Deluge-III

Epilogue

Got tickets to Guwahati via Delhi.The tickets were confirmed, thank God .We were to leave that very night.Spent the entire day killing time.As to finances I had left with only 350 bucks.Four or five of us each took a loan of 1000 bucks from the father of our friend.I realized a Murphy’s axiom,namely when you need a thing you won’t find it.I had two bank accounts,each with their own ATM cards.But both of them had messed up and I had applied for duplicates.So ATMs everywhere,but not a card to withdraw with!

After a good dinner on drumsticks,boarded the train and settled down for the night.This traveling was a new experience as between five of us we had only a little bag.Talk about traveling light.

After we got to Delhi we freshened up and decided to explore what we can. Had heard about the Metro and wanted to see what the fuss was all about .Along with two others spend half the day in the Metro. I could have never believed that such a thing could ever exist in India. Spotlessly clean walls and platforms ,central airconditioning.CCTV cameras. And the trains!. Just like whispering death, if you were stupid enough to stand on the tracks. If you did not look at the faces you would have difficulty believing you were in India.And on my travels I came face to face with the dichotomy between India and Bharat.The Chandni Chowk station is like all other stations.You come up to the ground on an escalator,go a few steps,turn a corner and almost run smack into an old Gurdwara.The order and cleanliness of the Metro station was replaced by chaos and filth.A narrow alley three feet wide opened out into the crowded main market which has been there since the days of Akbar and Jehangir.Goes on to show how much we have to improve.Anyway that is another topic.Also was threatened by a policemen for drinking beer in public.Thankfully the matter remained there and we completed the drink in peace

The rest of the journey was quite prosaic and mundane.We caught the connecting train at Delhi and reached home about 32 hours later.And stepped out of the train into a place stricked by drought.Such an irony,I did not know whether to laugh or to cry.Seems the Gods above have not lost their sense of humor... (Concluded)