Where Am I from?

I usually get into spells of immense thinking. It's like a phase, where  my left brain and right brain have conversations that ultimately give me a backache. Blame it on Acupuncture. (That Pin poking thingy)

It was in one of these sessions that I was absolutely convinced that in a previous birth I must've been a driver of some sorts. Taxi or Auto, but one of the two for sure. That must be the reason why I keep meeting so many drivers with so many interesting stories to tell, which make me go "Ahaaa" to which the driver promptly replies "Kai zala?" in Marathi.

Anyways, the topic of today's brain freeze conversation is "Where am I from?"

There are these standard questions that people ask you and you promptly have an answer pop into your head. Visually at least.

For e.g

Q - Hey Whats up
A - Nothing, you tell.

Q - What's your favorite colour?
A - Blue / I don't know

Q - Who's hotter? Anushka or Deepika?
A - Megan Fox / Angelina Jolie (By God's grace at least now she will retire from those buhledy worlds hottest lists)

Q - I have Scotch and Vodka, what will you have?
A - Do you have beer?

Q - Saw any movies recently?
A - *Image of that movie that friend of your friend gave you on that pen drive that everyone's been sharing* No.

Q - Kya Aapke toothpaste main namak hai?
A - Haan saale, Sambhar powder bhi hai, khayega kya? (Rhetorical, am not offering)

Q - Where are you from?
A - Err. Heard of Shimoga? How about Mangalore? Karnataka? Yes am a Madarasi, Thank you.


Truth be said, I have been around. Spent an equal amount if time in the Gulf, in Udupi/Manipal, at Bangalore and now what looks like its going to be quite some time in Mumbai. While I borrowed a lot from them, none of them has left a mark that's deep enough to be called home.

For example, I loved the places in Manipal that I used to spend so much time at with my friends. In Bangalore it was all about enjoying the lovely weather and the ease of travel (Yes come to Mumbai, it's like going to space in a cycle rickshaw) Bahrain was all about school time memories. And now Mumbai, well we're just getting started.

I don't think I've ever answered the question about "Where are you from?" in one line.

The most recent being my explanation to an Expat that India is divided into "Zones" depending on what people eat. Idlis? - Madrasi. Chaats? Mumbai. Momos? Definitely from East (Don't even have a place) and Tandoori chicken. Delhi. If you eat bullets and bombs, probably way up north in "Paradise on Earth"

Just FYI, I like all the above. Am like the public buffet that everyone eats free off and then cribs - Definitely Indian.

Anyways, Next time someone asks me where am from, I guess I'll just say that. Indian.

Cheers
M

Delightful encounter...part 1

An amusing incident happened a couple couple of years ago when I was traveling from Bangalore, on my way home for a long weekend. It so happened that being the lazy ass that I am, I couldn't get tickets for the lone bus that stopped at my village.

I tried bribing the ticket agent with all the shampoo and fairness creams he could use, but he dint seem to care much for imported stuff. So I had to settle for a longer route back home, and had to catch a morning bus to Mangalore;Luckily I got a comfortable Volvo.

Usually, it takes about 8 hours to reach Mangalore from Bangalore, and about 3. 6 seconds for me to doze off and snore away in glory of the elephants of Rajpur, but since it was a morning ride I decided to listen to some music. I was hoping Priyanka Chopra would occupy my neighbouring seat, but as luck would have it, a granpa with serious issues came and sat next to me, all the while giving me menacing looks, and nodding his head in disapproval at the linkin park blaring through my iphone.

After an hour or so, I had this beautiful girl get on to the bus and take a seat on the other side of my row. So we were sharing window seats on opposite sides. Though not the one to try stunts, there was always the hope of opportunity that lingers. But since I couldnt see her and the whole dam journey was getting boring, I went off to sleep.

I woke to the sight of coconut trees flashing bye the windows and a slightly....(to be cont'd)

Mangalore

Well this time around I went home via good ol Mangalore. ITs been a long time that I went there, last being A year ago for some business. However this time around, things had changed quite a lot. The famous 4 way lane which was under construction-completed-again under construction-cancelled-re constructed had finally got shape. IT was more of a road this time around than it ever was. However the bus drivers dint mind. For them anything the bus moves on, is road. and that to their own personal road.

 

Any way, some surprising new members, (Again finally!!!) were the Fly overs and drainage works going on in Mangalore. Mangalore is a Special Economic Zone, and is expected to be the next Bangalore. However years ago there were pointers to the lack of infrastructure in the city. The Mangalore-Udupi-Manipal Belt is world reknown for their educational and medical institutions. However Mangalore does also have a fair bit of Shipping and industrial activity. This area is also known for its coastal cuisine and NRI population. Any way back to the fly overs.

Just like Bangalore, the fly overs were there, towering over the roads, kicking up dust and disrupting traffic-ah the irony of it. Well I was in Mangalore for like 30 min, During which I managed to take a snap of Saibeen Complex, and catch a glimpse of Errol, author of Scoptoma. I wasnt able to catch his attention, as I was in a bus. But anyways, here are the snaps

 

The Once super popular Saibeen complex

Fly over

 

 

Fly over again

Inner city Roads--Flooded with Airtel translights!!!

 

Well thats all I could capture, am working on a post with interesting facts on the Manipal-Udupi-Mangalore Triangle. Hope that comes out soon!!!

 

Cheers

MaDdY