For reference, do check the post: Reaching the destination (link added at the end)
The return was also crazy. The tickets were not confirmed and we didn’t get tatkal either. We now had to figure out realistic ways to reach Kanker and Narayanpur within a budget, in a very short specific period of time and we chose Coimbatore to Bangalore overnight and then a 26 hour ride to Raipur through Hyderabad. It was nice crossing through those very streets which I called home for a while and I was so impressed by it. We freshened up and boarded the bus. Crossing Hyderabad, we were excited to see the Birla temple, Lakdikapul and the huge gathering of people present at various sites on our way enjoying the lake of the food or just a light stroll.
I’m in the Kanker to Bhanupratap bus. I entered and sat at a window seat happy thinking I hit a jackpot, finding a seat at the window. But then came a drunk man who just shoved himself on the seat next to me, testing my patience with his liquor breadth. I thought I’ll give up the window seat, move a little towards the shaky back, where some aisle seats were still empty. But I stayed put. The guy next to me had spread his legs so much that I could get only 1/5th proportion of my total seat space. He was much bigger than me.
I tried to adjust and give a gentle push to his leg to move it back to his territory. He didn’t budge an inch. Just across us was another empty aisle seat, and I finally shifted. Within 2 minutes of the bus starting, he stared puking. He has pucked about 5 times by now and there is a reeling liquor smell around me as I head to Bhanu Pratappur. Then I’ll have to take the last bus of the day (2 pm) to Narayanpur and I’ll finally be home, after travelling 4400 kms by road and rail in 8 days.
The ordeal was still not over. The buses from Raipur to Narayanpur were running late and overcrowded because of the mela in Narayanpur. The bus came and it was already full. We started to get in like sheep are herded in a pen. The conductor started asking everyone their destination and straight up refused to those who wanted to travel to nearby villages. Only Antahgarh onwards were taken aboard. I got a place to stand a little slouched. Bracing the jerks due to extreme bad condition of the roads, I thought I could pull this off for another 4 hours.
To my horror, The bus stopped near Tadoki, 2 hours from Narayanpur, as there was a blockade in Narayanpur due to the mela crowd and the District Magistrate visit. We had to get down and wait near the road which crossed through a village. There was no bottled water but the lady at the shop was kind enough to give me borewell water which was such a respite in that momemnt. There were murmers that it’d take really long and some started to call their friends and family and some said there was a Dhaba nearby and left. After around 1.5 hours our bus finally started moving.
I reached Narayanpur at 9 pm and was left disappointed to see no autos. Thankfully I got a lift till half of the distance, the rest I walked and I was home at last.
This was a quite the humbling experience and a dive into the everyday but unsaid experience of a common Indian, barely surviving the daily chaos. There were times when we had the money but the transport service was not. But there were also times when in Tamil Nadu when we didn’t have the money but the state transport buses at cheap prices saved the day. Here I’m paying much more in an overcrowded seat that runs with any regulation or accountability.
Do you have chaotic travel stories that beat mine? Do share, but I think I will win!
Earlier post, added here
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