A MEMORABLE JOURNEY TO RAJASTHAN

A MEMORABLE JOURNEY TO RAJASTHAN

          It was 12 noon on 1^st April,2018.Twenty three  migrated  students-eight girls and fifteen boys  studying in class IX from  JNV Bhilwara,Rajasthan  boarded the bus arranged for journey upto Nellur. They had completed their one year stay at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh under migration scheme of  Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti. 33% of students studying in  class IX will go on migration to Hindi speaking areas   and learn the culture ,etc during their stay there for one year. Similarly  from Hindi speaking areas students will come to Non-Hindi speaking areas. We, two escort teachers, Smt Saradvalli madam,PGT English and I  counted the number of students and got inside the  APSRTC  bus that was arranged by the school. The driver started the bus and the conductor ,smiled at us and blew his whistle and the bus moved forward while the Principal Sri K K Suresh Babu sir  and some staffers waved us happy journey.

The bus jostled forward  along the curved mountainous road that separated Nellore and Kadapa district.The students were happy that they were returning to  their native place.They started singing songs and chitchatting along the way though some felt like vomiting ,they became alright after reaching Nellore town at about 5pm.The driver dropped us near  Nellore Railway Station. We unloaded the baggage and moved with difficulty towards the platform.

By the time Sri Mallikarjuna,The librarian of the Vidyalaya whose native place is  Nellore also turned up there He had brought us some parcels for dinner.We knew that it would be difficult to board the train in two minutes time so  we contacted the station master who assured us that after all the students boarded only ,the train would be started. We waited for nearly three hours drinking coffee from nearby  vendor which was very sweet and more watery.

Finally the train came at 8.17pm and in two different compartments we hurried in with great difficulty. Luckily all got inside comfortably and sat in the reserved berths. After counting all the students Smt Saratcvalli madam and I also occupied our own berths.

It was a long journey to Jaipur which would take around 34 hours.Some students started playing cards and chitchatting with the other travellers. Some passangers asked them about Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and the system of migration .The students explained to them  all they knew about it and satisfied them.

The packed dinner-pulihora, from school which was specially prepared by Sri Reddayya and  Ms Prameelamma,the mess helper and the cook respectively under the supervision of Sri Bharat,the Catering Assistant of the school was delicious.

One by one fell asleep as the train moved forward as quickly as possible as a snake that wanted to catch its prey.

Woke up early morning around 4 to the high pitched call of a tea vendor in the morning.Thought of drinking tea without brushing …but hesitated and went for morning ablutions in the stinking toilet that was waiting for a good cleaning.It was 4.30am when I could find another tea vendor on the bogie. The boy collected  Rs 10/- and offered a very small glass of tea which was indeed hot but with lots of milk powder and sugar.

I checked  for my students …but none  was up in that chilly A/C compartment. I hoped that Smt Saradvalli madam and girls on the other compartment would be comfortable..

Thought of looking out through the window as  the new day was rising and the rays of the Sun were piercing through the glass pane.The people were slowly  coming out of their houses and some were unhappily waiting at the railway crosses. The station masters were signaling green flag as the train was passing through small stations.

In an another one hour students started getting up  and got ready for the days  enjoyable moments. I went to the other bogie to check madam and the girls and greeted them though some hadn’t got up till then.

They all wanted Puri and Sabji for breakfast which they all delicately had and the bill was paid.

Some wanted to buy some snacks as the train pulled into  a big station.Two were sent out to buy some puffs  and soft drinks which looked a little uncooked and old .But they had it with great taste.

The lunch was  a normal meal costing Rs 110/- per head. It was a good siesta that all had till 5pm and  a cup of tea was cherished by all to come out of the sleepy mood. Still some passangers were sleeping and I warned the students not to awake them.

Then again they started playing cards to pass time shouting and howling aloud which lasted till  8pm when we had  to take our dinner.We had ordered for  chappatis  and paneer curry but two girls wanted vegetable curry.

Luckily less number of vendors were moving about as it was an A/C compartment. So  we tried to sleep though the train was moving quickly and jerking along the way.

It was 6.25am when we arrived at  Jaipur Railway Station.It was less  crowded as it was morning but people were seen outside waiting with their vehicles to be hired. Some ventured inside the station and asked us where we were going and if we wanted vehicles.

We wanted to get to Jaipur Government Bus station and with difficulty we hired  prepaid autos which were big enough to take six of us each with the heavy luggage.

It took only fifteen minutes to reach the bus station through the dusty and old looking streets of Jaipur.The drivers were experts that they drove through the crowded places and dropped us infront of some tiffin stalls.All could not sit together to have breakfast. So we went into different tea shops and had some puri and sabji.

It was  already 8 am when we all stepped into the counter where bus tickets were available to Bhilwara. The girls and Madam had concession on the ticket fair which reduced our expense.

The rickety bus took us all along the National Highways towards  Bhilwara.The roads were very good that   I thought the driver would take  us  within minutes at such a great speed.We enjoyed some snacks  and some passangers also shared some biscuits with us.

The bus passed through many small bus stops and stations and  some passangers got off and on the bus every now and then.

The road side buildings were looking old reminiscing the old History of the kings who ruled the place in the past. But some new buildings also attracted our notice which were multistoried buildings where city people generally lived.

By 11.30 am  we reached Bhilwara.It was a small junction and the remaining  seven kilometers to the school we had to  go by hiring autos.

At a distance the high water tank of the school could be seen. The  students  were exhilarated to find their real school though some shouted that it was a central jail.

The Principal welcomed us  and offered us a cup of tea and handed over the 23 students to their HMs/AHMs concerned.

The Indigo flight from Jaipur to Chennai was at 12.50pm the next day. Hence  the remaining day was spent for rest.Smt Saradvalli madam was given a quarter for her comfortable stay and I was to stay in the school guest house.Though the rooms were untidy like any other Navodaya Guest Rooms,I made myself comfortable with the facilities available.

It was surprising to note that they  took chappatis for all the meals.Though some were rough I filled  my stomach and went to sleep.

The next mornig at about 6.30am the Principal arranged the school van for dropping us at the junction where Jaipur buses would be available.PGT Hindi of the Vidyalaya  drove us to the point, where we started waiting for the bus to Jaipur.Unfortunately we found less number of buses which were also already overfilled with passangers.Finally after about one hour a private sleeper bus  came and they promised us that they would give us  the ticket.Believing the potbellied white uniformed driver, we got inside but we didn’t want to use the sleeping facility.We just sat down on  a bed looking outside through the windows.Only a few passangers were left in the bus who were still sleeping. Smt Saradvalli madam was reading one of her favourite books all the time sitting on a bed.

We paid for the ticket but they didn’t give us the ticket as promised while getting inside.This made us argue with them for sometime … but in vain.

We reached Jaipur by 11.15 am .We were badly in need of  breakfast.Madam pointed at a restaurant and we had some chappatis there. It was  a fine breakfast.

The autodriver took us to Jaipur Airport which was around 10 km away fro the city.Though the traffic he moved the auto at a great speed like a bullet that we were able to reach the Airport in time.

After taking the boarding pass, we had a wait for one hour. It was not boring as we could see the flights landing and taking off from where we were sitting.

The flight was delayed for half an hour but it took only two and a half hours to reach Chennai.I felt sleepy that  afternnon as  the journey was tiring. The passangers  were reading ,some were sleeping and some others were chitchatting.

The Principal Sri K K Suresh Babu sir had arranged his personal car to take us from Chennai to the Vidyalaya. His daughter Ms Snigdha also joined us there.After two hours of waiting there the driver Narasimhulu was seen and we started our return journey happily.Moving through the street we found a  good hotel and had  some curd rice from there.Madam paid the bills for me too saying that elder persons have the right to pay for the younger ones.

The Principal Sri K K Suresh Babu sir’s house was near Tirupati and we reached there at about 11.30pm and a very hospitable welcome was given to me there.I  got a room upside along with the driver and we slept comfortably.

The next morning sir himself served me a very good cup of tea and we all together started back to the Vidyalaya by 6.30am.

It took only one and a half hours to reach the vidyalaya by car and the journey came to an end thanking the Principal Sri K K Suresh Babu sir  and Smt Sradvalli madam for all the support and kindness showed throughout the journey.