Hamara Bajaj

This news article in today’s Times of India online edition brought back nostalgia of yester years.

We were staying in Palace Guttahalli during my growing years. The entrance of the house was constructed giving due consideration to scooters. There were 2 pairs of steps that led into the verandah. And this block of steps was consciously separated with a small concrete slide.

The slide was inserted to make it easy for a scooter owner to open the gate and push the scooter into the verandah – a safety feature in those days. Thieves would steal scooter tyres, petrol and what not, if parked on the road.

I remember my childhood days when my dad would take my sister and i on his scooter for “rounds”. A round included a small circle that started and ended at our door step. Yet how thrilled we would be over this “treat”.

Yet another time, dad had taken my sister and I to Lakeview on M G Road for Ice Creams. On our way back, near GPO signal, a fellow motorist had scolded me for dozing off – could he blame me for this when I had wrapped my little hands around my father’s tummy and was snuggled against his warm back for support – it was an open invite to snooze 

But I never forgave that motorist for scolding me in front of my dad

Well, even today, my daddy dear drives his dearest Bajaj Chetak. He still is proud of his scooter and does not let anyone ride it. And today, his fave passtime is taking his grand kids on his scooter for “rounds”

Hyderabad Blues – Part 1

Swaram must be wondering how am I qualified to talk about her adopted city

But yes, I have lived there 2 years of my life – time sufficient enough to build memories. I am going to share some of them here…

Whenever I hear Hyderabad, top things that come into my mind are Kamat hotel opposite to Birla Mandir, Khairatabad, Lakdi Ka Pul, Mother Teresa High School and St. Mary’s School. My experiences map into only these places.

Let me start by telling you all that I was just 9 years old when my parents were transferred to Hyderabad. We were put in Mother Teresa High School. I do not really have many memories of my classmates or teachers from here. However 2 incidents are very raw in my head:

1. One of my classmates was Marium. She had very curly long hair. That particular day, she had not combed her hair well and it was all streaming over her face. I asked her casually – “why have you not combed your hair?” and in response (broken english), she responded “I had head bath today only ya”. I was quick to catch that and called rest of the gang and announced “hey you know what… Marium had head bath today only after all these years…”.

At that point, it was fun. I never realized the amount of hurt I would have caused to her by making fun of her english. Marium, in case you get to see this post, I am terribly sorry. It was certainly not my intention to hurt you … I just wanted to bring out the pun in your statement.

2. Sankranthi is one big and colorful festival in Hyderabad. What makes it so is the kite flying tradition that is associated with this festival. Since we were staying on the 2nd floor of a house, my sister and I were enthusiastic to fly a kite – a first in our life. so, off we went to buy a kite from lakdi ka pul market, which was walking distance from our house.

On the way back, a bunch of small (rowdy) boys snatched the kite from my hand. I was dumb stuck on how to react. Although I considered myself very bold (misconception, later I realized), I failed to react boldly at that instance. I saw a familiar face bicycling near by. It turned out to be Shabbir, my classmate. He asked me what happened and I told him about the incident. Immediately, off he went on his bicycle, fought with the guys and got my kite back. I was so happy and Shabbir was the knight in the shining armor for me. Shabbir, thank you very much for getting our kite back. I hope you will read this.

Sadly, end of that year, my father decided to change our school to St. Mary’s and I never kept in touch with my Mother Teresa Gang. However, these 2 memories are very fresh in my mind as if they happened yesterday

To Mr X with Love :P

When I drive to & from office, I am like a horse – concentrating ONLY on the goal of reaching
office/home in record time. I seldom crane my neck to observe people or things unless it is toooo obvious. Leave alone hunting for handsome hunks…

Yesterday on my way to the office, I saw this motorist coming in the opposite direction. And something on his face caught my attention. That was the first time in the last 12 years my gaze had actually stopped on some guy’s face for more than a fleeting second. This guy fitted my description of “handsome” – now-a-days this word is very personalized.

I drove through after that “more than fleeting glimpse” of that motorist. But there was a grin on my face as my memories took me back in time. Suddenly I remembered this particular guy on whom I had major crush during school days.

I was in 10th standard, and there was this college going dude who used to take the bus from the same stop early morning 6.30 a.m. And I used to feel terrible about not being able to draw his attention on me. He used to be very well dressed and smart. While I was really fat, wearing white school uniform and well oiled plaited hair He used to board the same bus and would get off at the same bus stop as me. This gave me 30 mins time to line marofy him.

Those days, I used to own an orange colored kashmiri jacket. And to me, it was the most fashionable item to wear. So, in order to draw this hunk’s attention, I started wearing that jacket. I would even put my hands into its pocket to appear stylish….

Not that this tactic helped… he never gave me even a second glance…. i had told about him to 2 of my close friends at school and we had nicknamed him Amir Khan. He had the same hair style as Amir Khan in QSQT.

This continued through the year with NO results. And there I used to wait week after week seeing him from a distance and observing his style and stance. How casually he used to wait there with one leg folded against the wall behind him….

Well, this is where the story ends !!!

I am actually unable to understand why seeing this motorist actually brougth forth memories of this guy… but it definitely was a very niiiiiice feeling to revisit the bus stop and catch faint, fading glimpses of this unknown person.