Freezing Eternity: travel

Bangalore. There is always an exaggerated hype about this particular city. I was eagerly awaiting to enter the state of Karnataka and I actually did a couple of weeks back. The pleasant weather and the Tamil-speaking auto-wallahs welcomed me to the non-metropolitan Bangalore. Well, it has not attained that status officially. At least that is what the Government says. I remained so surprised about the pleasant weather throughout my visit and what caused it. The first two days were the usual shopping days at mega shopping malls in the city and my wonder about the no-sun factor. We planned for a visit to the gardens of the city the next day. After all, it is the garden city of India.

Bannerghatta National Park

I was changing the TV channels and finally settled at Discovery. That was when I got this idea of the zoo safari which my friends had mentioned. I asked my uncle to take us to the Bannerghatta Biological Park. My dad and I took the two-wheeler. Others took the car. He rode the bike and I was sitting on the pillion incessantly talking about the place, weather, buildings, roads, signs and almost everything that occurred to my mind. My dad escaped my non-sense talk. Rightly said that Helmet is a life-saving one. He was wearing a helmet and he escaped my speech. We followed the car; the ride was 26 KMs and took around an hour to reach the destination.

We parked our vehicles at the parking lot and made our way to the ticket counter only to find that only the zoo is opened for the public and the safari tickets would be available after 3.30 PM. Everyone took it easy as they shouldered their way through the crowd to the gate. I hastened to the zoo entrance turning my head often to the Safari part. The very first sight of the white peacock displaying with that loud shrill made me jump in joy along with my sister's 3 year old kid.

This followed by several other birds. Various species of Macaw and their flamboyant display of their colours was a visual treat. They were so active and were flying, jumping and giving shrill noises. Parrots, Pelicans, Monkeys, Deer, Crocodiles were in large number and of different varieties. Sambar, Black buck, Neelgai and several more followed.

There were 6 emus and a pair of Ostriches and I was only amazed to find that many animals in that park were adopted by celebrities. Former Indian bowler Anil Kumble has adopted very many species. He is also the Vice Chairman of the State board of Wild Life. Wild Elephants were silently grazing and so the Zebra.

Bears constantly roamed around to draw our attention.The Wolves and the Jackals silently lied at one end of their cage without responding to the people trying to provoke them. The Lion-tailed Macaque and the Hanuman Langurs climbed out of their cage and played with the people around. The reptiles weren't much of an attraction as they hid and proved difficult to spot them.

The Porcupines and their spines made me feel a shiver down my spine. The Leopard's growl instantly drew much people near their cage and a big leopard kept walking with frequent roars. The Hippopotamuses were playing among themselves and they didn't mind us, so we. Ducks, Platypuses and Otters also added beauty to the wildlife present.

The white peacock welcomed us in and now the Indian peacocks gave us a warm exit. Two of them made brilliant spectacular displays. There were a series of sudden flashes and another peacock started displaying. I wondered how much they love attraction as we do.

This brought the end of the zoo and my safari dream was still there at the back of my mind. I ran to the ticket counter to ask if there were any tickets issued. They gave us a positive reply as my face became bright and we bought them. We were the last ones to buy them.

They took us in a grill-windowed van along a bumpy road which made everyone jump and everything jump. First of the few animals to be spotted were deer, bison and a couple of really wild elephants. Everyone in the van had cell phones or handy cams and they incessantly clicked. We entered the Bear Safari zone only to find them playing inside their cage. So far, the safari had nothing to thrill us. Then it happened.

We entered the Tiger and Lion safari. To our left, far away there were a pack of lions roaring and moving around. We stopped there for a few minutes and started. Suddenly the van before us stopped and everyone looked through the grills to find a young lioness moving in a circle growling loud and hard. That was the very first incident to shake us. It practically didn't allow us to go. We waited for her to move but she never gave up. So we changed our route and proceeded.

And then the other came. A Tigress between our vans. It moved from one side of the road to other. I was sitting in the last window seat and she came near me, lifted her face. I saw her canines glowing right in front of my eyes at less than 2 feet, only a grill between us. I sat stuck to my seat and I didn't dare to take my camera out to take a flash.

She moved away from me and I peeped outside to find a white Tiger standing at one corner. He seemed so weak and old. I was recording their movements till my uncle pulled me in. The first tigress came back near me and she saw me. I looked at her eyes, her whiskers, tongue lashing in and out. I felt awe-inspired by her and she stood there for what seemed like an eternity.

We proceeded with her image vivid in my mind to be stopped by a group of 3 young Tigers. They were so active. Two of them noticed the vans and they rushed towards us. If they simultaneously attacked the van, it would certainly topple. But they bumped into each other and one jumped on the other. The third stood in its hind legs and its fore legs on the cage fence. Majestic one really. That sight marked the end of the safari.

We were told the story of two small boys who managed to sneak into the park only to find the death the very next day. They believe the elephants caused it. But I would say the boys caused it. The animals reflect our behaviour. We came out of the park and filled our hungry stomachs. In a few minutes we hit the main road leading to our home. I will remember this safari for many more years to come.

Bannerghatta National park is situated 22 Kms south of Bangalore. The official website is here. The journey to the park takes nearly one hour from Bangalore.

I can proudly put in my Karma book, which might lead me to heaven or hell, that I too have lived the efficacious life of Lord Ramachandra! Are you curious? Do you badly want to hit me for comparing my life to that of the greatest hero in the Hindu mythology? Do you want to pray Yama personally to give me hell for the analogy of Lord Rama’s life? I will give you one more statement to do the above more hardly! I live the life of Lord Rama everyday!

Well, I can prove it! So let’s start with the life of the lord Himself. According to the Kambar, the poet who composed the prestigious Kambaramayana, there are six chapters in the life of the lord. In Tamil language, the chapters are referred to as Kandas. There are six such Kandas. Bala Kandam, Ayodhya Kandam, Aranya Kandam, Kishkintha Kandam, Sundara Kandam, Yutha Kandam.

I hereby assume that all of you who read this know the great epic. If not please refer here. And let me start the comparison under the blessings of lord Rama.

First of all, I study at College of Engineering, Guindy which is at a distance of 15 Kms from my home. I reside at Chromepet. I use four modes of transport to reach college every day. Bike, Bus, Train and Walk/Run.

BalaKandam: (Home Chapter)

Lord Rama lived a luxurious, sorrow-free life in this chapter of Ramayana. He had the love of his mother, the protection of his father, the respect of the citizens, the trust of his brothers and the blessings of the Lord. He was indeed born with a silver spoon, in a bed of roses.

So, I am daily woken up my dad and my mother immediately offers me a cup of coffee or tea after brushing. I start getting ready for my college in a lethargic manner. My sister helps me in my preparation of the notes and books to be taken. These three do everything for me. Preparing my breakfast and lunch, Ironing my shirt, taking my bike to the gate from the parking lot. The parking lot is 5 feet from the gate! I ride my bike from home to MIT which is nearly 2Kms from my home. This isn’t a luxurious life?!

Ayodhya Kandam: (MIT Chapter)

He was trained by the family Guru Sage Vashishtar and occasionally by other sages. Once Sage Vishvamitra took him to a deep ghostly forest to watch out for demons and he started performing some kind of Tapa. He with his brother Lakshmana guarded the sage and killed the demon Tadagai using the divine astras. Then he went on to defeat other demons like Marichan and Subaghu and he married Sita after breaking the famous, powerful Shiva bow! This period of his life showed his strength as a Kshatriya and a man’s valor.

So, I was trained to ride my bike by a great sage (Myself!) during my ninth standard. I usually ride through the bumpy roads causing my spine to twist and break like a kaimurkku which my grandma usually prepares for me. And not to forget, there are always aunties and uncles who trigger me to apply brakes and pull words from my mouth. These bumpy roads and the citizens give me rigorous training for me to face the demon who awaited me at MIT. It’s the college near railway station where I usually park my vehicle. This supposed to be a great college has two gates, one near the station (Hostel Gate) and the other (Main Gate) a few hundreds of meters away from it. One needs to cross the main gate and reach the parking lot near the hostel one and hence forth reach the station easily. I am a lazy guy yet a daft person. As I near the college’s main gate, I usually peek in looking for demons (The watchmen). Actually you must have a BLUE colour sticker pasted in your vehicle to be allowed inside. If you have no sticker or a red one, you must park it near the main gate and not near the hostel gate. You got it. I have a red one. And I fight these demons using the verbal astra and trespass the road to hostel gate. Sadly sometimes I get caught. I have to answer the senior most demons yet park near the main gate and walk till the station. I usually read novels or newspapers if I get caught and have to walk. Isn't this a training period?

Aranya Kandam: (Station Chapter)

Now Lord Rama after the training goes to forest because of Kaikeyi. He walked through the forests most of the time. He lives peacefully there for some time and loses Sita to the treachery of Maricha. He searched for her impatiently asking every tree, pond, animal there. He wanted to find her somehow. He found Jatayu and learned about the kidnapping of Sita and buried him. He kept on wandering through the dense forests reaching south from north.

So I, after the successful trespassing of MIT, park my vehicle and walk slowly to the station. The road to the station from MIT also looks like a path in a forest. But I lose my train to the treachery of time. When in India do the buses and trains come in time? I run to the station and ask everyone there about the time of arrival of the next train. I usually end up seeing some acquaintance or a bestie of mine and learn about the next train. No, I don’t bury him (:P)!! I keep wandering on the platform from the bench to the edge of the platform and watch for the next train.

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Kishkintha Kandam: (Train Chapter)

Lord Rama on the advice of a sage reached Rishyamuga parvam and meets Sugriva and Hanuman. Initially he and Lakshmana were mistaken as the enemies by the vanaras. Later they understood that they were otherwise. He killed Vali as Sugriva requested, thereby earning the trust of Sugriva. Hanuman and Sugriva became close to the lord and they promised to help him in finding Sita. Rama and Lakshmana took rest after several days of travel. Hanuman and others set on a voyage to the south of the Indian Ocean to find Sita.

So I, after hearing the train horn, stand up and walk near the edge of the platform. Initially I mistake it to be too crowded seeing young chaps hanging out. Later I find that these are hyper youths who want to show off their special (!!) talents to the public and there is enough space inside for me to sit. I sit in a place killing my breath and cough to earn the trust of the person beside me. The train gets crowded in the next few stations and I start reading a book to relax after such tiring encounters. I bend every time low to check if my destination has come. The person sitting near the window promises to tell me when the station comes. And I get down at Guindy and walk towards the bus stop.

Image: Google Images

Sundara Kandam: (Bus stop Chapter)

Here Our Lord has no other work except to wait for the arrival of Hanuman. He waited patiently. In the mean time, Hanuman went to Lanka and found Sita. He got Kanaiyazhi from her and fought with the Ravanan’s mob and returned to Rama. He happily announced that he had found Sita. Lord Rama embraced him. But Hanuman said that they had a great deal of people to fight to get Sita back. Rama announced, “WAR!”

So I, after coming out of the railway station go to the bus stop and wait patiently for the bus to come. The M21G or the M119B which starts from Guindy usually stands near the corner. The bus drivers and the conductors have their cups of tea and little chats before starting the bus. I have no other option but to wait. I wait patiently looking at my watch. When I see the sight of the bus, I rejoice like a small child seeing its dad. But usually the buses to Anna University from Guindy are so free that we will be crushed inside the bus!!! But I will make a strong determination to board it in-spite of the huge crowd. I announce, “BOARD!”

Image: Harikrishna Raghuraman

Yutha Kandam: (Bus Chapter)

Lord Rama and the vanaras crossed the mighty ocean by constructing a controversial bridge and reached Ceylon. They fought with the Lankans bravely with honor One of the Lankans, Vibhishna came to the Lord and announced that he would be with the Lord there after. He surrendered to the Lord. They also fought back. Indrajit knocked down the Lord and his brother by using Nagasthra. Hanuman flew to the mountains on the advice of Jambhavan and brought back the Sanjeevi Mountains and helped them regain consciousness. After a great deal, they won the war and rescued Sita.

So I, after boarding the bus, somehow manage to stand on one leg. I fight a number of people to get a place to keep my other leg down. They too fight back bravely. The Lankans here (the co-passengers) surrender to me for I am strong than most of them. The huge people with orca fat knock me down with their powerful boulders. The conductor gets down from his seat to give tickets to the people in front and thereby giving me a place to sit. He helps me regain my composure. After a great deal, I get down from the bus. And I am lucky enough to be here alive to tell you my great life after travelling in those numerous buses!

Image: Google Images

Pattabishekam: (Next? Rest)

After the victory, everyone reached Ayodhya and they celebrated Rama’s Pattabishekam. And there is a myth that Lakshmana went to sleep straightly since he had to guard Rama without sleeping in his last 14 years.

So I, after getting down from the bus victoriously, I retire to the famous Sundial of my college and take rest there since I had to guard my purse and cell without relaxing in my last 1.4 hrs.