In Ajmer I got dropped off on the outskirts of the city at 4 AM, the private overnight bus I had taken kindly informed many of its somewhat disgruntled passengers that it wasnt going to go all the way to the city center and pushed off, leaving the highway in darkness except for the dull light from the teashop. I took solace in the fact that there was this group of fellow passengers who were sharing my plight. I turned around and looked, what passengers? Most of them had disappeaered! I saw a large rickshaw with some arms and legs sticking out… and was angry with myself that I was distracted. After about half an hour, another one turned up. Competition for getting in was really fierce… with more people having emerged from the shadows. I was not used to this kind of thing – I had lost touch with footboarding BTS buses in my college days itself. As I tried to get a foot in, I was too late, the big auto was jam packed with some 10 people at the back, and two more in front. And when I thought no more can fit inside, he gave me 3 inches of space next to his seat! Luxury!
I got on and hold on for dear life as it rocekted and bumped through what had been quiet sleepy neighbourhoods until its arrival, dropping off passengers one by one. I gave him the landmark and he dropped me somewhere and said this is what I know, you’ll have to go on from here, and he pushed off. I looked around, the street was completely empty, and I roamed around aimlessly, trying to get my bearings though I had no map, though even Im the kind of guy who, as my friends often remind me, would find it hard to find my way around Bangalore in broad daylight. Finally I came across a milkman cycling through a path, and he gave me directions following some circuitous route which I more or less forgot as soon as he disappeared around the corner.
Either he had misdirected me, or I made enough number of mistakes in following the directions that corrected my route, but I ended up on one of the streets indicated by the address.
Then I had to grope around in the darkness using some small device as torch (i didnt have a cell but cant remember what) to look at the house numbers… and I must say miraculously somehow ended up at Nirbhay’s house around 5:30 AM. I just couldnt believe I had made it, but anyway street number, house number, name everything matched according to my address.
I found the gate locked, and nobody responded to the intermittent tapping I made with the bolt. Considering it was still the wee hours of the morning, I didnt feel like clanging and shouting loud enough to wake up the whole neighbourhood. Anyway one of the neighbours did venture outside, and I introduced myself to him. He warmly received me as if I was his own guest, woke up his wife inspite of my protests, who gave me some very welcome snacks and tea. We spoke for sometime and I even had a short nap, and finally met Nirbhay later.
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