The Final Break & Mumbai Blues

Day ZERO


The Night before.... i reached bombay... started the blues with .... the indian railways -> 'Avadh Express' was suppose to start at 21 30, instead rolled by 2 30 in the morning

Was fortunate to have Ponting (aka Rikesh - School mate) & Cam along to have managed the long wait... where got a chance to observe the way people enjoy road side food near the station & the way corruption rides indian railways....

A few observations....

Believe me its one off the best that have visited... only second too Bombay central... one of the most clean, ligted & elegant structures one would see.... thanks to britons for the bldg ;-)

On corruption... Each train has 3 TT's and a penalty master... they are one cohort ~ observation over a period of time.. !! and the easiest way to spot whether you would be sucessful in bribing them or not is... if u spot them hanging & smiling on the doors of the train.. when the same arrives on the platform... Ponting paid 600bucks... to get to bombay... by a train at 1 30 AM as was his first day for intership at Tata and didnt want to be late :) ... i was part of the deal....too.. but didnt go as found it too expensive :)...

DAY ONE


So ... finally boarded the train @ 2 30 early morning and train reached borivalli at arnd 9 30 A.M again late by a few hours... was fortunate enuf to have friends at goregaon(e) still waitin for me.... and havin accomdated me...

Then... it was dadar around six pm with easwar & lisa (B School Mates) ~ roped in a dhaba near dadar... saw the right column on the menu card.. and made a quick exit.. not for the reason u are thinkin... were interested in s.indian which wasnt served !! ;-)

Moved towards S.Bombay... enjoying the old structures around flora fountain... clickin pics
as usuall... these sculptures are amazing beauty... just perfect are they... !!

Had Bhaji pau with easwar... !! who treated me... !!

It was the day... and the evening easwar warned me off bombay... to be carefull of stuf...
did listen him with all care & concern... but... the next day.. :((((

DAY TWO ~ THE D DAY

The D-Day...The Blues & The Break Through !!

Reached early at Goregaon Station... all full of energy...jumping... that too in formals...
Found that didnt have a cell in the pocket.. wher it was supposed to be... !!

Jumped back out of the local.... kind off ... pissed off totally with myself.. being so careless.... !! not to forget had lost all the contacts including the one of the guy to whom was supposed to call up for the interview !!

On the way to churchgate... talked to one person (mid40's)... about the incident... he told me dont worry kid... he himself had lost the count of how many he had lost... and told me innnovative ways of how a cell can be stolen... which would be out of any one's imagination..!! then felt so happy.. that this was not that unfortunate where in had a chance that might have lost the same because of my
carelessness.... and might not that anyone would have flicked it.

Finally at Churchgate.!!! After a quick Idli Sambhar ~ CAlled up the guy... interview scheduled at 13 00 hours... so had a couple of hours in my pocket.. thought of exploring nariman point... went to a few corporate houses... and seemed like everyone is on a hiring spree ther... and in deep dearth of people ... :)

Back to Tulsiani chamber... 3 rounds of interview.. !! cracking material were they.. really sound technically... who didnt accept any bull shit (gyan i tried to give.. !!).. and were to the point... and eventually fine & happy with me... got the result around four p.m.. as research analyst on sell side, institutional securities... this was the profile i had dreamt off workin on & that too on with a office at nariman point... was say two of my dreams come true..!!! The Day i woudl never forget... loosing a cell phone & baggin a job which i dreamt off thou paying a few lakhs than what i would have other wise got !! :-)) that's me.. a NUT !! for good reasons i have.....

Later on visited one of my juniors & one of my good-father !! :)))

Had good light (:-() dinner... and then moved to andheri (e) to visit kassu & sush... at 23 30 in nite !! nuts again ... left at arnd 12 10 back for goregaon...


DAY THREE

Mumbai... Corruption knocks once again.. tis time in DOLLAR's... !!

REached Office at around 11 30 as had to collect the appointment letter... and visited Dhruv's home.... just amazing it is.. right from the window you can feel the breeze straight from chowpatty... arabian sea.... something one can just dream off.. coupled with the wonderfull people they are and the ambience their home has.. just too good....yup his dad is a architect !!

Now.. moved towards BDTS... cool.. it is.. !! bag checked once again... (first time at churchgate in the morning)!! and the police guy 'Mr. Gorakh Chauhan' ~ found five singaporean dollars in the bag, which i too didnt know were ther... he was a nice uncle but corrupt.. and wanted some money; is i could make out on the first instant... as experience has taught me... as have always got into troubles.. with police when in bombay ...

(prior experience was at the dadar police choki, where has spend around a hour and had tried all tricks (including crying) to get out of that place.. as had a B School interview.. last year.. same time around, which didnt convert :(, finally some dramatics...did help me too get away w/o paying bribe !!! )

So back at BDTS, after 40mins of haggling.. with the uncle... managed to gift him 5$ and walk away... wher those 40mins.. he told me what all & how things can possible go wrong in bombay & his heroic traits, where last week he caught a guy with 30laksh in his bag.. but was sad that he didnt get the reward because all of the zool-bribes were taken at the baadi choki and he was not part of it... as he was just a hawaldar uncle... !! sad it was :)


(YEah Thats ME !! aLL SwEaT in)


Finally it was my turn to bribe, and put my ethics in place... got into the train wiht a general ticket.. bribed 300 bucks... and got a reserved seat; slept; slept and slept.... reahed home 12 30 early morning !!!

This trip... had experience's of the job that i dreamt off; corruption everywhere (being part of the system too); and fun... !!!