A day with a Special Person

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I have seen most of us are depressed with our life with working hours in Office,money,pressure to sustain,to live on expectations of others  but on that day two weeks ago saw a ray of hope. While I was returning back to home from work in a shared Auto, it suddenly stopped on the sideways, I thought some passenger would come along yes there was one but this one was special.He was a Blind Boy , he instructed Autowallah to drop him at Kaushambi #delhimetro station the very place where I was going too.

Me and  Friend Amit were sitting besides him and observing him. As the station was about to come he guided Autowallah to stop the Auto and we both were blown away he knew that station had came without actually seeing it.

Now we got down with him and tried to help him out little[don't know he needed any help] He was a young Boy in his late teens Carrying a folding stick in his hand a Backpack and a flattened Box in a Polythene Bag and an Identity card dangling in his neck. I tried to observe his eyes which were covered in a cheap Goggle but could not.

We asked him can we help him to get to his Metro and he replied sure we can. You need to climb escalators to get down to entrance of Metro station and then with frisking from security guard you enter the premises. While I hold on to his Polythene Bag Amit helped him out to make it to the station.

As we made it to the entrance he needed to purchase the token for Metro, there was a small line on that day at counter some college guys and girls were in that line, seeing him standing in line girls instructed their friends to get off the line and give him the way and he got his token pretty soon. Now I took his backpack and Bag and placed it in the Xray machine while I was doing this I sensed he was little apprehensive about his belongings and was rightly so as were new to him. 

While we helped him to get to the platforms I thought it was the right time too have some chat with him. I asked him where he was from and where he is going. He replied he belongs to Darjeeling and is going to Saket to treat a patient for acupressure. He said he is living in Delhi since 2010 and have learnt about acupressure after completing his schooling from which he makes his living .We asked him about it visibility and he replied he has zero visibility in his eyes. To reach Saket it would take around an hour and interchanging of trains at Rajiv Chowk too. I inquired whether he knew the place where he was going and how he would return ? He said as you had helped me here someone will do there too and he was not sure when and how he would return but he did not felt any nervous about it but we were.

On that day I was going till Rajiv Chowk while on most of days I go further than Saket so I would have dropped him at Saket. I said we will get down at Rajiv Chowk and help him to board next train till Saket. Now the train to Rajiv Chowk arrived we boarded with him and he got a seat where he sat with all his luggage. As he sat he gave his Polythene Bag to one of the passengers to hold on to and he took his identity card from his neck and placed it inside his Bag. We didn't had any word with him while he was there in Metro we just were standing in from of him he thought we had left him. As the Rajiv Chowk station was about to arrive he left his seat[you get automatic voice notifications of stations arriving in #delhimetro] we again hold his hand and suddenly he knew it was us again. I said we will exit at Rajiv Chowk but we will tell someone to help him board the train to Saket for which he needed to go downstairs.

As we came out of Metro it was huge chaos there[as always] no body gave any look on to him and everyone was busy with themselves. We tried to convince any person to help him out but everyone was in hassle to catch theirs metro, so we decided we would go downstairs with him and make him board the train. I asked him whether he would like to go  downstairs with Escalators or by Stairs he said he would like Escalator. Reaching downstairs there was a huge crowd a train was there we tried to help him to get in but then it left soon without him. 

As the next train arrived there was a young Boy who sensed the situation and said he would help him board the train. We said he will be going till Saket, he affirmed us don't worry and he will help him out. As we were about to leave the Blind guy thanked us for the help.

Leaving behind him I thought about the Boy how confident he was while we were worrying about him he was like it was daily stuff for him to travel and go to work.I think when a person is born with a disability God gave him some extra powers to deal with it. For that Boy he was born without his eyes there was nothing like light or sight for him it was normal for him without it.

Telling you about traveling in #delhimetro I have never seen anyone slipping on stairs or felling down in my one and a half years of day in day out traveling on it. But me a person with no disability once fell down on stairs and rolled down and injured myself and every eyes were upon me like I had committed some crime and then one person helped me to get up. I was very embarrassed that day. Moral of the story - It does not matter while you have eyes or not what matters is to have sense of presence.

And yes you must be wondering what was the Name of that Blind Guy ? So bad of me I had forgotten his name while his face is still fresh in front of my eyes.

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Papa and his Bike

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Well this is not about me what I am gonna write today because I have still not mastered this but I wish I could soon. I remember in 1988 when we owned our First Bajaj Chetak Scooter I was waiting for it whole day to see my Father drove it in our home in Meerut but then as my Father was not acquainted with driving them I saw him riding pillion on his Scooter as one of our Uncle drove it in. Past few days after that I saw my Father struggling to got control over it and then finally he made it.

As in 1997 we got transferred to Betul in Madhya Pradesh a place which was hilly in terrain with up and down winding roads and my Father was posted in a Bank in one of the Village there which was 30km away from the Betul District with little Public transport we knew he need a Bike to travel daily there.

Soon we started searching for a reliable Bike which have less maintenance and economic on fuel consumption. After checking available variants from  different companies[very few available at that time] we zeroed in on Hero Honda CD100 SS. But then which color to go for ? Papa was tense that if we would go for Red color it might get fade in the heat but we liked it a lot so after some consultations we finally booked Red colored Bike.

Hero Honda CD100SS

Now we waited for it to arrive as the Bike used to come from Bhopal[180kms away from Betul] and we didn't had any idea for the particular day we will be getting it.One fine evening Papa returned home and called  us from outside, I saw him on his Bike, It was joyful. He said lets go for a ride also he wanted to purchase a Helmet for it too. As he kick started it the sound of the refined engine of the Bike was music to my ears, the ride was so smooth even the bumpy roads of city felt highway tarmac.

A family of four we struggled to ride on it on the same time but passion of my father was that many a times all four of us had taken ride on it.

As Papa was in love with his Bike we used to take its care a lot.First we bought a tirpal cover of the Bike as it rained a lot in Betul as Bike used to stand in open parking of our colony.Then we feared what if somebody stole it from us my Father had solution of it too he bought a thick iron Chain which we used to daily tie it with both our Scooter and Bike and lock them with it. What more he bought a fur cover to cover the fuel tank[people in Betul used to cover their Bike fully with that kinda fur cover making them look pathetic]

Quarter yearly we used to take it for servicing at a local Hero Honda Service Center and me and my Papa used to sit there and watch mechanic go on with his job for hours until he finished his job. Many a times Papa used to give the mechanic advice if he is doing his job the wrong way.

I tried my luck on it many a times but was never confident of riding it.I remember once I was riding it with my father on my back on national highway that connected Bhopal to Nagpur and suddenly I saw a truck coming in front of me in opposite direction and a Bicycle rider in front of me going in my direction, my body became numb and my mind stopped I didn't knew what to do, instead of applying brakes I took Bike in neutral which didn't slowed it down and I thought its over now either I will collide with truck or with the Bicycle sensing the situation my father from back got control over the handle of the Bike and made it pass between the narrow way between the truck and Bicycle and we stopped. I was gasping for air and thought what I have done. Since that day I had never got confident with riding Bikes although I can drive Cars with an ease.

Then Papa also got a Rajdoot from his Bank which was a heavy Bike for some very difficult terrain. He on his first encounter with it tamed it and I could only admire that. Although it was a nice Bike but we in our family never liked to ride on it with Papa as it looked very antique piece of some history to us.

Since 1997 almost 15 years have passed and our Hero Honda CD100SS had accompanied my Father to Meerut, Gorakhpur, Dehradun and now to Delhi where he got posted after Betul and believe me this Bike still is with us and the sound of the Engine has still not changed and the ride too. My father still rides it and take it to servicing regularly only once its rear Tyre has changed front one still fine and yes the color to is still intact.

Papa is so passionate about it that if given a second chance to own a Bike he would certainly go for the CD100SS although I guess its now available now. 




This Post was written for the " The Castrol Power1 Blogging Contest " on Indiblogger courtesy Castrol you can get more information by following this link www.facebook.com/CastrolBiking

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Lambretta

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Lambretta Scooter

Clicked this Pic last Saturday with Amit when we went to Khan Market. You don't see Lambretta's these days and in this good condition no way !! This is such a beauty.

This Picture was originally Published in my Tumblr Photoblog PhotoFinish

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They Helped Us !

Tweet When my Father Joined Bank Service in early 1980s all he was having to commute was a Red Coloured Hero Jet Bicycle, he was very fond of his Bike. In winters all Suited Booted he used to sat on the Saddle and with his right hand on that Mechanical Buzzer(Trin- Trin) he used to clear away the traffic. Sometimes he was not the lone passenger, my mom also used to sat behind him. Thinking back all these things amazes me that how much has changed now , things like this are from past now.


Some 6,7 years after one fine evening we were waiting , looking curiously out of our Balcony and in came Green Colour Bajaj Chetak Scooter, but where is Papa ? He is sitting behind the Driver as he did not know to ride it. Now every evening my Father used to learn driving it and in the Morning   
he used to worry if he would be able to finish the journey to his Bank safely or not. Later on he became perfect. Now as Bike was not used any more it was transferred to my Paternal Uncle who coincidentally joined Bank Service at that time only. After Few years he too got a Scooter and can you imagine where did the Bike went ? It went to my Grand Father who used to use it for his daily commute. The Irony is that the Bike lasted long much more then the two Scooters.


Now Coming to our Scooter, it gave luxury for the whole family(Mom,Dad,Sis nd Me) to be on it at same time. I used to stand in front , my Father on front seat , mom on rear and my sis in Between Dad and Mom. At that time only we got shifted to Delhi. As being Ghumakkar at every Holiday all four of us and our Scooter used to go to Explore Delhi. In 5 years that we lived in Delhi we roamed at most of the places be it India Gate,Rashtrapati Bhavan,Red Fort,Old Fort,Qutub Minar,Delhi Zoo,Pragati Maidan,Birla Mandir and many more places not once but several times. But our Scooter never disobeyed us except once when we were going to NOIDA and it started to spill Black Smoke and we were all embarrassed as everybody was seeing us as we had commited some murder.


Again my Dad got transferred to Madhya Pradesh(Betul) and we shifted there, now our Scooter was aging so this time we purchased CD 100SS Hero Honda Bike and the Colour was Red, when it comes to choose the colour the Power of Attorney goes to my Dad, if he says Red then it has to be Red. First experience on Bike was wonderful, it was so smooth and cozy and with its trademark sound it feels so good. I guess CD 100SS is one of the remarkable Bike we ever had i know people will go with Splendor but for me our Bike is the Best, i call it no maintenance Bike. But as we siblings were growing it was difficult for whole family to go in one time, for some time we manged but later it was not possible, but as Betul was a small town we came out with an Idea, When all 4 of us have to go i used to use my Bicycle and rest of them on Bike, it used to be fun for me as i used to race with my Dad on my bike on which he used to scold me for driving fast.


Now in came the new Century and we were in Uttar Pradesh(Meerut), we were planning for a 4 wheeler. Long discussions used to be in our home, first we thought to purchase old Maruti 800 but it was declined then we thought for new Maruti 800 again it got declined at last we Zeroed in on New Santro Xing , Car was booked and we got it after 15 days. As usual Dad didn't know to drive it and car was driven to our home by a hired Driver, but this feeling of having a new car strangely was not able to match the feelings that we had on our earlier vehicles. It took about 15 days for him to learn it and now we were covering cities with it. About 6 years have passed after this and our Car has covered little over 25000 Kms.


Our Vehicles are like family members to us, you got attached to them and when some Bruise or dent is created on them it hurts a lot. So this was my Story with the Vehicles we had over a period of time. I know all of you there must be having there stories also.


And yes my Father still use his Hero Honda CD 100SS bike daily for going to his Bank and that too on Delhi roads and our Bike is more than 12 years old and still working fine.



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