Story of my Identity.. :) :)

(I know this article is kind of personal, but, I intend this be read by my close and well wishers.)

Many advised me not to go to Hyderabad. It was supposedly a very bad place. And the odds were against that, perhaps, I was determined. I somehow felt the signs calling me and I set myself to leave Bangalore, leave my world, temporarily. Like everyone entering a new city for the first time, I too had come with 2 baggage  And Those bags were but my dreams; dreams to become something, find my own destiny and identity sorts.

When I got my pay raise and a promotion and when I drove my first car, saw a double digit annual package, bought a house here recently, yet, I still found many things missing, found myself missing in all of it. No matter what i did, i always felt i wasn't enough or it wasn't right. What I can do, how hard can I work can probably could satisfy this inner guilt? I declined a new job offer i had got to join a company as an Infrastructure Manager, I cancelled just a day before I was expected to join that company and I stuck to my current job.

Coming back into my days of Hyderabad, in about 2 to 3 months from the time I moved in, I fell in love with this city. So much of chaos, still there was order in it. Frankly speaking the whole place totally sucked, even now it does! But I liked something in every wrong here, in every torment I found. For a long time I did not realize why? although the answer was right in front of my eyes. Actually, i had found someone. I had found a girl. It was 2008, when I came to this city and I was aimless, hopeless, lost and confused. But this girl whom I met was clear, hopeful  helpful, cheerful. My complete opposite.  Now i know, all my love for this city, is a disguise of my love for this girl, this friend of mine, who is now my wife. And I, that is how,  found my identity, right in her eyes. she is completely become one of my own, more than the city itself.

Sometimes I think, how my dirty room would end up looking like a house if she never helped, how my travel bag would have many things missing if she had never packed, how my days would have been so long if she never accompanied, shared the loneliness etc.,.

The glory of achieving a goal is more meaningful and joyous only when you share it with a special someone. I am sure we all do have such people who enrich our lives with their presence. As far as my story goes, I think every city is chaotic, just like our lives. For a small instance, I urge everyone to stop, pause, look back and with your special someone, spend time, even if its just a minute. Who knows, you may also find something precious :)

14th November 2012 - My second wedding Anniversary and I know why I am really here. How I would be nothing without all this. But, I know there will even be a 25th anniversary with her 23 years from now and how she will look the same wonderful person and look the same way she looked when I first saw her... and thats how I found myself.... Happy anniversary to us :)

Daily dose of Formula 1

190 Miles an hour would seem so slow enough on a Ferrari doing a 9th lap and the steep turn at Turn 6 with a low rise bump and if I was Schumacher, I would have  my toes crossed, my fingers crossed and even my lucky underwear on and Schumi takes that turn with ease as if he was driving an Airplane in open sky. Oh boy, that action was breath taking watching F1 season. But, ever wondered if Schumi gets to watch our very own local Auto Drivers in Hyderabad? He would sweat his german butt out and probably he never would want to touch a steering wheel ever in his lifetime! I am strangely convinced and pretty sure about that.

        This Auto, is no ordinary machine, not in Hyderabad. If you think so, you are completely wrong. It defies all laws of physics and gravity.  Its a Roller Coaster disguised as a Giant Wheel in a Dashing Car game  driven by a crazy wicked chimpanzee on the worlds most dangerous and chaotic roads  - Welcome to Hyderabad Auto Rickshaw Club. This club is no less than a Grand Prix Federation Internationale de Automobile (FIA) F1 championship. There are the actual owners of Autos who are like Force one, Ferrari owners. Track officials are our own Traffic cops, they just stand, watch and let go of all violations. Auto Rickshaw drivers just like F1 drivers, get Super Licences even at the age of 15 as they qualify to balance and transport and ferry down 8 people in a 3 seater auto, at 80 kmph in the most dense traffic with ease.

         There is such precision, engineering at its best on 3 wheels. Traction control, what class of aerodynamics, suspension, tyres, Pit at every bloody signal and yet zero violations. Every driver seems to go through intense roughest frustrating nights of their lives which they vent out by driving the 3 wheeler zig zag on the roads every god damn day on Hyderabad Roads. They float, they sail, they fly, they even do a wheelie, a stoppie, then they drive over on the side. Every stunt in the book gets coverd on a usual day. In this F1, one does not only get to watch the real time action, but also to be a part of it by sitting in the auto.

     There is no Qualifying, as long as you drive like a Maniac. You can drive everyday, not just on a weekend unlike the F1. no Race marshals, no Red Flag. When you get a lady sharing ur seat, you can stroll hanging on the laps of the driver himself while the DHIKCHIK LOUD conked music from a second hand old market Speaker beats the balls out of your intestine, you quietly enjoy the thrill of being a Hyderabadi.

Keep your insurance number in your speed dial before you get in. Because this mean chimp driving the beast 300 CC auto rickshaw has no need to follow any rule. He bows to no one but to his own behind. Make sure you also got your lucky underwear on if you want to live. If that thump is louder, or if the bump on the road twisted your pancreas, if the steep turn made u fall our of the window, if there are no seat belts, if the auto driver loots you for all ur money - Its hydbadi style!! hav a biryani, get some sleep..live to travel another day..

When I first landed in hyderabad in 2008, I paid Rs. 300 for about 14Km of travel. Not just that I was cheated but I also sat behind a stuntman and went through an adventurous experience of a lifetime.
Many also get looted on a daily basis by the Auto Rickshaw Mafia .
The real problem is us. We entertain the Paradox and inspite of all the danger, all the Hazard, all the pain, pressure, corruption, corrosion, contamination, all the torture, trouble, terror, tension, torment, tease we still adapt, we are so non assertive to the situations and we let all the wrong to be forced on us. I hope it all improves, we all learn from our mistakes and say NO to pay high prices unless the Autos fix a meter, say no to travel more than 3 people, use more public transport system, carpool and most importantly respect each other  - it is us who will always suffer. More than complaining, we should learn to act more.

I LOVE HYDERABAD. But its a Paradox place..
Here is what I mean

       Thank you all For Reading. Please help make Hyderabad a better place to live.
Please leave your comments here

regards
Maddy