A day in Karwar bus...

Hello friends..
Deepavali... Its very difficult to get a bus ticket to go home. Even I did not get the ticket. But I wanted to go home. Many including the KSRTC people don't know that every morning there's a bus to Karwar. I decided to go home by that bus. But believe me, day journeys are really boring. And if you are traveling alone, its a nightmare. So I wanted someone to travel with me till Karwar. I knew that my friend Uday wanted to go home. So I messaged him asking whether he would join me. First he was not interested, after knowing that it was the only way to reach home he agreed to join me. Then I asked my friend Divya. Even she agreed to come. She told me that even her friend Sindhura would come with us. Actually I didn't want Sindhura to come with us, but who am I to stop her. After all its a Government Bus ;-). We decided to go on the morning of 4th of November. Then, came to know that even my friend Madhura was coming with us.

The bus was at 6.30 in the morning, I had to reach the bus stand by 6am because I had to catch 5 seats. If I had to reach there by 6am, I had to leave our PG at 5am, and if I'd to leave by 5am, I had to wake up at 4.15am. Which was highly impossible because, once if I sleep, I won't wake up even if you run a train next to me. So I took a stupid decesion. I decided not to sleep for the whole night.

My room-mate Kishan sat with me till 11.30pm. Then he slept. Which meant I had to sit alone for 5hrs. I started browsing. Browsing is one of the best way to pass time. I browsed till 1.30am. What to do for the next 3hrs? I started playing computer game. Played till 3.30am. Somehow I spent the next one hour. I had to pack my bag. I had my bath. there was no hot water available, and the water in which I took my bath was just like ice, it was chilling. But had no other way.


I took the 5am bus and reached Majestic exactly at 6am. Had a cup of coffee there. Entered bus stand and went to the enquiry.

Me: ಕಾರವಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಬಸ್ಸು ಯಾವಾಗ ಇದೆ ಸರ್??? (At what time is the bus to Karwar?)
At the help desk: (In a nasal voice) ಒಂದು ನಿಮಿಷ ಸಾರ್, ಚೆಕ್ ಮಾಡಿ ಹೇಳ್ತೇನೆ.. (Wait a minute i'll check)

He was taking his own time to check.

Me: ಸರ್, ಅದು 6.30 ಕ್ಕೆ ಇದೆ. ಯಾವ platform ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೋತ್ತೆ ಅಂತ ಹೇಳಿ. ( Sir, the bus is at 6.30, please tell me from which platform the bus is moving)

He gave a i-am-the-incharge-here look at me and started turning some torn pages.

At the help desk: ಸಾರ್, ಕಾ-ರ-ವಾ-ರ ಕ್ಕೆ ಯಾವ ಬಸ್ಸೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಧಾ-ರ-ವಾ-ಡ ಕ್ಕೆ ಬೇಕಾದ್ರೆ ಇದೆ ನೋಡಿ. ಕಾರವಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಬೇಕಂದ್ರೆ ನೀವು link ಹಿಡ್ಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗ್ಬೇಕು. ( There's no bus to Karwar. There's bus to Dharwad. If you want to go to Karwar, you will have to change buses)

Arrey what will I do with Dharwad bus, Got confused couldn't understand what to do. If i was alone, I would have managed to go, But 3 girls and their 12 bags!! It would be very difficult to change the buses.

I went to the platform. There was no Karwar bus there, then I asked the person incharge of arranging the buses. He showed me an old bus and told that it was Karwar bus. That bus didn't have any board. I asked the driver, he confirmed me that it was Karwar bus. Ufff.. So we had a bus. ;-)

I called Uday, He told me that he has reached the bus stand and was having coffee. I knew that he would reach on time. For me the worry was about 3G. I mean 3 girls. If you wrap them in a plastic cover they form a package of stupidity. Their problem is they are never on time.

It was 6.15am, I called Divya,

Me: ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೀರಾ??? (where are you?)

She gave me a shocking answer.

Divya: Rickshawಗೆ wait ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೇವೆ.. ( waiting for auto-rickshaw)
Me: ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಬಸ್ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ( The bus has arrived)
Divya: Hey, rickshaw ಸಿಕ್ತು.( Hey, we got a Rickshaw. )

Now this is what I called stupidity, I was talking about bus, and she's talking about rickshaw.

I went and kept my bag on one seat and my handkerchief on the another seat. A guy was staring at me as if I had committed a crime. Don't know why he was staring at me. Slowly I went and sat next to the driver,

Me: ಸರ್, ಎಷ್ಟು ಹೊತ್ತಿಗೆ ಈ ಬಸ್ ಹೊರಡೊತ್ತೆ? ( Sir, wat time does the bus leave?)
Driver: ಆರು ಮುಕ್ಕಾಲು ( at 6.45)

So there was 25mins to go...

I got down, went near the conductor. He was busy screaming, "Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar.., Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar....."

Me: ಸರ್ ಈ ಬಸ್ ಕಾರವಾರ ಮುಟ್ಟೋಕೆ ಎಷ್ಟು ಹೊತ್ತಗೊತ್ತೆ? (At what time will the bus reach Karwar?)

I knew that We would reach at 8.30pm, but still, i wanted to talk to him.
He replied in a North-Karnataka accent Kannada.

Conductor: ಎಂಟೂ-ವರಿ(೮.೩೦) ಆಗತ್ತ್ರಿ.. (By 8.30,)
Me: ಸರ್, ನನ್ನ friends ಬರ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ, wait ಮಾಡ್ತಿರಲ್ವಾ? ಇನ್ನೇನು ಬರ್ತಾರೆ. ( Sir, My friends are coming, Will you'll wait for them? they'll come within a while)
Conductor: ಎಲ್ಲಿಗ್ ಹೋಗಬೇಕ್ರಿ? ಕಾರವಾರಕ್ಕ? ಹತ್ ನಿಮಿಶ್ ನಿಂದ್ರೋಣ ತಗೊಳ್ರಿ.. Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar..( Where do you'll want to go? to Karwar? Ok, we'll wait for 10 minutes..Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar.. )
Arrey couldn't understand how I'd find such stupid people around me. He was talking to me, suddenly he started screaming.. Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar..

Then I called Divya again.

Me: ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೀರಾ??? (where are you?)

She gave me another shocking reply.

Divya: ಓಕಳಿಪುರಂ... Bus stand ಎಲ್ಲಿದೆ? (Okalipuram.. Where's the bus stand )

I've heard people asking "Where's the bus", but this stupid girl asked, "Where's the bus stand". .

Me: driverಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಿರತ್ತೆ. First platform ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಬಸ್ ಇದೆ. ಬೇಗ ಬಾ.(Driver will be knowing that. The bus is waiting in the first platform, be quick.
Divya: Ok Ok.. ಐದು seat ಬೇಕು ಓಕೆ, Madhura ಕೂಡ ಬರ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದಾಳೆ. ok ok.. Reserve 5 seats. Even Madhura is coming with us.

I said ok and disconnected the call. There was no problem for 5 seats. The only problem was they had to reach within 5 mins. Actually I'd already started thinking of alternate way of reaching Karwar.

Then Uday called.

Me: ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಿಯಾ? (Where are you?)
Uday: Platform 1.

That platform was about 50m far from where I was standing.

Me: I can't see you, raise your hand.(I could see a raised hand at the other end of the platform.)Hey turn back.(Even I'd raised my hand.)

So finally one thing was sure, I was not going alone..

Uday gave good look at the bus, and smiled.

I did not understand why he smiled. Was it beacause he was finally going home or beacuse of the bus' external beauty. Speaking about the bus,
I think it was the bus in which The-British used to travel across various parts of the country.

We went inside,

Uday: ಎಲ್ಲೋ ಅವರು? (Where are they?)
Me: ಇನ್ನೂ ಬರ್ಲಿಲ್ವೋ. (They haven't come yet)
Uday: I'll call..
Me: ಬರ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದಾರೆ ಬಿಡು. ( wait they are coming.)
Uday: (Siiting on the last seat) ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಕುಳ್ಳೋಣ? ( We'll sit here)
Me: Jump ಹೊಡಿಯತ್ತೋ.It'll jump a lot.
Uday: ಇರ್ಲಿ ಬಿಡು, ಏನು ಆಗಲ್ಲ. ಮಜಾ ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಹೋಗಬಹುದು ( Nothing'll happen. We can enjoy a lot here. We'll sit here itself.)

I just shook my head. He kept his bag and got down. Meanwhile again that guy started staring at me. Even I looked at him. I felt that I had seen him Somewhere.

Stranger: ನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನ ಎಲ್ಲೋ ನೋಡಿದ್ದೇನೆ ಅನ್ಸೋತ್ತೆ.(I think I've seen you somewhere)
Me: ನೀನು ನಮ್ಮ high school senior ಆಲ್ವಾ? ( You are our High school senior right?)
Stranger: ಹೌದು ಹೌದು. ನೆನಪಾಯ್ತು. ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಊರಿಗಾ? ( Ya Ya.. Right. Going Home?)
Me: ಹೌದು ಬೇರೆ ಬಸ್ ಸಿಗ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ. ನೀನೂ ಊರಿಗಾ? ( Ya, Couldn't get seat in any other bus. So even you are going home? )
Stranger: ya.
Me: Ok fine.

He was our senior in our high school. This is how people meet unexpectedly.

Driver started the engine, I got down and called Divya again.

Me: ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ಯಮ್ಮ?? ( Where a-r-e y-o-u?? In bit frustrated voice)
Divya: ಬಂದ್ವಿ ಕಣೋ. gateಅಲ್ಲಿ autoಗೆ ಹಣ ಕೊಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೇವೆ. ( We have already reached. We are paying for the rickshaw at the gate)
Me: ಬೇಗ ಬಾ. ಬಸ್ move ಆಗ್ತಾ ಇದೆ. ಈಗಾಗಲೇ 5m move ಆಗಿದೆ.( Bus has already started moving and it has already moved 5meters;) )
Divya: Ok ok.. Wait a minute..

After disconnecting the call, I realised that the bus stand didn't had any gate.
However I knew that the bus wouldn't move for next 5mins. Guess why??

Because the conductor was still screaming, Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar.. I requested the conductor to wait for couple of minutes.

Conductor: ನೋಡ್ರಿ ಈಗ ಬೇಗ್ ಹೊರಟ್ರ, ಲಗೂನ ಮನಿ ಮುಟ್ಟತೀವಿ. late ಮಾಡಿದ್ರ ೧೧ ಗಂಟಿ ಆದರೂ ಮನಿ ಮುಟ್ಟೋದಿಲ್ಲ ನೋಡ್ರಿ. Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar..( We'll reach early if we leave early, If you'll want to be delay, we won't reach even after 11pm. Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar..)

He got into the bus and started scream again. Tumkur, Durga, Davangere, Sirsi, Karwar.. I was feeling like hitting him with iron rod which was used in Ghajini. But before him, I wanted to hit Divya. NOT-Divya.

NOT Divya means, Never-On-Time Divya.

I' had almost dialed her number again, when I saw the 3 girls near the main entrance.. They were helping each other in carrying their heavy luggage bags. Yes, finally they reached. We got in and bus started to move.

We had not even settled, Divya asked another stupid question,

Divya: ತಿಂಡಿಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸ್ತಾರೆ? ( Where will the bus stop for breakfast.? )
We had just entered the bus and she is worried about breakfast.
Me: ತಿಂಡಿಗೆ ನಿಲ್ಸೋದಿಲ್ಲ. ಎರಡು ಗಂಟೆಗೆ ರಾಣೆಬೆನ್ನೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಊಟಕ್ಕೆ ನಿಲ್ಸ್ತಾರೆ. ಊಟ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿರೋದಿಲ್ಲ. ( They won't stop for breakfast. They'll stop for lunch at 2 O'Clock in Ranebennur, And the quality of food will be horrible.)
Divya: aye, ನಾನೇನು ತಿನ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ.( I haven't eaten anything. )
Others:(one after the other) ನಾವೂ ಏನು ತಿನ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ. ( Even we haven't eaten anything)
Sindhura to Divya(In North-Karnataka accent): Conductorಗೆ ಕೇಳ್ಲಾ (Ask the conductor.)
Me: ನಾನು ನಿಮಗೆ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ತಿಂದು ಬರೋಕೆ ಹೇಳಿದ್ನಲ್ವಾ? ಈಗ ಅನುಭವಿಸಿ.ಹೋಗ್ಲಿ Biscuit , cake ಇದೆ ಕೊಡ್ಲಾ?(I’d told you’ll to have your breakfast right? Suffer now… I’ve biscuits and cake, You’ll want it?)
Divya: ನಾನು cake ತಿನ್ನಲ್ಲ. ಅದ್ರಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ಹಾಕಿರ್ತಾರೆ. ಗುರುವಾರ ನಾನು ಮೊಟ್ಟೆ ತಿನ್ನಲ್ಲ. ನನಗೆ biscuit ಕೊಡು.(I won’t eat cake today. It contains egg and today is Thursday. Give me biscuits.)

I was about to remove the biscuit pack from my bag, the bus jumped so badly that Divya, Madhura and Sindhura almost banged their head to top of the bus. Without waiting for a minute they changed their seat. Madhura wanted window seat, so I gave my seat to her. Divya and Sindhura sat just in-front of our seat. Uday didn't move, he was listening English music in his cell, everytime I looked at him, he would smile and continue shaking his head.

Divya: Aye ಎಲ್ಲೋ biscuit? ನನಗೆ ಕೊಡೋ.. (Aye, where's the biscuit, give it to me)
Madhura: ನನ್ನ ಹತ್ರ sweet corn ಇದೆ. ಕೊಡ್ಲಾ? (I have sweet corn, shall i give it?? )
Divya: ಈಗ biscuit ತಿನ್ನೋಣ. ಆಮೇಲೆ sweet corn ತಿನ್ನೋಣ.( lets have biscuits now, We'll have sweet corn later.)

I gave her the biscuit pack. She distributed it, I took two, Madhura took two, Uday first refused to eat and later he took one, and I forgot where the biscuit pack was. I thought again she would offer me biscuits, instead I saw empty biscuit pack flying out of the window.

Conductor came to us, before asking the bus fare,

Divya and Sindhura: ತಿಂಡಿಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸ್ತೀರಾ? ( Where will you'll stop for breakfast?)
Conductor:ತಿಂಡಿ ತಿನ್ನೋಕ?? ಹಿರಿಯೂರ್ನಾಗ್ ನಿಲ್ಸ್ತೇವ್ ನೋಡ್ರಿ. ( For breakfast? We'll stop in Hiriyoor.)
Divya: ಇಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಎಷ್ಟು ದೂರ? ( How far from here?)
Conductor: ಒಂಬತ್ತುವರೀಗ್ ಮುಟ್ತೇವ್ ನೋಡ್ರಿ. ( We might reach by 9.30.)
Divya; Madhura ಒಂಬತ್ತುವರೆ ಅಗತ್ತಂತೆ! ಏನು ಮಾಡೋದು?( What to do Madhura? Seems the bus will stop at 9.30)
Me: ಸಧ್ಯ! ನಿಲ್ಸ್ತಾರಲ್ಲ. ಸಮಾಧಾನ ಪಡ್ರಿ. ( Luckily, they'll stop. Be happy for that.)
Conductor: ಏನೂ ಮಾಡಾಕ್ ಆಗಂಗಿಲ್ರೀ. ಕಾರವಾರಕ್ಕ್ ಹೋಗ್ಬೇಕಲ್ಲ್ರಿ ನಿಮಗ? ಎಲ್ಲ್ರೂ ಮುನ್ನೂರರ್ವತ್ತು ರುಪಾಯಿ ಕೊಡ್ರಿ. ನಾನ ನಿಮಗ ಒಂದೊಂದು ರುಪಾಯಿ ಮತ್ತು ಟಿಕಟ್ ಕೊಡ್ತೆನಿ.( I can't help. By the way, you'll are going to karwar right, Everyone pay me Rs.360 and I'll pay Re.1 back.)

We paid. We had to travel for another two and a half hours before the bus would stop for breakfast. Divya turned back,

Divya: ಏನಾದ್ರು ಆಡೋನ್ ಲಾ!?!?!(Shall we play here?)
Me:ಏನು? ಏನು ಆಡ್ತಿಯಾ? ಕ್ರಿಕೆಟ್ ಆಡೋಣ್ವಾ?(What will you play? Shall we play cricket?)
Divya:cut ಹೊಡ್ದಿ!!! (Cut Hod-di!! which means You cracked a joke)
Thats her common dialogue. If anyone cracks a joke, before laughing she says cut hod-di.
Me: ಏನು ಆಡೋಣಾ? ( Then What will we play?)
Divya: ಅಂತ್ಯಾಕ್ಷರಿ ಆಡೋಣ? ( Lets play anthakshari?)
Me: ನೀವು ಆಡಿ ನಾನು ಬರಲ್ಲ. ( I won't come, You'll play.)
According to me Anthakshari is World's one of the most boring games. Which starts with nice songs and ends with a fight.
Divya: Dumb-charades ಆಡೋಣ? (Lets play Dumb-charades?)
Me: ನಾನು ಬರಲ್ಲ. ನೀವು ಆಡಿ. ನನಗೆ ಬಸ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಆಡೋದು ಸರಿ ಅನ್ಸೋಲ್ಲ. ( You'll play, I won't come)

I didn't wanted to disturb other passengers, and I had never seen anyone playing in Government bus before.

Madhura & Sindhura: ನಾವು ಆಡೋಣ. (We'll play.)
Divya: (In konkani) Uday, Dumb-charades ಕೇಳ್ಯಾ. ಯೆತಾ? ( Uday, coming to play Dumb-charades?)

First Uday shook his head saying no, Later he wrapped his earphone and came to our seat to play. Divya explained him the game rules and they were about to start the game when the driver stopped the bus and many people entered the bus. So they decided to stop the game. Uday went back to his window seat.

Now the bus was packed. Students were traveling from Nelamangala to Tumkur, A girl came and sat next to me. One thing I've noticed about Bangalore students is that they study while traveling. All the students who got in were studying, even the girl who sat next to me. Most probably she was an Electronics Engineering student. She was analysing some circuits which I and Madhura studied couple of years ago.

Divya turned back, and as expected,

Divya: ಹಸಿವಾಗ್ತಾ ಇದೆ.( I'm hungry.
Sindhura: ನನಗೂ ಹಸಿವಾಗ್ತಿದೆ.( Even I'm hungry.)
Madhura: ನನ್ನತ್ರ sweet corn ಇದೆ ( I've sweet corn.)
She was saying this for the second time.
Divya: ಕೊಡು.( Give.)
Madhura: ಆದ್ರೆ ಅದು ಬೇಯ್ಸಿದ್ದಲ್ಲ. ( But its raw.)
Me: ಹಾಗಾದ್ರೆ ನಾಳೆ ಅವಳ ಮನೆಗೆ ತಗೊಂಡು ಹೋಗಿ ಕೊಡು. ಒಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಬೇಯ್ಸ್ಕೊಂದು ತಿನ್ನಿ.(Then take it to her home tomorrow, You'll can cook and eat it there.
Divya: cut ಹೊದ್ದಿ! (Cut hod-di.)
Sindhura: ಅದು ತಿನ್ನೋಕೆ ಅಗೊತ್ತಾ? ( So, we can eat the raw one? )
Madhura: ಹೌದು ತಿನ್ಬಹುದು. ಚೆನ್ನಗಿರೋತ್ತೆ. ( Ya, we can eat it. It tastes good. )
Divya and Sindhura: ಹಾಗಾದ್ರೆ ಕೊಡು. ( Then give it.)
Madhura: ಆದ್ರೆ ಅದು bagಅಲ್ಲಿ ಇದೆ. (But its in my bag.)
Me: bag ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಮನೇಲಿ ಇದೆಯಾ ( Bag's in your home, right?)
Madhura: aye ಸುಮ್ನಿರೋ, ಹಿಂದಿನ seat ಕೆಳಗಡೆ ಇದೆ. ( Shut-up ok!! Its behind the last seat)
Me: ಅದು ಈಗ ತೆಗಿಯೋಕೆ ಆಗಲ್ಲ ತುಮಕೂರಲ್ಲಿ bus ನಿಂತಾಗ ತೆಗೆದು ಕೊಡ್ತೇನೆ. ( I can't pull your bag out now, I'll do it when the bus stops in Tumkur)
Divya: ನನ್ನ ಹತ್ರ chocolate ಇದೆ, ಕೊಡ್ಲಿ? ( I've chocolates. You want it? )
Me: ಕೊಡು. ನಾನು ಯಾವಾಗಾದ್ರೂ chocolate ಬೇಡ ಅಂದಿದ್ನಾ?? (give, did I ever say no to chocolates?)

I was thinking that this Kanjoos-Divya would give me some 50ps chocolate, but surprisingly she gave a Cadbury's Perk. She passed a chocolate to Uday also, who was sitting in the next row. Looking at that everyone in the bus might have thought that even they were going to get chocolates. ;-)

Then we reached Tumkur, all the students got down, I pulled out Madhura's bag and took sweet corn. There were two corns. I'd never eaten raw corn, in fact only Madhura had eaten it before. I got my share of corn. Everyone started eating, waited for their feedback. Their feedback was good. Then I put one grain of corn in my mouth, Actually it tasted great. But still,

Me: ಏನೇ ಇದು? ಇಷ್ಟು ಕೆಟ್ಟದಾಗಿದೆ? ( Whats this? It tastes so bad.)
Madhura: ಹೌದೇನೆ Divya ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿಲ್ವಾ? ( Is it Divya? Its not good?)
Me: ಸ್ವಲ್ಪನೂ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿಲ್ಲ. ಇದನ್ನ ಹೇಗೆ ತಿನ್ನೋದು? ( How to eat this? Its tasteless)
Divya: ಅವನ ಮಾತು ಕೇಳ್ಬೇಡ. ಕೊಬ್ಬು ಅವನಿಗೆ. ಇದು ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ. ಯಾಕೋ Vishal? (Don't listen to him, he's become naughty nowadays. Its too good. Vishal??)
Angry faced Madhura looked at me. I smiled back,
Uday and Sindhura: ಹೌದು, ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ.(Ya, Its too good.)
Me: ನಿಜ ಹೇಳ್ಬೇಕು ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಇದು ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ. (Really its very nice.)
Madhura: ಮತ್ತ್ಯಾಕೋ ಸುಳ್ಳು ಹೇಳ್ದೆ? (Then why did you lie?)
Me: Mammamiyaaaa... I'm a jokkkinggggg...(Chunkey Pandey's dialogue in Housefull ;-) )
Divya:(loudly) Ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha...
That was Divya's world-famous-loud-laugh. She laughs so loudly that, once after she laughed,
i. There was an earthquake in Indonesia.
ii. A plane crashed in Cuba.
iii. Two trains ran against each other in Japan.
iv. A ship sank in England.
v. A flyover collapsed in New Delhi.

But this time, luckily, nothing serious happened. Many passengers tuned back. The conductor was sitting in the first seat, he gave a i'll-throw-you'll-out look from there.

Me: ಸುಮ್ನಿರೆ Divya, ಯಾಕೋ conductor ನಮಗೆ ಬಸ್ಸಿಂದ ಹೊರಗೆ ಎಸಿಯೋ ಹಾಗೆ ಕಾಣಿಸ್ತಾನೆ.(Quiet Divya, Conductor looked at us as if he wants to throw us out of the bus.)
Divya:(softly)ha ha ha ha.
Me: By the way, ನೋಡಿದ್ಯಾ, ನೀನು ನಕ್ಕಾಗ bus ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ shake ಆಯ್ತು. Mostly driver ಕೂಡ ಹಿಂದೆ ತಿರುಗಿ ನೋಡಿದಾ ಅನ್ಸೋತ್ತೆ. (By the way, did you notice, when you laughed, bus shaked a bit. Mostly even the driver might have turned back to see what's happening.)
Divya:Cut.....
Me: Hey, Divya ಈ ಬಸ್ಸನಲ್ಲಿ ನಮ್ಮ Hindu High School senior ಇದ್ದಾನೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾ? ( Hey Divya, In this bus there's a guy from Karwar. He was our senior in Hindu High School.)
Divya:Hey, ಯಾರು ನನಗೆ ತೋರ್ಸು.( Hey, Show me, Where's he?)
Me: ಮುಂದೆ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ. (He's sitting in fron.t)
Divya stood up and looked at people who were sitting in front.
Madhura: ಎಲ್ಲಿ ನನಗೆ ತೊಸ್ರೋ. ( Show me yaar.)
Divya: ಅವಳಿಗೆ ತೋರ್ಸ್ಬೇಡ. First ನನಗೆ ತೋರ್ಸು. ನೋಡ್ಲಿಕ್ಕೆ ಹೆಂಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ? ( Don't show her, Show me first. How's he? How does he look?)
Me: Zebra ಇದ್ದಹಾಗೆ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ. (He's like a Zebra.)
All:Ah!!!!
Me: ಅಂದ್ರೆ black-white stripes ಇರೋ shirt ಹಾಕಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ( I mean he's wearing a shirt with black-white stripes.)
All:Ohh...
Divya: ಬಸ್ ನಿಂತಾಗ ತೋರ್ಸು.(Show me when the bus stops.)
Me: ಆಯ್ತು. (Ok..)



We reached Hiriyoor at 9. half an hour before expected time.

Conductor: ನೋಡ್ರಿ ಹಿರಿಯೂರ್ ಬಂತ್. ಚಾ ಕುಡಿಯೋಕ್ ಹತ್ತ ನಿಮಿಶ್ time ಇರಾತ್ತ್ ನೋಡ್ರಿ. ಎಲ್ಲಾರು ಲಗೂನ್ ಇಳೀರಿ.(This is Hiriyoor, The bus will stop for 10mins, You'll have tea here. get down quickly.)
A guy got down quickly.
Divya: ಇವನೇನಾ ಅವನು? senior? (This is the guy whom you were speaking about?)
Me: ಅಲ್ಲ. ಮುಂದೆ zebra ಇದೆ ನೋಡು. (No.. look at the zebra in front.)
Divya: Sinda, Chandan ಕಣೆ ಅವ್ನು. ನಮ್ಮ KLE College senior ಕಣೋ ಅವ್ನು. (Aye, Sinda, He's Chandan yaar. Vishal, He was our senior in KLE college also.)
Sindhura: ಹೌದು Divvi.( Ya Divvi. )
Divya calls Sindhura as Sinda-Sindi, And She calls Divya as Divvi. Truncated names ;-).

We exchanged smile with Chandan.

Uday got down first, Then Divya, Sindhura and Madhura got down. I didn't want to have breakfast and our bags were in bus itself. So I decided to sit in the bus.

After about 10mins my phone rang. It was Sindhura who had called.

Sindhura: Parcel, ಏನಾದ್ರು ತರ್ಬೇಕಾ? (Should I get anthing for you?)
Me: ಬೇಡಾ. ನಾನೇನು ತಿನ್ನಲ್ಲ. (No. I won't eat anything.)

I know my way. I know when to eat and where not to eat. Couldn't understand why they were worried about me.

Sindhura: ಇಡ್ಲಿ ತರ್ಲಾ? (Shall i get Idly for you?)

Now this was irritating me.

Me: ಬೇಡಾ. (No, I DON'T WANT...)
Sindhura: Ok.

The driver took his seat, almost all entered the bus.
Conductor was waiting just outside the bus. He peeped in,
Conductor: ಎಲ್ಲಾರು ಬಂದ್ರೇನ್ರಿ.?(So, Everyone's back??)

I stepped towards the door.

Me: ಇಲ್ಲ. ನನ್ನ friends ಬರಬೇಕು.(No, my friends have to come.)
Conductor: ಅಂದ್ಕೊಂಡೆ. ಬಸ್ ಇಷ್ಟು ಶಾಂತವಾಗಿ ಇದ್ದಾಗಲೇ ಅಂದ್ಕೊಂಡೆ. ರೀ, ಅವರನ್ನ ಎಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಹೊತ್ಕೊಂಡು ಬಂದ್ರಿರಿ ನೀವು, ಎಲ್ಲಾರ್ಗಿಂತ ಮೊದ್ಲು ಇಳಿತಾರ್, ಎಲ್ಲಾರ್ ಬಂದ್ರೂ ಇವರ ಬರಾಂಗಿಲ್ಲ. ನೀವ ಎಲ್ಲಾರ್ಗಿಂತ ಮೊದಲ ಬರ್ತೀರಿ. ನೀವ್ ನೋಡಿದ್ರ ಹಿಂಗ, ಅವ್ರ ನೋಡಿದ್ರ ಹಾಂಗ್. ಒಂದ್ ಅಂತು ಪಕ್ಕ ರಿ, ನಾವು ಕಾರವಾರಕ್ಕ late ಆಗಿ ಮುಟ್ಟತೇವಿ. ( I had expected it. When I saw the bus so quiet, i guessed that your friends had not come. Tell me man, where did you find them, They get down before everyone, they get in after everyone. And you, you always come before everyone. You are of one type, They are of other type. but one thing is for sure, We won't reach Karwar on time. )

I didn't undeerstand whether he was scolding me or praising me. I just concentrated on the last line he said, "We won't reach Karwar on time". I was happy that he was sure that we were going to reach Karwar. And i took a spot decision that I would never travel in a public bus with my friends again.

Driver started the bus engine, I saw Madhura coming towards the bus with a cup of tea. I looked at Madhura angrily. But, Madhura didn't realise that i was angry. Rather she thought that I was hungry and she turned towards the Hotel again. Well, thats my anger. ;-). Conductor was staring at me. The bus started moving, I got into the bus. Then they came running towards the bus, with plastic tea cup in their hand. They also had some carry bag in the other hand. They entered the bus, conductor gave a look at them, then he looked at me. It was a Next-time-if-you'll-are-late-look-what-will-happen look. We just looked at each other and smiled.

Now Divya sat next to me, She had brought the KSRTC canteen along with her. She had packed few idlys, a few packs of Lays, etc etc. She tied it to the seat.
Don't know from where these people get innovative ideas.!!


Our bus was moving in a decent pace on Pune-Bangalore National Highway 4. Its one of the best roads in India and the best one in Karnataka. To explain the beauty of the road, they say, during night journey, The driver keeps a brick on the accelerator and goes to sleep. The road is straight, without curves, speed-breakers etc etc.. Sitting on the window seat, Madhura was watching farms on the other side side of the road. But Divya and Sindhura, they were eating and throwing the wastes out from the window.
Me: ರಸ್ತೆಯ ಎರಡೂ ಬದಿ ಬೇಲಿ ಯಾಕೆ ಇದೆ ಅಂತ ಗೊತ್ತ? ( Do you'll know why there are fences on either side of the road?)
Madhura: ಇಲ್ಲ. (Don't know.)
Uday: ಯಾಕೆ? (Why???)
Divya: ಆ ಕಡೆ ಇರೊ ಗದ್ದೆಗೆ ಆಕಳು ಹೋಗ್ಬಾರ್ದು ಅಂತ? (So that cattle doesn't enter the farms from the road???)

Only Divya could give this answer. What will the cattle do on the roads??

Me: ಅಲ್ಲ. ಆ ಕಡೆ ಇಂದ ಯಾವುದೇ ಪ್ರಾಣಿ ರಸ್ತೆಗೆ ಬಂದು, ರಸ್ತೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಹೋಗೋ vehiclesಗೆ ತೊಂದರೆ ಕೊಡಬಾರದು ಅಂತ.(No. Its fenced so that animals from the farm shouldn't enter the road.)
Divya: Oh.. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ರೋಡ್ ಇಷ್ಟು ಚೆಂದ ಇದೆ. (Oh, thats why the road is so beautiful)
Me: Sorry! ಚೆಂದ ಇತ್ತು. ಈಗ ಇಲ್ಲ. (Sorry, The road is no longer beautiful)
Madhura: ಯಾಕೆ? ಈಗ ಏನಾಗಿದೆ? (Why? Whats wrong with the road now??)
Me: Divya ಕಸ ಎಸ್ದು road ಹೊಲಸು ಮಾಡಿದ್ಲು. (Divya made the road dirty by throwing wastes on the road.)
Divya:(screamed) CCCCCCCuuuuuutttttttttttttttttt..

It was 12noon when we reached Chitradurga. Divya started unpacking the idly packs which she had bought in Hiriyur. I couldn't understand whether she was really hungry or she just opened it because we had passed two small towns after they had their breakfast.

Divya:ಯಾರ್ಯಾರಿಗ್ ಇಡ್ಲಿ ಬೇಕ? (Who wants Idly?)

Actually there was no point asking that question. Beacuse
i> There were only two packs and we were 5 members.
ii> Divya would eat one pack and Sindhura would eat the other one.

Divya:(To me) ನಿನಗೆ ಬೇಕಾ? (Do you want?)
Me: ಬೇಡ. (No, thanks.)
Divya: ತಿನ್ನೋ ಆವಾಗ್ಲೂ ನೀನು ಏನು ತಿನ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ. (Have it yaar, You didn't have your breakfast also..)
Me: ಬೇಡ ಅಕ್ಕ ನೀನೆ ತಿನ್ನು. ( Please sis, I don't want.. you have it..)
Divya: ಪರವಾಗಿಲ್ಲ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿದೆ ತಿನ್ನೋ. (Hey its good yaar, have it.)
Me: ಅಯ್ಯೋ, ಹೇಳಿದ್ದು ಅರ್ಥ ಆಗಲ್ವಾ? ನನಗೆ ಬಸ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ತಿನ್ನೋಕೆ ಆಗಲ್ಲ. (Hey can't you understand, I can't eat in bus ok..)

How can anyone eat in bus? There were people around who hadn't got seat and were standing. And eating in front of them would be indiscipline. And I don't like eatables which are brought from bus stand canteens, roadside hotels etc etc..

Divya:(Looking towards Sindhura) ಅಯ್ತು ಬಿಡು. ನಾವೇ ತಿನ್ತೇವಿ. ಅಲ್ವ ಚಿನ್ನು. (Ok forget, We'll Have it. Right Chinnu??)
Sindhura: ಹೌದು ಮತ್ತೆ. ( Ya. )

When both Sindhura and Divya are around you, the atmosphere around is just like as if we are sitting in a KG class. They keep on doing all stupid things just like KG class children. They had already started eating.

Divya:(In konkani) Uday ತುಕ್ಕ ಜಾಇ? ( Uday, Do you want???)
Uday:(In konkani) ನಾಕ.. ಪೊಟ್ ಬರ್ಲಾ. (No, My stomach is full.)

I think he would say yes if they wouldn't have started eating it.

If anyone asked the conductor who was most uncomfortable person in the bus, He would close his eyes and point towards me. Yes, I was feeling very uncomfortable. Because the person sitting next to me was busy eating. Luckily it was one of best friend Divya. If it was anyone else, I would wrap them in the same pacel paper and throw out of the window.

She finished eating, With half a idly in her mouth she turned towards me, and asked for water.

Me: ನೀರು? ಕೊಡ್ತೇನೆ ತಾಳು. (You want water? Wait I'll give.)

I always carry a bottle of water with me. Because, I'm so sensitive that sometimes I fall ill after drinking any other water, So i hardly give that water to anyone. Lucky Divya, I gave her my water bottle. I'd thought that she wanted water to drink. But as soon I gave my bottle to her, She put her hand out of the window and started washing her hand with my 25micron-RO-UV-pure-water. So after that an empty cool drinks PET bottle, flew out of the window, which went directly inside an auto-rickshaw which was moving on the road. This time it was Sindhura who threw it. Looking at that, People of Chitradurga might have started moving away from our bus. And I usually don't pray, but this time I prayed, Shaktimaan, Superman, Spiderman, anyman save me from these stupid people....

After having Idlys I think Divya felt sleepy, she put mobile phone's headphone in her ears and started closing her eyes.

Me: ಯಾಕೇ Divya ನಿದ್ರೆ ಬರ್ತಾ ಇದೆಯಾ? (Divya, feeling sleepy?)
Divya: ಹು ಕಣೋ.(Ya dear.)
Me: ಆದ್ರೆ ಏನು ಗೊತ್ತಾ, ನಾನು ನಿನಗೆ ಮಲ್ಗೋಕೆ ಬಿಡಲ್ಲ. (But you know what? I won't let you sleep now.)
Divya: ಯಾಕೋ? (Why yaar?)
Me: ಸುಮ್ನೆ ನಿನಗೆ ತೊಂದರೆ ಕೊಡೋಕೆ. (Simply to disturb you.)
Divya: Please ಮಲ್ಗ್ತೇನೋ.(Please Vishal, I'll sleep.)
Me: No No No.
Divya: ಹಾಗಾದ್ರೆ ಈಗ ಏನು ಮಾಡೋಣ? (Then what to do now???)
Me: ಬಾ ಹಾಡು ಕೇಳೋಣ.(Come, Lets hear Music.)

She removed the ear phone and started playing song in loudspeaker mode.

Me: Ah.. ಈ ರೀತಿ ಅಲ್ಲ. (Ah.. Not like this..)
Divya: ಇನ್ನು ಹೇಗೆ?? (Then how?)
Me: remix.
Divya: ಅದು ಹೇಗೆ ಮಾಡೋದು? (How to Remix?)
Me: ನನ್ನ cell ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಒಂದು ಹಾಡು play ಮಾಡ್ತೇನೆ. ನಿನ್ನ cell ಅಲ್ಲಿ ನೀನು ಒಂದು ಹಾಡು play ಮಾಡು. (I'll play a song in my cellphone and you play one in yours.)
Divya: ಆಮೇಲೆ? (Then?)
Me: ನಿನ್ನ right ear-phone ನನಗೆ ಕೊಡು. ನನ್ನ left ear-phone ನೀನು ತಗೋ. ಈಗ ಹಾಡು ಕೇಳು. (Give your right ear-phone and take my left one. Put it in your ears and now listen.)

Actually the remix was horrible and we could hear neither of the songs properly. But there was some fun in listening it. And what I noticed was that, the stupid people around me had turned me too to a stupid.

Sitting next to Divya, Uday was watching our stupidity.

Divya: ಸಾಕೋ, remix ತುಂಬಾ ಕೆಟ್ಟದಾಗಿದೆ. (Enough yaar, The remix sounds really bad.)
Me: ಹೌದಲ್ವಾ?? (True.)
Divya: ಹೌದು. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ನಾನು ಈಗ ಮಲ್ಗ್ತೇನೆ. (So I'll sleep now.)
Me: No. ನಾನಂತೂ ನಿನಗೆ ಮಲ್ಗೋಕೆ ಬಿಡೋದಿಲ್ಲ. (No way.. I won't let you sleep. )
Divya: ಯಾಕೋ?(But why???)
Me: ನೀನು ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗಿಂದ ನನಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ತೊಂದರೆ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿದಿಯಾ. ಈಗ ನನ್ನ chance ಆಯ್ತಾ.. (The whole day you have irritated me a lot. Now its my chance Ok..)
Divya:(To Sindhura)ನೋಡು ಚಿನ್ನು ತೊಂದರೆ ಕೊಡ್ತಾನೆ. (Look at him yaar, He's disturbing me. He's not letting me sleep.)
Madhura:(To me) ಯಾಕೋ Divya ಗೆ ತೊಂದ್ರೆ ಕೊಡ್ತಿಯಾ? (Why are you disturbing her?)
Me: ನಿನಗೂ ತೊಂದರೆ ಕೊಡಬೇಕಾ? (Should I irritate you also???)
Madhura: ಬೇಡ ಬಿಡು. (No No. You carry on.)
Divya: Ok ನಾನು ಮಲ್ಗೊಲ್ಲ. (Ok I won't sleep.)
Me: ನೋಡೋಣ ತಾಳು.(Wait, lets see.)
Divya: (I won't sleep.)
Me: Ok (Ok Listen, You can't sleep, unless I sleep. If you sleep before me, I'll wake you.)
Divya:Ok Done.

I had hardly closed my eyes, By the time I opened it she was sleeping. So I woke her. This went on for 3-4 times. Then she received a call from her friend. She would talk for 5 mins and pass the phone to Sindhura, and then Sindhura would talk for 5mins and pass back the phone to Divya. And again Divya would pass the phone to Sindhura. This went on for minutes..
Then came Davangere. One of my favorite city in Karnataka. Had been to this place only once before, but I love this city. These girls were still passing the phone. Mostly the person at the other end might have been cracking some serious jokes. Divya would hold the phone, laugh, and pass the phone to Sindhura, and even she would do the same. And one more funny thing, when Divya would speak, Sindura would sleep, And when Sindura would speak, Divya would sleep. At some point, when Sindhura was speaking, the call ended.
Divya was in deep sleep. This time I didn't wake her. Because, she was sleeping on my arm. She was sleeping just like a child. And I didn't want to disturb a sleeping child. Instead I removed her glasses and kept it in my pocket. After a while,
I took out Divya's glasses from my pocket. Just saw through the glasses. Things were appearing so far that, it appeared as if the driver was sitting outside bus. I got scared and kept her glasses in my pocket again.


Within no time came Harihar and Ranebennur. We reached Ranebennur at 2pm. It was lunch break.

Conductor:(looking at us) ಎಲ್ಲಾರೂ ಇಳೀರಿ, ಊಟಕ್ಕ 15 ನಿಮಿಷ ನಿಂದ್ರತೇವ್ ನೋಡ್ರಿ. (Everybody get down, We'll stop here for 15 minutes.)

His eyes was speaking lot more than he really spoke. His eyes were saying that, This-time-if-you'll-don't-come-in-time-we-are-gonna-leave-you'll-and-move-ahead.

Madhura:(To me) ಬರ್ತಿಯೇನೋ? (Will you get down.)
Me: ಬರ್ತೇನೆ ತಾಳು. (Wait I'll come.)
Madhura: ಎಲ್ಲ bag ತಗೋ. ( Take all the bags.)
Divya: hand kerchief ಇಡು. ಇಲ್ಲ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಬೇರೆ ಯಾರಾದ್ರೂ ಕುಳ್ತಾರೆ. ( Keep your hand kerchief on the seats. Otherwise someone else might sit.)
Me: ಆಯ್ತಮ್ಮ, ನೀನು ಹೇಳಿದಹಾಗೇ ಆಗ್ಲಿ. (Ok madam, As you say.)

We got down. We looked around. We saw few standing buses. But we couldn't see the bus stand. The bus stand was as small as a first-aid-kit. And we had to have our lunch in the canteen which was in the bus-stand building. Looking at the surroundings I din't feel like having my lunch in that place, but still I followed them.

Madhura: ಎಲ್ಲಿ ತಿನ್ನೋಣ? ಇಲ್ಲೇ ತಿನ್ನೋಣ ಆಲ್ವಾ. ( Where shall we have our lunch? We'll have it here itself right.)
Divya: ಹೌದು ಇಲ್ಲೇ ತಿನ್ನೋಣ.( Ya, We'll have it here itself.)

Actually there was no other option.

Divya to Uday:(In konkani) ಹಂಗತ್ ಖಾವ್ಯಾಮರೆ??(We'll have our lunch here itself right?)
Uday: ಹೈ ಆನಿ ಬಾಇರ್ ಗೆಲಾರ್ ಬಸ್ ಚುಕ್ತಲೆ. ( ya, If we go out now, we'll surely miss the bus.)

Actually we had already wasted 5/15 minutes deciding where to have our lunch.

Then we headed towards the canteen. Looking at the canteen itself I came to know about the taste of that canteen food. I thought of staying out.

Madhura, Divya and Sindhura entered the canteen. When Uday was aboout to enter,

Me to Uday: ನೀವು ಹೋಗಿ ನಾನು ಬಸ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ ಇರ್ತೇನೆ.(You'll have your lunch, I'll be waiting in the bus.)
Uday: ಯಾಕೆ? ನೀನು ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಊಟ ಮಾಡಲ್ವಾ? ( Why? Won't you have your food here?)
Me: ಇಲ್ಲ. ನನ್ನ bag ಅಲ್ಲಿ cake pack ಇದೆ. ಅದನ್ನೇ ತಿನ್ತೇನೆ.(No, I have some cakes in my bag, I'll have it.)
Uday: Ok. your wish..

He was saying as if I was going to miss the-meals-of-my-life. Actually that meals-would-have-taken-my-life.;-)

I was having slices of cake when I received call from Madhura.

Madhura: ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಿಯಾ? (Where are you?)
Me: ಬಸ್ಸಲ್ಲಿ (In the bus.)
Madhura: ಊಟ ಮಾಡಲ್ವಾ? (Won't you have your lunch? )
Me: ಮಾಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೇನೆ.(Ya, I'm having..)
Madhura: ಏನು ಊಟ ಮಾಡಿದೆ? ( What did you eat?)
Me: cake ತಿಂತಾ ಇದ್ದೇನೆ.(I'm Having cake.)
Madhura: Oh. ಅದು ಸಾಕಾ? (Oh.. Thats enough?)
Me: ಹು ಸಾಕು. (Ya. Thats enough.)
Madhura: ಮತ್ತೇನಾದ್ರೂ ತರಬೇಕಾ? (Should we get anything else?)
Me: ಬೇಡ ಬೇಡ.(No... Thanks..)
Madhura: Ok.

There are two types of people in this world.
1. People who eat-to-live.
2. People who live-to-eat.
I come under the second category.
And I'm not a child. I know what to eat, when to eat, how much to eat etc etc... I get frustrated and irritated when someone starts worrying about me and asks me back-kcab questions. All what I was saying to myself was, Dear Vishal, Please control yourself, You have already reached half-way of your journey. When you have tolerated your friends for a journey of nearly 300kms, why don't you control yourself for the next 250kms!?!?! All the best, Vishal..

After few minutes a strange thing happened. My friends reached the bus before the conductor. Divya was holding a carry-bag. I looked at the white-translucent-carry-bag.
I could see a 600ml Fanta PET bottle and a Kurkure pack.
This time all 3 girls sat on a seat and Uday sat with me behind their seat.
Me: ಯಾಕಲೇ Divya ಮುಂದೆ ಕುಳ್ತ್ಕೊಂಡೆ? (Why did you sit in front, Divya?)
Madhura: ನೀನು ಅವಳಿಗೆ ತೊಂದ್ರೆ ಕೊಡ್ತಿಯಂತೆ. (Seems you irritate her a lot. )
Me: ಹೌದಾ Divya? (Is it Divya?)
Divya: ನೀನು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಮಲಗೋಕೆ ಬಿಡೋದಿಲ್ಲ. ನಾನು ಈಗ ಬಹಳ ಮಲಗಬೇಕು. (Now, I have to sleep a lot, and you'll disturb me if i sleep there.)

She was saying as if the doctor had advised her to sleep for 3hours after lunch.

Me: ಸರಿ ಅದು ಹೇಗೆ ಮಲಗ್ತಿಯೋ ನಾನೂ ನೋಡ್ತೇನೆ. (Ok. Let me see how you'll sleep.)

Me: By the way, ಆ canteenಅಲ್ಲಿ ಊಟ ಹೇಗಿತ್ತು? (By the way, How was the food in that canteen.?)
All: ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ( No, It was not good.)
Me: Hmmmm... As expected.

There's always some fun in adding insults-to-injuries....
Divya just started to lean her head on the quarter-sleeper seat. When we can call a pushback seat as a semi-sleeper-seat, why shouldn't we call a normal seat as a quarter-seater-seat. This is how new words are born...

Me: Divya ಮಲಗ್ಬೇದ್ವೆ. ( Don't sleep ya..)
Divya: ಯಾಕೋ? (But why??)

Actually, if she slept, spending time in that slow moving bus would be very difficult. We were no longer traveling on the Pune-Bangalore express road. Pune-Bangalore road was a 4-lane Highway. I couldn't understand what to call this road. A one-and-a-half lane highway? Beacuse, At at time, only a bus and a bike could pass that road. But it was a highway. A state highway.

Me: Chewing-gum ಬೇಕಾ? ( Want chewing-gum?)
Uday: ನನಗೆ ಒಂದು ಕೊಡು. (Give me one.)
Divya: ನನಗೂ ಕೊಡೋ. (Even I want a chewing gum)

I knew that she would ask for the gum, Thats why I'd offered it. Because, once she started chewing it she would forget her sleep. And the same thing happened. My plan worked...

Whithin few minutes Sindhura opened the Fanta bottle. She offered me, without any hesitation I said, NO.

I refused because, I was chewing the gum. Actually even Uday and Divya were chewing, but as soon as they saw the fanta bottle open, they spit it out of the window. Everyone except me had few pegs/sips of fanta. Again they offered me. But Attitude first, again I said no. Within seconds, they crushed the fanta bottle and threw it out of the window.

Next they opened a kurkure pack. This time, before they offered me, I put my hand into that pack. Otherwise, I would have seen this pack too flying out of the window.

When we had first entered the bus in Bangalore, It was an express-bus which was supposed to move on a 4-lane highway, and was supposed to stop only in big towns. But now, it was no longer an express bus. It was stopping in every small village. With people getting in-and-out every-time the bus stopped, I was feeling as if I was visiting villagers' houses asking them to elect me in the-gram-panchayat-elections. Every 5 minutes I could see new faces in our bus. And the road, there were pot-holes, man-holes, lunar-craters and many other things on the road. Sitting on the last seat it would jump so badly that I would get the feeling that I'm jumping on a spring board. (just like in mario-computer-game). But later i got adjusted to that, Because i started getting the feeling of horse-ride.

No matter it jumps or shakes or quakes, Divya, Madhura and Sindhura were busy playing anthakshari. And Uday, he was sleeping on the long-last-seat of the bus. After few minutes of sleep, he came and sat with me.

Uday: ನಿದ್ರೆ ಆಯಿತು (Ah. I finished my sleep.)
Me: ಹಿಂದೆ ಮಲ್ಗಿದ್ಯಾ? (Were you sleeping on the last seat?)

Well, I knew that he was sleeping on the last seat. But what else could i ask him?

Uday: ಹೌದು. score ಏನಾಯ್ತು? (Ya.. By the way, whats the score.)
Me:Its stumps on day one, India scored 300odd runs, Sehwag got out after scoring a century, Dravid is batting on 70odd runs along with Sachin.
Uday: Hmmm... good score...

Thats India. No matter where you are, what you are doing, Indian boys are always attached to cricket.

Divya turned back,

Divya to Me: ನಿನ್ ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ಅಲ್ಲಿ Aisha film ಹಾಡು ಇದೆಯಾ? ( Do you have Aisha film songs in your cellphone?)
Me:ಇಲ್ಲ.(No..)
Divya to Uday:(In Konkani) ತುಗೆಲೇ ಮೊಬೈಲಾತ್ ಅಸ್ಸಾ? (Do you have it in your cell?)
Uday nodded his head.
Uday:(In konkani) ಕಂಚೆ ಜಾಯ್? (Which song do you want?)
Divya: Gal Mitthi mitthi bol..
Uday: ಅಸ್ಸಾ.(yes.. I have..)
Divya: ಹ್ಯಾಂಗ್ ಮೊಬೈಲ್ ದಿ. (Give me your cell.)

Uday had just removed the cellphone from his pocket, Divya snatched it from him. Just like how cellphones are seized in colleges..
Within seconds she started playing the song in the loudest possible voice/noise.

Sindhura: Hey, ನನಗೆ ಆ song forward ಮಾಡು. ಅದು ನನ್ನ favourite song. (Hey, Forward that song to my cell. Its my favourite song.)
Divya: Ok Chinnu.


I couldn't understand one thing, If it was her favourite song, why she wasn't having it in her cell???

Sindhura took out her Pink-Metallic-slide phone and turned on the Bluetooth.

One serious question in my mind was Why girls like pink?
Even my sister has some pink dresses.
I remember once my friend Vigneshwar had brought his sister's pink bicycle to our tuition classes.
Once when I'd been to a shopping mall, I'd seen few Pink-framed-cooling-glasses which were for sale.
And even Walt Disney's Minnie Mouse, It wears a pink Bow like scarf on its head.
So the conclusion is its not only girls, but all female animals including mice like pink.


Divya played that song more than 5 times. And after Sindhura received it in her cell, even she started playing it. Even the music director of that song might not have heard that song as much as I did in the past 30mins.

After playing it for another 15mins, Divya returned Uday's cellphone. Lucky Uday, by the way Divya had taken his cellphone from him, I had the feeling that she would never return it to him.

We were about 15odd kms from Sirsi, when it started chilling. i could see the clouds gathering. Uday started entertaining us with some Kannada film dialogues. Dialogues from MungaruMale, Pancharangi and all.. Actually it was not his dialogues which was entertaining us, but it was his Kannada. People from Karwar are very bad at Kannada. I remember once room mate from Karwar saying,
[ನಾನು ಅವ್ನ ಜೊತೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಆಡ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೆ. ಅವ್ನು ಇಲ್ಲೇ cot ಕೆಳಗೆ ಹೋದ. ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಹೋದ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಇನ್ನು ಬರ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ.( I was playing with him here. He went somewhere under the cot. He hasn't come yet. Don't know where he went.)
I was wondering what he was talking about.
(after sometime)
ಬಂದ ಬಂದ(He came back)
When I saw down to see who came back, It was a tennis ball.]

Well, Uday was not that bad in Kannada.

Sindhura: ನನಗೆ ಹಸಿವಾಗ್ತಾ ಇದೆ. (I'm hungry.)

Conductor heard her saying that,

Conductor: ಈ ಬಾಳೇಕಾಯಿ ತಿನ್ನಿ. (Eat these raw bananas.)

A passenger had kept some raw bananas near our seat.

As soon as the conductor said that we all laughed, or else i guess Sindhura would have eaten the raw bananas also.

I started talking to the conductor.

Me: ನೀವು ಉತ್ತರ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದವ್ರಾ? (Are you from North Karnataka?)

Actually he need not answer that question, Everyone could makeout that he was from North Karnataka.

Conductor: ಹೌದ್ರಿ. ನಮ್ಮ ಊರು ಗದಗ್ ರೀ. (Ya, I'm from Gadag.)
Me: ಗದಗ್ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಎಲ್ಲಿ? ಗಜೇಂದ್ರಘಡ ಆ? (Where in Gadag? Near Gajebdraghad?)
Conductor: ಹೌದ್ರಿ, ಗಜೇಂದ್ರಘಡದ ಪಕ್ಕದ ಊರು. ನಿಮಗ ಹೆಂಗ ಗೊತ್ತಾತ್ರಿ? (Ya, The village next to Gajendraghad. But how do you know that place?)
Me: ನಿಮ್ಮನ್ನ ನೋಡಿ ಗೊತ್ತಾಯ್ತು? (By looking at you I could make out.)

The contuductor's face bloomed as a red rose.
In fact I'd wildly guessed Gajendraghad. It was the only place I knew In Gadag.

Me: ನಾಳೆ ರಜೆನಾ?(So tomorrow you have holiday?)
Conductor: ಇಲ್ಲ್ರಿ, ನಾಳೆ ಶೂಟಿ ಇಲ್ಲ್ರಿ. ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ವಾಪಸ್ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿಗ ಹೋಗಬೇಕ್ರಿ. (No, Tomorrow morning we should leave back to Bangalore.)

Then I spoke to him about KSRTC and their bus routes. Buy the time we finished speaking, We had reached Sirsi. And It had started drizzling. On the other side, Divya had started forcing Sindhura to come until Karwar.

Divya: Hey, ಸಿಂಧಿ ಇವತ್ತು ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಗೆ ಬಾ. ನಾಳೆ ಸಾಗರ್ ಮುಂಜಾನೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಗೆ ಹೋಗು.(Hey Sindhi, stay in our home today, Tomorrow morning you can catch Sagar bus from there.)
Sindhura: ಇಲ್ಲ. ನಾನು ಇಲ್ಲಿಂದ ಹೋಗ್ತೇನೆ.(No, I'll go from here itself.)
Divya: ಬಸ್ ಸಿಗತ್ತಾ? (Will you get the bus?)
Sindhura: ಹೌದು. Every 5mins ಇದೆ. (Ya, Every 5mins there is a bus.)

We reached Sirsi Bus stand and Sindhura got down. Even Uday and Divya got down after her as if even they were going to Sagar with her. I was about to get down, Madhura came out of her seat. I think she knew that I wanted to get down, So before me she moved to the foot-board,

Madhura: ಕೆಳಗೆ ಇಳಿತಿಯಾ? (Will you get down?)

I had no other option than staying in the bus.

Me: Ahhh... ಇಲ್ಲ.. (Ahhhh... No..)
Madhura: ಇಲ್ಲ, ಇಳಿಯೋದಿದ್ರೆ ಇಳಿ. (No, If you wish you can get down.. )

I just said no because she wanted to wave hand at Sindhura.

The driver got back into his seat. My friends were late again. I was peeping out of the window looking for them. The conductor looked at me. I didn't say anything neither did he. I peeped out again, I saw Madhura and Uday coming with a plastic tea cup towards the bus. Finally everyone came back. Sindhura was standing out. She was waiting for her bus.

We waved our hand at her as the bus moved..

Me to Madhura: Window-seat ಬೇಕಾ? (Do you want window seat?)
Madhura: ಬೇಡ. ದಿವ್ಯ ಜೊತೆ ಕುಳ್ತ್ಹಿನಿ. (No i'll sit with Divya.)
Me: Ok..

As soon as the bus passed Sirsi city, It started raining. It started raining so heavily that even the roads were partially visible. I close the window-glass.. But somehow water was entering in and my clothes were getting wet. I picked up my bag which I'd kept on the wooden base of the bus, and moved a seat away from the window seat. Even my feet was getting wet. I was getting the feeling that a river is flowing in our bus and I'm about to drown in that river.

A passenger came to me. I was wondering if he wouldn't ask me to shift to the window seat.



to be continued..

ಎಲ್ಲ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಹಾಗು ಕನ್ನಡ ಅಭಿಮಾನಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ರಾಜ್ಯೋತ್ಸವದ ಶುಭಾಶಯಗಳು.

ಗೆಳೆಯರೇ, ಇವತ್ತು ನಾನು ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆಯುತ್ತ ಇದ್ದೇನೆ. ನಾನು ಈ ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆಯುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಆಡುಭಾಷೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬರಿತೇನೆ. ಬರೆಯುವಾಗ ಅದು ಎಷ್ಟು ತಪ್ಪು ಮಾಡ್ತೇನೋ ಗೊತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ. ಯಾಕಂದ್ರೆ ನಾನು ಕಲಿತಿದ್ದು ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತ ಸಂಸ್ತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ. ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತ ಸಂಸ್ತೆ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಅದು ಒಂದ್ತರ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಮರುಭೂಮಿ ಇದ್ದಹಾಗೆ. ಎಂತಹ ದುರಂತ, ಎಂತಹ ವಿಪರಿಯಾಸ ಅಂದ್ರೆ ಕನ್ನಡದ spelling ಕೇಳುವವರವರು. ನನ್ನ ಮಾತೃಭಾಷೆ ಕನ್ನಡ, ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ನನಗೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅಷ್ಟು ತೊಂದರೆ ಆಗ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಪ್ರೌಡಶಾಲೆಗಾಗಿ ಆ ಕ್ರೈಸ್ತ ಸಂಸ್ತೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಬೇರೆ ಶಾಲೆ ಸೇರಬೇಕಾಯ್ತು, ಪ್ರೌಡಶಾಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡ ನನ್ನ ತೃತೀಯ ಭಾಷೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನಮಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ಪಾಠ ಮಾಡಿದವರು ಅದೃಶಪ್ಪ ವಂಟಿಗಿಟ್ಟಿ. ನಾವು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಗುಟ್ಟಿ ಅಂಥ ಹೆಸರಿಟ್ಟಿದ್ವಿ. ನಮ್ಮ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಾವು ಹಾಗೆ ಹೇಳಬಾರದು, ಆದರು ನಿಜ ಹೇಳ್ಬೇಕಂದ್ರೆ ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಇರೋ ಅಲ್ಪ-ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಕನ್ನಡವನ್ನ ಅದೃಶ್ಯ ಮಾಡಿದವರು ಅವರೇ. ಅವರ ಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಯನ್ನ ನನಗೆ ೯/೨೫ ಅಂಕಗಳು ಬರ್ತಿದ್ವು. ಇವರು ವೇಗವಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆ-ಉತ್ತರಗಳನ್ನ ಬರಿಸ್ತಿದ್ರು, ನನಗೆ ಅಷ್ಟು ವೇಗವಾಗಿ ಬರಿಯೋಕೆ ಆಗ್ತಿರ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಉದಾಹರಣೆ ನೋಡಿ, "ಸಿಂಹದ ಗುಹೆ" ಬರೆಯಲು "ಸಂಹದ ಗುಹೆ" ಅಂಥ ಬರೆದವನು ನಾನು. ನಂತರ ನಮಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ಹೇಳ್ಕೊಟ್ಟವರು S.M.ಹೆಗ್ಡೆsir. ಈ ಶಿಕ್ಷಕರಂದ್ರೆ ಇಡೀ ಶಾಲೆಗೇ ಗೌರವ. ತುಂಬಾ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಪಾಠ ಮಾಡ್ತಿದ್ರು. ಇವರಿಂದಾಗಿ ನನ್ನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಸುದಾರಣೆ ಕಾಣಲಾರಂಭಿರಿಸಿತು. ನಮ್ಮ ತಂದೆ ಕೂಡ ನನಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ಹೇಳ್ಕೊಟ್ರು. ನಮ್ಮ ತಂದೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸ್ನಾತಕೋತ್ತರ ಪದವಿದರರು. ಆದ್ರೆ ಅದೇನೋ "ಹಿತ್ತಲ ಗಿಡ ಮಧ್ಧಲ್ಲ" ಅಂತಾರಲ್ಲ, ನನಗೆ ಅವರಿಗಿಂತ ನಮ್ಮ S.M.ಹೆಗ್ಡೆsir ಪಾಠ ಇಷ್ಟ.

ಪದವಿ-ಪೂರ್ವ ಕಾಲೇಜಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಕನ್ನಡ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದೆ. ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತ ಆಯ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ರೂ ನನ್ನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಬಹಳ ಸುದಾರಣೆ ಕಂಡಿತು. ಕನ್ನಡ ದಿನಪತ್ರಿಕೆ ಓದಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದೆ. ಪುಸ್ತಕಗಳನ್ನ ಓದಿದೆ. ಕವನಗಳನ್ನ ಓದಿದೆ. ಯಾವುದೇ ಕನ್ನಡ ಚಲನಚಿತ್ರ ಹಾಡನ್ನ ಕೇಳಿದ್ರೆ ಅದರ ಒಳಾರ್ಥವನ್ನ ತಿಳಿಯಲಾರಂಭಿಸಿದೆ. ಅದರಿಂದಾಗಿ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಜ್ಞಾನ ಬೆಳೆಯಿತು.

ನೋಡಿ ಈಗ ನನ್ನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಹೀಗಿದೆ. ನನ್ನ ಕನ್ನಡ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿಲ್ಲ ಅನ್ಸಿದ್ರೆ, ಇಗಲೇ ಹೀಗೆ, ಹಿಂದೆ ಹೇಗೋ ಅಂಥ ಯೋಚಿಸಿ.