I was not in a good mood since I was rejected admission for PhD in the institute. I wanted to escape to Delhi as earlier as possible. Fortunately (or unfortunately?) I got a current reservation to Sarai Rohilla in Delhi and ran to the train stationed in the second platform. I was happy to see a Tamil fellow sitting near me since I was more comfortable with Tamil than Hindi. I started talking with him. He was a financier in Chandigarh. People, mostly merchants, borrow money from him at a very high rate of interest. If they fail to return, this fellow use force to get the money or equivalent or more property back from them. He himself is doubtful if the money he had been earning and feeding his children was pure or not! I requested him to help me to get a bus to Jamia Nagar.
With him was a Delhi boy, Pappu as he called himself, aged around fifteen and obviously a slum-wallah. They met while coming to the station. He is from Delhi and he travels a lot. He spoke in high speed Urdu which I struggled to follow and frequently asked him to slow down. Most of the things I did not understand too! He thought I knew his language hearing my fractured Hindi!
At 10.30 night, the train reached Rohilla station. The Tamil fellow just left me saying good bye. I felt angry with him. But I was happy that atleast Pappu was with me. I asked Pappu how to go to Jamia Nagar where I have been staying with my friend. He told it is a bit away and in nights, it is difficult to get some bus. Let us see if metro rail service is there or not. I asked where Pappu wanted to go. He told me he also wanted to go near Jamia Nagar. I felt more happy. We came out of the station and asked someone where the bus stop is. We stood in the bus stop waiting for a bus. They just did not come and those which came did not stop. We wasted an hour or more standing there. I got scared and asked Pappu what to do. He told that we can walk to Old Delhi which is very nearby -actually it was not- and that getting bus or train is easy there. As we started walking, rain drops started falling. We ran and sheltered under the roof of a roadside tea vendor. Pappu ordered for omelet and tea. Rain was still showering. We were wet and felt very cool. We finished the tea and in between Pappu introduced me to the vendor as if they are friends for long! There was no signs that the showering rain would stop soon, therefore I insisted him to continue walk. We reached at Old Delhi. There also, we did not get any vehicles to Jamia Nagar. On the way, Pappu had been describing about his city very passionately. I loved the way he loved his city; he did it in a poetic way! Pappu decided that we must go to Red Fort in that mid-night!
My whole body was paining and the legs tired. We were walking through Chandni Chowk where there were no human beings. He told me Chandni Chowk is the most beautiful place in Delhi. In days, very beautiful girls come there for shopping! I understood that this fellow want to show me the whole Delhi over night! He was going on talking about Delhi in Urdu. I did not understand most of the things except that he loved Delhi and wanted to show me the whole Delhi over night if possible! I could not do anything I had to follow him. I cursed the moment I met this fellow. In a street, we saw women of various age wearing saris and lipstick standing here and there. He told me we can stay here if I was interested. I got scared and surprised that a small boy is interested in these kinds of activities. Pappu smiled at one of the girl as she looked at us, a middle-aged man tried to approach us. I held Pappu's hand forcefully and increased the pace of walk. The man walked away.
By the time I was extremely exhausted and mentally prepared to sleep in the foot path. We reached in front of the Red Fort. I could not move my steps. I sat on a stone soaked in the rain water. Pappu asked to walk through the road and asked my name. I told my name. He was surprised to know that I was a Muslim. He told me he also is a Muslim and told his full name, which I don't remember now. Then he insisted me to visit Jama Masjid which was nearby. I told him this is very late and we cannot enter the Masjid. He insisted to walk and we saw the Jama Masjid on the other side of the road. Thanks to Pappu, I saw Jama Masjid, Red Fort and Chandni Chowk in the late night. Even though I have been in Delhi for the past one week, I had never visited any place there since it was extremely hot in Delhi in that May. I could never come out of the room I was staying in.
The watch showed 2.30am. We moved to the nearby junction. Pappu called an auto and talked the driver in Urdu. Initially auto driver asked for 300 rupees which came down to 150 rupees. The auto was flying through the beautiful city and I was in a mood of relax in the auto. I felt as if I was in a boat sailing through the Chaliyar in the late nights. Pappu and the driver were talking very fast in Urdu. Even though he could sit in the back seat, he had sat with the driver on that small seat.
I called my friend Anees and told I will be there in Jamia Nagar by around 3.15. I got down near Batla house. Anees was waiting there. Pappu and Auto went towards Pappu's destination.
With him was a Delhi boy, Pappu as he called himself, aged around fifteen and obviously a slum-wallah. They met while coming to the station. He is from Delhi and he travels a lot. He spoke in high speed Urdu which I struggled to follow and frequently asked him to slow down. Most of the things I did not understand too! He thought I knew his language hearing my fractured Hindi!
At 10.30 night, the train reached Rohilla station. The Tamil fellow just left me saying good bye. I felt angry with him. But I was happy that atleast Pappu was with me. I asked Pappu how to go to Jamia Nagar where I have been staying with my friend. He told it is a bit away and in nights, it is difficult to get some bus. Let us see if metro rail service is there or not. I asked where Pappu wanted to go. He told me he also wanted to go near Jamia Nagar. I felt more happy. We came out of the station and asked someone where the bus stop is. We stood in the bus stop waiting for a bus. They just did not come and those which came did not stop. We wasted an hour or more standing there. I got scared and asked Pappu what to do. He told that we can walk to Old Delhi which is very nearby -actually it was not- and that getting bus or train is easy there. As we started walking, rain drops started falling. We ran and sheltered under the roof of a roadside tea vendor. Pappu ordered for omelet and tea. Rain was still showering. We were wet and felt very cool. We finished the tea and in between Pappu introduced me to the vendor as if they are friends for long! There was no signs that the showering rain would stop soon, therefore I insisted him to continue walk. We reached at Old Delhi. There also, we did not get any vehicles to Jamia Nagar. On the way, Pappu had been describing about his city very passionately. I loved the way he loved his city; he did it in a poetic way! Pappu decided that we must go to Red Fort in that mid-night!
My whole body was paining and the legs tired. We were walking through Chandni Chowk where there were no human beings. He told me Chandni Chowk is the most beautiful place in Delhi. In days, very beautiful girls come there for shopping! I understood that this fellow want to show me the whole Delhi over night! He was going on talking about Delhi in Urdu. I did not understand most of the things except that he loved Delhi and wanted to show me the whole Delhi over night if possible! I could not do anything I had to follow him. I cursed the moment I met this fellow. In a street, we saw women of various age wearing saris and lipstick standing here and there. He told me we can stay here if I was interested. I got scared and surprised that a small boy is interested in these kinds of activities. Pappu smiled at one of the girl as she looked at us, a middle-aged man tried to approach us. I held Pappu's hand forcefully and increased the pace of walk. The man walked away.
By the time I was extremely exhausted and mentally prepared to sleep in the foot path. We reached in front of the Red Fort. I could not move my steps. I sat on a stone soaked in the rain water. Pappu asked to walk through the road and asked my name. I told my name. He was surprised to know that I was a Muslim. He told me he also is a Muslim and told his full name, which I don't remember now. Then he insisted me to visit Jama Masjid which was nearby. I told him this is very late and we cannot enter the Masjid. He insisted to walk and we saw the Jama Masjid on the other side of the road. Thanks to Pappu, I saw Jama Masjid, Red Fort and Chandni Chowk in the late night. Even though I have been in Delhi for the past one week, I had never visited any place there since it was extremely hot in Delhi in that May. I could never come out of the room I was staying in.
The watch showed 2.30am. We moved to the nearby junction. Pappu called an auto and talked the driver in Urdu. Initially auto driver asked for 300 rupees which came down to 150 rupees. The auto was flying through the beautiful city and I was in a mood of relax in the auto. I felt as if I was in a boat sailing through the Chaliyar in the late nights. Pappu and the driver were talking very fast in Urdu. Even though he could sit in the back seat, he had sat with the driver on that small seat.
I called my friend Anees and told I will be there in Jamia Nagar by around 3.15. I got down near Batla house. Anees was waiting there. Pappu and Auto went towards Pappu's destination.
No comments:
Post a Comment