Raaste pe hun Manzilon pe nahin !!!

Hi,

The tile is not only a phrase to me but has become a philosophy over the years. It started somewhere in 2004 when I was in Delhi and used to talk to my mates over phone, not so often as call were not so cheap, cells were not so common and I wasn't earning a single penny.

I have a lots of memories of land line telephonic conversations with friends. Some of the very interesting part of it were:-

1. We somehow knew it in advance that when we are calling to some close friend in how many rings he/she will pick up, if it exceeds it means somebody else will pick up.

2. We also knew miraculously that if someone is not at home right now, then where else he/she will be.

3. The most interesting part was that the phone at your place is ringing and without any caller ID , you know who is exactly calling you.

4. and not the least, you knew the numbers of your dear ones by heart.

Gone are the days !!! Those things can certainly not be felt with cell phones, which are more of a monitoring devices than Connecting ones.

Anyways Coming back to the topic, the cell phones brought a significant change in ice breaking question on a telephonic conversation. As soon as the person on the other side picks up 99% of the time the first question asked is " Kahaan par ho??" i.e. "Where are You?"

So it was a routine but new question to me when ever someone used to call me on my cell. Now when ever some close friend called up and asked the obvious "kahaan Ho", most of the time I used to be on the road walking somewhere, as I used to walk a lot those days. so I used to answer 'Raste par hun'. I think It was Neerav perhaps who couldn't hear me properly (another issue with cell phones) asked me to repeat and I said "Raaste par hun, Manzilon par nahin'. And suddenly we burst in to laughter. As many a times I & Neerav talk like that bringing some interesting phrases/ dialogues around.

So from then onwards whenever He called & asked "Kahaan Ho" I used to say this only that "Raaste par hun, Manzilon par Nahi" (and it was quite true in practical sense, after all I am in Mumbai now).

Some times I think this line has a lot more meaning in it. It is a fact when you are stuck in Mumbai traffic, almost every day that too attending most of your calls during that time and moreover philosophically too If I introspect It is the very fact word by word that "Main abhi bhi Raaste par hi hun, Manzilon par nahi."

Wish to receive a call someday, on cell phone, when I would be at the destination (Manzil), but I certainly do not want to reach such a destination where no phone call can disturb you, even in the busiest traffic jam.

It is more meaningful to be with someone who share the same path (Humsafar) than to reach at a destination which offers you solitude!!!

Luv

VT