Train to Neta's Nuptials .....Part IV

So I got tremendous as well as some really hilarious responses to my earlier blogs....few dared to write it on my blog page itself while several more chickened out of commenting directly on a public forum...so took the easy way out and called me...

I appreciate those feelings deeply but my dear old friends ....be a man....have the courage to express your opinions publicly..you don't carry a certain Lalit Modi -like personality....no one is going to initiate judicial proceedings against you....ask me,I am a Political Science student...I will explain Fundamental Right of Free speech granted to your humble tongue by the Constitution of India......some boys were also eager to add more anecdotes to my version.....I have to say ..you can write it yourself buddy....my computer...my blog ...so my version ....
Anyway I am going further....
So , We i.e. myself,Mota Naveen & Abhay reached the Hotel in nearly 10 minutes while riding three in a Rickshaw...It was a pleasant ride ...drenching ourselves in pre-monsoon Bihari rain.....Yes Bihari because sometimes it happens that Rain gods remain happy constantly for 7 days …we call it satbhainya….this drizzling was more or less similar to that pattern. During the journey, Rickshaw-puller acquainted us with several landmarks of city like Darbhanga University,Civil Court premises ,etc. It was a guided tour on mud-filled path passing through main commercial area of city.

Why we tolerate such pathetic status of our civic amenities. As soon as we reached the Hotel, I gathered my wallet from my room and handed over Rs.20 to hard-working Rickshaw-puller. Irony was visible ,while we boys were having fun ,this man was earning his bread by toiling in such harsh condition. Pulling Rickshaw on these streets was a Herculean task.

While going back to my room on the first floor, an adolescent teen,may be 20-year old boy told me not to drench the floor. I arrogantly told that boy to shut up and mind his own business which he duly did. Actually ,bulging biceps in figure-hugging wet T-shirt did the trick. That poor chap was a close relative of owner of the Hotel who was trying to make the floor squeaky-clean in mud-filled environs.

Porch of that Hotel resembled a dirty drain ,whole city was like huge waste material dumping ground, no one was bothered & this boy was acting like a Mr.clean. Why we Indians spit on the road, dump our wastage in public streets yet pretend to make our home a hygienic place. I have seen so many Hindi movies where Heroine dumps waste water on Hero’s head who is passing beneath her home & the spark of love is generated instantly.Hypocrisy has many manifestations….we act like spiritually superior people …..immune from sexual pleasures of mortal human beings…place ourselves on a high pedestal morally. Still ,we produce million babies a year…indulge in atrocities on womenfolk..so on and so forth.

No point in finding faults …so came back to Room ….had a sumptuous bath and ordered Lunch..Piping hot Fish curry and other delicacies were served and our hunger subsided. Now the actual Bakchodi started …Budhau and Nitin were giving their view on every topic ..and hot discussion ensued. In between someone told us that we were here to attend Neta’s marriage..so the knowledge about route to Neta’s home was required. It was around 1400 hrs. Someone suggested,we get ready immediately,hire a comfortable vehicle and find out Pindaruch using Google Earth….alas we were not having GPS sets…… so this idea was dropped…..helicopter or any flying object was out of our reach. Then, Budhau demanded that as it was Neta’s domain so he should provide us a vehicle and Guide.

Neta is some sort of astrologer ,in fact every Pandit is….so his cousin emerged from nowhere and told us to accompany him in Mahindra Jeep. We hopped on . Journey started around 1600 hrs and some of us were feeling the cold and and rain in that Match –box shaped Jeep. May be after travelling an hour we got the message that Road ahead was drastically pot-holed..so we started having second thoughts about travelling further as there was a rumour that Barat may have departed for the Bride’s place.

A suitable place was selected for parking our vehicle on the road , few umbrellas were arranged & we got down from vehicle to have some tea. Samosa, when consumed hot is really delicious …..so we found a road-side Samosa factory…this eatery was like a factory having tinned roof , coal-Bhattis and labourers roaming around. Rajesh Pandey,Abhay ,Budhau,Nitin,Yadav & yours truly had a couple of them…some helped themselves to a third one also. Tea was also served to willing individuals…no need to say that Budhau was the first one to get to vehicle for the obvious reason.

We waited and waited …then saw a Barati vehicle approaching us …our joy new no bounds….to see Neta in groom’s dress was wonderful……after exchanging pleasantries with Family elders…we abused Neta collectively to our heart’s content. Surprisingly Neta behaved like a coy bride. Good , Neta’s dimples were for everyone to see. He behaved like a caring elder brother to us and tried to ensure our well being. In return ,he was again abused for behaving in such a formal way . May be ..Yash would have approved his behavior….why this formality when we know you inside out…..It is a proven fact that probably even Neta is not remotely aware of all his characteristics as we are. No Funda about this..I can assure you.

In the meanwhile ..we changed our vehicle and hopped onto a somewhat better looking Bolero & started the journey again in a convoy . This convoy lasted for may be 15 minutes as every driver was an institution in himself. No point telling civilian drivers about good practices on the road….they drive like maniac and their lives hang by a thread….rash driving at its worst. I wondered about the corrupt Transport officer who gave them licences. These assholes have no sense of road signs and symbols. We were headed towards Madhubani…the heart of our Mithila region….road was smooth courtesy NREGA…….and rain god was kind again…raining literally cats and dogs.

So ,after crossing several bridges and culverts we reached the Turning Point…..from where we were supposed to travel on slippery mud roads and Driver was not sure about the actual location of Bride’s village. This bugger actually belonged to that Panchayat but was not sure about the routes. May be he was a little bit drunk or he was afraid of pitch-dark surroundings . Yes…listening to Cricket sounds as well as several other insects was a musical cacophony to my ear….but Budhau had some other thoughts. As usual he was expecting European –village like atmosphere in dark lands of Bihar. Where was the electricity……why it was so dark at 2100 hrs ….why moon light was absent…..who will guide us to actual location ? These thoughts were troubling us and Budhau was more vocal,abusing Neta like hell.

Nevertheless….we were happy soul and tried to ask directions from several villagers and heading in right direction. Mobile phone was redundant as they need towers to support their network…if Tower was there it was not water-proof. We were travelling through some of the most underdeveloped area of Bihar. Modern amenities has simply bypassed this area. I doubt….people living there may have believed that Indira Gandhi was still the PM .

Suddenly our vehicle came to a sudden halt…a muddy swimming pool was staring us in the face…..HOW ON THE EARTH THEY DARED TO MAKE A SWIMMING POOL ON THE ROAD……but better sense prevailed..we realized that this was just a big pot-hole gone astray…….our beloved driver refused like a newly –married bride and told us that this hole is unsurmountable…so we need to get down..find another vehicle and procced……we tried to convince him and even offered my driving skills to no avail. But ,to our good fortune another vechicle came behind us and that driver volunteered to get us through this hole. Wading through muddy water our vehicle successfully swam to another side….

Bingo….we became happy again. Within 10 minutes we reached brightly-lit Bride’s House & were relieved to reach our destination.

Happy…very happy

But this narration seems a little bit tiresome…..so why not complete it another day….there is always another day…as Bond baba has famously narrated Die Another Day……so why not Write Another Day….see you boys….till then Happy Reading