A Train Trip to Banaras - Without Tickets - 2nd AC

A recent ad for a premium consumer durable brand said: India Jadoo ka shehar hai, yahan har cheez baaton se hal ho jata hai (translated – India is a magical country, here every problem can be solved by words).

I had the first had the first hand experience of the same on a trip to Banaras. It was Richa’s wedding and we had booked our tickets well in advance. It was waiting list 2,3,4 and 6. For our group of four people: Anuj, Monika, Vinod and myself. Ala KKR, we depended on luck and it never smiled at us. So we were at the station, very sure that 2,3,4 and 6 waiting list must have been confirmed. But none of the damned travellers had backed out: or so it seemed. And then it dawned on us: India Jadoo ka shehar hai, yahan har cheez baaton se hal ho jata hai. So we went to the TT, to see that perhaps he could do something for us. And thus we sang in chorus: ‘ Words and Words is all we have to take your heart away, oops, seats aways’. Teehee!! And he asked us to sit in a sleeper class and then he said he would transfer us to the 2nd AC. The train left the station at 10:30 pm and then we waited for another half an hour before our Saviour in Black Jacket came and as promised took us to the 2nd AC and gave us our berths. Words does work but then they need to be backed with money. But the TT was not rude, he showed us an elaborate calculation, if we choose to go by the rule books, to make us understand we are going to pay a ransom for travelling without tickets(point to be noted: He only had asked us to get into the train). And then he wrote down a figure which was less than the price of ticket for one person to travel in 2nd AC and the deal was struck. Some skills I must say. So as the papers changed hands, we were promised a berth per person and thus we had a happy journey, even without tickets to Banaras. I don’t know whether we got looted or did we manage to get a bargain, but it definitely was a learning experience…

Lesson learnt: India Jadoo ka shehar hai, yahan har cheez baaton(read negotiation) se hal ho jata hai.

And whoever said you need tickets to go places, please refer here. More on the Banaras trip next…

Bye Bye IMRB

Three long years in an organization definitely make you a part of the organization and more than that the organization and its people become a part of you, an indispensible part. But change is the only constant that keeps the life moving and therefore when I decided that I needed a change from IMRB, it was not only a very hard decision to take on a professional front but also at a personal level.

Being my first job, IMRB not only taught me MR but also a lot about other aspect of corporate world. So in a sense IMRB was a home for me. And leaving home is always painful. It definitely was. Leaving people you know, leaving the place that you knew like the back of your hand and the fact that the new place would be a new beginning. A beginning where things are not certain and where you have etch out your ownself, all over again. But life is so and if we need to grow, we need to take strong decisions.

A new journey begins in TNS with hopes that things would be challenging, full of learning and fun-filled.

I am Back

Have been a really long time since I last wrote and the delay is due to my unconvincing self, which never let me sit down and get keying-in. So now after almost 5 months I am here again. I will definitely try to be more regular.

Well long delays always mean that I have ample things to tell. Many things have happened during this time. For starters my status has changed from committed to married and still committed. I got a chance to go cycling into the wilderness of Chakrata mountains, which was not only refreshing but also a very very humbling experience. Met some people and more importantly made some more friends in life. Have a lot to share and am dying to do it.

On professional front I am now into a new organization. And also trying to get used to the culture of this organization. Well people lets get started then…. New blog article coming up soon…