Because I knew this could be our last meeting. I didn’t want to miss the single chance to see him before he had left. He was leaving for Mumbai to pick his friend from airport and continue his India tour with her. I was also travelling to Hampi for my weekend trip that night. Suddenly I got a call from my travel bus company saying your bus is 1.30 hours early and the pickup point is also changed. Sitting in office I was thinking and virtually planning the time. I told him, that the time is very less. In three hours, I need to reach home, get fresh, pack my bag, reach to One-O-Eight(where he was sitting writing his blog) in KP, meet you and reach to Katraj from where my bus will pick me. He sorted it out and we met at the center point, Amanora mall. He was already there, when I reached at the entrance of the mall with my backpack. He was standing and waving at me. I remembered the first time when I saw him. That day, last Friday when I went to pick him up from Pune Station, he was surrounded with four auto drivers. I could guess the situation, a 6 ft tall foreigner, with a big backpack rangoli tattooed forearm, wearing bid necklace, and silver bracelet and four auto drivers around. He kind of pissed off and had a sigh a relief when he saw me coming. He had a friendly smile.
A month ago, I had received a request on couchsurfing with a decent message for hosting from Jon. Who was a post doctoral researcher in the University of York, UK. After reading the positive references he had received from the guests he hosted at his place, I didn’t give a second thought and accepted his request. It was my first experience of hosting a total stranger. I was so looking forward to it and excited. And now he was in my city, Pune and sitting on passenger sit (its his term) on my bike. We drove to my flat.
Jon was curious about bike riding, Indian roads, traffic, and sounds of different horns. I found him friendly, cool and energetic. I was not sure whether he will like my flat as it was not furnished and away from center of the city. We reached, and he didn’t show a hint of not liking it.
He didn’t take much time to settle down. He had an urge to know more about the city and Indian culture and was enthusiastic about sharing his stories. We kept talking for four hours mostly about cultures, traditions and life. He had a great respect and deep knowledge about Indian culture, mythology and yoga. He was a certified yoga teacher from Hrishikesh and teaches yoga in his city. Yes, This was his second trip to India and first in the south part of India. One more thing I learnt about Jon is, he loves coffee.
When he was unpacking, I saw so many electronic gadgets he was carrying with him. I really had no idea why would someone who is travelling to India would carry so many valuable things. Later I learnt Jon was working on a some project and wanted to record sounds.
Jon had a small shopping list so we went to Amenora mall. He took his recording machine with us. He started his Voice Recording Journey with my small interview when we reached at the mall. He was amazed to see the different type of crowd in the mall. He called it “middle class Indian crowd”
I was making sure that Jon eats authenticated Maharashtrian food, I wanted to take him to Durwankur, famous for Maharashtrian food. But It was 45 minutes away so we compromised on Wah Marathi at Season mall across the street. I ordered Chicken Malvani, Bharli Vangi and Bajara Bhakri. Jon liked it. Though he wanted the curry more spicy. We talked about cooking different dishes. We came back home around 11.30pm. We didn’t stop talking until 1.00am.
Second day- I had to go to my native place to offer some pooja early in the morning. Jon was asleep and I locked him inside. I came back by 3 pm. He was reading The Alchemist sitting in balcony when I came back. We were hungry, I cooked Daal Khichadi for both of us. He recorded whole recipe. Simultaneously he wanted to know every single detail of the pooja.
We had his due shopping list. So we headed to MG road. Jon was the first person I met who enjoyed the Indian traffic, roads and noise.
As he was spending more time his curiosity about India was growing more and more. He was greeting everyone who was looking at him. MG road is one of the busiest markets in the city. It was around 7pm and the footpath was full of crowd and stalls. He was clicking pictures and recording our small talks. I found a place for him to buy floaters, it was Bata showroom. He bought one and was satisfied customer of Bata. He also recommended his friend who was supposed to come to India in next week, to buy a floater in India from Bata. I was making Bata worldwide popular.
We bought a wildcraft backpack for him. And we also started pretending that the shopping list is mine so that I can bargain and no one charges unnecessarily extra money from him. This was my very familiar middle class mentality. We also bought a memory card and anti mosquito cream for him.
He found this busy street very interesting. Colourful stalls, people who are shopping, bikers which I had never thought of looking at. He wanted pictures of everything. While he was recording sounds, I was clicking pictures with his camera. And started looking at my own city with Jon’s lenses. I started realizing that that I never saw the girls sitting on footpath selling some accessories have the most beautiful eyes and a killer smile. I never saw the colorful stalls which are so photogenic. I have never enjoyed the light decoration on the streets before. He was showing me my city with his eyes.
Then I took him to the Blue Nile and ordered a Hyderabadi Biryani and Chicken Shikh Kabab.
The day was tiring so I requested Jon to drive the bike on way back. He was more than happy. He was liking this bike riding experience on Indian roads. We safely reached home.
Next day we planned to go to Khadakwasla dam, Sinhgad and Panshet dam . Needless to say , Jon was riding my bike, we have hidden his face under my red scarf and a helmet. Before we left, He sang two Irish folk songs with deep meanings. His voice was soothing. He was singing with his heart like a professional singer.
It was too hot outside as we started from home at 12.30pm. Sun was scorching. Jon asked me sarcastically is it Winter in India?
We reached Khadakwasla dam after an hour of driving from Hadapsar. The place was full with college students and couples. A group of teenage boys was playing in the water which caught Jon’s attention. We went to the group. Jon started talking to the boys while I was told to click pictures. His voice recording machine was on. Those boys were so happy and giving different poses for photos and were very nice to Jon. Jon took their email id so that he can share the pictures with them. Boys also took selfies with Jon. We had fun there.
After spending half an hour we headed towards Panshet dam. We met a Muslim couple in their late 40s from Kasba peth who was spending some relaxed time by Panshet dam. Jon went and started conversation with them. I was being a translator and a photographer. They offered us spicy snacks. They gave us whole packet of it when they were leaving. Jon, was surprised and asked me why and how could anyone do this? My answer was very simple, this is India. They knew we liked it, so they give it to us, its that simple.
When we reached at Panshet dam, we saw a security guard. We went to him asking if we can go on the wall of the dam and click some pictures. We were not allowed to go on the wall. Jon wanted to record the conversation with security guard. We learnt that surname was Pasalkar. I told Jon that the security guard hails from the legendary warrior’s dynasty, Veer Baji Pasalkar. Jon also recorded bell sounds of cows by the dam.
We were there for an hour, then headed to Sinhgad. We hadn’t had our lunch yet. So as soon as we reach top on the Sinhgad, we went in small restaurant. Ordered pithala, jwarichi bhakari, vangyacha bharit and tea. The view from the restaurant was amazing. Jon liked the food like anything. We saw the sunset and sat on the edge of cliff for a while.
From down in valley Jon heard a music of drums. I told him that in Ganesh Festival hundreds of people play drums together in synch. He found it interesting.
Then I took him to the famous Hotel Vaishali on FC Road. We had Masala Dosa and Onion Uttapa.
Next four days, I was working and Jon met so many people in city. Yoga teachers, other couchserfers, his friend whom he had hosted back in York. He used to come back home late in night. And used to share everything he did whole day in details. We would discuss lots of things. One late night discussion I remember was about Why good looking dumb people are overrated and non good looking but interesting people are ignored. Sometime our discussion would end up in nonsense conclusions.
It has been a week and I was liking this new experience, positive energy around, intellectual discussions. Actually I was not happy that this is going to end today. So for the second time we decided to go to Wah Marathi for dinner. We ordered bharli bhendi, shev bhaji and chapatis this time. I wanted to tell him that, he carries this positive vibe with him and makes others so comfortable. He taught me to see my city with different and positive perspective. He taught me to see everything in artistic view. The things which are so obvious are the most precious things and we just ignore it. He taught me to enjoy every moment of life fully. But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want our last meeting to be formal so I didn’t tell him that how influential his stay with me was !
With smiling faces and big hug we waved good bye and started our respective journeys.
