“Ringggggggg” goes the alarm bell at 04.30 AM on a Saturday Morning… wokeup with a heavy head, not for a Hangover but for a “Happy” friday evening.. had slept only by 01:00 AM in the morning and here I am sitting in my bed.
There was no thinking of what next, in next 20 minutes I was ready done with my shower and as fresh as a morning tea. Day wouldn’t have been beautiful with last night showers and a pleasant cloudy morning. Took a rick to Mythri park to take a bus to Pune….!!! Its been 20 years I had left Pune as my Dad had opted transfer to Hyderabad.
A shared Innova for 200 a seat looked a nice deal to travel between Bombay and Pune…. A few kms after start a Highway Bunker for refereshments.. A early morning “Happy” with a cup of Tea is definitely a good day to start.
Bombay-Pune Drive is one of the most beautiful drives a person can experience.. The wide Western Express Highway cuts through few of the most beautiful valleys and amazing landscapes. with curvy roads, mountains and Ghats around… I missed my Bullet.. 🙂
08:00 AM the innova halted at Hinjewadi where my cousin was waiting, a auto-ride till Khondwa to my cousins place.. A early morning breakfast 3 Dosas and some awesome chutney courtsey my cousin…This first cousin of mine worked for Wipro Pune and was staying with another cousin of his.
Lohegaon.. The place I grew, the place I spend 6 years of my childhood days.. The days where I had seen the most beautiful days to few of the worst days ever.
Off goes the 1000 CC Maruti Zen cruising at 60KMPH on some beautiful roads of Pune.. Ahh..!! Driving is so good… A 2 KM Stretch I could see the first sign of my childhood memories… Kendriya Vidyalaya AFS No. 1.
6 out of 3o years so far I had spent in KV AFS.. memories rolled down… the class rooms, school canteen, the samosa uncle, the foot ball ground.. everything back in front of me after 20 years.
My School
KV AFS NO.1 as the number says was the one of the best schools in Pune and most importantly it belong to the elite people working out of Air Force Station Lohegaon..which incidentally is the biggest Airforce Station in India.
I still remember the MIG 21 and MIG 47 doing the practice rounds in the air when we had our prayer sessions in the morning. The roars of Jets in the sky during our national anthem gave us the special feeling of being a INDIAN and shout “Jai Hind” as loud as the Jet Roar after the anthem.
Lohegaon once upon a time a sub urban area.. rich with Sugarcane Farms, Lush Green Farm Lands. Things have changed.. the sub urbs have converted themselfs into a town ship.. the sugar cane fields have been converted into Schools and Colleges.
I steered through the lanes which I used to walk and could hardly identify few spots which I tried remembering. The village temple, the common well from which the whole village got there water supply, the High School and the Government Primary school were few of them.
Finally, I walk into the lane which took me to the room where we used to stay.. the narrow lane of Single Rooms, the open Nala.. and the Corner Room … Yes ! this is the one where we spent my good kiddie days.. the room where we started our Journey.. Life Has changed a lot after this.. but as some old men say… “You can forget the most part of your Journey, But you can never forget the begining or the ending”
A memory full mind and lenghty walk across the village was never so good.. Authentic Marathi food for lunch and talks with people from past.. Some rememberances of the past.. and meeting some old friends.. A day can never be better…
Like all the journeys end.. my journey into the past was also coming to end as I was leaving behind me the good old days and cruising over onto good new days…
Journey into Past to Future.. The Cycle goes on and on..!!!
Ramesh Ayyagari 