CHAPTER C
A TALE FROM THREE CITIES
05) ADVENTURES OF KONKAN COAST
Maddy was a peculiar character from the very first day we met, sometimes jovial, friendly and full of wisdom in our private conversations. I often felt he had greater experiences with his life, could be kept as a mentor especially in sociopolitical and relationship advices.
At times he looked like a lost, homesick, introvert guy in front of a crowd even the home groups. He wept like a helpless toddler even for the minor punishments he got during our orientations.He chocked hard to match up with all the physical activities within the campus but did few benchmarks in quizzes and brainy games.
He preferred to remain introvert in crowd, whereas an extrovert in all our private conversations. So he wasn't a lead of any gangs with in the campus but was a part of everyone. So people barely trusted him much, due to constant trifles with few friends as well as the way he had spoilt our warm relationship.
When Lachu spoke about the events at panvel, I thought about it for sometimes. Nobody believed him then except her. We don't know if his story were real or another Maddy fan fiction!!
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Western coast of southern india,which span across the western ghats from madgao to Mangalore is often called konkan coast; the coast of the people speaking konkani. So when Indian railways started their fastest route to kerala crossing this highland coast they named it konkan railway.
Konkan railway has been our enroute home since the day we joined our alma mater, the most beautiful journey one can percieve being in this country. It start from green meadows of Sholapur forest, meets the mighty goan estuaries, gigantic waterfalls of western ghats, terrrifying tunnels coiling as a python and flowing in to emerald blue lustures of arabian sea.
Ours was a batch which had twenty five cadets who were residents of kerala and so each vacation journey through konkan coast was an extravaganza to discuss. One of the most memorable one happened after our second year exams.
Unusually our warrants were issued by the Brig Adm office so late just before the practical exams and there weren't enough seats left for us in pune-eranakulam express.
Maddy collected the warrrents of twenty five of our batchmates and volunteered himself to fetch us appropriate seats to reach back home.
He made a small modification in our usual plan and booked different trains; Pragati express to travel from pune to panvel and from there further journey in netravati express till trivandrum.
Many of our colleagues who had to travel till southern most tip found it comfortable as they need not pick a connection from ernakulam as usual.
Thus for the first time since our admission twenty-five of us were travelling together to home that morning when we boarded pragati express comfortable with their chair cars. It was a short journey of two hours to panvel but awaited us the long waiting for netravati at one of the worst railway stations in the country.
We landed at panvel at around seven in the morning to notice netravati was supposed to arrive at twelve noon. We had enough time to freshen up and load some calories to our bellies, so leaving our luggages we started searching for an appropriate hide out.
"But we can't leave all our luggages alone in this cloak room. Somebody has to volunteer and take care of them until we fetch a lumpsome meal for all." Praveen suggested as most of us weren't feeling the enviornment so friendly.
"I shall stay here, you guys carry on." Maddy again volunteered to take care of our luggages.
"Bring me some good breakfast pls." He requested Praveen while he left with others to roam around.
"Darling, please fetch something for me too please! I had a very bad sleep yesterday after the vivas." Lachu who was looking half alive came to me and whispered in my ears.
"Sure."I kissed on her cheeks and turned to maddy to crack a sarcastic joke.
"You take care of your brother."
We just exchanged a pleasant smile towards each other and went to roam around for fetching good food.
