M. G. Road Bangalore to M. G. Road Indore: Without ticket train journey in between

Sunday, 20th July 2008
It was the third weekend in Indore. This time our determination was strong enough to cross the boundaries of IIMI. After having enough of quizzes, presentation and assignments, we understood the fact that we had to go out and at least see the city in this hectic schedule itself and there would be no time when we have nothing to do. The last 2 weeks were a kind of standard punishment of IPC (Indian Penal Act) - 15 days of jail (all minor crimes and wrongdoings attract this penalty...given our police prove the charges)! I went to city 3-4 days ago - thanks to the person who stole my cell phone. But, that was a visit to mobile store and not to the city.

We usually don't have any academic activities apart from classes in morning till 1.30 in afternoon. But, this was not the usual case, everything was coming as an obstacle in our way to city or more precisely way to movie. This time it was batch photograph for the placement brochure. I am in section D, a first time section at IIMI. It is not that only teachers are satisfying their sadistic wishes by the means of assignments, quizzes, presentations etc., many more things are there to test our patience. Our section's photography was scheduled last - at 1.00 PM on Sunday. With the dreams of going to watch a movie I slept on Saturday night and with the hope of making it I woke up at 10.00 AM on Sunday. After having lunch at afternoon, we came to know that photography of other section has overshot the time limit and ours is ultimately going to start at about 4.30 PM. What the hell was going on? Cursing my hard luck I came back to my room (more appropriatley "mera gaon": A construction funded by NABARD at IIMI) and slept. I was witnessing one more Sunday passing very fast and Monday approaching. To attend the photograph session I woke up at 3.45 PM and then got ready. Getting ready in formal dress and too formal means Suite...It was a time consuming task for me. Thankfully by 5.45 PM, the photography thing was over. I ran back to my room and changed dress. We thought about going outside the main gate and then catch some bus or taxi. But, then we realized the IIM van leaving at 6.30 PM would be a better option. This van will drop us at the beginning of city.

We started at 6.30 PM in the IIM van. Thanks to Sunday evening, this van was full. Anyway we managed to get packed in the van. Nothing was going right..just on reaching Rau railway crossing (4 Kms from here), the gate was closed!! There were two train crossings - means about 20-30 minutes of waiting. It was frustrating especially when we had to come back to the campus by 11.00 PM. We were five persons. Two of us came out of the van and started walking at the railway gate. We collected all the details from the gateman about the trains available from Rau to Indore and Indore to Rau. The gateman told us that one of two trains was going to Indore. After few minutes, we saw three of us, who were sitting in the van were running towards the train. They were telling us to run and catch the train. We also followed them and managed to catch the train at Rau. As we were running short of time, none of cared about buying the ticket.

What a memorable experience it was!! We were travelling in a train without ticket. This was the desperation to watch a movie or if tickets of movie not available then roam around the theater/mall. Our journey started with discussing different analysis about arrival of TTE and strategy formulations to get rid of TTE. We reached at a conclusion that considering the fact we were in local train running on a meter guage and too coming form MHOW (Army Cantt), there was hardly any possibility of meeting a TTE. So, we reached Indore station in just 20 minutes and that too without encountering any mamu (TTE). It was 7.10 PM by the time we came out of the station. We aske the first autowala " Bhaiya TI mall chaloge"? He replied "haan chalenge, kitne log ho? We told "5 log hai..le chaloge kya"? haan haan le chalenge..50 rupaye lagenge..
haan bhaiya jaldi chalo...". We reached the dream destination TI (Treasure Island) Mall located on M.G. Road Indore by 7.30 PM.

Oh my God!! is this a mall or a mob? This was the first impression after entering the mall. I was more comfortable with those kind of overcrowded malls. I still have the memories of weekends at Garuda and Forum mall at Bangalore. But, for many of us, who were not in Bangalore, this was just like a mob. We started running towards ticket counter at 4th floor. We needed 3 tickets of any movie (The Dark Knight or Janne Tu Ya Jaane Na was ok for us..of course we couldn't have tolerated RGV's Contract). Two of us were not watching the movie because they had to meet some of their friends. We reached the counter and the screen was showing sold out for JTYJN and fast filling for The Dark Knight. Great..we managed to get last three tickets of " The Dark Knight." Fortunately, movie was awesome. It turned out to be a real entertainer and that too in the need. But, the movie was longer than usual English movies. It was of 2 hours and 40 minutes. That meant movie would be over by 10.15 PM. We booked the cab in advance so that we could manage to reach the campus by the deadline of 11.00 PM. Once the movie was over and people have their part of dinner (McD burgers), we left the mall at 10.30 PM. Anyhow we managed to enter the maingate at 10.57 PM. Thank god..we entered just in time!! What a great weeekend...I went outside the campus and watched a movie in theater!

Again I was back to normal campus life. Looking at timesheet of Monday, What assignments and pre-readings? Leave it.. I started thinking about the omnipresence of Gandhi in our life. Ye saala M.G. Road har city me aa jata hai..wo bhi prime locations pe..Gandhi ko notes pe aa ke chain nahi mila..sadko pe bhi apna naam likh diya!! M.G. Road Bangalore was like playground for me during last two years. Now, I reached M.G. Road Indore to enjoy weekends (it can't become the playground.. I don't have the liberties now!!). In this transition from M.G. Road Bangalore to M.G. Road Indore, I enjoyed the Without Ticket journey of Train. Hope to see the city soon!!