The name is " Sutta"

Hello!! welcome back to Fata Dhol. Well finally I have decided to take a break from my train journey, am not gonna do any more favors to Indian Railways ;).

People join college to learn, to earn a degree, to get a job, to enjoy the best part of their lives, to grow up. I had a different reason altogether, to remain myself until the end of my 4 years. They say people get spoiled: get bad habits, since for most of them its the first time, getting away from the shadow of their parents. So thats what was my challenge to myself- "To be what I used to be".

I got the scare of my life when I entered my University. Different species of guys: long hairs, tattoos, jumpers, hunks, jazz, hippies, rockers, scars...you name it and u get them. Girls were no behind either: I better leave this part :P.....taboo u know!!!!. Anyways I was lucky enough to find my gang - guys who believed in maintaining a low profile and not get carried away with the wind. Introducing Sid, Garry, Ashu.

1st semester went off well. Enter 2nd semester: Guys started feeling that "life isn't very happening u know!!". That its just once in a lifetime we are in a college, why waste it??? We are gonna miss out all the fun once u graduate out. Then started the saga: Ipods to class, long hairs, tattoos, goaties and finally " SUTTA" : believed to be the ultimate personality enhancer.

Sutta is the local name for smoking. They started with once in a week....then once a day....the rest is history.True to my promise I strongly decided against it, however couldn't stop the rest of my gang. I loved every one out there and hence I felt a guilt not being able to stop my friends from doing something I considered wrong. Finally I told them what I felt but by then it was too late. U wanna hear the reasons:

1) Exams yaar...it helps us concentrate.

2) It helps forget my pain u know.... Life has been so cruel

3) Am not an addict dude...dont worry its just for few more days..then am gonna quit

4) U scored the highest in Env. Bio in CAM -1 bro, so its for your success party

5) It makes us a true MAN.

Among all Ashu was the one closest to me, being my room mate. I had a big influence on him. Believe me he is so thin u can blow him literally. One fine night he took a challenge and puffed more than he could take. He was down and out. I saw him shaking like a drug addict, unable to maintain his equilibrium.I had enough that day, I shouted and even man handled him. Finally I threatened him, " if you don't call it quits am gonna take it up with your parents". That was enough.... 1 down :). Although he still longed for it after few more days but couldn't dare to smoke again with me around.

But Ashu was the only success I had. The rest continued contributing to global warming. I had periodic fights with them but to no avail. Finally I called it quits. After all its there life. People don't even listen to their parents at this age why the hell will they listen to me? Why to be so nosy and interfere in their personal world, there is always a limit. By then other personality enhancers too had gained access to my once holy group.

I started off showing them videos labelled as:

1) Smoking helps lose weight!!!, it reduces your lungs!!

2) Girls feel safe in the company of guys who smoke... Smoking causes impotency!!

3) Sutta has 599 chemicals, good enough to kill you: see this

http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm

2 years later: Garry started coughing badly every day, as soon as he woke up. That was so bad, none in the corridor needed alarm to get up. He was even advised by the doctor to give up but nothing worked. Another interesting aspect of Garry is he was a strict vegetarian earlier but slowly had started tasting bits and pieces of Chicken (I am the culprit). One fine day all of us had a heated argument over his status: Whether he is a veggie or NV?? We made so much fun of him that he promised he wont ever taste chicken. He never did!!!. I was so impressed, it gave me a ray of hope if he can quit Chicken then why cant Sutta??? He seemed to be a man of words.

Yesterday morning (Yes u got it rite, yesterday) he again coughed like a TB patient. While I was passing by his room late at night I smelled smoke and entered his room to see the horror sight. I boiled with anger and just left without saying anything. Thoughts of good times flashed in my mind....times of laughter, dancing, parties, making fun of teachers, bird watching, fights, arguments, forcefully feeding him chicken and all of a sudden thoughts of an ailing Garry overshadowed all of it. Why the hell are you so keen on destroying yourself Garry?? You have not even started your life?? What is it that makes this s*** so cool? I whispered to myself.

I wrote a message " See garry!! we are friends, good or bad we are somehow very deeply attached with each other since last 4 years. Honestly I feel bad when I see you among smoke even after this condition. I know I have no right to interfere in your life but at the same time I can't be a silent observer any longer. I have decided strongly that I wont be a part of your destruction, hence from today I wont like to have any sort of contacts with you.All the best. Take care. CD" . I cried a bit, I dont know why, it just happened....and send him the message. I didnt received any reply for next 2 hours and thought he accepted it.

Two hours later he pinged me online. "What the hell was that dude?" I swear by "You" I will never touch Sutta from today..... were the next few lines from him. I got so scared..... I dont wanna die Garry!! please don't swear by me.... Don't make my unmarried wife a widow, was my reply. He assured " Its a word" I wont do it ever again.....I said I trust you. Yuppiieee 2 down.

Well they say one man can do a difference. Each one of us can.... Just give a tight hug and say people around you how much you love them, and that you don't wanna lose them to sutta. Do you think Government's idea of taking cigarette stores 100 meters away is doing any good? People who are addicted are always ready to walk that extra mile...in fact they are just getting healthier after a 200 meter walk. Good enough to live 2 more years and smoke 600 more packets and melt another 1 tonne of polar ice. Its we who can make a difference. Love all the smokers around you....I bet Love is a deadly addiction...nothing can beat it .... cheers :) CD

Fun in d run: Train again

Hello friends. Thanks for coming back. This one is a funny episode. I was travelling back home after my term end exams(20 days of torture for engineers once every 6 months). It was the same train as mentioned in my last blog and by the time I boarded, I was equally tired this time as well. I met 4 chirpy young students(2 boys+ 2 girls) brimming with energy and laughter who were a part of my compartment. Their lively spirits gave me an indication that am gonna have a great time with them during the journey. In order to enhance the description I have decided to make this conversation kinda small play. oops I forgot to tell their names Raj, Rahul, Sreya, Manisha [Name changed]. We all belonged to XYZ University ( me final year then and the rest 1st years ).

[Scene 1: we all entered the compartment and secured our belongings. I finished 1st and took the window seat even though I had the upper berth, others still busy arranging their luggage]

Raj: Finally we are heading back home. Out of that jail..... 9 '0' clock in time......and what not!!

Rahul: Yo buddy!!! ( they high five)

Sreya (irritated unable to adjust her luggage) to me: Hello, would you please move your legs a bit.

Me( busy in my own world enjoying the breeze, didnt realized that she is speaking to me): Just gave a questioning glance since I couldn't get hold of the situation.

Rahul (To sreya): Angreji nahi ati unhe kripaya Hindi me kahen.....( in a tune)

(All laugh....me too)

Sreya (to me): Bhai sahab, aap jara apke pair hataenge, mujhe saman rakhne me dikkat ho rahi he ( with a sarcastic smile ).

Me: Jaroor ( I raised my legs and she arranged her trolley beneath the lower berth).

Sreya: Dhanyawad

Me: Smile

Manisha: You know what, sleeper class has now turned to be a labour class. Just have a look what kinda people are travelling with us. Holy S***!! . Rahul, idiot I told you earlier to secure our berths in AC, its for you duffer, we are travelling with that ganwar ( pointing me with eye movements) in front of us.

Sreya: Exactly, If my Pa gets to know this he is gonna take me for a dip in the Nile ( Saying Ganga is too labour class).

( All break in to laughter: they thought me to be a daily wage earner owing to my red t-shirt, worn off jeans, slippers, slight beard which I nurtured during my exams and obvious dark circles)

Rahul: Sorry ya!! Even am feeling suffocated sharing breath with him. Anyways lets ask him to jump up to his upper berth and we can be ourselves. Raj!!!, tell him dude.

Raj(to me):Hey dude!! would you mind going up. Oh S*** ( suddenly realizing I don't follow English).

Rahul: Angreji nahi ati unhe kripaya Hindi me kahen.....( in a tune)

Raj: Yea yea... Bhaisahab, kripaya karke aap upar sone jaenge ( looking to all with a question whether his Hindi was spot on?? all give thumbs up)

Me: Thodi der me jaunga, abhi neend nahi arahi ( clearly enjoying all the attention). Aap logon ko sona he kya? agar sona he to bata dijiega. (Grin)

Sreya: Nah!!, its fine please be comfortable.

Rahul: Angreji nahi ati unhe kripaya Hindi me kahen.....

Sreya:OOPS!! Koi baat nahi....aap aaram se baithiye. (to all) you know what the railways should at least give us the names of the passengers so that we get to know earlier, with what kinda species we gonna share space .

Manisha: Common, how the hell u gonna get the name of a person and decide his class??

Sreya: Arey at least u get to know from which part of the country he belongs and then its only a stupid who cant guess their class.

Raj: Hey I heard these villagers sleep early, why then this folk isnt getting drowsy man? Its 11:00 PM already. Lets have some fun with him mates.... ( Grin)

Rahul: Bhaisahab aap UP se ho kya?

Me: (Bewildered for a moment) Ji haan.

Raj: Fir aap Bhubaneswar wali train me kya kar rahe hain?

Me: Hmm rishtedar se milne ja raha hun.

Sreya: No wonder. Is there any part of the country that they spared?

Manisha: (Giggles) I saw few of them getting bashed in Mumbai recently.

Rahul: Apko angrezi bilkul nahi ati?

Me: Ji nahi..... kam padhe likhe hain..sirf note k hisab samajh ate hain.

Me: To aap log bhai behen ho ? ( desperately trying to control my laughter)

Raj: Ji nahi hum classmates hein? Kya kehte hain yaar classmates ko Hindi me?

Sreya: Sehpathi hein hum.

Me: Acha ji... sahi he... badhiya he. Kaunsi saal me hein aap log?

Sreya: Pehli saal me.

Me: Acha!!! wese Kahan padhte hein aap log?

Rahul: Aap nahi jante honge us jagah ko. Rehne dijiye....

Raj: XYZ University ka naam suna he. Wahan se hein hum. Engineering karte hein. Abe Shreya, Hindi teacher, ye samjhao Engineering ko kya kehte hain Hindi me...I give up.

Me: Nahi hum samajte hein Engineering kya he.

All: Thank God... Cool

Me: wese aaj kal to kafi log Engineer ban rahe hein.

Manisha: Common, someone tell him please , we are from India's No 1 University according to @$% survey.

Rahul: Bhaiya ye jo hamari University he na wo desh ka ek sarwasresth University he. Koi match nahi he.

Me: Gajab he fir to. Me bhi soch raha hu k apne chote bhai ko wahan bhej dun. Kafi mehnati he.

Manisha: Not again. Please ask him to spare our University at least. Imagine we sitting with them in Nescafe.

Shreya: (High Fives with Sreya) shut up...u r being a racist now...

Manisha: Oh yeah....its your pa who was taking you to Nile isnt it??? and am a racist huh??

Raj: Bhaiya wahan dakhila lena bahut muskil he and paise bhi kafi lagte hain. Sabke bas ki baat nahi he.

Rahul: Bhaiya ab aap so jayie na kafi thake hue se lag rahe hain.

Me: Haan bhaiya hum to sone ja rahe hein ab. aap log maze kariye.

Manisha: Thanks a ton Rahul.

Sreya: ( shouts) Look he is dragging a VIP trolley with him, shame on you Raj you are still using that non branded piece of s****. Times are changing guys., grow up.

Manisha: Am sure 2012 prediction is gonna be true. The world is nearing its end for sure.

[ Well there were many moments when I was close to losing my temper, but somehow I didnt wanted to lose out the fun. Good or bad I was the center of their talks and some how it made me pass the time easily. I knew some of them might pee when they learn am their senior in fact super super senior and the fact I understood their Oriya, Hindi and English all together. I smiled to myself and climbed to the upper berth. I felt bad that you know we call ourselves a secular nation and seeds of the next generation garner such regional thoughts. Still without giving much of a thought I switched off my body amidst their loud pranks, songs and occasional reference to the UP wale bhai sahab]

[Scene 2: Its early morning, well 10 AM is early for me when am travelling :). The four of them were awake and busy playing Dumbsraj when I stepped down. They ceased their activities and started moving across the seats pushing each one to a place near which I might sit. None wanted to sit to my proximity. I just gave them a smile although it was a torture, since I had almost forgot the previous night talks. I opened my bag to get my brush and stuff]

Rahul: Abe dekho dabur lal Dant manjan niklega. ( All smile)

Me: Nahi bhaiya hum to pepsodent use karte hain . (This time it was only me who smiled)

Sreya: Grow up Rahul. Your predictions are not working.

Rahul: Yeah I wonder how many surprises more.....

Me ( to myself): The Atom Bomb is yet to explode Kido... have patience.

(I returned after 10 mins and again there was a small chaos on who is gonna sit near me)

Manisha: I hope he doesnt opens a cloth with dried roti with pickles in it. U know that Amitabh Bachan Movie types.... Mere pass ma he ( acting)....... ( All laugh)

Sreya: You know even worse, people even carry beaten rice as lunch and dinner in trains. I mean common!! if you can pay for a berth spend another 1/10 th of it for a pantry meal, if not for your stomach at least for the sake of your co passengers. (All nod in approval).

[Scene 3: TTE arrives]

TTE: tickets please guys

Rahul : Here is ours E-Ticket, we four... Rahul...Raj....Manisha and Sreya and here is my ID card of XYZ University.

TTE: Well you seem to be well educated still you dont know that Railways only accepts IDs isued by Government of India like Driving license, PAN card, Voter ID card or Passport.

Raj: Chill guys, I am carrying my Driving License. Here you go sir.....

TTE: (to me) What about you young man? Why didnt you booked your tickets with them... you all were from same place right?

Raj: No sir, we dont know him and anyway what makes you think we are even remotely similar?

TTE: Well you all seem to be students. Anyways may I have your ticket please?

Me: Sure, I searched my upper pockets, front lower pockets and still couldnt find my ticket.

Sreya: Gosh, I hope he isnt travelling WT. ( All eyes on me)

Me:( finally I found it in my wallet) Ye lijiye sir, mera ticket. ( All relieved)

TTE: well u have availed a student concession, would you mind showing your ID card please?

( I knew the moment had arrived. I really didnt wanted to bring this to an end but then I had to show him my XYZ University ID Card)

Me: Sir, this is my card, XYZ University.

Manisha: (elbows Raj and brings everyone to attention) Ab to mar gaye :(

Rahul: Chill maar samhal lenge, hum he na.

(TTE departs, Pin drop silence follows for next 15-20 minutes)

Rahul: Sorry Bhaiya, aap bura to nahi mane??? Hum thoda stud ban ne ki koshis kar rahe the you know??

Me: No its fine... you guys please continue the same as if am am a daily wage labour...If you stop or I sense any change in your activities, you dont know what I can do to you.

Raj: (in oriya) Thank God he doesnt knows oriya atleast. Lets speak in Oriya.

Me: (In Oriya) Sorry kido!! u r short of luck today...lets have some fun now .... wat say???

What followed was obvious, but wasn't very interesting to mention here ;). I wished I was accompanied with some of my friends anyways still I was treated like an emperor for the rest of my journey.

Well as usual some unanswered questions:

1) Does racist remarks makes us a stud?

2) Do boys forget their screws when they have girls around?

3) Do girls like extra cool ( Icy) boys?

4) Girls and boys can be equal partners in crime?

We say we are cultured???

I was travelling home for Diwali vacations on October 14th 2009. After a hectic day of exams followed by quick packing, moving to Chennai and waiting their for 5 hours, I finally boarded my train at 10:30 PM. I was badly tired and had not slept well since 7 days prior to that owing to my exams( need not explain why? ), so I just wished a good sleep.

I climbed to my top berth and and fell flat after calling home and bidding good byes to some of my friends who were also leaving home for Diwali. While I lay paralyzed I just moved my eyes within the compartment to catch a glimpse of my fellow passengers (Just to be sure that I am in a safe place and people at least look good). There were few students whom I assumed must be returning home for the festival and some workers too (Chennai attracts host of cheap man power from poor states like Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand etc). I was about to retire when I saw this " Old lady" sitting in the side lower seat exactly opposite to me. She was wearing an elegant green saree and her ornaments made her look younger than her age. Beside her was a fat dark man, of my state talking loudly to one of his colleague(both in their mid 20's) resting in the side upper berth and blaming railways for providing him the same seat as the old lady who happened to be a Tamilian (I learned later).

Well I understood that both of them(Lady and Fat man) were travelling RAC and hence the seat sharing. Then came the TTE, he checked the details of everyone's ticket and was about to leave when our own Fat dark man came with 4 colleagues of his, demanding an explanation for his seat sharing with the old lady. Although the TTE tried explaining, I guess they wern't ready to hear the same. Finally the TTE gave up and moved on leaving these 4 angry men looking angrily on the poor lady who couldn't understand a single word of what was happening around her. Finally the young men murmered something within themselves and went on to their respective berths. I guessedthey accepted the situation and retired. By then I had succumbed to my aching body and fell asleep.

I slept and dream t of Diwali sweets, diyas, mom's love poured delicacies and the lovely Festive moments with family and friends. All of a sudden the fireworks started in the neighborhood and we joined them. Although things were very satisfying I could silently hear, a chaos from some other world banging on my ears. I suddenly saw the beauty of the festival evaporating like steam from boiling water and I realized I was still travelling.

To my horror I found the dark fat man along with his colleagues shouting at the poor lady in a language that was alien to her. The lady as I said belonged from a well to do family and didn't bothered to answer them. The men must have been less than her Sons age if she had one. After a brief round of shouting the men threatened her of pushing her off the train if she didn't leave her seat. No one in the entire bogey cared to break their sleep although all would have heard the threat the men vomited on the poor lady. Finally scared, the poor lady left her seat and stood near the bath room door weeping silently.

I cursed the young men a thousand times and curiosity forced me to bend over my seat and see what the old lady is up to? I found her spreading her a newspaper near the wash basin and then sensing the unhealthy surroundings, she dropped the plan. She held the support of the berth and stood facing her back to me and wiped her tears occasionally. In the mean time the fat dark men enjoyed their sleep after a brief victory shout having forced the old lady out of their way (from their berth rather).

Thousands thoughts ran inside my mind. What on earth is this? Cant you do something? What if she had been your own grandma? would you have tolerated this? How about you go and offer your seat? Then my aching body shouted are you nuts? You are almost paralyzed damn it? Thousands of old ladies like her travel in trains and face such things or even worse, why the hell are you feeling so bad? You are not involved in this. Let her know the pain and reserve her tickets earlier and travel like a queen in a reserved berth next time onwards. Just shut your eyes, brain and go to sleep. I did just that shut my eyes, brain and fell back but what about the heart? I couldn't shut that, I could sense my pulse thumping like a galloping horse. I thought I must do something.

I saw here and there and thought if I should pick up a fight with those 4 dark fat idiots, then I thought I was alone and if they man handle me then none of these idiot sleeping corpse would wake up to save me. I saw the lady again, by now she had controlled her tears. I was sure she must have had an excellent upbringing else ladies in India have a huge tendency to shout, wail and use their tear machine to gain undue sympathy whereas she seemed really composed even in the worst case. I was sure I would offer her my seat. Then I realized how would she climb the top berth. Another problem: I had to buzz some of those corpse and convince them to exchange their berth.

Again I got those thoughts, why the hell are you getting involved? But this time I was too strong to buzz. I rang some of my close friends just to garner enough confidence and luckily all my friends supported me. One of them said just treat it as if you had one more exam. I went to the elegantly dressed old lady and tried to sound as normal as I could without letting her feel that I am doing her a favor. I was sure she held a very high self esteem and the guts to travel the entire journey without sitting. She welcomed me with a smile despite the pain and I was so relieved seeing her smile. I couldn't explain her since I didn't knew Tamil and she didn't knew any other language. My gestures worked and she got me. I was right, she thanked me again with a pat on my head but refused to inflict any pain on me coz of her. I too had made up my mind and didn't buzz. Then I went to breath life to a corpse lying in the lower berth of my compartment. To my horror that idiot was watching everything with big wide eyes and so were the rest. What a shame? I requested him to move up so that I and the old lady could share the lower berth. Thank God, he agreed.

Me and the elegant old lady sat in the lower berth.. Happy and satisfied with what I achieved I returned to my Diwali dreams. When I woke up the lady had alighted and left a small note of blessing for me. The rest is history.....

Well what are we? Are we cultured? Is it safe to leave our loved ones travelling alone on a train? Even if she had a confirmed ticket, do u think she could have done anything if threatened like this? Who do u think are responsible: the 4 dark fat illiterate men? sleeping corpses? Indian Railways? or the lady's loved ones who let her travel alone?

Well am no politician, just wanted to put a message across that " U CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE". DO IT....