Nature's Bounty

Every time I sit behind the wheel, I get a feeling of being in a recording studio.  I switch on the engine,  the AC and the next thing to do is plug  my mobile!  The music is on full blast and I start my hour long journey to our new house.

I can’t help being elated  and sing the tunes aloud . It makes me feel very happy! Period.

Recently, one of my childhood buddy who had come down from the US (also happens to be a professional singer) was with me, as we went driving to our new house, with loud music and all, he asked me, “Such lovely songs, no wonder you are always happy”.  I agreed to that and said, “Thanks to my sister Usha who uploaded some 1000 plus songs on my mobile”.

The next question he asked was, “Don’t you have any ‘Dardh Bhari’ songs”?

“O, no, not again”, I silently said to myself.

“Sorry, I don’t play sad songs in my car”.

“It’s not that you know… those songs are so meaningful and soulful”, he said.

I wonder why these so called “connoisseurs of music” like such songs, including my sister!

Once again I repeated, “No sad songs please because, I want to ‘feel good’ always and when I hear the lyrics and understand them, I feel as though it’s me who is singing”, looking at him.

Saying so, I forget to apply breaks, the car goes bump … bump on a hump and I continued to drive.

Pat came his comment. “It’s high time; Bengaluru’s name is changed to Hampi”.

“Why Hampi?” No comparisons, ah”, I said.

“Simply because, am observing that for every few meters you drive there is a hump”!

“Hump – Humpi, well, if you like it, you may say so”.

I continue to drive.  I have got used to jumping on all the humps that I come across. I get a feeling as if I’m galloping on a horse!

Like this I drive down Bannergatta road two and fro at least four times a week and have learnt a song or two by repeatedly playing it for an hour.

Yesterday, while I was driving on the same road, I suddenly spotted a lovely splash of color on a tree!

Wow, what a beauty! I slowed down my car and switching on the indicator to the left, stopped my car and sat there marveling at the nature’s bouquet. 

What a respite it was to stop driving and admire those beautiful flowers!

“Why hadn’t I seen it any other day?”… Maybe I was so engrossed in my loud music and singing, I had just given it a pass.

Not a soul walking on the road, I slowly downed the window and clicked photographs.

“How beautiful”!

“We mortals, in our daily routine, many a time forget to stop and admire the beautiful things around us, don’t we”? Here, I drive down this road almost every day and I had not even seen it!!

“It’s so nice I saw it today”.

Seeing me stop my car, a guy who was selling tender coconuts a little far away, signaled to me asking me if I want one!

“Hey, that’s a treat too”.

I waved back lifting my index finger to fetch one for me.

As I took it from him still sitting inside the car, I asked, “How much”?

“20 rupees”, he said.

“How come Rs. 20, it should be only Rs.10”, I asked.

You know what was his reply?

“If you are a college student who comes walking down here, it will be Rs.10.

If you come in an ordinary Maruthi car, van or any Indian car, it will be Rs.15.

If you are driving a ‘foreign’ car, then it will be Rs. 20”.

HOLY COW!!! Can you digest this?????????????

This is India, nay… namma Bengaluru! It’s perfectly OK. By now am used to all kinds of googlies thrown at me from all and sundry.

Whatever said and done, the tender coconut is the most refreshing drink one can have at any time of the day.

As he left taking twenty rupees from me, my eyes went back to the tree and its lovely flowers.

Suddenly my phone rang and it was my mother.

Her first question will always be, “Where are you”?

“I have stopped on Bannergatta road and admiring flowers on a tree”, I said.

She sounded aghast!!

“Is anything wrong with you? Start your car right now, how can you stop on a road like that to take photographs? You still haven’t understood how dangerous Bengaluru is”? Daddaddaddad…. Daddaddadada…da.a..a..ddaa.. poor lady went on and on in a serious never ending note. I call it mother’s love and affection! Simple.

“Ok, maaaaaa,  ok… I will start right now, don’t panic, nothing will happen”.

Saying so, I began my journey back home with what else but …. “Inthezaar kab thak hum kareenge bhala….. Playing loudly as before! I love this song from the movie KITE. Do you?