Me, my space, my musings, my weird dreams @ Ghati…

Subramanya temple @ Ghati

Lifez turning to be pretty much boring as no thrills, nil adventures or at-least eerie things which used to happen with me every now and then!!! Even it’s so long that I have spent sometime alone, time for myself & space for my musings. I certainly have spent a lot of time in my own head (and I still do!) and had a very overactive imagination (and I used to do!)…

I was on my way to offer space for myself with Subbu (I need to have a destination right!!!), Subbu-Gani’s elder brother i.e., Ghati Subramanya is one of the popular pilgrim centers located near Doddaballapur of Bangalore Rural district @ around 60 to 65 kms from Bangalore, pretty much crowded place and there are KSRTC bus trips to this place as well from Majestic.

After series of enquires @ KGBS I got to know the availability of public transport for next trip. I was the first one to get inside the bus and I see none who were making their trip to Ghati, thought is Subbu working on Sunday’s or is it a weekly off for him…? There is a possibility coz Bangalore u see ;) when we have temple complexes here, Temple complex !! even I was amazed for the first time when I read it on poster, Ganesh temple, 5th block, Koramangala coz u can find Gani’s entire family here!!! however bus was jam-packed in ten mins time ;)

I occupied myself to the window seat, watching bright side of the day, greenery, hills, listening music, wow…My mind so free, so thoughtless, so fearless & I see no straws in the wind which would suggest me that the things gonna/might happen in near future…An elderly aunt was seated next to me, I didn’t talk to her much at all, as she seemed to be pretty much worried… once we reached Ghati @ 1240 hrs I was getting ready to get out of the bus that was the time I put off Ipod!

Aunt: Is it Icon?
Me: Nope, it’s called as Ipod. Even untutored aunts are pretty much aware of electronic gadgets now-a-days.
Aunt: U only can listen to songs right? U can’t record anything!
Me: Yes, audio recording can be but not video recording…
Aunt: U came all alone...!!! I came with my hubby and son.
Me: Yeah. My parents stay in a far away place and I stay here in PG and friends are quite busy. I sensed she belongs to an orthodox family & didn’t tell her that it was my individual decision to spend time alone as there were quite a lot chances of taking me wrong. And I might need to give a lot explanation to her. Not a surprise really, even few of my friends (male & female) were concerned / surprised that I went alone.

I brought myself to a halt @ nearby shop to buy coconuts, flowers, banana and agarbatthi so & so to please Subbu. Shop keeper guided me the way to entrance door of temple. As I got into the temple there was a quite long queue and there I found one more, as in bribed one. Not many temples remain without being commercialized now-a-days. If I pay Rs.10/- they would let me in directly, that was my assumption & a board on entrance door read as “ಪುಷ್ಯ ಶುದ್ಧ ಷಷ್ಠಿ ರಥ ಮಹೋಸ್ತವ ವಿಶೇಷ ದರ್ಶನ…” anyways left with no other choice, I got into beeline with queue of 200 ahead of me and another 100 following me unlike to ant’s line of 0.7 to 0.9k.

Later when I met Subbu, all the difference I learnt between ordinary line and bribed one was, you are allowed to see Subbu @ 30 foot distance and 10 foot distance respectively।

I almost forgot (How bad of me) I met Rohit while slogging in the queue. Rohit: so cute, so single and ready to mingle and was flirting with so many gals of-course my new boy friend ;) with whom I have spent rest of my journey.

I met two more souls who were so concerned about me (as a lonely gal), Mr. & Mrs. Gouda on queue (Rohit’s parents). She was explaining me about traditions and different kind of puja’s, Subramanya temple known for Nagaradhane (snake worship) & also under the peepal tree (Aswatha vriksha)- a cluster of Naga idols are installed on platforms and about wish-tree (I am quite aware of it) which fulfills a long pending wish @ Ghati।

Once we were done with Darshanam, I was supposed to meet wish-tree to discuss my long pending wish(s).As there is a huge Ram-sainya (Monkeys), Mr. and Mrs. Gouda were bothered they would cause any harm to me. I really so appreciate them, for accompanying me till I was done with all my rituals. It’s pretty difficult to find people so down to earth now-a-days. Mr. Gouda a lecturer by profession and Mrs. Gouda a home maker.

Mrs. Gouda was not letting me to travel alone and they insisted me to join them so finally I made mind to travel with them. Even I and Rohit were getting along so well ;)

While we were on our way to Bangalore, some Mr. Xyz! relative of Mr. Gouda called him on his mobile and invited him (us) for his home @ Doddaballapur. So I was left with no other option than joining them, of-course I was an uninvited guest. I told Mrs. Gouda, that I will stay back in car, but she didn’t let me to do so. Funny thing was even she was meeting them all for the first time.

Mrs. Gouda introduced me as her close friend and Mr. Gouda was letting them know that I am an Engineer. He reminded me of my grand-pa (Mom’s dad) who proudly used to introduce me to his friends @ village saying my grand-daughter is an Engineer. Grand-pa: first person in my life who said “If you ever wanna achieve something in your life, don’t setback yourself when you find obstacles…” I was told this, when I found myself very difficult to cope-up in English medium in my 8th standard and I had made mind to get back to kannada medium that is when he took all the pain to come down to Bellary. I stood 1st and 2nd in school till my 7th and I got flunked in my first monthly test in 8th std. To my deep shame, I got 2/25 in mathematics and 8/25 in social science (and if I am not bragging, I used to score out of out in Kannada medium). Not coz I didn’t know the logic/answers I could not understand the questions & I had none to help me @ home. In Kannada medium, we learn “A as in..., B as in...” in English and “अ का... , आ का...” in Hindi in 5th std. I joined special tuition classes, with the help of Mr. Thippa Reddy, my tutor for Science and Mathematics I was able to cope-up and I have secured 8th rank in second monthly test. I am quite happy about it & to be honest nothing has made me so happy till date…i.e., how I have evolved. Each stressful event that you encounter will provide you with a different type of challenge, but if you can anticipate what your reaction will be, there are several techniques to help you to cope.

Get back to the point Vidya! Since long I wanted to be a “gatecrasher”, one of my weirdest dreams. Despite the fact that I won’t drop-in to any of my cousins or friends place until unless I am invited to. I was planning on doing this for quite a long time now. When you walk into someone’s party or any event or some stranger’s house without being invited, it will be so thrilled! What an experience it could be huh..?

Our lovely hosts prepared chicken biriyani, Mutton curry and Raagi balls and I am a pure veggie freak. I again put Mr. and Mrs. Gouda in to trouble & they were feeling pretty bad but luckily they had prepared Rice, Rasam and some Raitha… Actually Mr. and Mrs. Gouda were quite uncomfortable having non-veg coz I am a veggie, I earlier too experienced the same. …c’mon veggie freaks plz offer them comfort as they are not committing any sin by eating non-veg, in fact they are not competing with us for veg-food & also prices of vegetables are hitting the sky ;) .Honestly speaking I really enjoyed and ate nicely without any hesitation coz I was damn hungry all I had in the morning was 2 slices of bread :(

But all I sensed was absolute embarrassment…however dreams do come true…so don’t ever dare to dream weirdly…. ;)

Finally got back into the car, returning to our seats Mr. and Mrs. Gouda into front seats, I and Rohit occupied back seats kinda some junks. I felt something like “सालो बाद ख़ुद को आईने में देखा...!” when I saw Rohit putting his fingers in his mouth, reminded of me when I was too young. My Mom really struggled like nothing to get rid of the habit; memories are still too fresh u see ;) all this and infinitely more in the space of sixty secs. Mr. and Mrs. Gouda were so happy to see Rohit being so happy with me, playing so cheerfully and slept in my arms. By the way Rohit is 10 months old little one … ;)

They were so generous and invited me to their home as well; I said certainly I would drop-in some other time. We departed @ Yelhanka, and I was on my way to PG….

It’s been my first travelogue and it has been both a trip & a religious visit for me.

Until next blog…! Catch you ;)