Moving on the way to the Institute of Engineering and Technology
they passed another treasure of the city, the Jal Mahal. Ornamented by the necklace of a water lake, the Midas
touch of the sun had further turned every drop golden. It seemed as if the Mahal had worn extra glace of gold to
welcome Mannu. Mannu had no other way to say a shukriya, thank you, except remembering it forever. Camels and
elephants had become a common sight. Here too, tourists from foreign countries
were enjoying the ride, getting pictures clicked through the long and heavy
lens of their cameras. Ditches had vanished so Mannu took out the water bottle
and drank some water. The hills had few green patches on them.
The aroma of kachoris,
mirchi bada, from toadside dhabas entered Mannu’s nostrils. The
driver had stopped to buy tobacco and bidi
. A folk song played loud on the stereo but the men exchanged greetings undisturbed. Their laughs overcame the vocals. Mannu steeped down, splashed
some water on his face and they were ready to move again.
“Ye Amber ka Qila hai
dost, This is the Amber Palace my friend.” The auto driver spoke up pointing
his finger towards the left. Mannu nodded his head, unable to find words of reverence
for the Qila’s grandiosity. He gazed
at it until they crossed its 200 metre stretch. The lake in front was swampy
with a green algal coat. On the outside it was lined by auto rickshaws and
elephants. Tourists flocked the whole place. The delicacies served here were
also the same kachori, mirchi bada, and
ghevar. The rate cards hung outside
the shop with discounted prices written big and bold. A long queue at the ATM
had caused a roadblock. The auto drivers were constantly shouting at the roadside
shopkeepers. If not for them much of the space would have been saved. A florist was trying to hide the flowers from
the black puff of smoke. Mannu’s auto driver greeted him and he kept a five
rupees packet of flower on the dashboard.
“Saab paanch rupee...”
The driver asked Mannu. He was confused. Why was he to pay for that packet?
“Saab paanch rupee...”The driver asked again. The honking of
the vehicles forced Mannu to act hurriedly and the transaction was done. Mannu
asked the driver to hand him the packet. There was no aroma from the flowers.
The colour was faded. But what could be done now?
The destination was minutes
away when Mannu’s cell phone beeped. It was Pia. She was anxious to know about
Mannu’s situation.
“Did you like Jaipur?”These were her first words which even
escaped a hello or hi.
“Ya...its good...but Pia...I am missing you more now...”spoke
Mannu in return.
“Oh my baby....don’t worry...Now when you’re in Jaipur I’m
sure we’ll meet very soon...”
“Hmmmm....I hope the same.” Her voice had gathered much
charm and anxiety.
For the second time God’s words had proved their trueness.
You win something, you lose the other. You lose something, you win the other.
Far away from home, leaving all the things behind, this was the only thought of
hope that was to keep Mannu full of life. He was going to meet Pia.
“Shukriya...” Mannu
said to the auto driver as he helped him unload the belongings.
“Rs.150 se kuch kam
hoga ???” Mannu asked him.
“Nai saab, No sir...”He
replied and Mannu immediately paid him the amount.
“Shukriya aapka....”Mannu
said again, standing in front of the
gates of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, the college of his destiny.
“Ram Ram Sa...”The
driver said and left.
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