A Summer Bus Ride to Bangalore - 2022
I had been travelling from Kochi to Bangalore since 1985.
The major changes that occurred were Cochin became Kochi (though usually, my
trips were from Aluva) and Bangalore became Bengaluru. The sleepy garden city
of Bamgalore, which I could scan fully in
a forenoon, by bicycle, now expanded almost to Hosur in the South, and
is seen bursting at its seams all around. It has transformed into an ugly,
choking, concrete jungle. In the later
days, I had a few trips to Bangalore on
motorbike as well. After my initial trip by train in 1985, I hardly ever took recourse to train for my trips. My annual trips as a student
of Theology, and later, as a Social Work educator on field trips, were
invariably by bus(es). I adopted the
interesting method of hop-on and hop off, and reach Bangalore taking some extra
time – instead of the 10 or 11 hours by the luxury buses, in about 13 to 14
hours. This is besides the time I wouuld spend at Chalakudy or Thrissur to watch a movie, before I boarded the next connecting bus. On rare occasions, I did take recourse to air travel, on account of
emergencies and sometimes, the flights working out dirt cheap.
I arrived from Doha on Saturday, April 23rd, just for attending our
CMI plenary meeting. And I decided to use ordinary public transport to reach
there. On 24th afternoon, I got a bike ride till Angamaly starting
off at 2.40 pm. By 3.15 I boarded an AC bus as 2 other buses didn't have any vacant
seats. By 4.30 Thrissur. And the green shabby looking TN transport was
ready to leave for Coimbatore via Kozhinjampara. I felt this was worth trying. It was not via the usual Palakkad route. So
the conductor had the additional task of announcing at evey stop not via
Palakkad, and in spite of that some people would get in, and would have to be
guided out from the bus. Some would get
in, and when they get to know that min charge was Rs 14.00, would step out. One
entered with a s ack having some stuff.
Not a big one. The conductor insisted that a luggage charge of Rs 40.00
had to be paid. He preferred nother bus, and the bua had to be stopped to let
him out. A smart looking youth with an I
tag 'makroline' jumped on to the moving vehicle near Wadakkanchery whistling
with the ease of an expert, thus guiding the bus. He was familiar to the bus and the conductor,
Mr Danapalan. He took upon himself to
assist the conductor, and made announcements in Malayalam, comforted people who
were trying to get a seat. Got himself
saddled into conductor seat (By the way, there is nothing demarcated as
conductor seat. But conductor was
repeatedly mentioning to all the back seat riders that the window seat near the
door was his, and in case, someone sits, will have to vacate the same for him;
once, he entrusted me the task of ensuring this, as I was occupying a section
of the bench seat in the last row! I didn’t say anything against or for), then
called one of the youngsters on board, who was carrying his child in his
arms. He got him relieved of the tiny
baggage that the child was, who appeared very apprehensive, wondering whether
to cry or not, stretching her hands towards the father, who stood, just in
front of her, and insisted that it was okay!
The young man appeared very agile, sportive and was evidently a daily
commuter on the route. I clarified with
him if this was a shorter route, and he said that the distance was more or less
the same; the other one took the highway ride, with straight and better road,
but this one took the country roads.
The bus kept on moving.
It was almost always full, with some people standing. The bus looks shabby, seats are not very good
or comfortable, but tolerable. KSRTC
buses are much more elegant with greater leg space. Apparently, they last only
till the vehicle gets stuck with the first repair, then they are usually out
there. So many new buses keep disappearing. Almost 50% of AC volvo buses introduced are said
to have disappeared from the roads thus! But TN buses, though their appearance
is not impressive, they are functional.
They carry people. And it is
heard that they don’t incur losses.
The bus passed through country roads – meandering through
paddy fields, and sections with trees on both the sides of the road - perhaps
district roads. Wadakkanchery, Alathur, Athanoor, Koduvayoor, Puthunagaram,
Thathamangalam, Chitoor, Nallepally, Kozhinjamppara, Velanthavalam, Athippallam.
My neighbour on the last row was an Oriya (I presume - from the script appearing on his phone) labourer,
who had some defect with his eyes. But
he was merrily watching and listening to video programmes and music on the
mobile. After almost 2 hours from
Thrissur, he began to request the conductor to let him relieve himself… But
conductor would not let him. He began to
preach to him regarding need to control, and gave a lecture comparing the
plight of women on such travels. He was determined to have any such stop only
at Kozhinjampara. A Malayalee sitting in
front of me was desperate for water. He
wanted to get down and buy a bottle of water.
But Mr Danapalan was equally strict with him too.
We reach around 6.40 at Kozhninjampara. It is a small village town – the buses stop
there. There is a stall where you get tea/coffee/cold drinks etc. No tender
coconut. I get a soda lemonade – Rs.
20.00. I request the vendor to clean the glass and he assures it is well cleaned.
I look for kappalandi mithai –
only loose pieces are available, no packet.
I avoid that.
My Oriya neighbour is getting enough time to relieve himself
– there is some shabby paid facility, and there is the whole open village for
men to relieve themselves.
Kozhinjampara (a
flash back) reminds me of a dream project torpedoed by narrow parochial concerns
that exist almost everywhere, though rarely seen among CMIs, in this case, as
an exception. As land was rather cheap
in this area, Rajagiri College with Dr. Injody (who owns a 5 acre coconut farm
in this area) in the lead and me fully supporting as the Finance Controller,
sought to get a plot of land for our outbound exercises and some farming
experiments. This region is allocated for various ministries to Coimbatore
province. We had no intention to get involved with any such ministry, but only
to have this farm and camping facility for our students. We identified a plot of
about 24 acres, with a big pond and undulated land having coconut palms, fields
for sugar cane, paddy etc. An ideal spot. They demanded Rs. 2750.00 per cent.
We were almost agreed to except that there was a small plot in the middle which
was said to be purampokku. But we
decided to have it. And from our part,
as a matter of courtesy, informed the then provincial of Coimbatore! And lo, they
protested and insisted that we don’t acquire any such property there. I felt it
was foolish on our part to have gone to take them into confidence. I came to know that after a month that land
was gone, @ Rs. 4000.00 per cent!!
In the next stretch as we depart from Kozhinjampara, the bus
became less crowded. The conductor was finally having time to sit down and tally
his sheet regarding passengers! Phew!! While the bus runs and having to control
the whole show, he also has to make continues entries regarding the passengers,
and at any point, he would know how many seats are occupied, and where all people
are to get down. Accordingly, he
directed people travelling long to get a seat at the earliest.
He became friendly, and in the course of our discussion, he
told that this route had the advantage of going cool, dust free, through the
fields and the greenery of trees. I fully agreed with him. It was already
getting dark, and I could no longer enjoy the beauty of the green surroundings.
There was a canal passing by, and
willows on its sides grew tall and thick. He advised that I should not have got stuck to
the back seat, but should have seated in the middle and the ride would have
been much more pleasurable.
He said the trip might take about 10 or 15 mts extra, but
you are saved from the dust and heat of the high way. But the bus would reach
only Ukkatam, and you have to fetch another town bus to reach Gandhipuram, from
where you get long trip buses.
I get down. Walk about
a kilometer to see if I can find some joint where I can eat or drink something
to my taste. My ankle is hurt. The
streets are busy with people, especially of the Muslim community, arguably busy
with Ramadan shopping. I find the next bus stop and hop on to the bus to
Gandhipuram. It is just Rs. 10.00. As I
step down, the bus to Salem is already there and I enter that. The bus goes on
at the approximate 160 kilometers is covered in about 4 hours. The ticket is for Rs. 135.00. I reach Salem past
1200 midnight, and I find the crowded location of the huge stand wherefrom
Bangalore buses depart, at least 10 buses are waiting to depart to
Bangalore. I find a back seat again,
which gives me ample space to stretch my legs. Just around 200 kms and the
ticket is for 235.00. This time, I am
blessed with sleep, and till past Hosur it goes on uninterruptedly. About 15 kms to Bangalore, I decided to keep
awake. The bus drops me at Christ University
stop, which was called Devasthala earlier.
I have some 300 mts to cover on foot to reach Dharmaram College, my
destination.
I have spent 13 hours and 45 minutes on the roads. I could read, stop, walk, stretch my legs and
back, and in the process, manage my travel in just Rs. 630.00. That, to me, was
fun. My refreshments were limited to peanuts, and apparently, my body has
revolted with an onset of gout!! It’s painful! But has to put up with it, and
need to be careful, now! No other go!!
