Bangalore to Hyderabad(And God made us women)

Reminds me of a song we chorused in the hostel, ’Wo kaun chupa Jhaariyong ke peeche’. ( translated who is that hiding behind the bush?) Jenny and my much-awaited trip to Hyderabad materialised last weekend. Couldn’t bid goodbye to colleagues as I was in a studio editing a documentary movie with boss.

Left sharp at 5 p.m and picked up a gift for Meghen. What better than the much talked about and I guess the much hyped ‘The Da Vinci Code’? Had it been for myself I would have not mined picking it up from the roadside bargaining with all my skills and faculties. Got a gift for Shilpa akka and her hubby too. Had tea for the last time at 6 pm as the bus was for 8.15 pm. Gave my attendance to the toilet and left for the ATM and then to the station.

5 mins before departure, we stood watching Tom n Jerry and laughed like nuts. People around us did the same looking at us. Perfectly on time, we left even without knowing where in the land of Biryani Shilpaka and her hubby stayed or how far they are from Meghen all set for a self imposed adventure.

Had some snacks. A movie was played. To my horror, it was ‘Kuch to Hain’. My health deteriorated after seeing Tushar Kapur. A notorious headache attacked me. On grounds of sympathy, I found the luxury of Jenny’s shoulder to lean on.

The bus stopped for dinner. Decided against it but payed our respect to the venerable ladies toilet. The next time I got up to find a man crawling on all four by my side. Oh! He was searching for his misplaced chappals. I fished it out for him. A man came up with a lot of mausambi juices. Felt like gulping them down. I guess I thought it loud cos Jenny gave a stare of a lifetime and said,’ you can’t even hold back a drop of water and you want to drink that?’ Sat down sheepishly but then I noticed the guy had all his fingers dipped on the glasses.

‘Come down with me’ I said. ‘I don’t think there is one’, she said half-asleep and uninterested. ‘Let’s at least get down and ask’ I said trying to look as helpless as possible.

For once I wanted to be one of those guys standing a little away cooly and so focussed.

One man pointed towards the petrol pump. Found everybody asleep there. One of them stired and pointed somewhere else. There was a broken wall but no toilets around. Climbed it down to find a deserted lane. Jhaari hunt started and in the lap of nature, we answered nature’s call.

God created us women to have period’s pain, labour pain, to be born here but die there and not even piss in peace. Wondered if it is a curse or a boon? I guess the later cos given a choice, I would still opt to be a woman and perhaps continue my mission Jhaari whenever required. It seems words are inadequate to express the joy of motherhood.

Relieved and also satisfied with the knowledge that I have imported kidneys and urinary glands, we mounted the bus to reach Hyderabad the next morning.