Monday, August 4, 2008

The way back home

Posted by Varun | Monday, August 4, 2008 | Category: , |

It was just a 45 min drive from the new Bangalore International Airport but it gave me enough time to introspect on various things ranging from importance of relationships to a country's Infrastructure. I had been to the airport to drop my cousin sister and her family (husband and 2 beautiful kids) who had come to India from USA after a gap of four long years. One might ask why they had come anyway. If you've gone through my earlier posts, I had mentioned something similar. Even though we talk on phone everyday, see the other on a web-cam or write emails regularly the feeling that you have one meeting someone in person is simply out of this world. Something which is very hard to describe in words.

She was here in Bangalore for only 15 days but managed to visit all her relatives in their own backyards. It was great to see the love, the affection and the warmth she had for all her cousins and relatives. One reason could have been the gap after which she came to India. But broadly speaking, don’t we tend to forget people as days, months and years progress? So what had made her to come to India? Had she forgotten how we looked? Did she come here to remind us that she existed? Did she come as if to apologize that she didn't come earlier? These were the stupid questions that flashed momentarily in my mind but I knew immediately that the answer was a big NO. She was here because she respects relations; she visited everyone at their own homes because she knows the importance of spending quality time with each individual.

Without boasting any further about my cousin, I just want to stress upon the fact that relationship is one thing that bonds every one of us every where. So please start respecting them and give them the importance they deserve. It could be any relation under the sun. Even your dog shares a relation with you. 'Deserve', why do you think I used this word? I am a firm believer in giving back what I get. I respect people who respect me, I adore people who adore me and ignore people who ignore me. It could probably be one reason that I can still count my friends using my fingers but then I don't really care. I am happy with what I have.

Let me speak about the Bangalore's infrastructure now. I know I have picked two topics that are no way related to each other but then I’m just going with my brain and my eyes. Just writing what I felt and what I saw.

The new Bangalore International Airport is truly an engineering wonder. It takes you to a new world altogether. It’s like one of the episodes of Alice in wonderland. Makes you wonder whether it's really Bangalore. Placed a little distance off the Bangalore - Hyderabad highway, the structure has come up beautifully. Cars coming in from 6 lanes, Colorful taxis queued up for the passengers to arrive, hep coffee shops, subway sandwiches and not to mention the amber sodium vapor lamps that light up the entire airport.

The only complaint people have about Bangalore whilst flooding it is the infrastructure it lacks and the never-ending-always-growing traffic. I am glad that it has come up with a new international standard airport which gives us sure signs that it is definitely headed the right way with respect to infrastructure but am not sure what it's doing with respect to traffic because given an opportunity, I would have killed few drivers and two wheeler riders on my way to office today. I’ll probably vent out my frustrations in posts to follow. Until then, ride safe and do keep in mind that you are not the only one riding on the road.

Currently have 9 comments:

  1. SOmetimes it is the distance which warms up a relationship...

    When we have relatives staying near us we take them for granted and it becomes lets meet next week but the next week never comes. We are too busy with our daily routine. Your cousin is seriously a case in example nahin to these days ppl are not much bothered about relatives...

    Blore aiport & traffic, heard a lot about them :)

  2. Varun,

    I loved the new airport. It's done pretty nicely. But I hate the distance of it from my place (50KMs) as old one was hop skip jump for me and I used to reach airport just half n hour before the scheduled flight. Anyways, kuchh paane ke liye kuchh whatever whatever..

    And for relations.. hmm better I keep mum as I can not say myself a good one at maintaining relations for long.. ahem ahem

  3. Hey S,

    You are absolutely right. We do take relatives for granted if we stay close to them. But if you are not close to them in first place no distance can bring them closer to you. :)

    Hey Oxy,

    I agree. Distance is too much when we compare it with the old airport but then you already know the answer ;)

  4. Hi,

    It was great to read your random thoughts.Travelling - irrespective of the way you travel - gives you the opportunity to introspect. As you rightly observe relationship should be treated the way they deserve to be treated.But there are some like the innermost circle of Parents / siblings and children / grand children who should always be treated on a different plane altogether.For the rest your formula - you give what you get is bang on.Keep writing.It is wonderful.

  5. Hi Appa,

    The post was never meant for the inner most circle. They are definitely on an other plane altogether.

  6. Varun.
    Really man, u have got a great talent dude.
    Reading ur blogs was so interesting, i didn't had any work today at office and was finding it difficult to pass the time, But now i realized how i spent 90 minutes just going through all your blogs... All the blogs were too good, the best among all was "Munnu and Me". I had seen your Munnu, sometime when i had been to ur house. Its sad to hear that it passed away.
    Keep writing dude. I can say one more Chetan Bhagat budding out.... :-)

  7. Hi Sharath,
    Thanks a lot. That's a big compliment you've given...

  8. Hey Varun,

    A very nice post !! Maybe now that u've stayed out of country for whatever time, u wud have realized better the importance of family n relationships. Even I felt the same when I was sooo far away from all closed ones and cudnt be part of their good 'n' bad times !! Its gr8 to hear bout ur sister....we shud take her as an example !!

  9. Hi Parul,

    Thanks! We always have a lot to learn from every individual. :)