It was a Sunday. 7th February 2010. That day was supposed to be my first Photowalk. It starts @ 7:00 AM. I was sleepy and was lying on my bed. Yawnnn!! The time was 6:00! Oh Shit!!
Got up all of a sudden! Brushing... I do not even know the place... How am I gonna reach? I have to make it! It's after all my first Photowalk!
"Grandpa... Which bus should I take to reach the
"Hmm.. 27 D. Direct bus!"
"Wow! Cool! No sweat!"
Bathing... Thank God man! There is a direct bus. I'll make it even sooner than I had thought!
I was so excited that I updated my Facebook status update along with the mount of work.
6:40. "Buh Bye... I'll be back home by 11:00 AM"
Santhome Bus Stand. At 6:42 it was a very crowded place [sarcastic] with as many as 2 people!
A 6:45 came my 27 D. Got into it with great confidence. I thought I would be able to reach my destination at 7:00 sharp.
"Anna.. oru
"This bus won't go!"
I was like WTF??!
"Then, which bus will take me there?!"
Whistle!
I was left without an answer! The bus stopped. I stopped dead. Before I could even step on the foot board he whistled again. I got back to my senses and got down frustrated!
There was still more crowd in the bus stand with as many as one man! The other man must have taken another bus meanwhile.
I approached the man. "
"21 E thambi!
21 E?? I don't think that will take me.. But this man seems to be so confident! Let me see!
6:50. M21E, an extended service of the same bus. I got into the bus.
"Anna, one
"
I answered him like an Ex-Army Official.
"N-E-H-R-U P-A-R-K"
"Okay, 4 Rs"
"Thanks anna."
I requested him to intimate me where I should be getting down. He then started to tell something which startled me!
"Thambi, I think the place you just mentioned is the Children's Park near
"W-H-A-T??! Children's Park ah? Illa anna, na solradhu
"Hmmm... now do what I say. Get down at
I was anxious and fell into ambiguity!
Took out my mobile in a panicky fashion. Called my pals DJ and Faisal. Ring Ring Ring Ring... The subscriber you have dialled has not replied. Please try later. If you wish to leave a voice SMS.... Crap... there is no time even to speak and this woman wants a voice SMS!!
There came
"Therilengga!"
Another youth.. "Theriyale paa!"
With no other go I had to approach an elderly man. "Uncle...
The man started to blabber something to himself.. "
Whatt??!! Blistering Barnacles! That makes sense! After all, my Grandpa was right! The only mistake I made was to stand on the opposite bus stand near my residence! I had taken the right bus but the wrong route and bus stand! If at all the conductor of the very first bus I got into had told me that it was the opposite route I should be taking, it would have been perfectly fine! Thoughts of all sorts rushed in and out of my mind!
I asked him abruptly, "Which route is shorter? Towards Saidapet or San Thome?"
"If you want to go towards Saidapet, you have to take at least 2 -3 alternate buses. You better ask the people on the opposite bus stand about the way towards San Thome!"
"Thanks Uncle"
I crossed the road fighting my way anxiously through the speeding vehicles. I inquired the cop near the
"Sir,
"
"Hmm... yes.."
"Which part of
"I don't know all that, uncle. This is the first time I'm going there. Just tell me which bus to take!"
"Landmark sollu paa"
Uh oh! I do not know the landmark! Yeah! The old man said Central Railway station!
"Uncle, Central pakathula!
"Central ah? Yaaro unakku wrong landmark solli irukkanga paa! Ask the correct landmark!"
He started laughing to himself. I started laughing too at the situation I was in!
Thank goodness I had saved the mobile number of the organiser the previous day in my mobile.
7:05. Shitt! They would have kicked off from
Ring... Ring... Ring...
"Uh Hallo? Mr. Vatsan?"
"Yess!"
"Sir, my name is
"Enga irukkaell?!"
That's a strong Ayyengar accent.He must be an Iyyengar.
"At the moment, I'm right in front of Anna University Campus. What's the bus from here?"
"Neega onnu seyungo! Purasaiwakkam-ku bus-su kaettu vanthudungo!"
"Sir, Landmark?"
"Sangam Theatre"
"Okay Sir, thanks a lot"
Now back to the cop.
"Uncle, Sangam theatre pakathula!"
"Sangam theatre aah? Enna paa nee itha vittutu Centrallu adhu idunnu enna kolappura? Seri. Now cross the road. Take the bus 23 C and ask for Dasaprakash Hotel!"
"Romba nandri uncle!"
I sped my way through the super fast Innovas and Scorpios on the road. I scanned through the crowd for the old man but could not spot him. I was impatient for the 23 C to come.
7:12.
"Enna paa aachu?!"
Who's dat??
It was the old man standing behind me!
"Hello uncle! Ungala thaan thaedinen! The policeman told me to catch the 23 C bus and ask for Dasaprakash Hotel uncle"
"Good heavens! I forgot the route completely! Yeah! The 23 C service is a direct one too!"
Then I was narrating him the whole story that happened since morning and to my relief entered a 23 C DELUXE bus into the stand at 07:17. I was about to get into the bus.
"Thambi, adhu Deluxe bussu paa!"
"Paravaale uncle, it's urgent! Bye!"
To the conductor, "Anna,Sangam Theatre near Hotel Dasaprakash which is near Nehru Park on Poonamallee High Road!"
"Edhaavudhu onnu sollu paa!" and he started laughing.
The people around me started laughing too. I couldn't control myself. I joined them in the party too!! :D
Then I somehow managed to secure a ticket and a seat for myself.
Saidapet. Teynampet. Anna Salai. Egmore. Dasaprakash Hotel.
"Anna, Nehru Park enge irukku?"
"Naera poyie, parstu rightu baa!"
"Thanksnaa"
Here it is! NEHRU PARK.
Calling Mr. Vatsan. Ring... Ring... Ring...
"Hallo. Sir, this is Krishna again. I am now at the entrance gate of Nehru Park. Where are you people exactly?"
"Nehru Parkopposite-le oru roadu pogum paarungo!"
"Aama sir, pogudhu!"
"Take that road.Appidiye naera nadandhu vandhundey irungo, last right thirumbinaell-na,you can catch up with us!
"Thanks a lot, Sir!"
7:45
I then reached out for my camera. Literally started Photowalking. As I was told, I took that road and the last right and caught up with the rear end of the Photowalkers. I saw a man whom I assumed to be a pro in Photography for he had a huge Canon DSLR. I walked upto him. He beamed at me as if we were friends for years.
"Hello Sir. My name's Krishna. This is my first Photowalk! I think I'm late"
To my amazement, his reply was "No, it started just 10 mins ago. Atanu Mandal. This is my first Photowalk too!"
I was nearly petrified and in disbelief, I shifted my sight from him to the huge DSLR in his hand!
"What? Really? I can't believe it! Aren't you a pro in Photography?"
"No, I'm working for a networking company and Photography is my passion."
.
.
.
So the morning went on just like that. We had captured many pics. At last we broke our fast at Welcome Hotel which is well known for its Idlies and Sambar. In the end we exchanged our contact info with each other and bade adieu.
This time I got the 27 D at the right station and reached the same bus stop where I was standing a few hours ago. I had made a perfect round about of Chennai as I had taken only one route since the beginning of my travel!
So that was a great experience of Travel and Photography! I have posted the pics too. Just check them out. Follow the link!
P.S. You need not be on Facebook to view the pics! ;)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2040410&id=1586542471&l=26bc2e0b38
