time in this city. I was actually taken away by the beauty and aura that the city has to offer. Indeed, I was bewildered in Bengaluru.
- Pramod Sharma
