सागर की लहरों में डूबता संभलता ,

मैं सोचता था की कब आएगा किनारा

जब शांत किनारे पर बैठा तो लगा,

पीछे छोड़ आया मैं जीवन सारा

यूँ किनारे पर बैठना सपना नहीं था तेरा

लहरों की उछल कूद में , और तूफ़ान के साए में,
सचमुच ही बस्ता था तेरा बसेरा,

हूँ मैं एक मुसाफिर, जिसको बस चलते जाना है..

एक समुन्दर की लहर को छोड़ कर दूसरी में मिल जाना है......

ये कहानी है मेरी ज़िन्दगी की, जो अब जीने का बहाना है

रेतपर पड़े निशानों को पीछे छोड़ कर बस,

आगे ही आगे बढ़ते जाना है...

Chapter II

We were scheduled to leave on Saturday Night at 2 AM ( Sunday Early morning you can call it.. ) . Mummy, like all universal mothers, was getting emotional of having to let her "Aankhon ka Taara " go away and was cooking my favorites for past one week, Papa was busy making calculations for deposition of fee for institute, school, Rent for the PG, Books, list of necessary items and blah blah blah... My younger sis was pretending to be happy as she will get rid of me and she can live in peace and monopoly... And I was going through mixed feelings.. Was upset because I was leaving home for the first time ( Before that I had not even been to Mathura City Market alone ) and was happy too for the new financial INDEPENDENCE. Can spend all bucks on myself for things I always wished to have .. :)

Have packed my bags, too much of luggage including the bulky bedding. We reached station on time and enquired about our train Dehradun Express. It was on time ( the only time when it was punctual in 3 years of my stay in Kota). We boarded the train, arranged our luggage and went to sleep.

Next morning 7 30 AM, we were at Kota ... It seemed to be a nice city. Got out of the railway station and headed towards a new destination, Talwandi where my and Monu's dad had already booked a PG for us.

In about 40 mins, we reached our destination A 244, Bhatnagar House, Talwandi. We were greeted by an old couple Mr & Mrs Bhatnagar, our new caretakers. They showed us our room which was on first floor. It was basically their terrace which had two rooms with different entries,one bathroom and rest was a open space. I and Monu smiled at each other, as from that terrace ,the nearby terraces were clearly visible and thus provided a good source for NSP ( Nain Sukh Prapti ) . By evening we had even identified our targets for "Bird Watching " ;)

Someting more about our caretakers.. the Bhatnagar family. There were three other members besides Mr & Mrs Bhatnagar. Two sons and one daughter in law of theirs. Now, the Faux Pax we did here was very funny. We addressed Mr & Mrs Bhatnagar as Dadaji- Dadiji, The two sons as Bhaiyya and the daughter in law as Didi. They seemed really disturbed by this nomenclature but.. it continued till we lived there.. Dadaji-Dadiji-Bhaiyya and Didi... Bechare !!

In other room, that I mentioned on the terrace, there lived this guy Ankur Garg who was also studying in Bansal Classes, only difference being that we were in class XI and he was in the XIII ( Yes.. XIII is what they call for the batch after Twelfth Class ). In the neighbouring house, there was one more PG in which our another friend Ankit Goyal was staying ( He was not our friend that time but later on we turned out to be partners in crime).

More about Talwandi, it was one of the posh areas in Kota. Near to our PG was Modern School ( having the hottest girls studying there ). Even our School DAV was in Talwandi itself but it was not so green as Modern. There were few fast food outlets nearby and also plenty of students living around. All in all, we were definitely going to have a good time here. ( Abhi tak padhai ke baare mein humne kucch socha hi nahi... ;) .

Mine and Monu's father left a day after settling us in our new PG. They had completed all formalities in the institute and the school. Bought us necessary items , listed down some do's and dont's and bade us Adieu ...........

So.. How did our life turned up in Kota after they left ? Keep watching this space for the next Chapter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter I

So it started... Class X results were out and against expectations of all I was suddenly there in the toppers list... All of a sudden I became a GOOD BOY in my locality which otherwise kept telling my parents to keep a watch on me as I had a bad circle of friends.. This is our Society which keeps changing its views like the THALI KA BAINGAN ... KABHI IDHAR KABHI UDHAR !!

After results it was time to think NOW WHAT ?? Taste of Success is really addicting. I never wanted to go for Medical Side ( I hated Biology as much it hated me... ) So only option was PCM and ultimately Engineering. So, I started taking opinions of GOOD SENIORS of mine and I was convinced that only IITs would serve to the purpose. So that was IT !! Further research and set of opinions made me understood that my next destination should be a good coaching institute where I can learn the tricks and methods to be an IITian. Delhi was a good choice given that I had got admission opportunity to DPS RKP but suddenly... Mere PAAPI dimaag ne bola " Tere lakshan acche nahi hain... Delhi gaya to watt lag jaayegi teri !! " So.. I moved on to the next best option KOTA, A small dry city in Rajasthan which is very famous now but in those days there were only two or three institutes.

There was an entrance exam for Bansal Classes in which around 4000 students appeared for 300 seats. I was not aware how tough it was as I was one of the TOPPERS of my place but... There I was competing with another 3999 toppers... Phir kya.. Wahi hua jo Hona tha ... Pappu pass NAHI hua....

Anyways.. I was very heartbroken at this failure ( and imagine there was no daaru to support you when your spirits were down... SIGH !!! ) . I started going to tutions and School in Mathura only. Suddenly one day, I got a news that there is going to be second round of admissions for Bansal Classes... I told Monu ( who by the way hates being called Monu in Public but dude.. Cant help it.. ABHISHEK is too long to type everytime I discuss about you... ). We both filled the forms , appeared for exams and came out with... wait.. not exactly flying colours but yes.. We got through ............. DONO PAPPU PAAS HO GAYE !!!

Now it was time to pack our bags and head to kota for a new life!!

Will come back with how we reached Kota and our Spicy start to a new beginning in....

Chapter II !!!

New Life !!

So... Here it is. I have come a long way now and today when I look back I cherish the memories time has given to me in all these years. Will turn 27 in two months from now. Its been 11 years when I left home to join a coaching class in Kota for IIT JEE. Dont exactly remember how was I alive before that. Lots of dreams in my eyes when I left for Kota. And I wonder some times... Life has been good to me. To all people who know me, have been a part of my journey for 11 years, in and out of difficult times... I just want to say.. THANK YOU !! I will always cherish your memories like jewel in the crown. For those who dont know me or have missed some part of the action from my life , get ready for a journey back to the Best Times !!

Watch out this space friends..... WIll soon return with Chapter I of the Journey called Life !!