Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Namma Bengaluru







Arti walked out of Natasha Golf View Apartments with Alochana and Alapana. Arti is happy. It is her twelfth wedding anniversary today and also the annual day at Alochana and Alapana's school. She is now going with them to participate in the PTM. The threesome walked down to the metro rail platform and waited for the train to Mysore. Arti had offered to drive them all to school so that they can enjoy the view up, but the kids insisted that it would take lesser time by the underground metro rail and moreover they were taught that mass public transit is the preferred means of transit. The school, "Amarnath foundation for Grassroots' level Innovation" is in Mysore close to the erstwhile Maharaja's palace. The train came at 7:00 AM. They boarded the train and quickly settled in their seats. Arti looked out of the window. The station was bristling with activity. There were the passengers, eager to locate an empty bogey and board the trains quickly and there were the other passengers sitting on the benches and waiting other trains. The function starts at 7:30, Arti reflected, "We will be there at Mysore by 7:04 and cross the road using the sky walk and reach the school at 7:10. Our seats are in the 25th row. We will be able to make it in good time and also have some spare time to eat Mysore dosas before going to the function" and then she sat back relaxed knowing all was on schedule. All went as planned and they enjoyed the annual day. Alochana and Alpana performed the skit as rehearsed without a glitch and were applauded by one and all. The school function finally ended at 11:00 AM.
Akhila, Arti's sister is travelling from Mumbai to join them in Bangalore. Arti promised her that she will come to meet her at the Devanahalli airport. The flight was to arrive at 11:15 AM. Arti, Alochana and Alapana started back from Mysore and stopped at Devanahalli airport. It took them five minutes to reach the airport on the high speed subway that had come up between Bangalore and Mysore, 8 years ago. Arti told the kids, “The miracle started with Devanahalli” and they nodded knowingly though they did not understand. The foursome then took the train to Commercial Street and got off near "Glamour Shop" at 11:40 AM. The subway network is the best in the world. They shopped till 1:00 PM and walked to St Mark’s hotel which is only a five minute walk through the underground walkway. Sudarshan, Arti's husband, joined them and they all ordered food. Arti being that staunch veggie ordered veg hot and sour soup. Akhila asked for cream of Mushroom soup. The girls ordered fish fingers and mutton chops and Sudarshan, the newly converted veggie, in a mood to please his wife, too ordered veg hot and sour soup. Arti heard a familiar voice and turned to her left. Anu was sitting right at the next table and smiling at her. She said with dreamy eyes, "Girl! I am jealous of you! How do you manage to sleep so well, that too in the fourth seat from the last?”

1 comment:

Thanks in advance for verifying your account with word verification.