Orissa- part 1

Orissa – arguably the best of outings I have ever had. No no, I’m not discounting the fun I had in Kerala and Aurangabad and Europe. However, Puri had its charm. And it excelled that of all the above places for the mix that it offered. With things turning out exactly like I did not plan :P and the most unexpected of places giving such immense and intense feelings of pleasure and bliss, this trip certainly is better than I can describe in words (that on account of my low vocabulary, and the fact that if a picture is worth 1000 words, I would have to be an essayist to do justice in describing a whole trip).

Lots of things to write, I’ll try and organize, but excuse me if I’m messy and can’t hold the reader for long. Reason - the events themselves never classified, and it indeed probably was their random order that made them look that good.

The spontaneity

In Bhopal, it was a perfect winter morning outside, but a little jumbled up in a flat above Dena Bank, Kohefiza branch… A train got too late to keep me interested, and an sms informing me of ill health of my sister’s friend combined with a nightout effect triggered a spontaneous reaction. In two hours time, I and my mother were ready to leave on the 30^th of December, 2007 for the land of the lord, the lord of the land J. The spontaneity thrilled!

The journey

Tension loomed (probably for the last time in my life :), later ) when I realized our boarding point was not specified as Bhopal in the tatkaal ticket, and though worst could have happened, we managed to claim our seats at Bhopal. It was either my mom at work (more on this later in my next chapter) or a long chain of messages and phone calls. Sometimes, relations and friendships work miracles in India, I love and hate it for that :D. Sometimes, faith works, and I just love it!

Hang on, the journey’s just started. On our way to the destination happened to be Nagpur. A big town in literally and factually a ‘big state’ of India, this town houses the zero mile mark of the country along with two very important relations in my life. One, which my mom gifted me – my sweet, pretty mausiji which brought us dhokla and tea at the station. Second, which I chose, and wisely so – my sweet, darling sister who managed to get on to the platform only when my train had already started its journey ahead after waiting anxiously with me for this stupid latecomer sister for one long hour at the station. No matter, we exchanged glimpses of love and affection successfully, though in materialistic terms, I was the luckier one to hand her over a gift. I missed those sweets sis, I love Haldiram!!

Rest of it was boring, and the train was filthy. More later...