Back in college days, we had this 4-day holiday and I had a few plans of my own, U know.. the usual, Will go swimming at a friend's well in Old Belgaum, go to the small lonely hill-rock, we called it Rang De Basanti spot and spend the night with a quilt of stars above us, party in the fields near to our college where there was literally no soul nearby to disturb us, go to the sugarcane fields and have some of that, typically, Liberate myself from the internal exams those had just passed.
But... Destiny had some plans of her own. Not like I had never been to Mahabaleshwar earlier, but I had never explored it, never seen the unseen side of the city, never been to the stables where horses are bred, never tried my stint at the nearby nursery, teaching kids A B C D... Those were actually unthought of even in my wildest dreams... Well, it happened...
My friend, he wanted to go out of town.. he had just broke up u see... and, he was badly in need of friendly support and a change to get him back to normal (He better get back to normal, I was bearing his part of misery). We suggested Kolhapur as it was very near from Belgaum, just 2 hours drive and hence, we could get back in a day. But, he wanted Mahabaleshwar.. I knew he was kidding.. Trip to other state? And that too during college sem? Goa seemed a better option but, he was adamant... Trying to be a man, he bet that he will not drink in misery hence, GOA was out of the question, well, the decision happened in 5 mins flat. I was supposed to have dinner at my mess, get an extra dinner parceled, pick a friend on the way to Aniket's room and we will catch any bus that leaves towards Mumbai.
Hey.. did we for get something? What about finance? Who has money? Arent we eternally broke? A guy had just got his cheque encashed... unluckily... So, that hurdle cleared.. Plans? Who has plans? Its not that I m gonna go 250 Kms and come back in a day... Well, leaving nearly everything to GOD, we left.. Remember its 10:30 pm.. night and its freezing cold, Well, I found myself standing with 6 other guys trying to stop every four wheeled piece of machinery on the highway inquiring availability of seats.. No luck... But I was getting confident of a quick return to my room where a nice warm bed lay in wait. No bus... its 12:30 pm... And we decide to return back to our respective rooms calling it a day.... YIPPEEE!
I am at last spared of our madness... We return to Aniket's room and discuss stuff... U know.. Guy stuff... then, he starts that misery talk again and its 1 hour now, he's not stopping.. We all decide to give it another try.. WTF.... I wanna return to my room.. U guys can go to any godforsaken place on this Solar System, I am not gonna come.. But, if you have had your stint with friends, U will know that Its hard to convince all to halt or even slow down their plans... Well, same here, I had to drag along.
We headed straight to the ST stand... Night, no soul on the road, but buses do their part of giving our ST stand a visit 24 hours a day... On reaching, we realize that there is a bus to Mumbai at 2:00 am... Why do they have buses at unworthy hours when there are no passengers? (I wanna beat up the one responsible for this timetable.. literally). Guys are happy and so should I...
We board the bus... Ask for 7 tickets to Satara... 85 bucks each... First financial casualty. As speculated, the whole bus is EMPTY.. except for us, no-other passenger. We return to our sleep... Alas!! that wouldn't happen.. thanks to roads by Govt. Of INDIA and freezing cold air blowing through the gaps of windows.. I was to be the first INDIAN dying of frost-bite Luckily, I survived the test of nature and the ST... Do they know that suspension is a major part of a vehicle that they seemed to have missed out?
Well, its 7:00 am and we are there.. at last!! But what about all morning stuff n all? I gotta go to the bathroom... Well, the Govt has everything figured out... there are provisions in the depot... 2rs each.. We are broke remember... then, we have the 'Poha' as our breakfast.. I eat 3 plates I suggest hire a cab for two days and spend our holidays in peace and call it a disaster... But guys donot listen... Assholes wanna try out a no-holds-barred approach and donot heed my advice. We take a van to Mahabaleshwar... those ferrying types.. 15 bucks each.. there, we have another breakfast.. Vada Pav... the common-man-food. Try the same old approach.. take ferrying vehicles to the various spots... been-there-done-that and, the night grows upon us.. I am scared.. these bunch of retards with me will lead us to dooms-day cause, they decide to spend the night out in open.. Its winter and we are on a hill-station... I try to reason out loud but no use... then, an old guy nearby hears our commotion and puts ahead his offer... Some family of whose he is the house keeper is ready to allow us to spend a night at this place... 25 bucks a person a night. Is GOD watching.. Do I have a Guardian Angel? Well, the problem was, his place was at a distant, inner part of Mahabaleshwar. No choice scenario, we go to his place... He manages stables and we have to sleep in the shed... It was HEAVENLY I tell you... Apart from the stink which grew up on us, a nice straw bed, a quilt each, a bonfire.. we had it all..
Dunno when I woke up It was pretty early... The old guy tries his hand at Good Morning.. I do all my morning stuff and then wake up others... A nice warm water bath.. then we all get out for our exploring but this time, the old guy is our guide... The price-- 50 rs extra... And that was the most memorable part of Mahabaleshwar that he showed us... Little alleys where they have their honey-processing industries, Cottage industries making all sorts of gifts... little kids showing us their stuff.. I couldnt help buy buy a few. There they also give us their honey-wine.. Yeah, they have that too, very light and sweet. Day passes at a lightening speed.. Bonfire, playing with horses and, we go to sleep... Again I wake up early do my stuff but dont feel like wakin the others... Its a holiday after all... After exploring a bit, i understand there's a nursery nearby.. The VANDE MATARAM song was going on so, i stand there, Dunno how I got into it but I got into a conversation with the head master and he convinces me to try teaching the basic A B C D to the little tots. Its not EASY I tell you... Little devils are affectionate and I find drawing coconut trees on the board instead... GOD, I want my child hood back.. I take leave, having failed, I understand I am not made for nursery teaching, bid adeu to the class, the headmaster and head back to our room... This time, we do not go out buy play with the horses instead, In the evening, the old guy invites us for dinner at his place. Dirt cheap, we had to eat there. Food was no doubt delicious and pretty warm.. Did we touch their lives or is it the other way round? End of Day Three.
Morning.. nothing different but, I get up a bit late..
This time, we bid adeu to the old guy, give him 50 rs extra for takin such good care.. try the locals for the last time and get to the ST stand, finding the same bus empty and ready to leave, we board with memories like no other, reach early, its 10:30pm.. That bloody bus, it was a whole 4 hrs late for us. I am in Belgaum.. but i miss Mahabaleshwar...
We divide the cost.. it turns out to Rs 530 per head... Awesome...
I bunk college the next day in pretex of rest.. but I did not need one Mahabaleshwar had refreshed me for life after all.
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