My unforgettable journeys-II: When rocket failed to zoom (Part-II)

(second part of journey from Kolkata to Guwahati by road where misfortune refused to part with us. A journey that should have been completed in 36 hours with about 24 hours of actual traveling, took us 48 hours to complete.)

We got out of the ‘Rocket’ and headed straight to a nearby hotel for a late lunch. Everything has been late in the last 24 hours. But we were told that buses to Guwahati would leave early that day as the militant ULFA had called for a 12 hour Assam Bandh next day. The objective was to cross the sensitive areas like Nalbari before it is dawn.

We headed to the counter of Network travels as the name is familiar to us. After buying tickets we went around having a look of the area. We were back before the scheduled departure. We waited and waited, but the bus there was no sign of the bus. The bad experiences of the earlier night appeared to have raised their head again. We were told that the bus we are to travel had a broken glass and had gone for replacing it. They told us a glass is broken, but did not tell which one. We understood that it will be tough for travelers without a glass in winter. All other buses to Guwahati had left barring ours. Finally the bus had arrived at around 5 pm. When the bus turned toward us, we had another shock. The front windshield was missing! O God! It was the windshield that was broken, not a side window glass. They were planning to drive this bus 400 km without the windshield on a peak winter night! We did not scratch our heads to think about it. We got into the bus like obedient school kids getting into a school bus. We have to reach home somehow. Honestly speaking I was too tired to think. I feel asleep almost as soon as the bus left Siliguri. My friend however was a worried man. He was worried and scared about the stories of dacoits active in the Hashimara jungles that fall in the border area. To be honest, we were almost brook and hardly had anything left with us to be looted. I woke up once to have dinner at a hotel at around 9 pm. I probably fell asleep even before the bus had left.

Hashimara is a notorious jungle on the Assam – Bengal border. Vehicles moves in convoys only and no body gives you pass inside the jungle. There is a system of proving escort by police for crossing the Hashimara jungle. But as we were very late in arriving the border gate at Hashimara, the convoy for the night had already left. One more late running bus was waiting there. I was in deep sleep all thorough this. But my worried friend was awake and he told me all these next day. He also told me that the bus driver was wearing a helmet. There used to be some checking at the border. I forgot to mention that most of our co-passengers were Nepali, many of them might be illegal migrants. So police were picking soft targets for money. All the bad things that are happening in this country are because of corrupt police departments. They are not bothered how many illegal Nepalese enters India every night as long as their palms are greased. I was not bothered to be awaken while my friend was watching all these for some unforgettable memories. After some consultation, the two bus drivers decided to drive through the jungle without police escort. Even though my friend did not tell, he probably was praying all through the night. Without the windshield, anything could have happen. May be his prayer took us safely through the jungle.

It was almost 5:30 when the bus stopped for a tea break at Barpeta Road, some 1 ½ hours drive from Guwahati. The road has fallen silent by then. The bandh was to start at 5am. The driver, who had courage to drive through Hashimara jungle in bitter cold without a windshield, had developed cold feet to drive these 100 odd kilometers to Guwahati. This area was once the stronghold of militant outfit ULFA. We fought and argued, but both the drivers did not budge. So we were left stranded just 100 kms from Guwahati. The ordeal seemed was in no mood to leave us.

We started playing cricket on the empty National Highway with some local kids. One of the players was incidentally a supposed to be ULFA cadre or sympathizer. He was earlier seen asking shopkeepers to drown shutters. Even though the shutter was down, the hotel supplied us lunch. My friend told the bus conductor that he had no money and so he was offered free lunch with bus staff. The cricket match continued post lunch.

The bandh was to be over by 5 pm. Some trucks went past us along the National Highway. The drivers of the two buses swung into action. But a final twist awaited us. Due to some problem with wiring, the rear side indicators of our bus remained switched on all through the day and that had drained the battery. So the bus was not starting up. Fortunately, there was the second bus who had accompanied us from Hashimara. The drivers found an ingenuous way of starting the bus. The second bus was brought close to ours and parked in the reverse direction. Then both sets of battery were connected via cables. Volia! The bus engine started roaring and we were off. Soon darkness of night engulfed us. We were relaxing in the bus enjoying these final moments. I told my friend jokingly that only thing that did not happen in this journey is tyre blast and given the circumstances we still had enough distance to cover for that to happen. Fortunately God has spared us any more trouble. We already had enough in the last 48 hours.

My ordeal was over when we entered the Network Travel’s complex at Paltan Bazar. But my friend has to travel another 400 km to Dibrugrah. I bade him good bye and that was the last time I have ever heard of him. May be he had further experiences to share. Since then I had traveled once more between Kolkata and Guwahati by road, this time by my car. I sat, relaxed and enjoyed the journey as the driver droved. The same route but different circumstances. Then I had no money to sustain one extra day in Kolkata and now I could afford to buy petrol to travel by car!

Watery tragedy of a desert

In a tragic accident 48 people had died in a remote village named Kama in Rajasthan, India yesterday. The place is in Bharatpur district, about 225 km from Jaipur. People had gathered to watch a wrestling competition as part of the Bhojan Thali Mela, a village fair. Spectators trying to find a vantage point, climbed up an old water tank near the venue. It was suspected that about 200 people climbed up the tank when it gave in killing many on top and few on the ground. Several people have been injured as well. After the incident locals were found complaining about administration's negligence. They said there were no policemen to stop people from climbing the tank. While the administration is being blamed for the tragedy no one has pointed finger at the organizers? Do we need policemen everywhere to tell us what not to do? Are we not grown up enough what is wrong or dangerous? If so, policemen should be posted at everyone’s house so that whenever he tries to rectify an electrical fault, the policemen posted will stop him.

Try visualizing Rajasthan and the image of desert and sand dunes comes to mind. It is a different matter that Rajasthan is reeling under unprecedented floods these days. While the normally wet areas in the North East of India are undergoing a draught like situation, Western part of India has received unexpected deluge this season. Obviously very few were prepared for these vagaries of nature. But the administration and government is incurring the wrath of people. We all know there is lot of deficiency in government in managing this country. The country is lacking behind for the mismanagement and misgovernance. But is it good to blame administration for everything? I have never heard of a flood in Barmer or Jaisalmer in 20 years. Should we expect the government to be ready with contingency plans for such unthought of events. The tendency is such that even if a meteor hits some town in India, the blame will be put on administration for not being prepared. It is high time we should channelise our collective frustration at the shortcomings of the government in helping each other out. Victims should be more concerned now that the compensation amount reaches them rather than the pockets of politicians and their middlemen. Our politicians are monsters created by us. So we will have to find a collective way to humble them.

My unforgettable journeys-II: When rocket failed to zoom

When rocket failed to zoom (Part-I)

Prologue :

Rocket Service is the name given to state run bus service that operates between Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, and Siliguri, which is the commercial hub in the north Bengal and the Gateway to Darjeeling. The distance is about 600 kms. Siliguri is also connected to Guwahati, the capital of Assam by regular bus service. This distance is approximately 450 kms. One can choose to travel by bus between Kolkata and Guwahati by bus. The normal journey would involve traversing about 1100 kms over 36 hours, with a long break and change of bus in between at Siliguri. But all journeys do not occur the way it is planned…….corollary #9999 to Murphy’s Law.

A train accident in 1998:
It was in the January of 1998. I alongwith couple of my batchmates went to Kolkata for taking the written test of a company named Bharat Bhari Udyog Limited, a PSU. We had planned to overstay a couple of days to scout the job market in Kolkata. I managed accommodation at the Assam House located on the Park Street. There I met two guys, few years younger to me. Unfortunately I forgot their names. One of the guys was from Jorhat and the other from Dibrugarh. Though we all landed at the Assam House separately, we became good friends. We also had a different departure schedule.

One day before my scheduled departure, my batchmates were to leave for Guwahati by the Kamrup Express. We came to the Howrah station to see them off. On arrival at the station we have learnt that there has been an accident on the Guwahati – Howrah route and hence all the trains have been delayed. But the good news for the guys leaving that day was that Kamrup Express departed though late by at least 5 hours.

The next day, I was to leave by the Kamrup Express. I checked out of the Assam House. My two new friends came to see me off. However on arrival we found that the Kamrup Express had been cancelled for that day as the train from Guwahati did not arrive. The guy from Dibrugarh encouraged me by saying that we will be traveling together the next day. He had his confirmed reservation by the Kamrup Express next day. So, I had no other option but to collect refund of fare and went back to the Assam House with them. We entered the house by avoiding the reception counter. Thus there was no check in and I stayed free for that night in the dormitory. It was possible those days, but I am not sure now. Anyway, I was low on my finance as I had carried just enough cash to survive 4 days. There were no mobiles or ATMs those days.

We repeated the drill of going to station the next day. But the trains to Guwahati have been cancelled for that day as well. We were told that a bridge has been badly damaged and there is no certainty as to when the rail link would be restored. I had no money to survive this period of uncertainty. So I had decided to start for Guwahati by road. I have heard about the way to travel by road -- Catch a rocket service to Siliguri and then if possible catch Guwahati bound fro train from New Jalpaiguri. It is going to a 1000 plus km bus journey. Reluctantly the guy from Dibrugarh also agreed to accompany me as he also had ran out of cash. It was almost five when we left Howrah station. By the time we reach Dharamatala bus stand from where rocket service starts, it was very late. We could mange ticket by only by the last bus to be operated by North Bangal State Transport. In our childhood we heard so much about the rocket service that I had high expectations. But when the rockets arrived one by one, there was nothing spectacular about them other than the words ‘Rocket Service’ written in bold on their front windscreens. They all looked like old deluxe buses, all in want of a fresh coat of paint.

The rockets left one by one as they came. However we just waited and waited. Finally an ordinary looking bus had arrived around 9 pm. All the remaining passengers were asked to get into that. It was informed that the rocket we were suppose to board is undergoing some repair at a garage and so we will be ferried to that garage by this bus. Smelling something fishy, some of the passengers started arguing. Bengalis ask too many questions! Both of us were hoping that the bus will leave and we will be step closer to Guwahati. Finally, even the skeptics agreed to board the bus. The bus criss- crossed though Kolkata road and took us to a workshop, probably located at Ultadanga. The situation there was that the bus was not ready. Half of the crowd erupted in protest. We were silent spectators. Foreseeing trouble, they transport agency produced a rocket. We all boarded that and the bus zoomed off. But about an hour or so into the journey, the conductor of the bus came and informed that condition of the bus is not good and it will not be able to travel to Siliguri. Heated arguments started again. But that would not improve the condition of the bus. So the driver took it to another transport garage. The arguments continued after disembarkment. Then they produced a semi deluxe bus (without push back chairs) and reluctantly everyone finally got into this one. We have changed bus thrice in a span of 2 /3 hours. I and my friend occupied a seat meant for three so that we can have some sleep. To the chagrin of the passengers, even this bus needed some repair before departure and few mechanics went under the bus to do the job. Fortunately, it did not take long. It was almost 12 in the night and all passengers were starving. So the driver was directed to take stop the bus at the next available roadside hotel. Being the peak of January, it was cold outside a thick blanket of fog engulfed everything. So the bus could not peak very high speed. When the bus stopped at a dhaba, all hungry fellows latched onto anything they could get. I remember even getting into the kitchen to get two plates for us. The ordeal had taken its toll on us. I do not remember anything else as I might have slept like dead.

We had finally arrived at Silguri around 2 in the noon next day. The rocket had landed several hours late. That excluded the possibility of getting any train to Guwahati. Now we had no other option but to catch another bus to Guwahati. We decided to have lunch before deciding on future course of action. The remaining part of the journey was equally eventful.

(to be continued)

Are you still drinking Coke and Pepsi!

The issue of pesticides in Coke and Pepsi is still raging on in India. The report of Center for Science and Environment (CSE) was really alarming. Some took it as an opportunity for MNC bashings. But there are other repurcussions as well. Even Pepsi had come out with a statement that they do not say the drinks are safe for children and they never advertise their products for children. However, the Health Minister, who recently had acquired an image of monster with striking medicos, had gone on air saying there are no pesticides. I wonder how many actually believed him. We all know that politicians are no philanthropists. And our health minister, Mr. Ambumoni Ramadoss is certainly not.

I personally do not know whether the drinks have pesticides or not. But I certainly know that it is ACIDIC enough to dissolve many things. I saw it with my eye. Now my good friend Divyesh had sent me an article which says that Coke contains Phosphoric Acid and its pH value is 3.4. This is acidic enough to dissolve our bones and teeth. No wonder why Swami Ramdev keeps telling that Coke and Pepsi is the culprit for Osteoporosis, a disease of brittleness of bones. Before I tell you what else the report says, I share my own incidence.

One fine summer day last year, few of us decided to have cold drinks instead of our regular tea in the Office Canteen at Dehradun. Suddenly someone noticed some black suspended particles in his bottle. When he checked further, there were more than one such thing and some appeared as large as 2mm size. By that time few of us had finished their bottles. But those who were yet to finish were also surprised to find such black floating particles, though smaller in size. They normally go unnoticed because of dirty bottles and water condensation on them. We called the canteen operator who was also caught by surprise. He promptly told us who supplies him and even brought few more bottles from his stock. Most of them had such floating things. We planned to call some TV fellow. The canteen operator willingly gave us a bottle which had quite a lot of suspended particles. We kept it in our office. The next morning a big surprise awaited us. All those suspended things are gone -- dissolved into the drink. Since then we had stopped drinking cold drinks. God knows what goes into it.

That was my experience. Now read what my friend Divyesh has sent:

Have a look at the wrapper on a Coca-Cola 1.5 litre bottle and in the ingredients label you will find phosphoric acid in it. Minute quantities of ethylene glycol is also used (which is acknowledged in the soft drink world for making it really chill").This is popularly known as anti-freeze which prevents water from freezing at 0 degree C and instead drops it by 4-5 degrees with minute quantities. This chemical is a known slow poison in the caliber of arsenic. So, if you manage to drink about 4 liters of Coke within an hour or so, you can die. Read along and give up these dangerous things. Be natural; have flavored milks, butter milk and plain water instead of these "soft" drinks.

Guess what's the pH for soft drinks, e.g. Coke? pH 3.4! This acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones! Our human body stops building bones at the age of about 30. Soft drinks do not have any nutrition value (in terms of vitamins &minerals). It is high in sugar content, carbonic acid, chemicals i.e. colorings etc.

Some like to take cold soft drinks after each meal. Guess what's the impact? Our body needs an optimum temperature of 37degrees Celsius for digestive enzyme functioning. The temperature of cold soft drinks is very much below 37 degrees or even close to 0 degrees Celsius. This will dilute the enzymes & stress the digestive system. The food taken will not be digested. In fact it will be fermented! The fermented food produces gases, decays and becomes toxin, and gets absorbed by the intestine, circulates in the blood stream and is carried to the whole body. Hence, toxin is cumulated in other parts of the body, developing into various diseases. Think before you drink any soft drink / colas again.

Have you ever thought what you drink when you drink an aerated drink? You gulp down carbon dioxide, when nobody in the world would advise you to drink CO2. Two months back, there was a competition at Delhi University. "Who could drink the most Coke?" The winner drank 8 bottles and fainted on the spot-too much CO2 in the blood. Thereafter, the principal banned all soft drinks from the college canteen!

Imagine what these drink must be doing to your soft intestines and stomach lining!

That’s all! It has really provided some food for thought. I would request others to share your experiences.

Meanwhile if you are interested to know what the CSE report told, read it here … Pesticides in Colas

Happy Birthday to Blogger

Blogger made its debute on 23rd Aug, 1999. Thanks to Pyra Labs. It has completed 7 years of immortal existance. On this occasion a new icon has been released for the Beta Blogger. See the Dog that represents 7 years. Goldtoe has rightly said "From those humble roots, a bloggerish forest has grown'. A forest where we all creep and seek solace by expressing ourselves. Indeed it is something we can not live without now. May god bless it with immortality.

I had recently upgraded to Blogger Beta. It was easy and has given a cool new look to the dashboard. But I decided against upgrading my template as this will mean losing all my customization. However, I had upgraded the template of my second blog Me'lange. It looks good with new features. Blogger is working towards on this and making improvements. May be in future upgradation will be more seamless. Want to try out the Beta version....read about it on Blogger Buzz.