VISA & Vishakanya

Author: Santhosh

Short travelogue - When I went for my VISA stamping

June 27 2005: And we chugged along to the railway station to board the train to Chennai. Madhu had a cozy I-Class seat in Shatabdi while I plunked myself in AC Chair-Car. She guzzled on the cashew nuts provided by the caterers (oh the rewards of luxury!!!). We reached Chennai central at 9:30 pm and made ourselves comfortable in Hotel Grand Orient. With a tub & hot water, the hotel looked enticing and mighty costly too. What the heck, the company was paying for it.

June 28 2005:
Waking up after fits and gaps of sleep, got ready to attend the interview at Chennai consulate. A tie was noosed around my neck, but I didn't have a belt around my waist. The interview was a breeze, with questions like, "what is your educational qualifications?", "who's your client?", "what's the application about?". I was back in the hotel by 9:30 am. Madhu went off for her interview, dressed in the traditional choodi-dhar? and a prominently displayed thali. Even her interview was a breeze with simple questions like "where is your husband?" (bangalore), "will he be traveling to the US too?" (depends on his work!! hooot). She was back at the hotel by 11:30 am. I had an L1 and she had a student visa.

Booked a taxi and off we went to the famed and much traveled ECR (east coast road). A trip to croc-park and Mahabalipuram was on the cards. I have been there, done that. ECR with its tolled and metaled road never ceases to amaze you with it's non-potholed stretches, vistas of the sea & the cool breeze.

First stop croc-park. Had another dekko at the melee of crocs. At one time, a bus tire burst with a huge noise - the sight at the croc park was of mayhem. All the crocs jumped, scrambled and went diving into the water. With such alacrity and alarm. The next second one could see just trails on the sand, trails of scampered crocs. The whole croc-pond was deserted. They were back for the sauna after a while, slowly trudging out of the water, to get back into their siesta.

Holding a croc was cheapskates for me, having held one with gusto the last time I was in croc-park. This time it was Madhu's turn for a snappy pose, holding a croc. Obviously I had held it with more state manly grace. Madhu held it with affection in her eyes and not fire in her belly(Oh lord! Won't you save me from this reptilian pest?).

Next was the turn of a Python to be mollycoddled. Shelling out Rs 30/-, Madhu was ready to drape a Python around her a.la vishakanya. Being used to humans (it might be a good prop for the infamous live bands) it didn't hiss, bite or crush her. Python anyways is not poisonous. It's skin shined in the sunlight, a thousand hues, with beautiful patterns. It didn't feel slimy as I expected it. Madhu was dazed in happiness, a dream cum true - Holding a snake. She didn't want to let it go. Crowds gathered around, wanting to snap both the femme-fatales (hope the Python was a she). I had to pry her away from the Python, fearing losing her to the snakes charm rather than mine.

Our lunch was at Guru lodge; in the heart of Mahabalipuram. The last time I was here, my friend Biju had waxed eloquence on the quality of the food, and the bare furniture and service. It was a place only the locals would eat, with visitors shying away from it by 100 yards. I indulged myself on fish and prawns, eternal favorites.

Mahabalipuram, blazed in the heat. However the sculpture and bass relief are always a delight to watch. I showed Madhu everything I had heard from the guide the last time I was here, the deer which is on the old Rs. 10/- note, Arjuna enervated from the tapas, a cat with it's tummy full having eaten some of the rats praying around it, Krishna's butter ball, the light house, etc. A goat (meke in kannada) traversed the breadth of a steep rock on the steepest ledge. It balanced precariously using it's derriere to hug the rock. Absolute delight to watch an animal without grapples, hooks, or climbing shoes perched on a 85 degree gradient with apparent ease.

At the five rathas, we were stopped and questioned on our citizenship status. He wanted to know if we were Indians? For someone who has skin like burnt wood, and accompanied by a wife having skin like golden wheat it's an odd question.

I finally fell hook, line and stinker into the traps of a guide at the Shore temple. We had avoided them like the plague. An innocent question on the restoration work; led to some wordy explanation about the temple and a pond near it; at the end the explanation demanded a price of Rs 20/-. I gave it with chagrin, but Madhu seethed with anger for being cheated (sic!).

We sat on the shore for a long long time. Madhu as is her wont, got wet in the water. A bunch of teenagers were on a gymnastic spree. They had placed a truck tire on a wood plank; and were using it as a gymnastic Vault to launch themselves into a heady somersault.

We had a quick go at a shooting game. Shooting at balloons hung 5-6 feet away with lead pellets. Some of the guys gaped when Madhu was able to get a bulls eye on most of her shots. I had only one shot and as usual found my mark!

A long drive back into the city and we reached Chennai Marina. Melting pot of Chennai, rich or poor, high or mighty, you are all the same here. A vast stretch of sand, splattered with multitudes of pushcarts and people. We walked by the sea side, and savored bondas, bajjis etc. Pani puri here was a unique blend of puri with thick & spicy south indian sambar/rasam concoction. It gave one a feeling of having a meal rather than snack. And of course, Madhu had her favorite Rum-stick ice cream.

Back at the hotel, we chose to skip having a dip in the tub. Tamilnadu is the most conservative user of water, with the best of rain water harvesting schemes, and we didn't want to break this sanctity by wasting a lot of it. Dinner was at an "authentic" Punjabi dhaba which proclaimed "pure ghee" everywhere. Then it was bed time.

June 29 2005: Early morning Shatabdi train to Bangalore. Reached home for a wonderful session Yoga & a cold water bath; which induced one of the worst fever ever in my life, but that's an "offline" topic.