Every day I travel by bus towards my workplace.I commence my journey early morning when there are no traffic jams,no congestions….The time of the day when cool,fresh air fills the atmosphere..The hour when the sun has just made an entry into the blue sky….
There are two different routes that take me to my destination ….The buses come at regular intervals, with the first route being a short-cut, while the second one being a long cut…….I prefer taking the long route,except for when I am really late and gotta catch-up with my office on time, I have no option but to get set on the buses which take me through the 1st route………
Now to describe my routes and why I prefer taking the 2nd route.Here goes an explanation to that effect…
The first route – where you can see our poverty striken India- Full of shanties, full of poverty,full of pollution.Where poor people sleep on the road,where you see people bathing and performing their early morning chores in nooks and corners.They leave no nook & corner vacant for their morning disposals.
It becomes really difficult for one to look outside the bus…Dnt know where your eyes lead you to……….Its like whether you see right or left, and try your best to ignore the scenes,it just doesn’t work,wherein people are defecating in the open…….I know this may sound a bit (yukkkkkkkkk).But this is the scene of our free India…All messed up!! What can I do?? Nothing but just wear on my Miami Blue shades and continue the sight seeing…Oh yes,I am blessed now,as my Ipod and Jeferry Archer keep me busy and I can ignore this scene with ease…Sometimes, I do feel sad about those poverty striken people…As,I know they are not the only ones to be blamed for it…..Its the government, its the lack of education,lack of hygiene facilities available at their end…..Oh Gosh!! Lets not go deep into that..As this is just a never ending topic..And we can talk about it for long without coming up with solutions and a conclusion..I am diverting from my purpose of writing…..
Now,let me tell you about my second route – Just thought of sharing this ……
Its an experience in itself to experience “Height”……… What a feeling it is to cross the unwinding, twirling bridge starting from Bandra towards Santacruz Airport.Some might have passed it,some might not have got a opportunity to pass it…..Those who have passed it would be able to relate to what I have to say in this post, while those who haven’t passed the bridge, better do so soon….As they have missed on a great experience….But yep….surely this piece of mine will take you on the bridge…..will give you a snapshot of what I mean….
I try my best to catch the route that takes me to a height ..The route that gives a boost to my confidence…..Yes, the one that passes through the twirling bridge..I always carry my ipod and a book thinking that I will need it..But bet it, the need just doesn’t arise…As there are better things to do, better things to look at…Cant miss on it…..
At the apex of the bridge,I see fire brigade officials march-passing at the orders of their Head, performing their dummy stunts…Sometimes,I also see them hoisting the national flag and singing the National Anthem……Though I can just hear a few verses..It makes me feel so proud, I just feel like joining them…..But thats just a short lived fantasy…….
Then the bus reaches a height where I feel I have entered “Dwarfism” and I am the only Giant ..While the cars and bikers are dwarfs in front of me.I feel so good.I feel as if I am ruling the world from above……Its even better if I get stuck up with a signal.Then,this feeling stays for long………..
When the bus moves even further,where I am surrounded by huge hoardings…….My Dwarfism phase vanishes and I feel I am now a Dwarf in the world of Gigantism…n the Giant advertisements rule me….Some of these hoardings have awesome ads on them….You just cant ignore them…..My favourite ad is the one of Vodafone( where a dog gives first-aid help to a cute girl)..It teaches us so much.It signals human to be human,in a world where humans dont help their own kinds….where Humanity is a vanishing value………
I also see huge skyscrappers and corporate offices when the bus moves almost at the tip of the bridge.I just cant wait to reach there….reach the top level….achieve that Height in life……Where I will rule…Where I will be looked upto by someone…..Where I will be someone’s “idol”…..
Then the bus takes a right turn, where I meet a red signal everyday…..Now I feel that this signal is an obstacle..It signals me that Hey Girl come down to earth,come down to start the climb again…….It signals me that there is no direct highway to achieve your goals…..one needs to go a bit slow with things..One will be surrounded by such obstacles,such signals…..and one has to learn, not to live with it…but to face it and move on……….
Now the Bus enters BKC…..The lane where my workplace is located….But this is not the end of my experience(though it may sound like one)……I still have two stops to go…These two stops teach me the most imp lesson of my life….I learn that it is the beginning of 8+ rigiourous hours of work,8+ hours of knowledge gain…These 8 hours have a lot to give me….So, I better get out of this highway fantasy and get prepared to grab the opportunities that are awaiting my way….
So,here I conclude the “Endless Beginning”…….