OOTY TOUR OF 2007 (EPISODE - 21) !!!

Anupam: - The local trains of Chennai have lesser number of seats in their compartment in comparison to the local trains of Kolkata. But, the Chennai local trains are so neat and clean. Thank God, there is no Vendor Compartment in this train. Railway Ministry should run a separate train for vendors only. Accha, Angshuman daa, after how many stoppages will we reach Thyagarajanagar?

Angshuman: - Thyagarajanagar? Oh! Accha, accha, the full form of T Nagar is Thyagarajanagar. Hmm…in the train ticket, it is written as Thyagarajanagar only. After 5 stoppages, we will reach T Nagar station. There is a staircase at the right side of the T Nagar platform. We have to walk down the staircase to reach the T Nagar market.

***********************************************************

Sunny: - This is the lane of T Nagar market! Babah…it is as congested as our Burrabazar market of Kolkata.

Arindam: - in this market, I can see so many jewel shops. After a gap of 2-3 shops, you will find a jewel shop. Either it is ‘Dhanalaxmi Jewellery’ or ‘Swarnanjali Jewellers’. The names of all the jewel shops are somewhat similar but their owners are different. There are some garment shops where every item is on sale. The branded cotton shirts are displayed inside that shop with 50% discount on their MRP. Is it ‘Chaitra Sale’ in Chennai?

John: - Ha ha ha…well said, Arindam. But, let me tell you one thing that this is the only commercial place of Chennai where you can buy any product at huge discounts on any day in a year. For 365 days, there are discount sales in this T Nagar market.

Debarjun: - Hey guys, I have found a shop where electronics watches can be bought within 100 bucks each. Just come with me.

**********************************************************

Debraj: - What is the price of this wrist watch?

Watch Shop Owner: - Only 80 bucks, Sir. Basically, it is a second hand wrist watch. But this wrist watch is working absolutely fine.

Sumanta: - Yeh chori ka maal hain kya?

Watch Shop Owner: - Ussey aapko kya lena dena saab…you are getting this wrist watch at a cheap price. Just buy it, naah…This wrist watch will cost you around 499 bucks in any Titan showroom. Also we have some fabulous Timex Waterproof wrist watches which cost around 1500 bucks. We are selling these wrist watches only at 180 or 200 bucks.

Angshuman: - Baah… is it so? Just show us those Timex watches. If we like it, then we will buy it.

**********************************************************

Vartika: - Sir, what are you doing here inside this jewel shop?

Debojyoti: - Arrey, Vartika, the price of Gold in this jewel shop is really cheaper than the price of Gold in Kolkata.

Vartika: - What are you saying, Sir? The price of Gold is uniform everywhere.

Debojyoti: - Ha ha ha…that I know. But, in this jewel shop, they give more discounts than any Kolkata jewel shop. Moreover, the quality of jewels is far better here.

**********************************************************

Arindam: - See the fun! Our Debojyoti Sir will buy some jewels from this T Nagar market. One thing I don’t understand that there are so many jewel shops near to each other, but, still, there is no dearth of customers. In every jewel shop, there are so many customers. Really, South Indians are too fond of jewels. Also, I can see in the front side of every jewel shop, there is an electronic screen which is displaying the current prices of Gold.

Deepti: - Arindam, We, the South Indians always regard Golden jewels as our assets. You have no idea that almost in every South Indian house, there is a secret place, where Gold jewels are kept hidden. The South Indian people don’t keep all their jewels in banks. You will be even stunned to hear that recently one of my friends got married. Her father gave golden jewels of worth 5 lakhs INR to his son-in-law. In South India, it is a ritual that in dowry, you have to give golden jewels.

Arindam: - Hmm…I have also heard that in ancient India, South India was the hub of gemstones and jewels. Pearls were also found in South India only. In ancient South India, Gold used to be found like sands lying on road.

Deepti: - Quite true! The Pallavas and the Cholas had so many jewels that they were even planning to make a golden temple in South India.

Debarjun: - He he he…Golden temple is there in Amritsar and Amritsar is in North India.

Deepti: - That’s a different thing, but, South India is still rich in gemstones and golden jewels.

Arindam: - Hey, Deepti, how much golden jewels has your father kept in his store for your dowry, he he he…

Deepti: - Shut up! I will not marry a boy who wants golden jewels as dowry.

Arindam: - So, you want to say that your current boyfriend will not demand dowry when he wants to marry you.

Deepti: - Uff, just stop it. It’s too early for me to discuss about these things.

Debarjun: - Ha ha ha…Sain…babah…please stop this topic. Hey, look! Koustav has entered inside a shop to buy Kanchivaram sarees for his girlfriend. Come on; let us go inside that shop.

*************************************************************

Arindam: - What is so special about Kanchivaram Sarees? Every one of us has entered inside this shop to see some Kanchivaram sarees.

Debolina: - It is made of pure silk. Now, don’t ask me what is silk and what is silkworm?

Arindam: - No, I have the idea about silk, but, is a saree made from silk very comfortable for a woman or is it just a hype to wear this saree as it is a very costly saree? By the way, how much it costs?

Sumanta: - Why? You want to buy a Kanchivaram saree? Why you want to know the price? Look at this Kanchivaram saree. This is only 1999 bucks in this T Nagar market. Just guess what can be its price in Kolkata?

Arindam: - Hardly it will be 2500 bucks only.

Sumanta: - No, you will not get this Kanchivaram saree in Kolkata below 4500 bucks. I can assure you that. In Bengal, a new bride always wears a Benarasi saree because Benarasi sarees are cheaper than Kanchivaram sarees, whereas in South India, a new bride wears a Kanchivaram saree. I just need to make a call to my mom and elder sister. After getting the confirmation from them, I will buy two Kanchivaram sarees from this shop.

***************************************************************

Chawla: - Sir, everyone has done some shopping, but, Debraj, Arnab and Arindam have done no shopping in this T Nagar market.

Debojyoti: - Se ki? Why? Have you people not liked anything to buy?

Arnab: - We have not done shopping on a large scale. I and Debraj have bought a wrist watch for 80 bucks, which is looking good in our wrist.

Debojyoti: - Sain, what about you?

Arindam: - I have bought 5 packets of Keralite banana chips, 2 packets of Tamilian Mixtures, 2 South Indian lockets and a packet of special coconut laddoos. This laddoo packet costs 5 bucks only but it has around 20 coconut laddoos.

Debojyoti: - Ha ha ha…you better open a South Indian snacks and sweets shop in Kolkata, he he he…Ei, all of you listen to me…if we don’t get any food to eat in the Coromandel Express, then we will eat all these laddoos and Keralite banana chips that has been bought by our Sain…he he he…Anyway, jokes apart, now, let us go back to our lodge to keep our shopping packets. Then, we will go to Marina Beach.

John: - Sir, why again to Marina Beach? We can go to Elliot’s Beach near Besant Nagar. It is also a good beach.

Vartika: - Yes, Sir. John is right. I, Deepti, Debarjun, Chawla, Pandey, Rathi, John, Debolina, Koustav, Sunny and Agarwal have already decided to go to Eliot’s beach. You also have to go with us.

Debojyoti: - Ok, ok, I will go to Eliot’s Beach. What about the others?

Angshuman: - We will go to Marina Beach, Sir. We will not go back to the lodge. We will go direct to Marina Beach from here. We have not done so much shopping, that’s why.

Debojyoti: - Ok, not an issue. But, we will meet each other at 8.30 PM in front of Silver Jubilee Restaurant to have our dinner.

*******************************************************************

Deepak: - Already, I have seen two Spencers shopping mall in Chennai now. All the shopping malls are under Spencers only. Sir, have you noticed one thing in Chennai. There are so many over-bridges and subways almost in every crossing. No pedestrians are allowed to cross the road by walking on zebra lines; where there is a over-bridge or subway, otherwise, that pedestrian will be fined by the Chennai traffic police. The Chennai traffic policemen are very strict and disciplined. That’s why; Chennai have the record of lowest number of road accidents in respect to other Metropolitan cities.

Himangshu: - Hmm…you are quite right. Hey, we can enter inside the Spencers mall also for some time. It is now 2.30 PM. There is so much heat outside. We will spend some time inside this shopping mall. Then around 4 PM, we will go to Marina beach. Ok, naah!

Sumanta: - Yeah, yeah, that is fine.

*****************************************************************

Arindam: - aah…it is so cool inside. The one reason why I like shopping malls is that it is completely air-conditioned. If you want to cool yourself, just enter any shopping mall and keep roaming here and there.

Arnab: - Hey, what is this office in the ground floor. I can see a trading terminal. Also, all the exchange rates of foreign currencies are written in respect to our INR.

Angshuman: - This is a forex terminal. If any foreigner wants to change his own nation’s currency to INR, then he can change it here. It is basically a subsidiary branch of Singapore Bank. You can even do foreign exchange trading in share market through their channel.

Debraj: - Why Singapore Bank has opened their subsidiary branch in Chennai only? Singapore Bank is not there in Kolkata!

Sumanta: - Arrey, babah, Singapore is very near to Chennai. If you go to Singapore, then you will find that around 90% of the Indians living in Singapore are Tamils only. Come on; let us go upstairs to see all those foreign girls roaming here and there to do window shopping. At around 4 PM, we will go outside this shopping mall and take an auto to reach Marina Beach.

***************************************************************

Auto Driver: - No, Sir, I will not go to Marina Beach. This is Sir Tayagaraya Road. Hardly, you will get any auto from this road which will take you to Marina Beach. Just do one thing. Just walk through that road for 5 minutes and then take the right hand side road to reach Usman Road. From Usman Road, you will get any auto which goes to Marina Beach or you can board a bus from West Mambalam also. An Auto driver will take 80 bucks but the bus fare is only 7 bucks each.

****************************************************************

Himangshu: - It is very difficult to communicate with these Tamil people. Whatever you ask them, they will just nod their head. Whether they are saying yes or no, you cannot make out. I took around 10 minutes to make this Tamil auto driver understand that we want to go to Marina Beach and we will give that fare only, which will be displayed in the meter. They don’t even understand Hindi.

Angshuman: - It is not that they don’t understand Hindi. They intentionally pretend to ignore Hindi. Even Tamil people don’t allow many cinema halls to show Bollywood films. Their favorite actor is Rajanikanth and they regard him as their God. I have also heard that a section of Tamil people don’t regard themselves as Indians also.

Arindam: - Na ghar ka na ghat kaa…Tamil people are considered as terrorists in Sri Lanka. Now, if these Tamil people don’t want to remain as Indians, then where will they go? He he he…Is Maldives and Singapore government so liberal towards these communal Tamil people?

Anupam: - Hmm…that’s a problem. Dhurrh…We are travelling in the auto for last 10 minutes. I am yet to spot a Chennai girl who looks beautiful. All are dark-skinned.

Deepak: - You stay in Chennai for 1 year, you will look like an African only. The weather of Chennai is such that for 9 months in a year, there is summer. Only in December, they get some rainfall. The winter season is unknown here. In January and February only, the temperature is somewhat cooler.

Auto Driver: - Sir, we have reached Marina Beach.

**********************************************************

Angshuman: - Hey, Anupam and Deepak. You people have a bath in the Marina Beach waters. We are going to see the aquarium at the left side of this beach. We will be back in an hour or you people can join us there also after your bath.

**********************************************************

Debraj: - Really, how quickly these 7 days have passed? Sometimes, 1 day looks so long and sometimes 7 days look so short. I am feeling as if we started our journey towards Chennai just a few moments ago and now we are sitting inside the Coromandel Express which is speeding towards Kolkata.

Arnab: - I have not attended any such conference in my life before. I liked the tour. I will attend all the SAP conference in future also.

Arindam: - After this “OOTY TOUR OF 2007”, our next SAP Conference will be in Goa, just a month before the Durga Puja of 2007. Don’t worry; IBS Kolkata will rock there again.

***********************************************************

Sumanta: - Uff…we have entered Santragachi station half an hour ago. But, we are yet to enter Howrah station. The number of platforms of Howrah should be increased to reduce the delays caused due to late ‘green-signaling’.

**********************************************************

Debojyoti: - We have reached Howrah station. All of you please take care of your luggage. The coolies of Howrah station have a tendency to pull anyone’s luggage without taking permissions. Let us get down now. Accha, listen to me. I am planning to organize a small party for all the SAP Trainees who have attended the Ooty conference. Every year, I give that treat as some funds are allocated to IBS Kolkata for entertainment of its SAP trainees. We will also meet our College Dean to show the awards that we have received in this Conference. So, today, just go home and take a nice sleep. See you all tomorrow at our SAP office. Good bye.

OOTY TOUR OF 2007 (EPISODE - 20) !!!

Debojyoti: - How are you, Venky? We are back again in your Kerala Restaurant. Now it is 7.15 PM. Can we order any food item for dinner now?

Venki: - Well, it’s too early. My cooks are still cooking foods in the kitchen. You can order your dishes, but, you have to wait for another half an hour. All the food items will be cooked by 8 PM.

Debojyoti: - Ok, ok, not a problem at all. Just send someone to take the order from the respective tables. Hey, Venky, is there any cultural event in your restaurant tonight? I can see a guy ready to sing on a song while standing on a dais. Even two other persons are ready with their musical instruments.

Venky: - Oh! That is a daily affair in this restaurant. Local people of Mettupalayam will start flocking inside this restaurant after 9 PM. Some comes for dinner. Some comes for drink. Even there are couples who come here to dine, drink and dance also. That guy is Ravikant. He is the lead singer in our restaurant. The two other persons who are ready with their musical instruments are Shekharan and D’Costa. Sometimes, they also sing some good songs. Our customers give them money, if they feel satisfied with their songs. Every night, this restaurant earns at least 1000 bucks from the customers as ‘appreciation money’ for the songs. 5 months ago, Ravikant’s father expired due to cardiac arrest. After that incident, Ravikant was looking for work here and there to earn money. I knew that he has a good singing voice. I requested him to sing in my restaurant. Now, he is earning around 6000 bucks per month by singing here. It is more than enough for him to take care of his mother and younger sister. Ravikant is studying in a college. This is his final year.

Debojyoti: - Hmm…you have done a great job, Venky. You have given the right job to a right person. Ravikant has a good singing voice. He is singing the songs of Kishore Kumar very well.

Venky: - This is not his original voice. He is just customizing his voice to copy Kishore Kumar. He sings with his original voice, when he sings the Tamil songs or the Konkani folk songs. His mother is a Konkani and his father is a Keralite. So, he knows many Konkani as well as Malayalam songs.

Debojyoti: - What is there in his hand? I can see him singing while looking at a notebook.

Venky: - Sir, for a South Indian, it is very difficult to remember the lyrics of Hindi songs. That’s why; he wrote all the lyrics of Golden Hindi songs in a notebook in English language. When he sings, he just refers to that notebook only.

Debojyoti: - Wow! That’s great! Can I sing some songs while seeing that notebook?

Venky: - Yeah, yeah, why not! The stage is all yours, Sir.

******************************************************************

Vartika: - My goodness! Hey guys, there is a breaking news. Look there! Our Debojyoti Sir is about to sing a song while standing on that dais. Let us give him a good round of applause.

Debojyoti: - ‘Phoolon ke rang se…dil ki kalam se…andhi ne toka…duniya ne mujhko pukaara…itna madhur tera mera pyar…lena hoga janam humein kai kai baar…’

Koustav: - Wow! You are going great, Sir. Hey, our Debojyoti Sir also has a good singing voice.

Arindam: - I have heard that song for many times in the radio. Is it the song of the film ‘Prem Pujari’ ?

Vartika: - I don’t know the name of the film. Only thing I know that the evergreen actor, Dev Anand was giving lips in that Kishore Kumar’s song.

************************************************************

Debojyoti: - Ok, Venky! See you again if we visit Ooty next time. The food items were nice. Goodbye for now.

Venky: - Yeah, yeah…you are always welcome Sir. Goodbye, Sir.

************************************************************

Debojyoti: - Hey, what happened?

Bus Conductor: - It’s a tyre puncture, Sir. Don’t worry; we will change it within 10 minutes.

Debojyoti: - Oho! Already, we are running late. We have to reach the Coimbatore station within 25 minutes.

************************************************************

Debojyoti: - Everyone listen to me. We just have 5 minutes in our hand. Our bus has reached Coimbatore station. The train is at platform No. 2. Our coach number is S-4. The bus conductor is at the roof top of this bus. He will bring down the entire luggage from that roof top. Just take your respective luggage and start running towards Platform No.2. If we miss the train, then we have to stay in any lodge in Coimbatore tonight at our own cost.

************************************************************

Sumanta: - Uff, baapre, baap….It was like a military training. We were just running with our luggage in the platform. Anyway, luckily, we have boarded the train.

Angshuman: - Hmm…I am also sweating now. Anyway, let us now go to sleep. Everyone is looking tired in our group. All are planning to go to sleep. When will this train reach Chennai?

Sumanta: - It will reach Chennai tomorrow morning. Now go to sleep. Goodnight.

************************************************************

Murthy: - Good morning, Sir. So, how was your Ooty trip?

Debojyoti: - Oh! It was just great. Accha, allot 7 rooms to us for 1 day.

************************************************************

Kedia: - We will board Coromandel Express tomorrow morning. Today, we have to spend the entire day in Chennai. So, what’s our plan today?

Sunny: - Today, we will go to T Nagar market. John was saying that in that market, the prices of all the items are very cheap. It is just like our Esplanade Super market area. After shopping in T Nagar, we will come back to our lodge. We will keep all our shopping items in our respective room. Then, we will have our lunch. After the lunch, we will spend the entire afternoon and evening in Marina Beach.

Pandey: - Baah! That’s a nice plan. Now, it is 9.30 AM. You people will be ready by what time?

Koustav: - Don’t worry! We will have our lunch at around 11 AM. Then we will head towards T Nagar. Why? Do you need to go somewhere else?

Pandey: - Yeah, actually, there is a Ganesh temple just in the opposite lane of Apollo Hospital. I have to visit that temple.

Sunny: - Yeah, yeah, you take your time. But, just make sure that you are in the reception hall of this lodge before 11 AM. We will go for lunch together.

******************************************************

Agarwal: - We are going to Ganesh temple to perform a puja. Is anyone interested to go to the Ganesh temple, they can come with us?

Arnab: - Yeah, yeah, I want to go. Hey, Debraj and Sain daa…come on, let’s go to that temple. What will you do by sitting idle inside the lodge?

Arindam: - Hmm…you are right. But, I will not perform any puja. I always visit temple to see the statues and architecture of the temple, he he he…Come on; let’s go.

*******************************************************

Agarwal: - We have to open our shoes and keep it outside the temple. There is a shoe keeper who will take 10 bucks to keep our shoes in a secure place. When we will come out of the temple, we have to collect our shoes by showing this small token to this shoe keeper.

*******************************************************

Debraj: - Baah…this Ganesh temple is not bad at all. It is not just a Ganesh temple. I can see at least 5 different statues of South Indian Gods inside this temple. Sain, you are not at all praying pranaam to any of these Gods and Goddesses. Are you an atheist?

Arindam: - I am neither an atheist nor a worshipper of God but I believe in God. That’s more than enough for me. Hey, look there! I can see a statue of goddess Durga totally in black color. I have never seen such an idol of Goddess Durga in my life.

Pandey: - Goddess Durga has many appearances. The dacoits of South India never used to worship Goddess Kali but Goddess Durga only.

Arnab: - Ha ha ha…for your kind information, Goddess Kali is the Goddess Durga only.

Agarwal: - See there! All the South Indian middle –aged women are singing the hymns with so much enthusiasm. That’s really great. Let us also sit inside this temple and listen to them. I can see an old man sitting quietly in that corner of the temple and meditating. Why people meditate? It is so boring.

Arindam: - It looks boring, but it increases your concentration power. We don’t do that. That’s a different issue. But the people who meditate regularly become peaceful people and their brain doesn’t get distracted so easily. Perseverance quality also increases. Anyway, let us go from here now. I am already feeling hungry.

*********************************************************

Debojyoti: - Today, you people don’t have to eat Tamil meals. You people can order for any food item. We have ample time. Just relax and eat whatever you want to eat. This restaurant is a good one. It has North Indian, South Indian, Chinese and Mughlai dishes.

*************************************************************

Chawla: - We are all eating either Dhoshas or Idli or Bada. But, Sain is eating a very awkward dish. I don’t know what is he actually eating?

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…I am eating Mixed Paneer Utthapam. The plate costs only 35 bucks, which is just 5 bucks more than your Dhosha, Idli and Bada plates. The taste is just awesome. I don’t know how this Utthapam is prepared. But, it is like a bread of rice which contains onions, tomatoes and paneers inside it. It really tastes awesome with sambhar and white colored coconut paste. I don’t think that I will feel hungry for next 6 hours after eating this. Also, I have ordered for a Mango Milk Shake after this.

Agarwal:- Ha ha ha…Arindam, make sure that you don’t feel any internal pressure in your large intestine after eating these things, because we have to walk a lot at T Nagar market.

*************************************************************

Debojyoti: - All of you have taken your lunch. OK! Now, we will walk towards the local railway platform. Just opposite to the Chennai Central Station, there are several travel agencies. We have to walk through the pavement beside those travel agencies. After walking for 5 minutes on that pavement, we will get a crossing. We will cross that crossing and walk for another 2 minutes. Then there will be a lane on our left hand side where several fruit sellers are selling fruits. We will take that lane and walk for another 3 minutes to reach the local railway platform.

OOTY TOUR OF 2007 (EPISODE - 19) !!!

Debojyoti: - Accha, everyone listen to me. It is already 4.10 PM. We don’t have enough time to visit ‘Dolphin’s Nose’ now. We will now start our journey towards Coimbatore. We have to board the train from Coimbatore at 10.05 PM. In any case, there is nothing so special in ‘Dolphin’s Nose’. From there, you can view the Nilgiri range only.

Vartika: - Sir, everyone knows that grapes are sour when we cannot eat it.

Debojyoti: - Ha ha ha…actually, we don’t have time in our hand; otherwise, we have gone to that place. Anyway, next time, if we come to Ooty for conference, then we will surely visit ‘Dolphin’s Nose’.

Deepti: - Sir, at least, can we have some tea and snacks somewhere. We are feeling hungry now. We had our lunch at around 12 noon.

Debojyoti: - Yeah, yeah, we will have tea and snacks just after 30 minutes. There is a good tiffin center on the roadside. We can have tea and snacks there only.

********************************************************

Debarjun: - Uff…thank God, we have reached the tiffin center. I am feeling so sleepy that I badly need a cup of hot tea. Come on; let us get down from the bus.

********************************************************

Arindam: - Arrey, you people are still here. I thought that you people have already gone.

Jaidev: - No, no, we are still in Ooty for some minutes more, he he he…Our bus is on the way to Coimbatore. We were all feeling sleepy and tired. That’s why; we all decided to get down at this tiffin center and have some tea or snacks.

Arindam: - You are from IBS Pune. Then, why you people are travelling in the bus of IBS Mumbai team?

Jaidev: - Arrey, yaar. Mumbai and Pune are just close to each other. Hardly 3-4 hours bus distance from each other. So, why, IBS Pune need to hire another bus for that?

Arindam: - Hmm…at least, Mumbai is still nearer to Ooty. Our Kolkata is very far from this place.

Jaidev: - Mumbai is not so close to Ooty. We will board a train from Coimbatore today to reach Mangalore. From Mangalore, there is another train to Mumbai. From Mumbai, we will go by bus to Pune. So, in the Indian map, Mumbai looks closer to Ooty, but, actually, the train line is very lengthy as it has to cross the entire Konkan coast of Karnataka. Anyway, I have to make a call at my house from this PCO booth. See you in the next conference.

Arindam: - Yeah, yeah, sure; see you next time.

*****************************************************************

Nupur: - Excuse me! Can you please wash your hands a little bit faster? Our bus is about to start. They are waiting for me.

Arindam: - Oh! Yeah, you are excused!

Nupur: - Oh! You! You were washing your hands while turning back. That’s why; I have not noticed you. You take too much time to wash your hands.

Arindam: - hmm…you are in a hurry to go back to your IBS Mumbai bus. Well, who knows, when can I see you again?

Nupur: - Why? Why? Are you not coming in the next SAP conference?

Arindam: - No, I am not coming. You are also not coming, naah?

Nupur:- Why should I come and dance in the next SAP conference if someone will not be there to see my dance, hee hee hee…Arindam, we will see each other again in the next SAP Conference. Take care. This time, I will not bid you goodbye, kyon ki, we will meet again…

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…bahut chalak ho…yeah, yeah, we will meet again after 6 months. Take care.

************************************************************

Debolina: - aaha re…Sain…bechara…The bus of IBS Mumbai has gone now. You may be feeling so depressed about that.

Arindam: - Hmm…Debolina, everyone has to go. Some goes earlier and some goes later.

Debolina: - Do you like her? The way you were talking with her, it seems as if you know her for years.

Arindam: - Again, you have started! She is just my friend. Yes, I like her because she is a good dancer. What is your problem in that?

Debolina: - Wow! That’s good. But, I have never seen you praising any girl in IBS Kolkata, that’s why; I am suspicious that you may have fallen in love with her. Why you like her so much? If I would have performed a classical dance like her, would you have praised me the same way?

Arindam: - Uff…you girls cannot think anything in a very simple manner. Girls always have a tendency to complicate even little and unimportant issues. I really wonder why God has created woman. Now, let me tell you the truth. See, I met this girl in the common room of Sterling resort. At that time, I thought that she is just a Marathi girl and you know I dislike Marathis due to their racist nature. Later, when I saw her classical dance, I realized that this girl hails from a family, where traditional values are given priority. Any girl can perform hip-hop and western dance, but a girl cannot perform classical dance without practice, dedication and passion towards it. The way she performed that dance with natural facial expression, I felt as if when she was dancing on the stage, she was totally in her own fantasy world of classical dance. That dance impressed me. Later also, I came to know that she is a Rajasthani girl. Automatically, some respect grew in my heart towards her as she hails from the land of Rajput Queen, Padmini. Thanks to Abanindranath Tagore of Bengal for that.

Debolina: - as a result, you are having infatuation towards her!

Arindam: - It is not infatuation but admiration.

Debolina: - What is the guarantee that this admiration will not transform into an infatuation?

Arindam: - My heart always remains in my control. By the way, why should I have infatuation towards a girl who is already engaged with someone? She has a boyfriend with whom he will have her engagement next month. Moreover, she is yet to rule over my mind. So, your question is totally invalid in this regard.

Debolina: - Has she told you that she is engaged with someone? You are taking the information given by Vartika as an authentic one! How funny! I have read her eyes. She was staring at you, while she was having tea and snacks. Even after finishing her tea and snacks, she was sitting on her table and was waiting for the moment, when you will go to the wash basin to wash your hands.

Arindam: - Uff…you girls only notice all this bullshit things. Debolina, you are thinking too much about her. I am again telling you that we have nothing in between us. Even she also regards me as a friend only, nothing beyond that. Moreover, she is a non-Bengali girl.

Debolina: - Exactly! Now, come to the real point. You have also read her eyes and I know you are expert in it. But, as she is a non-Bengali girl, you are intentionally ignoring the entire fact. Till date, you had girlfriends, who are all Bengali. Show me any of your love relationship which has become successful till now.

Arindam: - How does the factor of Bengali or non-Bengali girls come into play here? This is India! Here economy decides the fate of any love relationship. If a boy has no money in his wallet, there is a 90% chance that his love story will end at anytime. That does not mean that Bengali girls are pathetic in maintaining their love relationship. Bengali girls are very caring and don’t play politics with their boyfriend, whereas non-Bengali girls play politics with their boyfriends and utilizes them like slaves. Now I am telling you this thing from my experience only.

Debolina: - Arindam, I have done my studies from Kendriya Vidyalaya School. I had more non-Bengali girls than Bengali girls as friends. I have always got help from my non-Bengali friends but not from the Bengali friends during bad times. Bengali girls are the ones who play politics with their boyfriends. Now I am telling you this thing from my experience. Let me tell you another thing straight on your face that you are not fit for any Bengali girl. A Bengali girl always prefers their boyfriend to be an introvert, shy and of cunning type, whereas a non-Bengali girl prefers to have an extrovert, simple, straightforward and fun loving boyfriend. Your character falls in the second category. You are such an extrovert and fun-loving guy that a Bengali girl will always ditch you. A non-Bengali girl will never let you go from her love relationship but the irony is that you are yet to have a non-Bengali girlfriend in your life.

Arindam: - What? What? My goodness! What have you said just now? All went above my head. Wait; let me take another cup of hot tea. Uff…baapre baap. By the way, Debolina, why the hell are you so jealous on her?

Debolina: - It is for the same reason only. I am sitting beside you with a cup of tea. When she saw that, she felt jealous also. So, you know the answer, dear.

Arindam: - hmm…actually, we boys don’t want to know the answers of some questions because we always love to live a happy-go-lucky life. I am not ruling out the fact that I will never have a non-Bengali girlfriend, but, at least, a non-Bengali girl should know our Bengali culture. You know, after all, how a person can sacrifice his own culture in the name of a love relationship with a girl of another culture. That’s why, I still prefer Bengali girls only.

Debolina: - Thank God! I am a Bengali girl!

Arindam: - I said that I prefer Bengali girls. I have not said that I will make any Bengali girl like you as my girlfriend.

Debolina: - uuh…I will regard you as my boyfriend…uuh….Have you seen your face in the mirror?

Arindam: - Hmm…Debrup should have come in this Ooty Conference. He is really missing his beloved one….he he he…aaah…ouch…why are you beating me now? This is the problem with you girls! You people cannot tolerate the brutal truth.

Debolina: - I thought you are an idiot. But, you are a ‘Gyaan-Paapi’. From outside, you look like a foolish child but you are very experienced and matured guy from inside. It is very easy for a girl to become your friend but that much difficult to become your girlfriend.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha...Actually, my heart is not as strong as my firewall. My smart brain is my firewall, which blocks some girls from becoming my girlfriend. I had no other choice. Wherever I go, someone falls in love. I cannot shout at them and say, ‘Hey, you young lady, why the hell have you fallen in love with me?’

Debolina: - Uff…it is very difficult to defeat you in the war of words. That’s why; many girls are always scared of your flirting in Orkut.

Arindam: - I flirt with girls to know their psychology. It is like beating the trumpets to test the quality of its sounds.

Debolina: - Ok, ok, I also know that. Now, Sir is calling us to get inside the bus. It is already 5.35 PM now. We can have our war of words after going back to IBS Kolkata also. You are yet to finish this cup of tea! What is the point in taking a cup of hot tea, if you will drink it as a cold drink?

*****************************************************************

Debojyoti: - Accha, listen to me. We will all have our dinner at the Kerala Restaurant only. Does anyone have any problem in eating Keralite dishes, please raise your hand? Oh! No one has any problem! Everyone is ready to eat Keralite dishes again. That’s great.