Kgp to God's Own Country

The long wait is finally over. My end-sems have come to an end and I am in God's Own Country - Kerala. The journey had been long - and in more ways than not - unique.

The Trains

The trains of Southern Railways are a class apart. From the moment you enter the compartment, the differences are very apparent.

The trains were very punctual arriving at the destinations well before time. That is perhaps ingrained in the South Indian culture - punctuality.

Unlike the trains in North India, everything here is a chocolate hue. The cubicles have no curtains giving the illusion of enhanced space. Everything seems neat till you are served the dinner.

The dinner fell short of all expectations. The food was all messy and the liquid stuff was all filled to the brim. It kept spilling out. I wasn't at all impressed by the food.

The IIT T-Shirts

This was the first time I had been wearing T-shirts that proudly proclaimed - IIT Kharagpur. I generally avoid wearing such T-shirts because (as one of my seniors travelling in the train described) - it is too 'elitist'.

I am not sure what that exactly means. But, what the expression roughly conveys is - IIT T-shirts are a show off.

Since some of us were wearing the T-shirts, we had to defend our decisions. Our defence being - these aren't show offs. These are just our college T-shirts. Plus, the T-shirts are plain. No quotes, nothing. Just IIT Kharagpur. It looks all very official. Gives you that MIT/Stanford feel.

Whatever it be, I was wearing one of these T-shirts and that was how it was.

The Rikshaw-wala

Since I was wearing the T-shirt, the onus of protecting IITKgp's image in the public was on me.

So when the Rikshaw-wala charged Rs 55 instead of Rs 40, I couldn't keep haggling with the Rikshaw-wala for 5 - 10 rupees. It was a question of my college's image!

Sarvana

I had a break journey. Kgp to Chennai and Chennai to Thiruvananthapuram. I had 3 hours to spare at the Chennai Station. I had my dinner with a fellow Kgpian at the Sarvana resturaunt.

I ordered North Indian Thali. That was my first taste of food outside Kgp after 5 long months. Mmmm...it tasted delicious.

In God's Own Country

Kerala never ceases to amaze you. From the moment I entered Kerala, the grandeur of the greenery and the backwaters/lakes all around left me spellbound.

Now, I could understand why Arundhati Roy indulges in elaborate details while describing things in her book 'God of Small Things'. Because, it is all so beautiful. 

I have 2 and a half months to explore Kerala, the coconut groves, the beaches and the backwaters. 

It is going to be an exciting vacation.