A Walk to Remember.

              The board examinations just got over and me being a book worm had nothing to do better. During the examination time, i kept convincing myself to burn nights at the pretext that i would sleep endlessly for days. But sooner the exams got over my lost sleeps too did not knock the door. TV did the best distractions all through the exams but after the tempest, it too had nothing to offer. Completely bored to death i walked to a friend staying nearby, named Nikhil (SRK look alike).  Nikhil was a casual secret smoker. As i reached him that late afternoon, we went to a grocery shop nearby. He bought a cigarette for himself and a chewing gum for me. I had a Rs 10 note in my pocket and with that we both started walking the adjacent railway track behind the grocery shop. It was almost 5 pm and quite shady. I dont remember how long we walked that day because we were so much lost in our own conversations about girls and prospective careers.

                                              But our conversation came to a halt when we saw a small, desolated lonely Railway Station ahead.  It was so quite and serene. So much like a part of nature. There were huge rocks on either side and a single platform  of few meters. Few empty benches and the track bisecting into two only to become single a kilometer later. Very few hawkers and a few more people sitting there with little to do with the place but with the ambiance. Gossiping and enjoying the platform like more of a park. We were unknown to this beautiful place and also to the tiredness that we had acquired walking upto this place.We reached the last bench under a huge tree. Washed our faces with the tap water provided at the station. Next 15 mins we dint talk to each other but were lost in the beauty of this lonely place. It just had the enough people and creatures to make it a paradise in disguise. Nobody bothered us and neither did we. And that was the best part of this place. A little later one hawker came to us selling Vada and coconut chatni in his small basket. I searched my pocket and found that Rs 10 note to exchange it for Vada and Chatni. It was obviously tastier than KFC chicken. We feasted on it  like dogs.

                                                                                                 
                                                                                      This was the best found locality in our vicinity. We chose to make it our evening chill out place and decided it will be our secret place where we would come with friends and chit chat. It was special because in Bangalore you hardly ever find a place that is away from crowd and civilization. This was a nature's preserve inside an artificial city and that was the appeal of the place. We continued our new association with the place further and went to its comfort when ever we were happy or sad. It was a place where we could go and return lighter and happier.  It was a place to revive and revamp ourselves and thus very close to our heart.

We frequented this place as often, as we felt till our lives and careers did us apart. Till we lost the meaning of true happiness. Till we lost the fact that Rs 10 was enough to party with a friend. Still worst we have not been to the place for close to 5 yrs. Still worst I m not in contact with Nikhil anymore. Still worst I don't make attempts to retrieve him in my life. Is it a way of saying no to happiness ? or Is it even a way to live ? 

Much has gone with time, in search of something we already had but haven't got it yet like the happiness i mentioned. Search your  own life to know what you lost in searching for what you already had ! 

Image courtesy: Nigesh Sketchings