New Guy in the City..!

I’m out..Finally am out..I am out of Chennai..Wait wait wait..Dont get the slightest feeling that I am unhappy about my 4 and a half year stay in the city but I am happy that I am out of Chennai for a better and bigger city..The Maximum City—Mumbai..

As the train entered the Chennai central station on the 2^nd of June 2007 I saw the clock and it was sharp ticking 3:45 am..I hated the fact that the train made me wake up for the better part of the night so that I won’t miss my stop of the southern metro..The feeling was good to be able to stay in Chennai but this time when the similar incident happened it bettered the one from 2007..It was the 6^th of December and I was getting down at Thane station (a Mumbai local station) and the as I checked the clock it was ticking 3:45 am..I seem to have a weird fascination about this dot of time in the devil’s hour..

I took a local train and went to Nerul station (another Mumbai local station) where an acquaintance (from college) of mine resided..I was about to stay at his house for a couple of days and then search for a place for my own self to live..It was on this very day that I was going to meet him for the first time and even stay at his place..Rahul Yadav..To better my expectation he had an ostentatious flat which was very very very luxurious and as his flat-mate had gone for a month or so to Delhi so I was heartily welcome there..Rahul’s contact was given to me by a mutual friend of ours, Anuj Vishwakarma..Thanks to him as well for introducing such a good friend as Rahul to my life..He is undoubtedly my first friend in this maximum city..His flat had a very beautiful view of the sea all around and the Palm Beach road was just a stone’s throw away from his place..The view from his balcony was splendid..

On 13^th I shifted over to my new abode..A PG (Paying Guest) facility at Mahim..I love staying here as the place is exactly in the heart of the city..My room has a view of the sea face..I am on the 7^th floor of the building which makes it even more exciting..The lift is a bit cramped into but I am happy to use the stairs..The rest is bearable and the place is better than what I had expected with facilities more than I had imagined..The number of people staying in the flat is more but, considering them all being really good and helpful, it’s worth it..

My long drawn wish has finally come true and now I am staying in the city of my dreams—Mumbai..I had heard a lot about the bad things in this city but I have not faced anything bad as of yet and I hope I never do face anything bad..The city is very beautiful and people are also good..I want to make friends asap here and want to get a job or an internship here..Am trying hard and I hope I’ll crack it through..I am doing a photography course here at the National Institute of Photography and would want to continue over with a filmmaking course from some reputed college..

My long overdue wish is coming true and I hope all pans out exactly the way I have envisioned in my mind..People can say whatever they want but this city is really beautiful..The dreaded local trains are also not that very difficult to get in and get out..You just need to be smart and careful..After all they are the best means of transport available in Mumbai..You may take the cabs or the auto or the call-taxi’s but trains are the fastest ones to make you reach your destination and for all reasons they are far better than being stuck in the traffic for hours..

So now from Namma Chennai its Aamchi Mumbai!!

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..

Chennai Rains.......

If you are in Chennai then there is one thing that you should stay away from and there is another thing that you should not miss even for your life..Summers being the first and Monsoons being the second..

Monsoons have just arrived in Chennai a week and a half back..To all of you who are weak in geography and used to doze off when geography teacher used to teach then here is some little information for you..Chennai has winter rainfall..It rains here in Chennai in the months of Oct-Jan..In Aug you might have the odd shower once or twice for a respite from the trashing heat but real monsoons start now only..

People do complaint that the streets gets clogged and water-logged but I love it when it rains..I have witnessed 5 continuous monsoons here in Chennai and am completely, truly, madly and irrevocably in love with the rains here..Yeah at times it does ruin your perfect outfit that you had worn for going to office/college or maybe a wedding or a birthday party but it provides the much needed respite from the heat of the summers..The summers extending from Feb to Sept is a really long time..The monsoons provide respite from the heat and makes the weather cool and pleasant..The weather in these monsoon months are simply awesome..You don’t feel the heat of summers and neither do you have to wear any sweaters or heavy jackets to keep you warm like in the winters of North/East/West India..So you can easily sport out in a plain pullover and that would be perfect..

The city looks greener..The soil smells awesome..The two small rivers (read: canals) are full of water..And above all the sea looks flooded and amazing..If any of you have never seen the sea during rains, then let me tell you that you are missing a visual treat in life..Go out and enjoy the sea when it’s raining..The sea seems like a raging bull always..But when it is experiencing rains it is calm and serene showing respect to be the power greater than itself i.e. rains..Meanwhile still having the raring to go attitude always underneath the skin and soon as the rains stop its up and away, back to its original bullishness..All in all you would love it..I love it..The sea looks magical when it rains and I can spend hours staring at the sea when it pours cats and dogs..

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!Chennai rains!!!They are so gorgeous, you just can’t get enough of it.!

Jaishree Ram,

Prats..