Goli No 18... Nagesh and me ..... vasai cha pool..

........year 1975......dombivili.......a smalltown.......still a village on the fringes........ metamorphosing in to a town.............vasai-dombivili- railway bridge was under construction............90 % of work was completed........vasai was on western railway edge.........dombivili on central railway edge ...... this bridge connected western railway to central railway.......passing thru so many villages on the fringes of Mumbai around the creek.......

nagesh 12 yrs.....our land lords grandson.......... bold... courageous........ adventurous........my guru.......i was 10 then.........nagesh introduced me to vasai bridge........on the edge of diva creek.........25 ft above ground level ........ single line rail track........ goods train running on trial basis...... three times a day........ we would chase the slow moving goods train every evening and jump into the open wagons …….. la …. Sholay ishtyle……… and play jai …. Veeru in the moving goods train …………

There was a sweet spot........... Dangerous spot ..... a place where....... vasai-dombivili- railway line ..... crossed the thane dombivili central line railway track....... with four tracks of suburban both fast and slow trains running below...... the fifth track was for goods train....... Nagesh & I ..... one evening were sitting on the bridge above tracks ....... in banyan and half chaddis ...... legs dangling 25 feet above ground level...... looking at the trains criss-crossing below ........ counting bogeys …..

Suddenly we saw a goods train...... open wagons filled with 'waalloo' (sand)...... moving at snails pace on the fifth track ....... Nagesh looked at me with excitement ...... he shouted. "Dan ta…..dan..... Venkyaa, chal udhi maru yaa...... sholay sarka...... he shouted gabbar mein aaraha hoon .....meaning.... let us jump..... from 25 feet.... into the moving goods wagon below....... filled with sand....... before i could realise ....... he jumped filmy style ...... I could actually see him frame by frame going down .......

he landed on his hands and legs on the waalu (sand) in the goods train ....... slowly the train picked up speed ........ but i saw nagesh motionless...... lying on the waaloo..... I didn't knew what to do..... i was shell shocked ....... whether to jump ....... which was impossible for me ...... or to call for help ....... and then i saw ...... nagesh moving ...... in the wagon ...... he stood up and started waving his hands towards me ......

I climbed down the bridge and ran towards the track ....... behind the goods train ...... in a few moments ....... i saw nagesh limping on the tracks ...... but his face was radiating with success, joy and happiness ......... I gave him a shoulder ....... his shoulder and wrists were writhing in pain ..... but nagesh was still smiling ...... my hero had grown .... by a few inches in my heart ....... my respect for him increased .....

the next few days ...... i saw nagesh limping with a sprained leg and a fractured hand ..... asking me ....... to accompany him to vasai-dombivili bridge .......... I and nagesh spent many evenings ....... on the bridge ..... with the sun setting on the creek ....... and the trains passing below us ...... remembering the great leap ........

Goli No 17...... Nagesh and me...... Happy Diwali

I was a Seven Year old………………..staying in Dombivali……………. In 1973 Dombivali was a sleepy little town…………far away from Maddening crowds of Big Mumbai ………..A Small Suburb………….lots of trees………..old wells………….ponds……….a small village……….. trying to metamorphosing into …………. big town

…………..ours was a ground plus one Bungalow…………….landlords were a Big Maharashtrian joint family staying on 1st Floor ………. We Tenants resided on the ground floor ………… lots of Trees Ashoka …. Coconut ……….. Jamun …….. Peru …………SitaPhal …………. Mango……… etc …. and lots of colorful Flower Plants… All colour Roses………. Gulmohur………… shoe flower……Hibiscus…….. Jasmine…... Mogra…… A tiny Tulsi at the Entrance………

Nagesh was the landlord’s grandson………a year older than me……fair ………. Brown Hair …….. sharp features ………. Resembled Junior Gavaskar ………. he was Bold …… courageous and adventurous ………. he was the guru ………and I was his chela …… whole day I would ball for him under arm and he would bat………

My father was very strict……….and had a good temper………I was always afraid of him…….. once during diwali………on the first day………Nagesh asked me to spend the night in his terrace………so that we could get up early and start Diwali fireworks ………… reluctantly though my mother agreed………without informing my father

………Around 12 in the night Nagesh and I sneaked in to the neighboring Gogte Kaka’s ………. Bungalow……. a hot tempered……..… Six feet plus……… Scowl faced……. Mean eyes………. ever ready to scream at Kids…….. and always wearing……White Banyan………. Pajamas………. Nagesh's family had a bhaandan with him just two months back……and we wanted to get even………

We carried some Sutli bombs……Nagesh would light the Sutli bombs………threw into Gogte's Balcony………….and we would hide in the bushes outside the gate………. Gogte Kaka …………. came out after the Second Bomb exploded ………… screamed Kon ………. ahey ……… *@## $##@……… Samor yaa………. I was shivering in the Bushes…………lots of Mosquito’s were biting …………… But I didn’t move …………. Nagesh was smiling

……After “Gogte Kaka” went inside……….Nagesh and I slipped into his Backyard……This time we threw the Bomb………through his Kitchen window…………and ran out…………climbed a tree in his compound and waited……….”Gogte Kaka” was Mad……….He came with a Torch…….this time his wife and kids along with him ……….. He went into the Bushes ……….. near his kitchen ………..

I was trembling with fear……… Nagesh lit a Bomb and threw on his terrace ………..Gogte Kaka rushed to the terrace screaming & shouting @##$...... followed by his wife ……… I froze ……….. couldn’t move out of fear ………… Nagesh was Gutsy ………… This time he carried a ladi in his hand ……… lit it and left it on his front door ………………… and ran out thru the main gate ………… I got down fast and followed him ...... we hid in the bushes outside his gate .......

Suddenly somebody grabbed my shoulders…………..and then Nagesh’s Neck ………. He was a strong man in khakhi uniforms ………… he was a havaldar on night patrole ......…… I was terrified ………trembling with fear …… It was like a lion who had a goat by the neck…….…He took us to down the road ……… 5 minutes of walking ....... I trembled ........ after we entered the police station......... They asked us about our parents ....... I knew what will hapen to me....... if my father came to know about me being in a police station.......

I started crying ...... Nagesh didn't drop a shed of tear ...... The havaldar .... threatened that he will put us in a lock-up ...... we saw some drunkards ...... and gaudily dressed females ........ I even saw the lock-up room ....... I had visions of me and Nagesh behind bars........ in a filmy style....... the inespector asked me and nagesh to do.......... hundred Uthak baithak's ....... by the time the clock struck Four Gongs of Ding Dong …………. Ding Dong

I knew my father will get up ....... Nagesh and me appologised ........... after hundred baithaks ....... the havaldar saw me trembling ......... sympathised and let us go ............. I and Nagesh ran straight home..........

I reached home…..Mother had meanwhile got up………..was puting rangoli ………… I took …………. oil Bath…………Got into new Dress ………… lit some crackers with my Dad and Sister’s………………went to the Temple……..on our way back ………with some Diwali faral ……. we visited our neighbours………….

I was reluctant ……….. But amma insisted ……………as I went in and sat Gogte Kaka wished every body Happy Diwali ………….. and offered Diwali Faral…………….to every body…………..I didn’t touch it …………. My Mother asked me to take ……….. my favourite Karanji ………. Gogte Kaka smiled at me and said…………happy Diwali………. with a twinkle in his eyes..... I thought may be ....... he knew........ about the crackers..........

Diwali ended....... but the next few nights I sweated with fear ……… that will the havaldar come home and expose me to my father ………….. though it never happened ……. even now after thirty five years...... as I hear the diwali crackers bursting ………some where in my subconscious mind ………. I can still see very clearly Nagesh and me at the police station ....... doing our Uthak Bhaithaks...............

I saw many more Diwali's ....... but this Diwali night ........ in Dombivili police station is the most memorable......... Diwali ..........

Goli No 11...Jersey girl ..... connects with saharanpur boy

..... Waking up at 8 am.... i saw jersey girl, my five year old niece from New Jerseyl...... sitting next to me and smiling......... she said..... Good morning Venky........ bai was surprised to see a five year old calling me venky......... I was amused........I saw my father in law……. Having tea…….. wanted to introduce jersey girl to my father in law…….. she wanted to know his name first……. I said ‘thatha’……. She said name…… I said balakrishanan…….. She said good morning ‘balu’…… balu muttered….. ‘New jersey….. New generation’……

Door bell rang……. Nandu phoolwalla delivering his daily quota of garlands……. Nandu from SAHARANPUR…. U.P…… 14 year old….. Trying to help his father…. In flower business…… by delivering it in our colony…….. Also attending municipal school in the afternoons……

As soon as jersey girl saw me….. conversing with Nandu….. she wanted to know…. I said shreya….. this is Nandu…… from U.P…… and then looking at Nandu…… I said ‘shreya se milo….. yeh amrika se hein’……

I asked U.P boy & Jersey girl some questions……. To get them conversing…….. jersey girl in English…… and Nandu in hindi……

As they were conversing…… with out any connection….. Nandu said ‘tom and jerry’……. Shreya’s eyes lit up….. she said…… ‘I love Jerry……. He is soooo cute….. Tom is baaa…..dd……. Nandu said…… ‘Chuhaa...... Billi...... ka chor police........ Billi bahut budbukh….. their tom and jerry conversations continued with a lot of animation….. and jersey connected with U.P……

I intervened…… asked jersey now…… what does she eat in America…… she said lots of burgers……. Pizza’s…… Nandu retorted ‘Kya budgad ……. kya gudbad…… babu our cook prompted…….. ‘Arrey nandu...….. burgar boley toh…… Amrika....... ka ..... Vada Pav..……

This time U.P got excited….. ‘Jab se mumbai aaya...... hoon…… bada pav hi kha raha hoon..…… bohut sasta..….. bohut accha ..…… bhookh mitha tha hein......

I asked jersey girl……has she heard about vada pav…… she drew a blank look……. U.P screamed….. ‘Arrey bada pav pooray indiyaa mein mashoor hein............

I asked U.P boy has he seen India….. ‘Arrey poora indiyaa......... ghoom aya........ basti......... gounda........ illahabad..….. jaunpur........azamgadh..….. benaras..…… poora..... Indiyaa ghoom aya hoon'……

I said…… ‘Arrey yeh toh U.P hoowah'…… nandu said…… wohi toh….. 'Saheb U.P...... toh Indiyaa hein'…….. I stopped my vada pav murmurings…. Thought getting into wrong areas……

Goli No 9...Vada pav cheers up..... mourning family

Cousin from jersey had arrived.... with hubby..... and a five year old daughter.... father in laws death..... mourning......

after a lot of discussion with my mother.... day... tithi.... rahu kalam.... i reached thane in a rick.... from mulund check naka.... vrindavan society...... for "DUKHAM".... condolence......
Wifey.... warned me no vada pav talks.... ... got a sms...... No Vada Pav talks.... remember mourning......

As I entered the house....... saw a group of people sitting around.... sangeeta & sethu..... Cousin and her husband.... asking time..... date..... How it happened....... serious faces......tearful eyes....... atmosphere looked gloomy..... very silent....... people talking in hushed tones...... dim lit rooms....
Sethu introduced me to his cousin.... from Hyderabad.... sriram.....he said cognizant....... I said fast food..... he asked what fast food......

Remembered wife's warning..... sethu elaborated...... vada pav...... suddenly faces turned around.... the silence was broken..... Somebody said...... "They had seen ratan tata...... narayana murthy..... on ndtv.... with a vada pav entrepreneur...... heard Goli Vada Pav.......

sethu's other cousin prompted....... arrey...... hyderabad mein toh ek vada pav na hona............ hum to tarastey hein vada pav ko............... mumbai airport sein seedha utharney ko............... aur ek vada pav wallah khojay.................. aur thane pohunchnay se pehley do teen vada pav kha liyaa.......

It started with a small vada pav murmurings........... Went to discussions....... then debates...... few laughter’s......... it looked more like a bazaar....... silence was broken...... now it was commotion....
sethu's mother came out...... she had just lost her husband.......... i was totally embarrassed.......... looked apologetically towards sethu and sangeetha.........

I went into the other room to sit with sethu's mother.......... she had pain in her eyes......... her voice choked...... she tried to be normal....... but couldn't...... she had just lost her companion of 50 years........

Sethu asked....... did she recognize me?......... she couldn't........ he then said Goli........ she retorted..... “Ayy ayyo....... Vada Pav Dhane.......”....... with a smile....... we all laughed........ as i left.... we came to the main room..... Vada Pav discussion was still on........ lot of noise...... lot of laughter..........

Sethu summarized.......... Vada pav cheers up..... mourning family...........

Goli No 8...Prosperity….. Patriotism…. Vada Pav……

........ 26th January… Republic day of India…… wifey warning me…. "Today no …. vada pav talks …….. focus on..... daughters …. Republic day celebrations….at school"

..... hurried into my white churidar kurta….. and saw wifey and daughter in white churidar and kurta’s….. She reminded me of Lalitaji of Surf fame…..

Outside the school… saw thousands of parents…. Childrens…. Teachers….. all in white salwar kurtas and sari’s….. Tiranga dupatta’s and blouses….tiranga bangles.... tiranga bindis...... thought we had arrived at a Yash chopra…. Karan Johar set….

....... huge trailers decorated….. with patriotic slogans…. Images of Mahatma Gandhi….. Mother Teresa…… Loud drums belting out …… “Hum Hindustani”……. “Vande Mataram”……. “Meri Desh ki Dharati…..

...... Luxury cars…. Decorated… with flowers...... ribbons....... balloons…. Painted with patriotic sentiments…. . and tiranga’s…..

Young Indians in white …. .. face painted with tricolour…… screaming 'jai hind'…. It looked like a carnival….. with thousands of parents….. teachers….. and children….. of schools bringing patriotism to the streets of Mumbai…..

In all these humdrum of republic day........... It seemed that I had forgotten…..

And “Aila…. What do I see……. Vada Pav....…..

......Thousands of people..... dressed in white..... with tiranga painted..... in some form or the other.... celeberating republic day......... with..... VADA PAV....... looked at my wifey and smiled...... but she was engrossed munching into her Vada pav......

........ Returning back home….. My heart was swollen with pride........... summarizing the days events.... I thought

...... Prosperity…. Patriotism … and vada pav’s.....

........ my car braked with a screech....... as the traffic lights turned red….. a stream of urchins…. Rushed to my window….. with poverty written all over their faces….. with tiranga’s in their hand…. As they fought with each other to gain my attention…. heard these words……

"Saheb...... Jhanda Le Lo...... Bhook Lagi Hein...... Vada Pav Khana Hein".........

......choked….. stammered…. Stopped my car...... got some vada pav's....... for my fellow ........ brothers and sisters of India..... went back home with a heavy heart…. Thinking ……

.....Poverty….. Patriotism…. And Vada Pav……

Goli No 6..."Simple Infosys…… Eats Humble Vada Pav”

I met Rohini Nilekani at the Summit after her Panel debate session….. as I mentioned Goli Vada Pav… she said she was hungry… “Do you have Goli Vada Pav’s here?”…. as I nodded… she said “let’s go… “

Before I knew she was walking with me…. Asking a lot of questions….. On Vada Pav’s… how it is made…. Where it is made…. How it is fried….. Health…. calories… etc….

But as she digged into the vada pav……. She said “Venky, when is Goli vada pav coming to Bangalore?” …. During those 10 minutes of Vada Pav murmurings…. Rohini Nilekani never gave me the feeling that I was talking to the wife of Nandan Nilekani founder member, M.D CEO of Infosys….. India’s biggest IT name…..

Infact her simplicity…..Curiosity……… Humility…… enthusiasm……. Made me feel as if I was talking to any teenager from Mumbai eating vada pav on the pavements of Mumbai…..


A few minutes later…. I saw Nandan Nilekani amongst a huge crowd…. Surrounded by people….. Press….… A simple briefcase in one hand….. And Goli Vada Pav in the other hand….. A scene straight out side any Mumbai railway station…. Where you try to dodge the crowd with a briefcase in one hand …. And somehow manage to lay your hands on a vada pav…..

And as I saw Nandan biting into the vada pav…. I Summarised……

“Simple Infosys…… Eats Humble Vada Pav”