Deepak: - We have walked for around 5 minutes from the Ooty bus terminus. Now, we can see some good private bunglows on both sides of this lane. Oh! There is an amusement park for children on the left side of the road. That’s quite good. There must be a convent school nearby, because many little children enjoying in this amusement park are wearing a navy-blue and white colored uniform.
Angshuman: - The private bunglows in this area are architecturally very beautiful. By looking at these private bunglows, you can have an idea about the economic condition of the people living in Ooty. There are no middle-class people in Ooty. Either there are big fishes who earn at least 50,000 bucks a month or there are poor fellows who earn only a mere 5,000 bucks per month. Hey, look there, that must be the boundary wall of the Ooty Lake. Yes, indeed it is; because, I can see a wall-plate on that boundary wall, where it is written ‘Ootacamund Lake’. We have to walk on the pavement beside this boundary wall to reach to the main entrance of the lake.
Debraj: - Ootacamund! Hmm…I think that Ooty is the name given by British people. The original Tamil name of this place is Ootacamund.
Arindam: - Maybe or may not be. Who cares? What’s in a name!
Arnab: - That was said by William Shakespeare long ago. But the funny thing was that he wrote that quotation and below that quotation, he wrote his own name only. If there is nothing in a name, then, why William Shakespeare wrote his own name below that quotation?
Sumanta: - Ha ha ha…well said, Arnab. Accha, is this Ooty Lake, a natural lake?
Angshuman: - Yeah, it’s a natural one. We have reached the entrance of the lake. Baah…this lake looks so beautiful. The lake water is very clear and transparent to a certain depth. There is a small forest at the other side of the lake. On that side, there are so many eucalyptus and pine trees. Their shadows are falling on the lake water, which makes the lake water look somewhat greenish in that area. What is that queue for?
Debraj: - That queue is for boating. There are three types of boat. One is speed boat. Another one is paddling boat, where 4 people can paddle together. The third one is the ordinary machine- boat, where there will be a boat-driver. The machine –boat has the capacity to board at least 20 passengers.
Himangshu: - We can go for boating with the paddling boat only. We are 6 in number. So, 3 can sit in one boat. But, will they allow only 3 persons sitting in that paddle boat, instead of 4 people? Or, we can do one thing. 4 people will sit in one paddling boat and the other 2 will sit in another paddling boat. That will maintain the balance of two boats.
Angshuman: - Ok, done, come on, let us book the tickets. The entrance fee to this lake is 10 bucks each and for boating with the paddling boat, it is 40 bucks each.
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Arindam: - Uff…I thought paddling a boat is as easy as paddling a cycle. But, paddling a boat requires more energy than paddling a cycle.
Debraj: - Ha ha ha…actually, this paddling boat is for 4 people. But, only you and I are paddling this boat.
Sumanta: - Ei, Debraj and Arindam, haafiye gele naaki….come on, keep on paddling. We are going to the other side of the lake, near that forest. Come on; chase our boat if you can.
Debraj: - Oh! Sumanta daa…you are indirectly challenging us. Ok, we will beat you in the boat race. Arindam, paddle the boat faster as we need to beat them.
Arindam: - Let me take a rest for a while. You paddle the boat faster for 5 minutes and then I will take over. Let me just control the steering stick of the boat efficiently. Hey, Debraj, we will take the boat diagonally to reach that point. That is the shortest route. They cannot beat us, because ‘Too many efficient sailors in a boat slow down the speed of the boat’.
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Sumanta: - Arrey, we could have won the boat race, but, both Deepak and Arnab started fighting with the steering. They don’t even know that if you want to go to the left direction, then the steering stick pointer should be pointed towards the right direction of the boat. Anyway, we are all sweating in this chilly weather after paddling the boats, he he he…Come on, let us go back to the land and take some rest.
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Cap Seller: - Topi! Topi! Sirf 10 rupiya mein…Only 10 rupees!
Himangshu: - Ei, topiwala! Iddhar aao…How much is these woolen caps?
Cap Seller: - Only 10 bucks, Sir.
Debraj: - Ei sabbash….it is very cheap. Even in Esplanade market also, you will not get these good quality woolen caps for 40 bucks also. It is just 10 bucks here. We can buy several caps from here and then sell it to our friends for 50 bucks. Ei, topiwala, give me 10 woolen caps.
Arnab: - Uff, Debraj, wherever you go, you start doing profitable business. I will also buy these woolen caps. Wait, let me call Bipasha on her mobile phone to know, which colored cap does she want? Oh, Yes! In this Ooty Lake, my Airtel Mobile connection has full tower. Let me call her.
Deepak: - Who is Bipasha?
Sumanta: - Obviously, Arnab is not calling Bipasha Basu, he he he…Bipasha is his girlfriend.
Arindam: - Now, I understand where from that Nupur bought this Pink colored woolen cap that she was wearing yesterday. Hmm…it means that the IBS Mumbai team has already visited this Ooty Lake before us.
Angshuman: - IBS Mumbai checked in to Sterling Resort one day before us. So, they got time to visit all these places. Come on; let us buy some woolen caps. Ei, Sumanta, there are some stalls, which is selling some jackets at cheap prices. You can have a look at it.
Sumanta: - I have already checked all those jackets. They are demanding too much price for those jackets. Ei, Deepak, where from you got that fried Maize –stick. The maize-stick is too long, yaar.
Deepak: - Only for 3 bucks, I have bought this long fried maize-stick. The taste of this fried maize is amazing. Just buy one stick and eat it.
Arnab: - Hey, Debraj. I have found a chocolate shop just on the opposite pavement of this main entrance of Ooty Lake. Come on; let us buy some chocolates. Tell everyone that we are going to that shop only.
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Chocolate shop owner:- This is white caramel chocolate (30 bucks/Kg), this is cashew nut chocolate (35 bucks/Kg), this is mixed fruits & nuts chocolate (40 bucks/Kg), this is brown cocoa chocolate (45 bucks/Kg). All these chocolates are made by local people only, Sir. That’s why; the price is very cheap. You can taste some samples of it, Sir.
Arindam: - Ei, sabbash…heavy khetey bey…You will forget eating Dairy Milk chocolates if you eat these chocolates. I am not fond of chocolates, but, still, I will buy these chocolates. Hey, boss, do one thing, pack 2 Kg of Brown Cocoa, 1 Kg of Caramel Chocolate, 1 Kg of cashew nut chocolate and 500 gm of Mixed fruits & Nuts chocolates. How much I need to pay?
Chocolate shop owner: - Sir, it is 175 bucks.
Sumanta: - Dhhurrh…dhurrh…Sain, tumi toh kichui tamon kinley naah…already, Arnab and Debraj have bought chocolates of worth 500 bucks each. I will also buy at least 10 Kg of Chocolates. I will keep it inside the refrigerator of my house and eat one small piece of it every day.
Angshuman: - Ei, you people buy whatever chocolates you need to buy as early as possible. Again, I can see some dark clouds. If it starts raining, then it will become a problem for us to reach Sterling resort from here. It is already 5.30 PM now.
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