So i decided i’ll go for a moonlight ride on Old Madras Road on the outskirts of Bangalore and will ride a 40 or 50 odd km, and come back fresh enough to get a nice sleep.
I pushed the kick rod and 500 cc thumped out the music that i always love to listen. And the engine was revving up on outskirts of Bangalore in few minutes after.
I love night drives, the yellow street lights lightning the empty roads, the dark sky, the dusky moon looked like a brim of white light god throws on you, the avenue and all this was here with 500cc daemon beneath my ass.
I took off my helmet to feel the fresh air on my face. The strong gush of air on my face, was just washing out all the pain away…and i felt like i am listening some kind of opera…i could hardly see anything except few yards on roads but after few kms i was on the road where there was nothing except a dark road….i could hardly make out but there was dry fields on both side of road, small rocky mountains all around and that unique smell of air that i always love to smell.
And while all that was going on in my mind, i realised that i am 100+km away from Bangalore and it was already 12:00 am in the night. And then i saw this milestone which says Chennai 260kms. I called up nikhil and he said come down to Chennai. While talking to nikhil i realised that i am standing just beside the graveyard and there was not even a vehicle coming on that road, i was all alone …man i kicked my machine hard and ran away.
I was wearing nothing except my loose 501 Jeans, slippers and a thin Tee and i was shivering like a poor puppy in the rain. But i decided to move on and i rode with my chest wide open facing all that. And then while all this was going on my mind, i saw a turn again to two direction. One to Chennai and another to Tirupathy in AP. I donno what happened to me and i starting thinking which direction to take to? Chennai? where i have been many times before or to a new place in AP? Tirupathi? But atheist like me….how can i expect something like that from myself? But i don’t know since last few months, i had this feeling that i should go to Tirupathi and i don’t know why? Hmmm was confused and then i called Nikhil….it was 1:00 am and nikhil did not pick up the call and then i heard God calling me . So…..i …took…. left…all the way to Tirupathi…
I reached Tirupathy 5:30 am in the morning , took a hotel to get some sleep before i go to the Hill top where there is this famous temple of Balaji, Lord Venkateshwara!!!!
But the moment i closed my eyes, some guy knocked my door. It was tough but i opened my eyes and opened the door. This guy with a ugly smile on his face asked “Saara, hot water is coming take a bath please”. God…i just slept and why the hell would i need the hot water to take bath in AP where the mercury was rising upto 45 degrees? Bastard… i smashed the door on him without saying anything. After an hour i guess, again some bugger starting knocking my door…uffff i was’nt even able to open my eyes but i opened the door. Again a new guy with same ugly smile “Saara, Tea Saara?”…Bh****dika….i would have killed him for sure…..anyways i could not sleep properly and i woke up after 2-3 hours, took a bath and went up to the Hill.
The road is great to Hill top… well maintained. After i reached there i come to know that you need to be there in a queue for “Darshan”…ok…i went there and pass through the security and entered the waiting Hall and what i saw there left me numb..a thousand of people waiting for their turn….and i was like..GOD!!!…then someone told me that you can get a 50/- ticket and save some of your time….i went to 50/- queue and this security guard stopped me and aksed for the tickets. I thought i will pay here and get the tickets but to my dismay….tickets has to be taken from all the way down the Hill…..And there i lost my patience…with naked foot, i walked out.
I took a lunch and after lot of thinking, i decided to move back as i had to attend the Monday office meetings and i could not drive after another night out.
I came back with sad feeling and it was hot like anything. On NH206, the strong hot air like fire, was hitting me hard and making me weak.
I was on NH4 after few hours and felt good, the rain god were kind …
Then rest of the route was enjoying….i stopped at CCD, rode through the serene roads, flowers falling on the road and cold air….wow!!! and boy…i was singing loud…straight from my heart …talking to myself all the while, making music for the songs i have written and bumping……aah i reached Bangalore at 7:00 in the eve and felt fresh!!!!!
-Crowie!!!
