Trip to Bangalore

 

The summer holidays had started for the schools in 1962. Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha in those days was actively promoting Hindi. It was time for Hindi teachers to conduct special classes for Prathama and Madhyama exams. I enrolled for Madhyama. I attended classes for a few days. Marriage of my father's niece (cousin's daughter) was to take place in Bangalore during summer. My parents were planning to attend the same. My father tossed an idea to me and offered to send me to Bangalore for a vacation during that summer....only if I travelled alone from Proddatur. I jumped at the offer and agreed to go alone. 

My mother was worried about entire plan as any caring mother would be. It involved my taking a bus to Yerraguntla which is our home town Proddatur's nearest railway station. Travel by train to Guntakal. After spending that night at my distant cousin's home in Guntakal, I was to take Kacheguda- Bangalore express train the next morning from Guntakal and reach Bangalore by evening 4 or 5pm. Take a city bus to reach our house near Nettekallappa circle in Basavanagudi area where my father's cousin was living . I was still 11 years old at that time. My father had confidence in me. I was also confident. My mother yielded to our pressure and okayed finally.

A small zip bag (now called duffel travel bag) was packed with clothes. Those days tooth powder and bath soap were not required to be carried as every household used to store them in the bathroom and all members of the family used them. Hair combs were also not exclusive. I boarded a bus in the afternoon to Yerraguntla. The bus went upto the entrance of the railway station those days. I purchased the ticket and boarded a general compartment in Madras - Bomay express. This is a broad guage train. After reaching Guntakal, I went to my cousin's house. He was surprised to see me in Guntakal all of a sudden without any intimation. I spent the night with him. Next morning, I went to the railway station and purchased my ticket to Bangalore and comfortably boarded the train coming from Kacheguda and going to Bangalore (a meter guage express train) around 8 in the morning. 

The journey started and the train stopped at Kallur station and I got down from the train as many others in my compartment did. There was a big crowd at the V R (Veg.Refreshment) stall selling hot idli-vadaas. I had my breakfast. The train reached Hindupur a little late. At the VRR (vegetarian refreshment room) I got my curd rice and pulihora packets. Before the train resumed it's journey, I had my belly full settling on the bench on the platform near my compartment. I collected water from the tap near the bench in the army water bottle (a bean shaped zinc vessel with special micro porous cloth cover to keep the water inside cool.)

The train was to reach Bangalore by 5pm. True to the character of railways, the train reached late, after dusk at about 7PM After due enquiry, I got into a city bus outside the railway station that would take me to Nettekallappa circle (bus stop near my house) Tension was writ on my face since I was visiting Bangalore alone for the first time. I requested my co-passengers to inform me when the stop comes. After about 30-40 minutes, person in my next seat told me that stop had been reached and I could get down. After getting down from the bus, I pulled out a piece of paper my father had given me with identification marks and the route map from the bus stop to our house which was just very close from there. Nothing matched on the ground. I realised that I alighted from the bus at a different stop (it was at one stop ahead) due to my next seat passenger. With the help of address that I carried and seeking directions from people, I walked a longer distance and finally reached home. The main building and the compound wall were separated by a front-yard garden with large trees. I called out loudly to attract attention of the inmates from the main gate in the compound wall. I didn't dare to enter the front yard since there was a dog guarding the place. That my father's cousin was hard of hearing added to my woes. I was standing on the road outside our house. Bangalore summer nights were cold those days, particularly for me from Proddatur. I waited for what looked like an eternity (probably 30-40 minutes) Suddenly, the main door opened and my father's cousin emerged out of it clutching some envelops. I attracted his attention waving feverishly from near the gate. At last, I went into the house affectionately accompanied by him. It turned out that he had come out to go to a relative of ours for giving the wedding invitation. As that person was not available during daytime at his home, this hour was chosen for meeting him. I enjoyed my trip to Bangalore visiting all our relatives (scores of them were there in Bangalore) I enjoyed visiting Lalbagh, Cubbon Park, Visweswarayya museum, Vidhana Soudha, Brigade Road, Commercial Street, M.G.Road, Majestic etc. My infatuation with the English Medium Convent Schools (described in another article posted by me earlier) was rightly nipped in the bud by my father and I accompanied my parents on way back to Proddatur after the wedding.

Not to forget, I failed in the Madhyama exam not having attended classes due to my Bangalore trip. However, the next August (1963) I took the exam and passed !