ETUNAGARAM TOUR

ETUNAGARAM TOUR

Written by: -

Arindam Sain

Episode: - 01

Bibhuti: - Anna, these people want to go to St. Mary Ann College.

Auto driver: - Yes, I will leave them, but, I will take 25 bucks.

Arindam: - Ok, no problem.

Prady: - Bye Bibhuti. I will call you at your mobile phone after I reach there.

Bibhuti: - Yeah, yeah, ok. Best of luck to both of you. Bye.

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Arindam: - Your younger brother is really expert in cooking chicken curry. I never expected that I will be able to eat the Bengali style chicken curry in Chennai and that too in your younger brother’s house. People of Chennai do not eat chicken or mutton at all, especially the Tamil Brahmins.

Prady: - for your kind information, all men in our family are expert in cooking. You have a wrong perception that Tamil Brahmins don’t eat Chicken or mutton. Nowadays, the Tamil Brahmins are more non-vegetarians than the Tamil non-Brahmins, he he he…

Arindam: - Is Bibhuti, your own younger brother?

Prady: - No, he is the son of my uncle.

Arindam: - What is he doing in Chennai? He is working in HCL Technologies, that is fine, but he should have tried to take posting at other cities. Chennai is too hot and it is also a very boring city except that Marina Beach.

Prady: - Yeah, he is trying his level best. Recently, he has cleared two rounds of interview in L&T InfoTech. There is a chance that he will also crack the final HR Interview round. If he gets the job in L&T InfoTech, then his posting will be in Mumbai. At least the climate of Mumbai is not as hot as of Chennai.

Auto driver: - Sir, we have reached St. Mary Ann College.

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Prady: - My goodness, I never expected that so many candidates are interested to give this competitive examination.

Arindam: - Oops, I am also feeling the same. We thought that there will be few candidates appearing for the written exam of ‘Management Trainee’ post in IDBI Bank. It’s a total loss, boss. IDBI Bank has not allotted any examination seat in Hyderabad. So, we have come a long way to Chennai to appear for the written exam. We wasted money, time and energy, and now we are feeling frustrated by seeing so much competitors. Also, we are not so well prepared to attempt even 70% of the questions within the time of 2 hours.

Prady: - Anyway, let us give the written exam. My seat is in Block-A only. See you after the exam.

***********************

Prady: - Hey, how was your exam?

Arindam: - As usual, it is just satisfactory. There was negative marking. So, I attempted only 95 questions out of 200. Within those 95 questions, maybe, 8 questions will go wrong. So, there is a chance that I will get 85 out of 200, which is just above the pass percentage of 40%.

Prady: - Yeah, I have also followed the same strategy. I attempted 110 questions. Let’s hope for the best. Boss, I am feeling too much stressed out at my job and also feeling frustrated by appearing in these written competitive exams. I am yet to crack in any written competitive examination till now.

Arindam: - Arrey, don’t be so frustrated. We can go for a tour to Kawal forest, after returning to Hyderabad. That tour will decrease our stress and frustration.

Prady: - ok, done. We will surely plan a jungle tour. But, now, we need to go to Chennai Railway station. In the opposite side of that station, there are many booking counters for A/C & Non-A/C Volvo Buses.

Episode: - 02

Travel Agent: - Yes, Sir, tell me, where you people want to go?

Prady: - We want to go to Hyderabad. We want Non – A/C Volvo seats only.

Travel Agent: - Ok, for two people, you have to give 1000 bucks, that is 500 bucks each. The bus will start from here at 6.30 PM.

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Arindam: - Ha ha ha…the name of this travel agency is ‘Bengal travels’ and they are doing business in Chennai.

Travel Agent: - Sir, the bus has come. Please board the bus.

Prady: - Hmm…the condition of the Non- A/C Volvo buses of Bengal Travels are much better than that of Shameem Travels of Secunderabad.

********************

Arindam: - The Volvo driver is an expert one. He is speeding through the highway. I am feeling hungry, boss. It is already 9.30 PM.

Prady: - Don’t worry, they will stop at a roadside dhaba for half an hour. There we will have Rumaali Roti and Egg Tadka curry. The engine of this bus is very good. At least, it is not like that Volvo of Shameem Travels. It took around 16 hours for that bus to reach Chennai from Hyderabad.

Arindam: - I was also feeling very uncomfortable while seeing that Telugu film of Manoj Babu, which they were playing in the VCD player inside the bus. The actor, who has done the role of villain in opposite to Manoj Babu in that film, won the National Award for the film ‘Kanchivaram’.

Prady: - Sorry, boss. I am not interested in these South Indian films. The bus has reached the dhaba. Let us get down and have our dinner.

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Arindam: - Hey, just close the window. I am feeling cold now. Oho! Already, it is 4.45 AM. Babah, when I fell asleep inside the bus, I don’t know.

Prady: - Hey, just look out of the window. Can you recognize that backwater lake?

Arindam: - Oh! Yes, this is Nagarjuna Sagar only. Baapre, in this month of February 2009, it is very cold in this Nagarjuna forest area. Why the bus has stopped here?

Prady: - Oh! They have stopped in front of a restaurant. Come on; let us have some tea and snacks here.

Arindam: - Hmm…we are standing in front of a highway restaurant of Nagarjuna forest. Everywhere, I can see dense forests only. This forest must be the paradise for tigers.

Prady: - Yeah, there is no doubt about that. The vegetation of this Nagarjuna forest is very much suited for leopards and tigers. Wait; let me ask that tea-stall owner. Hello, bhaiya, is it proper Nagarjuna forest or is it the outskirts?

Tea Stall Owner: - Can you see that range on that side? From there, the range of core Nagarjuna forest area starts.

Prady: - How many Royal Bengal Tigers are there in this Nagarjuna forest?

Tea Stall Owner: - At least 56 are there? The forest department officials do not dare to enter the core area of Nagarjuna forest for performing the exact counting of royal Bengal tigers and leopards.

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Bus Conductor: - No sir, this Volvo will not go to Punjagutta or Paradise. Kacheguda is the last stoppage for this Volvo. You have to get down here only and take another bus to reach Anand Theater. Or, you can get down at Mehdipatnam, as this bus needs some repairing in the garage of that area.

Arindam: - Ok. Hey, Prady. Let us get down at Mehdipatnam and board the bus no. 45.

Episode: - 03

Naboneet: - Ei, tum ki korta hain?

Arindam: - Kya korega…khaali varendaa bajaata hain…

Naboneet: - Baccha was saying that you and Prady went to Chennai? For what purpose, you went there?

Arindam: - Oh! We went there to give a written exam of IDBI Bank. Accha, listen. We are planning to go for a tour to Kawal forest or maybe to Bandipur-Madhumalai forest. Are you interested to go? Bubun is not willing to go. Baccha is not sure about that. Subharaj is never fond of travelling. Sarkar toh sarkar hain…dance pe chance maarta hain. I and Prady are ready to go to Kawal and we are looking for some more guys.

Naboneet: - What is Saptarshi saying? Is he going to the tour? By the way, just a month back, you people came back from the Vizag Tour. Again, you are planning for a big tour?

Soumesh: - Yeah, I was also telling them that thing only. Boss, already, after the scam confession by Ramalinga Raju, our professional career in this Satyam Computer is at stake. Already, we have spent around 4000 bucks in the Vizag Tour. Give a gap of 2-3 months. We will go for a big tour again in the May month of 2009. That’s a surety.

Baccha: - I was ready to go with you people to the Kawal forest tour, but, alas, the CFO of Satyam Computer has been changed. All the FICs are under the scanner of Income Tax officers. As a net result, all the pressures are mounting on the Management Trainees of the Finance Department in this company. Even, I may have to work on weekend also. So, at this juncture, I cannot go for a tour.

Prady: - Then, Arindam, I think, we can go for a small tour.

Baccha: - If you really want to go for a tour for 2-3 days and that too for refreshing your mind, then you can try out Etunagaram forest. I have already forwarded an email about that to Prady.

Prady: - Yeah, I have seen that email. Ok, Arindam, then both of us can go for Etunagaram forest tour. We need to go to Warangal by train. From Warangal, we need to plan, how to reach that forest? Even, we can plan for a night camp at that forest to spot some animals.

Arindam: - Ok, not an issue. Tomorrow, we will go to the Secunderabad station to buy the train tickets to Warangal. This Friday is a holiday. We will start our journey on Thursday. Friday and Saturday, we will tour the entire Etunagaram forest and then we will come back in Secunderabad on Sunday.

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Prady: - Tickets are available only for this Link-Express. The tickets of 2^nd Sleeper class of Godavari Express Train are not available at all. All the trains are after 10 PM. What to do?

Arindam: - Ok, then let me buy the ticket of this Link-Express only. By the way, what is this Link Express?

Prady: - I have no idea, but it will go to Warangal. I am sure about that. I have taken the train schedule from the internet for this Link- Express.

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Arindam: - Yeah, we have got confirmed tickets. Our Coach number is S-11.

Episode: - 04

Arindam: - We will reach Warangal at midnight. So, it is better to have our dinner before boarding the train. We can have chicken biriyani at Alpha Restaurant. We will order one plate and divide it in equal parts. That will be more than enough.

Prady: - No, no, we are going for a tour. Biriyani may prove to a very heavy dinner for us. Let us do one thing. We will order one plate Kadai Chicken curry and 4 Tandoori rotis. That will be cheaper as well as a decent dinner for both of us.

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Arindam: - Yeah, yeah, this is that train. Let us board at it.

Prady: - Oho! There are so many passengers in this compartment.

Arindam: - Actually, this is S-6. We have to go to S-11. Luckily, we have boarded the train in time. If we had reached the platform just 4 minutes later, we would have missed this train.

Prady: - Ok, let us sit in this S-6 compartment now. After 2-3 stations, when some passengers will get down, then we will walk towards S-11.

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Ticket Checker: - Ticket, Sir. May I see your ticket please?

A Train Passenger of S-6 compartment: - Yeah, sure. Here it is.

Arindam: - Hey, Prady, the Ticket Checker has come. Let us now start walking towards S-11.

Prady: - Yeah, yeah, ok.

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Prady: - Strange! There is no compartment after S-10. The door is closed at the end of this S-10 compartment, whereas, in our ticket, the seat number is for S-11.

Arindam: - Wait, wait, maybe, there is something wrong in this train. The train number printed on this train and in our ticket is the same only. There is some confusion regarding the coach number.

Ticket Checker: - Hello, Sir. Can I see your ticket, please?

Arindam: - Here it is.

Ticket Checker: - Oho! You have boarded the wrong train. The link –express is coming after this train only. This is Godavari Express only. Link Express will come after that. Just get down from this train and board the next train, which is coming.

Prady: - How is it possible?

Ticket Checker: - I am not in a mood to argue with you people. Either you give me 500 bucks as fine or get down from this train. Yeah, this train has reached Kazipet Junction. Just get down here.

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Arindam: - Very funny case, indeed. We boarded the right train, but there was no S-11 coach. Strange!

Prady: - I think that we should meet the Station Master of this Kazipet Jn. Station. Hey coolie, can you tell me, where is the station master’s room?

Coolie: - Yes, Sir. It is in that platform. The name of the Station master is V K Joseph.

Prady: - Thanks a lot. Come on, let us go there.

Episode: - 05

Joseph: - Yeah, yeah, you boarded the right train, only. This is the ticket for link-express only. But, why you got down from that train?

Prady: - the Ticket Checker told us that there is no S-11 in this train, so, we got down.

Joseph:- no, no, maybe, that ticket checker is not aware of the fact that another three coaches, that is S-11, S-12 and S-13 has been linked with that Godavari Express, that is why, it has been named as Link-Express. Those three coaches will get de-linked from Godavari Express at the next junction, to reach other destination. After getting down from the train, you could have checked whether there are any other coaches after S-10 or not. Why you have not boarded on the S-11 coach at Secunderabad station?

Arindam: - Actually, we reached at 10.01 PM at the platform. We hardly had time to check the coaches. We just boarded on the coach, which was near to us. We boarded on S-6 and kept walking, but, got stuck on S-10 only.

Joseph: - Hmm…you people are all educated people. If you such passengers will do such blunders, then what will illiterate passengers do?

Prady: - Excuse me! What has education to do in this case? The Ticket Checker of your Railway Department is also an educated fellow. Then, why, he was unaware of the fact that another three coaches are linked with that Godavari Express.

Joseph: - Ok, ok, don’t criticize us. Yeah, I appreciate that it was the fault of our Ticket Checker. Now, how can I help you? Tell me?

Arindam: - You just give a signature on this ticket by stating that we can travel in any train to reach Warangal with this ticket.

Joseph: - No, that is not possible.

Arindam:- Then, give back the money for this ticket. Cut the money for our journey from Secunderabad to Kazipet and then return the remaining money to us, immediately.

Joseph: - Arrey, boss, why you are talking so rudely to me? Give me some time to assess the situation. Hey, Venkat, can you please check the record of this ticket in our computer terminal. Do one thing; change the travelling status of this ticket from Secunderabad to Kazipet and refund the ticket money from Kazipet to Warangal to them.

Venkat: - the status will be changed in the terminal, Sir. But, they will not get the return money immediately. First of all, they have to submit their ticket in this platform with a written document that they have travelled from Secunderabad to Kazipet only and submitting their ticket to Kazipet platform to get some refund. Also, they have to mention their name and address. The refundable money will be sent to their residential address only after 60 days.

Prady: - Dhaath…we will get our money back after 60 days and that too, we have to submit the ticket now. That means; we need to again buy another ticket to travel from Kazipet to Warangal. It’s a total loss, boss.

Arindam: - Ok, Mr. Joseph. Thanks for your support. We don’t want our money back. We will sort it out ourselves.

Joseph: - Ok, Sir, as you wish. Have a happy journey to Warangal. Bye.

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Coolie: - Kya Saabji, you are taking unnecessary tensions. There was no point in wasting your energy by quarrelling with the Station Master. After 15 minutes, there will be another Godavari express arriving at that platform. Just wait there and board on the General Compartment. Believe me Sir, at midnight; no Ticket Checker dares to check the ticket, because 70% of Godavari Express General Compartment daily passengers travel without ticket. If a ticket checker enters that general compartment, he will be beaten up. It has happened in the past also. So, just travel in the general compartment.

Prady: - Arindam, we have no other options. We have to do that only.

Arindam: - Ok, then, let us wait for the Godavari Express in that platform only.

Episode: - 06

Arindam: - I can see so many Bihari and Jharkhandi at the other platform waiting for a train.

Prady: - Yeah, there is an announcement of a train which is coming from Bangalore and will reach Patna tomorrow morning. After this train, our Godavari Express will arrive at this platform.

Arindam: - Bihar is too far from this place.

Prady: - No, this route is the shortest one to reach Bihar. The Bangalore-Patna Express will just enter Chhattisgarh, a little portion of Orissa border areas and then enters Jharkhand. Now, it is 1.30 AM. These Bihari passengers will reach Bihar tomorrow at 7 AM or 8 AM only.

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Arindam: - Hey, Godavari Express is coming. Let us board it.

Prady: - Baapre baap…the general compartment is so unhygienic. Look at these passengers. For how many days, they have not bathed, I really wonder?

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…after all, this is general compartment, not the sleeper class. But, at least, it is in a better condition than the general compartments of the trains, which runs through Bihar, Jharkhand and UP rail tracks.

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Prady: - Uff, at last, we have reached Warangal. To travel a short distance from Secunderabad to Warangal, there are so many dramas. We don’t know what more are in store for us?

Arindam: - Wait, I have to withdraw some money from my account. Thank god, at least, outside this Warangal Railway station, there is a SBI ATM Center.

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Arindam: - We need to find a lodge now. It is already 2.45 AM now. Only Auto Drivers can provide us the information about lodges.

Prady: - Bhaiya, is there any lodge here? We don’t want any expensive lodge, just a standard one.

Auto Driver: - Ok, ok, just sit inside my auto. I will take you to a lodge.

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Auto Driver: - Sir, this is Ashok Lodge. You will get a room here.

Arindam: - You could have told us about this lodge at that time only. It is hardly 5 minutes walking distance from the station. There was no need to sit inside your auto. I will give you only 15 bucks. Take it.

Auto Driver: - No, Sir. There are no rooms available in any other lodge. The owner of Ashok Lodge is my friend. That’s why; they will provide you a lodge. Give me 5 bucks extra for that reason, Sir.

Prady: - Ei, Arindam, give him extra 5 bucks.

Arindam: - Ok, take it and go.

********************

Lodge Owner: - Both of you are coming from Hyderabad? Ok. But, for what reason you have come to Warangal, sir?

Prady: - To tour Etunagaram forest. Why? Hey, boss, you are asking too much question. We are writing all the details about us, in your register copy. So, don’t take unnecessary tension.

Lodge Owner: - No, actually, at this odd hour, no tourists check-in to our lodge, that’s why, I am asking some questions. Please don’t mind. For 2 days, the rent for a double bedroom is 550 bucks, and you have to give another 500 bucks as deposit. After checking out from the room, you will get that money. It is refundable.

Arindam: - Ok, not an issue. Just send two bottles of drinking water in our room. That will be enough for tonight.

Episode: - 07

Lodge Owner: - Good morning, Sir.

Arindam: - Good morning.

Prady: - Boss, I need some information from you. Tell us, how can we reach Etunagaram forest from Warangal?

Lodge Owner: - Sir, if you want to hire a private car from Warangal market, then it will cost around 500 bucks.

Arindam: - No, no, tell us about some other alternatives, which will be cheaper than this.

Lodge Owner: - Ride on any share-auto from Warangal market and get down at Munna Road. From Munna Road, you will get the buses for Etunagaram forest. After every half an hour, there is an APSRTC Express Bus for Etunagaram forest.

Prady: - How far is this Warangal market from this Ashok Lodge?

Lodge Owner: - It is very near, Sir. Hardly, 5 minutes walking distance.

Arindam: - Ok, thanks. Please don’t mind. We are keeping the keys of our room no. 123 with us only.

Lodge Owner: - Ok, Sir, as you wish.

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Arindam: - Accha, before going to Warangal market, we need to go to the Warangal Railway station. We need to buy the return tickets to Secunderabad today only; otherwise, we may face a similar problem again.

Prady: - But, this time, make sure that you don’t buy the tickets of any link-express.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…not at all.

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Arindam: - Uff, at least, this time we have got the sleeper class ticket of Godavari Express. The train is on this Sunday at 1.30 PM.

Prady: - Well, that’s good. But, I am feeling very hungry now. We should have some breakfast at Warangal market.

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Arindam: - The taste of this tea is really good. They have prepared the tea by mixing buffalo’s milk in it.

Prady: - That’s why, it is so tasty and also having a peculiar smell. The biscuits are also good. These are local biscuits but its taste is like the ‘Krackjack’ biscuit.

Arindam: - Hmm…thoda meetha thoda namkeen. Come on, it’s already 10.15 AM. We need to take an auto.

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Prady: - Bhaiya, is this auto going to Munna Road bus stand, where we will get the bus for Etunagaram forest?

Auto driver: - Yes, Sir. Just get in.

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Arindam: - Have you noticed one thing? This Warangal town looks like a village only. Hardly, I can see any hi-fi buildings in this town. There are lots of SMEs in this town. There are hardly any residential complexes in this town. I don’t know, whether there are any big offices in this town or not.

Prady: - People of Warangal are very poor. You cannot compare the people of Warangal with that of Hyderabad.

Auto driver: - How can you expect the people of Warangal to be rich, unless the Andhra Pradesh government takes some initiative to provide development in this town. Not a single Andhra Chief Minister has ever done anything for Warangal. They made Hyderabad a superb city, but Warangal is still in a very poor condition. We have reached Munna Road, Sir. You have to cross this road and from that bus stop at that right hand side lane, you will get the bus for Etunagaram forest.

Episode: - 08

Arindam: - from here, will we get the buses for Etunagaram forest?

A Passenger of Munna Road Bus Stand: - Yes, Sir. Now, it is 10.40 AM. At 10.45 AM, there is a bus for Etunagaram.

Arindam: - Thanks for the information.

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Bus Conductor: - Etunagaram! Etunagaram…

Prady: - Is it going to Etunagaram?

Bus Conductor: - Yes, Sir.

Arindam: - Hey, come on…babah…there are too many passengers inside this bus.

Bus Conductor: - Sir, just go at the back. Three passengers sitting on the back-seat will get down after 3 stoppages.

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Arindam: - Uff, after standing for half an hour, we have got the chance to sit on the back-seat.

Prady: - He he he…this is an Express Bus; all the stoppages are at least at a gap of 4 Km.

Bus Conductor: - Chappandi, Sir.

Arindam: - Two tickets for Etunagaram. How much is it?

Bus Conductor: - 80 bucks, sir.

Prady: - Babah…how long it takes to reach Etunagaram from Munna Road?

Bus Conductor: - It is around 1 hour 50 minutes, Sir. But, don’t worry; our bus is going at an average speed of 65 Km per hour. So, we will reach there in 1 hour 45 minutes only.

Arindam: - Yeah, yeah, that we can feel. The bus is going at such a pace that we are just jumping up by at least 6 inches from our back-seat, for all the road-bumps. Do you have change for 500 bucks?

Bus Conductor: - Yes, Sir, not a problem. Give me that 500 bucks, I will give you the change.

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Prady: - Dhaath…the old man sitting beside me is fond of sleeping. He is always keeping his head on my shoulder in his sleepy mode.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…Daddu likes your strong shoulder. Majority of the passengers inside this bus are in the age bracket of 50 to 60 years. All of them are wearing white Kurta or Punjabi and white dhoti or lungi and having some baskets or pootli with them. Therefore, it proves that farming is the only occupation for the people of this region. Unlike the regions of Hyderabad or its outskirts, the soil of this Warangal region is much more fertile.

Prady: - Uff, this daddu will get down now. Thank god, baapre baap…he was using my shoulder as his sweet pillow.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…we are lucky that these passengers don’t understand Bengali language. So, we can say whatever we feel like to them, but they will understand nothing, ha ha ha…

Prady: - but, these passengers are staring at us, when we are conversing with each other in Bengali language. They are giving such a surprise look that as if they are seeing some aliens, he he he…

Arindam:- I really doubt whether any Bengali tourist have ever visited this region before or not, because, both of us just started this tour without any prior planning or detailed knowledge about this region.

Prady: - The more you plan beforehand, the more your tour becomes boring and unorganized. But, if you start a journey without any prior plan, it becomes an adventure and that thrilling effect makes your tour exciting.

Episode: - 09

Bus Conductor: - Sir, this bus will stop here in this stoppage for 10 minutes. You can freshen yourself here. We will take another 1 hour to reach Etunagaram.

Prady: - ok. Sure.

Arindam: - Hmm…they have stopped the bus at the right time. Nature is calling me very strongly. I need to search for a Sulabh Complex.

Prady: - This is not Kolkata, that everywhere there will be a Sulabh Complex. Find the appropriate bushes and release all the pressures of your urinary blood on it. Don’t expect any ‘Pay & Use’ toilet in this village bus stop.

Arindam: - Ok, I will do the needful. In the meanwhile, you just buy two half-litre bottles of Thums-Up and two packets of Kurkure. I am feeling thirsty in this heat.

Prady: - Ok, ok, I will buy those.

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Prady: - There are so many beautiful sceneries, I can see outside this window. I should have bought a digital camera before coming for this tour. I am missing a camera in this tour. The sad part is that we will have no pictures of this tour.

Arindam: - Yeah, yeah, that’s true. We are missing a camera.

Prady: - Accha, Baccha went with you at the Mobile Store of Secunderabad to buy your new mobile handset, right?

Arindam: - Hmm…it was a rainy day of August 2008. The roads were waterlogged. But, still, we went to different shops to buy this mobile handset. It is now out of market. After bargaining, I bought this handset at 3750 bucks. This model is of Samsung only. The model name is J210. I bought another extra 2 MB memory chip for 300 bucks. So, in total, my expense was 4050 bucks.

Prady: - It also has a camera with it. I can see the lens in your mobile handset.

Arindam: - Yeah, this handset can be used as camera also, but I have never used it. I am yet to read the manuals. The shop-owner of the mobile store was saying that it has a camera of 2 mega pixels.

Prady: - Hey dude, it is more than enough for this tour. Give me the handset. Let me click some pictures.

Arindam: - Hmm…I have never clicked any picture with this mobile handset. Ok, try it. If the picture quality is good, then I will use this mobile handset to click all the valuable moments of this tour.

Prady: - Wow, this mobile handset is not bad. You should not underestimate the quality of 2 Mega Pixels camera. The picture quality is good. Look here, I have just clicked the photo of that hillock from this window. The photo is really looking good.

Arindam: - Hey look there, there are so many sheep grazing on the fields. My goodness, I have never seen such a big flock of sheep in my life. At least, 1000 sheep are grazing together.

Prady: - It was just a sample. Now, look in this field. There are several sheep. I think that a major percentage of sheep get supplied to major cities or towns of Andhra Pradesh from this region only. The climate of this region is very well suited to do Sheep breeding. Basically, what we eat as mutton in the big restaurants of Hyderabad or Secunderabad are nothing, but the meat of these sheep only. The Goat’s meat or Khashi meat is regarded as mutton only in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

Arindam: - Arrey, this bus has stopped here in this stoppage. This is a market place of this village. Look at that Co-operative society office. Outside that office, they have kept so many sacks, filled with rice. They have kept those rice sacks (Chaaler basta) outside only, under the Sun. If it rains heavily, all the rice will become rotten. Can’t they keep these rice sacks inside a granary house, with proper roofs?

Prady: - Aah…this is Andhra Pradesh, not West Bengal. Here, rainfall occurs hardly once in a year and that too in the month of August or September. In the remaining months, there are no risks at all. That’s why; they have kept all the rice sacks outside only.

Episode: - 10

Prady: - Boss, is this region a Maoist or Naxalite area?

Arindam: - Why? Suddenly, why are you asking this question?

Prady: - Our bus is entering the Palasam village. Here, I can see a CRPF camp and a white-color painted tower of around 15 feet height. Look there, a CRPF Jawan is sitting inside that tower with a big gun.

Arindam: - No, no, maybe he is a guard of this forest department. I think that we are about to enter the region of Etunagaram forest. Wait; let me ask this passenger about it. Accha, how far is Etunagaram from this place?

Bus Passenger: - Oh! We have reached Palasam…hmm…just after this stoppage only, the Etunagaram forest area starts.

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Prady: - Yes, this passenger was right. Now, our bus is travelling through a narrow road inside a dense forest. On both sides of the road, the jungle is very dense and dangerous too.

Arindam: - Look at the bus driver. He is looking at the right window and at the left window continuously. Is he scared of something? He has slowed down the speed of the bus.

Prady: - He is looking here and there to make sure that no animals of this forest are going to pass this main road at this moment. If he speeds up the bus, then there may be a chance that an animal, which is going to cross the road, will die in a road accident. Look at this signboard. My goodness, there is a picture of a leopard. I can’t read, what is written in Telugu language on the signboard.

Arindam: - I think that we need to ask these passengers about the Etunagaram forest office.

Prady: - I think that we have to get down at this check-post.

Arindam: - Wait, wait, let me ask this passenger. Is it the Etunagaram forest office?

Bus Passenger: - Where you people want to get down?

Prady: - Etunagaram Bus stop only.

Bus Passenger: - Then just relax and be seated. The last stoppage of this bus is Etunagaram bus stand only.

*************************

Arindam: - We have reached the Etunagaram Bus Stand. Let us get down.

Prady: - Wait, I need to ask a local person here about the Etunagaram Forest office. Accha, can you tell me, where is the Etunagaram forest office? We need to meet the forest officer of this Etunagaram forest.

Local Villager: - Sir, can you see that man, wearing a khaki colored outfit and sitting in front of the ticket counter. His name is Chiran. He is the bus starter of this Etunagaram bus stand. Go and ask him. He can help you with the information.

************************

Chiran: - You want to go to Etunagaram forest office? You people want to meet the forest officer? Who are you people? Where from are you coming? For what purpose, you want to meet the forest officer?

Prady: - We have come here for a tour.

Chiran: - Tour in Etunagaram forest? Are you joking? What is there to see in this Etunagaram forest?

Prady: - In the Internet, I have read that a jeep-safari is conducted for the tourists from this Etunagaram forest department. Also, the facilities of night camps are there.

Chiran: - Those safaris were conducted five years back. But, after some major accidents and other problems, the Etunagaram forest department has stopped the jeep-safari and night camping for the tourists. Nowadays, you can hardly spot any animal. The numbers of animals are decreasing drastically in this Etunagaram forest.

Episode: - 11

Chiran: - by the way, what is your name?

Prady: - My name is Prady.

Chiran: - Have you taken your lunch?

Prady: - No, we are planning to have it.

Chiran: - Take lunch at that restaurant. Then, you can visit a botanical garden in the nearby village. After visiting that garden; go back to your home. Don’t spend too much time in this forest, where humans are more dangerous than the wild animals.

Arindam: - What? What does that mean?

Chiran: - What is your name?

Arindam: - I am Arindam. But, what were you trying to say, just now?

Chiran: - Come with me. Have your lunch in this restaurant and then I will take you to that botanical garden. Both of you are vegetarian or non-vegetarian? You people are talking among yourselves in some other language? You people are not locals of Andhra?

Arindam: - We are Bengalis. We eat almost every meat, unlike the Andhra people. Now, stop asking questions and tell me, in which restaurant of this Etunagaram bus stand, we will get the Chicken rice.

Chiran: - Sir, you will get it in this restaurant only. I am waiting outside. You people just go and have your lunch.

********************

Arindam: - Ei, How much is Chicken Rice?

Restaurant Owner: - It is 55 bucks only. The dish contains Plain rice, Dal, Sabji curry and 8 pieces chicken with gravy.

Prady: - Fantastic…We never expected this dish, at least, in this poor Etunagaram village. Serve the dishes as early as possible. We are feeling very hungry.

Restaurant Owner: - Sure Sir. Hey, chotu… table No. 3 mein doh chicken curry ka plate lagao, jaldi.

********************

Arindam: - Yummy….the taste of these chicken pieces is awesome, boss. At least, in Hyderabad, I have never eaten this type of delicious chicken curry.

Prady: - Do you know what are you eating? You are not eating the meat of poultry chicken.

Arindam: - Yeah, I know, it’s a desi chicken. I have eaten a lot of these meats in our village house at Kakdwip. The meat of desi chicken is tastier than that of poultry chicken.

Prady: - Boss, this is not the desi chicken, this is the forest chicken (Bon- Murgi), a slightly different breed than that of ordinary desi chicken.

Arindam: - Now, what is that slight difference between a desi chicken and a forest chicken? As per my knowledge, both are same, boss.

Prady: - No, not at all. Anyway, there is no point in arguing with you. You will keep on arguing till you win that argument by any means. So, better eat this tasty chicken as early as possible. We need to go to the forest office.

Arindam: - but, what to do about this stinky and irritating character, Chiran? He is sitting outside, waiting for us. Let us do one thing. Just don’t talk to him. After our lunch, we will straightaway go to that auto-stand and ask them to take us to the Etunagaram forest office. Just try to pretend in front of Chiran as if you have never ever talked with him. He is oiling us to earn some money from us.

*******************

Chiran: - Hello sir…Hello…

Arindam: - Don’t even look at him also. Let us have some pan from this shop. Dekha, apne aap…Chiran chup ho gaya saala…as we are not giving any response to his calls. Hey, boss, doh meetha pan banao…nariyel aur saufh mat daalna.

Pan Shop owner: - Ok, Sir.

Episode: - 12

Prady: - Baah…paan ta kintu khasha baniyeche….

Pan Shop Owner: - Sir, you people are talking among yourselves in which language?

Prady: - We are talking in Bengali. Why?

Pan Shop Owner: - Oho! You people are also the Bengali Dada like Saurav Ganguly.

Arindam: - See the fun…Our Saurav Ganguly is also famous in this part of Andhra Pradesh. That’s really sounds great. Accha, can you tell me, where is the Etunagaram forest office?

Pan Shop Owner: - Sir, I think that you have crossed that stoppage, while travelling in the bus. While coming in the bus, have you noticed any check-post? The forest office is on the right side of that check-post only. Take an auto to reach there.

*************************

Arindam: - Ei, roko, roko, yehi peh roko… kitna lega?

Auto driver: - 12 bucks, Sir.

*************************

Prady: - So, this is the forest office. We would have got down here only. We have wasted lots of time.

Arindam: - Arrey, this forest office is closed. No one is where. Bhaiye, yeh office bandh kyon hain?

Check Post Guard: - I cannot say, but, yes, you can talk to the caretaker of this office. He is sitting on that bench, under the tree.

************************

Prady: - Namaskar. We are coming from Warangal to tour the Etunagaram forest. We want to meet the forest officer of this Etunagaram forest.

Caretaker: - Aha…you people could have come in the early morning. At this time, it is very hard to spot any animal in this jungle. It is already 2.45 PM now. Anyway, all the forest officials are having a meeting today at the forest bunglow. The forest bunglow is just at a distance of 3 Km from here. You have to go there only.

***********************

Bus Conductor: - Chappandi, Sir.

Arindam: - Two tickets to forest bunglow from this check post. Jab forest bunglow ka stoppage aayega…humko jaaara bol dena…

Bus Conductor: - Jee saab…just give me 12 bucks.

**********************

Shivaji: - Yeah, I am the forest officer. My name is Shivaji Rao. Tell me, how can I help you?

Prady: - We have come here for a jeep-safari. Is there any provision for night camps?

Shivaji: - Wait, wait, let me have your introduction.

Prady: - I am Prady. I work in March Consultancy and he is Arindam. He works in Satyam Computers. We have come here for a tour.

Balaji: - Satyam? You work in Satyam Computers? Oh! My God! Are they still paying salaries to their employees or they have started giving pink slips to all the employees. My niece joined Satyam Computers 5 months back. Now, she has been told to look for other jobs. This Raju garu has done so much corruption, baapre baap!

Shivaji: - He he he…well let me introduce him to you people. He is the Assistant Forest Officer of this forest. His name is Balaji Komaragiri.

Episode: - 13

Shivaji: - See, jeep-safari is allowed to the forest officials only and night camping has been banned now, because, 3 years back, a leopard attacked two tourists inside the night camp. Leopards are more dangerous in this forest than the Royal Bengal Tigers. Anyway, let me see, what I can do for you people. After all, you people have come a long way from Hyderabad to tour our forest. It’s a pleasure for us.

Arindam: - What are these small cottages, all about? There are so many designs on its walls. The roofs are painted in a very stylish fashion. Also, inside, the cots are very well decorated.

Balaji: - Sir, these are forest bunglows. We are constructing at least 6 new forest bunglows in this area. Earlier, there were no forest bunglows in this jungle. Night-camping is very dangerous. We were also not finding any suitable place inside the forest to construct the forest bunglows.

Shivaji: - Yeah, locating a good spot was a very challenging task. Then, we selected this area, near the main road, which will be well suited for the tourists. Also, the numbers of wild animals are very less in this region of the forest.

Prady: - How do you know that wild animals are less in this region of the forest?

Shivaji: - Oh! That we can understand. The tribal people and the forest security guards are always alert about that. Based on their alertness report, we have prepared a map of Etunagaram forest, where we have given several colors. The Green colored regions in the Etunagaram forest map depicts that all the wild animals roam around those regions only.

Prady: - I have also heard that in the dense forests of Etunagaram, there are many ayurvedic herbs, which are yet to be used for preparing Ayurvedic medicines.

Balaji: - Yeah, you are right, Sir. But, neither Andhra Pradesh government nor Central government has taken any step to expose those areas. We even made a proposal to start a project to use those ayurvedic herbs for preparing herbal medicines, but, somehow, the local medicine factory owners didn’t responded well. Basically, before starting a project on ayurvedic herbs in this forest, the state government wants a detailed feasibility analysis report. But, we don’t know, whom to approach to do a feasibility study.

Prady: - Our Company is in the Research and Development as well as in Consultancy only. You can take down the contact number of my boss. If you want to do a feasibility study, then surely you can contact him.

Shivaji: - Do you people have any Business Card?

Prady: - I don’t have any business card.

Arindam: - Yeah, I have mine. Just take it.

Shivaji: - Ok, sit here for another 15 minutes, Sir. We will surely arrange a safari for you people.

**************************

Arindam: - So, you have got one new client for your company.

Prady: - I was just oiling this person. He was also bluffing about the Ayurvedic herbs in this jungle and so was I…he he he…after all, we are MBA graduates….but; you have just done a blunder. Who told you to give him your business card?

Arindam: - Babah…ooti bhakti chor er lokhyon…He was giving too much response to us, because he feared that we may have come here as any Central Government official to investigate something. I was observing the eyes of both the forest officers. They were somewhat tensed. First of all, we are only two in number. Our dresses are also like the government officers only. You are wearing a Khaki T-shirt and grey colored pant. I am wearing a Green military type T-shirt with a Khakhi colored pant. Both of us are aggressive and dominating all the way. Somehow, they are confused about our real identity. They are yet to believe that two tourists have come to tour this deadly jungle. That’s why; I intentionally gave him my business card. The contact numbers of my office desk is written in that business card. Now, both Shivaji and Balaji will try to contact in that Satyam Computers’ Info City office number, to find out whether I really work there or not. After having the confirmation, their tensions will be reduced and they will give us the permit to do safari in this jungle. Of course, I appreciate your buttering policy in this case. You are expert in controlling any forest officer, he he he….Now, Shivaji is coming towards us, in his forest jeep.

Episode: - 14

Shivaji: - Sir, you cannot spot any animal while going in a jeep safari. These two forest guides will accompany you. You can enter inside this jungle by foot only. He is Bhiku and he is Narayan. They will take you inside the forest. Just go with them.

**********************

Prady: - This Narayan is a very smart guide. He talks less but is very sharp. But, this Bhiku is a perfect Maal-Kesto (Idiotic Drunkard). Look at the way he talks. He is drunk at this stage. The smell of the local alcoholic drink is coming out from his mouth.

Arindam: - Hey, boss, in which direction we need to go?

Narayan: - It’s better to take an auto from here. The point from where we will enter the jungle, is just 3 Km away from this place.

Prady: - Thik hain…toh phir ek auto ke liye idhaar wait kartey hain…

Narayan: - Nahi Saab…I need to go to the Etunagaram Bus stand to hire an auto.

Bhiku: - Give us 1 rubbali, Sir….

Arindam: - I think that he is asking for 10 bucks…Wait, I am giving that to him.

Bhiku: - No Sir, 1 rubbali means 100 bucks. 100 bucks for hiring the auto and you need to give another 100 bucks to us as the guide-charge.

Prady: - Ok, take these 100 bucks now and hire the auto as early as possible.

Bhiku:- Hey Narayan…Just go quickly to the Etunagaram Bus stand to hire an auto and come back here in that hired auto only. Sir, he will come back within 20 minutes. Till then, just sit inside that roadside garage of Khan Chacha.

**********************

Khan Chacha: - Oh! So you people have come from Warangal…good good…generally, people don’t come to tour this forest.

Arindam: - Why is this truck standing in front of your garage? It is blocking a portion of the bus road.

Khan Chacha: - Just 5 minutes ago, the front tyres of this truck got punctured. Don’t worry; there is enough space for a bus to pass through that remaining portion of the road. Hey, how long will you take to repair the tyres of your truck?

Truck Driver: - arrey, Khan Chacha…two front tyres are punctured. It will take time. There are some other problems also in the engine of this truck.

**********************

Narayan: - Come on, sir. Get inside the auto. Hey, Raaka, now, start the auto.

Prady: - Oh! The name of the auto driver is Raaka…he he he…pooro dakaat der naam…

********************

Bhiku: - Raaka, stop the auto here. Sir, we will enter the jungle from this point only. Give another 100 bucks, sir.

Arindam: - Ok, take it. Chalo bhaya...we have given you the amount which you demanded. Later, don’t ask for any money.

Bhiku: - Hey, Raaka…keep these 200 bucks with you, as we are entering jungle. Just wait here inside the auto. We will come out of the jungle within 1 hour. After coming out, I will take back the 100 bucks from you.

Raaka: - If I have to wait for more than 1 hour here, then I will charge more money, because, if I would have done my duty in Etunagaram Auto stand, then at least, I would have got 4 to and fro trips.

Narayan: - Don’t worry, we will come back within 40 minutes. Now, it is 3.35 PM.

Episode: - 15

Prady: - Hey, boss, don’t make any noise, otherwise, we cannot spot any animal.

Narayan: - Sir, at this time, all the animals becomes thirsty after having their lunch. So, it is better if we start tracking the footprints of the animals from the right side of this jungle. Come to the right side, Sir.

Arindam: - Hey, where is this small muddy path going? I can see a culvert, which has been broken intentionally. Below the culvert, a small stream of water is flowing. Is it a dried-out river?

Narayan: - Sir, this muddy path leads to a tribal village in the dense jungle. Better don’t ask anymore question about this muddy path. This is our secret path. Come to the left side now. Don’t follow that muddy path. It will take you to a village only. You have come here to spot the animals in the jungle, right?

Prady: - Kichu ekta garbarh achey…tor proshno suney hotath oi bhabhe react korchey kano…beshi ei sab gopon raastar byapare prashno korishna…je dike niye jacche…just follow kar.

Arindam: - Hmm….ok….accha, you didn’t tell me what is the name of this stream.

Bhiku: - This is just one of the distributaries of Godavari River. It remains dried for most of the times in a year. That’s why; it is looking like a small stream of water. We will keep walking along this stream to track all the footprints of animals. Look here, it is the footprint of a bison. A herd of it has just passed from here. Come, come, quietly. Look here again; it is the footprint of a deer.

Narayan: - Come to this side, Sir. This is the fresh footprint of a wild boar.

Prady: - Dhaath….all the animals are roaming nearby, but they are hiding themselves inside the dense bushes, because this Bhiku is shouting at the top of his voice intentionally. Hey, Bhiku, please don’t shout yaar. Otherwise, we cannot see any animal.

Bhiku: - Narayan, yeh dono hee pagal hain kya…awaaz naahi karoonga toh kab kaun sa animal peechey se attack kar dega pataa bhi nahi chalega…

Narayan: - Hsssh…Bhiku…something is there inside that bush. Sir, come here…don’t make sound….

Prady: - Arindam, keep your mobile camera ready…We have spotted something inside that bush...Oh! It’s a bison hiding there. Good, at least, we have seen one animal.

Bhiku: - Sir, this is the footprint of Kira …kira….

Arindam: - Kira…what kind of animal is that?

Prady: - Are you talking about long-horned wild goats or about jungle deer? What is he trying to say, I can’t understand. Maybe, Bhiku doesn’t know the English term of the animal ‘Kira’.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…I have found something inside this jungle. Look at it; this is the lower jaw of an animal.

Narayan: - Sir, this is the jaw of a bison of this forest. Maybe, here it has been hunted by tigers very brutally. Look there, those are the grayish and white colored bones of this hunted bison.

Arindam: - Hey, Prady, I will hold this jaw of bison like a weapon, just click my photo.

Prady: - Ha ha ha…what a photo it is? You are looking like a modern Lord Krishna, with the Sun’s rays at the background.

Bhiku: - Look there, Sir. There is a monkey family on that tree.

Arindam: - dhaath…monkey toh raastey mein hee dekhne ko milta hain…

Narayan: - Sir, just come here…can you recognize this footprint? Just guess it.

Arindam: - Baapre, I have never seen such a big footprint of any animal.

Prady: - Hmm…it is the footprint of a Royal Bengal Tigress.

Narayan: - You are correct, Sir. Just click its photo.

Arindam: - Babah, is there any difference between the footprint of a Royal Bengal Tiger and that of a Tigress?

Episode: - 16

Narayan: - This is the footprint of a wild bear. That is the footprint of a bison.

Prady: - Boss, we are not able to see any animal. We are tracking the fresh footprints of wild animals only.

Bhiku: - Sir, we don’t have any rifles or weapons. If the wild animals attack us, we can do nothing at all. At least, I and Narayan can climb the trees as we are bare-footed, but both of you cannot, as you don’t have that practice and also you people are wearing shoes.

Narayan: - Anyway, let us take some mild risk. Come to this left side, without making any sound. This is the beginning of the dense forest area. Be alert while walking. There are some black spiders in the trees which are dangerous. Also, there are some leaves, which will give you an itching effect, once you touch those. So, walk slowly.

Prady: - Hey, Arindam…don’t put your feet on the dried leaves, while walking. It is producing some sound.

Arindam: - Yeah, yeah, I am trying my level best. I should have bought Woodlands company shoes, before coming to this jungle.

Prady: - Ssssh….don’t talk. Both Bhiku and Narayan have just freeze together. They are standing where they are and not making sound. They are looking at each other. From the eastern side of this forest, a monkey is giving an alarm call. Some danger is ahead of us.

Bhiku:- Amla…amla…hoye hoye…amla…Narayan…are you feeling hungry…Sir, look at the top of this tree, there is an amla…

Arindam: - Amla, what is that? Oh! Accha, they are talking about that Amlaki only.

Bhiku: - Wait…let me throw some stones to get that amla.

Arindam: - Why Bhiku is suddenly shouting at the top of his voice? Is he seeing Amla for the first time in his life?

Bhiku: - Yeah, we have got the Amla. Just take a bite of it, Sir. You will like it. The Amla of this forest is very tasty and good for health.

Narayan: - Hey Bhiku…are you feeling the pressure? Come on, let us urinate here. Sir, if you want to urinate, you can do that here only.

Prady: - I do not at all understand what they are trying to do. Why they are always looking at that eastern point of the forest, I don’t know. See, they are constantly looking at that point. Something is there. Hey, what are you people looking at?

Narayan: - Let us make some deadly sound….hooye….heeioo….hoooo….heeya...huurrh….heyiooo…

Bhiku: - Narayan, are you getting any smell now. Take a deep breath and confirm it.

Narayan: - No, it is not coming now. It has moved from its old position. It is already 5.15 now. After half an hour, it will be the hunting time for tigers, so, Sir; it is feasible to move towards the bus road.

Prady: - But, what was there in that position? Where it has moved?

Bhiku: - Come forward, Sir. We will show you, what was there? Can you see these marks on this sandy soil?

Prady: - My goodness, a leopard was sitting here. This is the footprint of leopard and also there are fresh signs of his body, which proves that it was sitting here just 5 minutes ago.

Narayan: - Yes, you are right. We live in this jungle. We know all the peculiar smells of all wild animals. I smelled the leopard. That’s why; we just stood still at that point. Then, Bhiku started yelling intentionally. Both of us urinated intentionally, because any wild animal, especially tigers know the smell of human urine. The moment the leopard got the smell of human urine, it shifted from its position.

Arindam: - Wow, we humans are smarter than leopards.

Bhiku: - No Sir. A leopard is the smartest animal. It will shift from its position to avoid confrontation with humans, but side by side, will also track the humans from their backside to pounce on them at anytime. That’s why; we didn’t take the risk to go more deep into the jungle. What is the guarantee that this leopard is not monitoring us? So, better, we should get out of this jungle now. The monkey gave the alarm call at the right time to signal all the forest animals that a leopard has come out of its den for hunting purpose.

Episode:-17

Balaji: - Sir, just now, a monkey has given an alarm call from the northern point, sir.

Shivaji: - What are you saying? That means; the leopard has again come out near the bus road. Arrey, these two boys went inside the jungle with Bhiku and Narayan. Did they came out or still touring inside the forest. Balaji, just send our forest guards to that entry point of the jungle immediately.

*********************

Prady: - Oh! Now, I understand why there is a sign board at this roadside, with the picture of a leopard? See there, we came out of this jungle from this path to the bus road. While coming by bus, I saw this signboard only. I was unable to read it, as it is written in Telugu. But, I think that it is the signboard, which states that a leopard always comes out of the jungle to the bus road from this path only.

Arindam: - Look there, a forest jeep is coming towards us, with 4 forest guards sitting inside it.

*********************

Forest Guard 01:- Hey Bhiku, why you took so much time to come out of the jungle with these tourists? We heard an alarm call of a monkey. Was there a leopard in this point sometimes ago?

Bhiku: - Yes, it was sitting there only. Luckily, it moved from here, otherwise, it would have hunted any one of us.

Forest Guard 02:- Don’t wait in this area anymore. Just get inside the Raaka’s auto and drop these tourists at the forest bunglow bus stop. We will patrol in this area for some time. If the leopard comes out again, we will tranquilize it with our special rifle.

Bhiku: - Sir, please get inside the auto.

Forest Guard 04:- These tourists are lucky that they are still alive. I know this guy with Green T-shirt. One of my friends has the .PDF file of ‘Vizag Tour’ story written by him.

Forest Guard 03:- Surely, God always favors the brave-hearted. Zaroor bhgwan ke saath iska koi connection hain…otherwise, why that leopard not hunted them? They were only at an 8 meters distance from that man-eater leopard.

***********************

Raaka: - No, no, I waited for you people in that road for an extra one hour. I will keep 150 bucks with me. Take these 50 bucks only.

Bhiku: - This is not fair, Raaka. Sir, Raaka gave us just 50 bucks. He kept all the 150 bucks with him. He has gone now with his auto.

Prady: - So, what can I do? Go and take another 50 bucks from him at the Etunagaram Auto Stand.

Narayan: - They have their own Auto Union, sir. If I go and quarrel with Raaka about the money, then maybe, their union people will start beating me. Sir, please give another 100 bucks to us. If we divide these 50 bucks among ourselves, then both Narayan and I will get only 25 bucks.

Prady: - Sorry, boss, we cannot give you more than this. You demanded 200 bucks, we have given that. That’s all. What Raaka has done with you is none of our headache?

Khan Chacha: - Hey Bhiku, is this the way to behave with the tourists? For you such hooligans, not a single tourist comes for a tour in this forest.

Narayan: - Khan Chacha, please don’t interfere in between, otherwise, we will take special care of your garage.

Khan Chacha: - Goonda gardi ke ilaabha tum logon ko aur aata hee kya hain…Sir, don’t argue with these people. Just now, a bus for Munna Road has passed from here. So, better you board on that truck. Hey, truck driver, can you give these people a lift?

Truck Driver: - Sure, sure, why not? I have repaired all the tyres by now.

Episode: - 18

Bhiku: - Hey truck driver, if you start the engine, then we will not allow you to enter in this area anymore in the future. We will just kill you. Sir, just give us 100 bucks, otherwise, we will not leave you.

Arindam: - Ei, have you gone crazy or what? You are out bursting all your frustrations about Raaka on us. What can we do? Driver ji, please start the engine.

Narayan: - Hoye…truck driver…agar jaan pyaari hain toh, truck start mat karna…

Arindam: - Arrey, ei dujon toh ajab paglachoda maairi…100 takar janyo khamka bawaal suru koreche…

Prady: - Telgir baccha gulo saala sab erokom ee… dhymnaami chara aar jeeboney kichui sekheni…

Arindam: - Ei, Bhiku, you are now creating a bad impression of yourself. The forest officers gave you a responsibility to take care of us, the tourists, and in spite of doing that, you are behaving like a street hooligan. Will I complain about you to the forest officer, just now?

Bhiku: - Yes, go and complain to the forest officer. Sir, this is our forest. Forest officer listens to our words only.

Prady: - Haan…haan…jungle taa toh or baaper kina…he he he…saala ajob udh-gundu…he he he…

Arindam: - I think that we should get down from the truck now to go and complain about them to the forest officer. They will take strict actions against Bhiku and Narayan.

Prady: - Are you mad or what? This is a forest and these tribal people rule here. If you go and complain against them to the forest officer, nothing will go in our favor. The forest officer will say, ‘You people are earning so much salary, so, what is 100 bucks for you people, almost nothing. Therefore, just give the 100 bucks to these people’. As a net result, 100 bucks will go and also, we have to wait in this jungle for another 45 minutes to get the next bus to Munna Road of Warangal.

Arindam: - Hey Bhiku, I don’t have any money in my purse. There is no ATM center here. Sorry, then I cannot give you money.

Bhiku: - If you don’t have money, then give me your golden wrist watch.

Truck Driver: - Sir, either you resolve the dispute here only or get down from this truck. I am getting late now. I need to deliver these goods within this evening only.

Arindam: - Ki kora jaaye bol dekhini…yeh saala gulo jaah suru koreche… jano baaper jonmey 100 taka dekheni.

Prady: - diye deh…bekaar jhamela baariye laabh nei…akey deri hoye jacche..tarpor abar eta jungle…jekhaney baagher bhoy, sekhanei taratari sandhye hoy…

Arindam:- Hey, Bhiku, just take this 100 bucks and go to hell…saala Bhikari kahi kaa…chal foth...saala dhymanar baccha…hyaraamjyaada…

Prady: - Ha ha ha…ki khillibaaji khishti….he he he…you could have given him your golden wrist watch instead of 100 bucks.

Arindam: - My wrist watch is of golden color, but not of gold. I am wearing this wrist watch since class XII. There are some assets, which you never want to give it to anyone, because there are so many sweet memories associated with it. You cannot buy those assets by money.

Truck Driver: - Saab, the way you people behaved with Bhiku and Narayan was the appropriate one. They deserve that kind of treatment only. You will be stunned to know that these tribal people forcefully take money from the truck drivers of this area to run their communist party. These tribal people just become street dogs when they are hungry and take up guns in their hand to rob the rich people.

Prady: - Arindam, you are a good boy, that’s why, you were tolerating their misbehaviors. I would have given them a tight slap on their face, if they would have done that misbehavior with me.

Arindam: - You cannot light a matchstick while standing on a coal-field. This is a naxalite area, and the naxals are anti-socials by birth and blood. So, there is no point in fighting with the street dogs. The street dogs will automatically die like street dogs only.

Episode: - 19

Truck Driver: - Shit…Today is one of my worst days.

Arindam: - Why? What happened?

Truck Driver: - Now, one of the rear tyres of my truck has got punctured. Anyway, Sir, you have to get down at Palasam village, because I have to change the tyre. You will get bus for Munna Road from that Palasam bus stand only.

**********************

Prady: - Hey, the bus is coming. Let us board on it.

Arindam: - Let us sit at the back-seat. No one is there at the back-seat.

Prady: - Baapre…the bus is travelling at a speed of 80 Km per hour or what? Look outside the window, you can feel at how much speed we are travelling.

Arindam: - This speed is nothing. Have you ever travelled in Rocket bus, which goes to Digha or Siliguri from Esplanade? That bus even travels at the speed of 105 Km per hour on the highway at midnight.

Prady: - Rocket bus is a classic bus, but this bus is just an ordinary express of APSRTC and still its engine is very good.

Arindam: - You will not agree with me, but, it is also a fact that APSRTC is the largest revenue earner among all the State Bus services in India. Andhra Pradesh is the only state, where no private buses are allowed to ply on the road as a passenger bus. Private Bus owners are only allowed to run school and office buses, that’s all. Therefore, APSRTC earns all the revenue from passengers. If APSRTC is earning so much money, so, it is evident that they will always implement high-quality buses in Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, KSRTC of Karnataka was at No.1 spot. But, the APSRTC under Chandrababu Naidu just thrashed the KSRTC in every department.

Bus Conductor: - Sir, why both of you are sitting at the back. The bus is travelling at a great speed, so, it is better that you sit at the front-side of the bus. By the way, I have never seen you people in this route. You people are coming from which place? What for you have come in this region?

Arindam: - Ei, you better concentrate on your own job. Are we having guns in our hand and looking like Maoists that you are interrogating us? We are fed up of answering too much questions asked by the people of this region.

Bus Conductor: - I was just asking, sir. Anyway, please don’t mind. Give me 60 bucks.

********************

Prady: - Hey, we have reached Munna Road. Come on, let us get down.

Arindam: - Chal yaar…thoda daaru peetey hain…I am feeling very thirsty now.

Prady: - Yeah, I was also feeling the same. But, I can’t see any wine shop near this Munna Road Bus stand. Wait; let me ask this local person. Bhaiya, idhaar koi wine shop hain kya?

Local Person: - There is no wine shop at this place. You have to go 1 Km towards the Warangal station. There you will get two big wine shops. Just do one thing, get into any shared auto, which is going towards the Warangal station. Ek street aayega, jahan pe ek statue hain, and at that point the street is getting divided. Just get down there.

**********************

Arindam: - We cannot drink alcohol inside the Ashok Lodge as it is strictly prohibited there.

Prady: - Idea…We used to do that in front of our Jaipuria College also. We will buy two half-litre bottles of Thums-up. We will drink half of the Thums-up. Then we will add whisky to those Thums-up bottles. It will be a fantastic punch. One nip of ‘Royal Stag’ will be enough.

**********************

Prady: - Aha…you have poured whisky into the Thums-up bottle. That’s great. Now, shake it and then open the cork to drink.

Arindam: - Abbey, whisky ke saaath Thums-up mix kiya hua hain…Don’t open the cork, the drink will just out-burst. There is a technique. Just loosen the cork a little bit like this, there is a Phhsssh sound, now tighten the cork. Repeat the procedure till you cannot hear any Phhsssh sound, when you loosen the cork. Now, open the cork. Cheers…dude. Wow, the ‘Royal Stag- Thums up’ is very tasty and chilly now.

Episode: - 20

Arindam: - No, no, tonight, let us eat vegetarian meal only. In this afternoon only, we ate the forest chicken.

Prady: - Then, let us eat the Andhra Meal from this restaurant and then get back to our lodge.

********************

Lodge Owner: - So, have you enjoyed the Etunagaram forest tour, Sir?

Prady: - Yeah, that was a thrilling one. But, we were not aware of the fact that there is no facility for night-camping. We have bought the return ticket to Secunderabad for Sunday. Today is Friday. We don’t know what to do tomorrow? Can you tell me any other tourist spot in this area?

Lodge Owner: - Hmm…well, then tomorrow you can visit Lakhnavaram Lake.

Arindam: - What is there to see in that lake?

Lodge Owner: - Sir, it is a very famous lake in this region. You can even see many types of birds in that lake. It is a good tourist spot for the people of Warangal.

Prady: - Ok, ok, then we will surely visit that place. Now, tell me how to reach that spot?

Lodge Owner: - It’s the same route only. From Munna Road, just board on any bus, which is going to Etunagaram. On that route, there is a village, which is known as Chalvai. It will hardly take 1 hour from Munna Road to reach there. You have to get down at Chalvai. From Chalvai, you have to hire an auto to reach Lakhnavaram Lake.

Arindam: - Ok, then tomorrow morning, we will start our journey towards Lakhnavaram Lake. Anyway, thanks for giving the information. Chalo…Goodnight.

Lodge Owner: - by the way, Sir, when is your train on Sunday?

Arindam: - It is at 1.30 PM. Why?

Lodge Owner: - Then, on Sunday morning, you can visit the Warangal fort also. It has a history of Kakatiyas. The guide inside that fort will tell you about that.

Prady: - Ok, we will surely visit Warangal fort on Sunday. First, let us visit the lake tomorrow. Good night.

**************************

Arindam: - Hey wake up…it’s already 7.30 AM…I am feeling very hungry now. Go and take the bath as early as possible. I have already completed all those activities.

**************************

Prady: - Today, we will have our breakfast in a sweets shop. Come on; let us taste the sweets of Warangal.

Sweets Shop Owner: - Boliye Sir…kya lenge aap log?

Arindam:- Umm…two Son-Papris, two Barfis, two Gulab Jamun, two Ras-Malais, 50 gms of mixture by mixing all types of mixtures and two cups of tea…aur woh bhi acchi tarah se malai maar ke dena…

*****************************

Arindam: - Baah…the taste of Warangal sweets are far better than that of Hyderabad. I like it.

Prady: - Actually, sweets makers of Warangal use more pure buffalos’ milk than it is used in Hyderabad.

Arindam: - No, no, in all places of Hyderabad, it is not like that. The sweets of Old Hyderabad region are still maintaining its brand. The problem is that most of the sweets shop owners of Hyderabad are Marwaris. So, they use too much ghee in their sweets, which is not liked by many people like us. Hey, kochi, issh table mein bill de ke jaao…hum logon ka breakfast complete ho gaya…

Prady: - ha ha ha…kochi…yeh abaar ki naam ?

Arindam: - Oi holo…ja hok ekta naam e dakleyi holo…I am not interested in knowing the name of all the boys working in this sweets shop. Accha, how much is the bill?

Prady: - 48 bucks only.

Arindam: - Ei sabbash…it is not so expensive…I am feeling as if I have eaten sweets inside a sweets shop of Kolkata only.

Episode: - 21

Bus Conductor: - Sir, you people wanted to get down at Chalvai, right?

Prady: - Yeah…Yeah…Chalvai…

Bus Conductor: - This is the Chalvai market stoppage. Just get down here.

********************

Arindam: - Now it is 11.30 AM. There is no surety that we will get to eat any food in and around Lakhnavaram Lake. Within half an hour, we will feel hungry.

Prady: - Don’t worry. We will buy some Britannia cakes from these shops. First, let us hire an auto from here to Lakhnavaram Lake. There is the Auto Stand.

********************

Arindam: - What? To go to Lakhnavaram Lake from Chalvai village, you are demanding 80 bucks. What is the distance between Chalvai and Lakhnavaram Lake?

Auto Driver 01:- Sir, it takes around 10 minutes by Auto to reach Lakhnavaram Lake from here.

Prady: - for a 10 minutes ride, you want 80 bucks. Hello, boss, how much will you take?

Auto Driver 02:- The rate is same for all Autos, Sir. I will also take 80 bucks. But, we will not go now. Now, it is too hot outside. We will start the Auto after 1.30 PM.

Prady: - Arindam, they will not go now. So, it is better that we have our lunch in any restaurant here.

Arindam: - Yeah, I was also thinking the same thing only.

*********************

Restaurant Owner: - Just wait for another 10 minutes, Sir. The rice is getting cooked now. After 10 minutes, I will serve the chicken rice.

Arindam: - Basically, in this restaurant, all the truck drivers, auto drivers, bus drivers and bus conductors have their lunch and dinner. Look at the condition of this restaurant.

Prady: - Aah…this is a village restaurant. At least, this restaurant is a hygienic one. I have seen many roadside restaurants like this in big cities, which are totally unhygienic. Come on; let us wait for another 10 minutes while sitting on that outside bench.

*********************

Arindam: - Oops…I am sweating too much after eating this Chicken Curry.

Prady: - This is broilers chicken only. Don’t eat the gravy of this chicken curry. You may get hospitalized if you eat that.

Arindam: - This is the typical Andhra Chicken Curry, which is very spicy and has a little sour taste also. Look at the color of Chicken Curry Gravy. It is reddish- yellow in color. They have given too much meat masala in it.

Prady: - Ha ha ha…actually, in this chicken curry, they have neither used any Shahi Garam Masala nor any meat masala. They have just cooked a Red Mirchi Soup and poured some roasted chicken on that soup.

Arindam: - Ha ha ha…yeah…I think that you are right. My tongue is burning now…uff…babah…let us sing the song…’Hai hai…mirchi…uff uff…yeh mirchi’ ….he he he…

Prady: - for 45 bucks, we are eating Mirchi Soup, Rice and Chicken…I really wonder that how these Andhra people eat these spicy curries?

Arindam: - Chilies and Tamarind are good for stomach, if you are living in a very hot region of the world. But, it needs a lot of practice to adjust this spicy and sour taste to your tongue, he he he…and we are playing the practice match now.

Episode: - 22

Arindam: - Accha, do we really need to waste 80 bucks on those Auto drivers? They are saying that it takes hardly 10 minutes by Auto to reach Lakhnavaram Lake from this Chalvai market. So, it will hardly take 20-25 minutes by walking. We have ample time and full energy now. Also, our stomach is full.

Prady: - Hmm…ok, then, let us reach the Lakhnavaram Lake by walking only. But, before that, let us buy two 1 –litre bottles of drinking water.

**********************

Arindam: - Which is the path that leads to Lakhnavaram Lake?

A village aunty at the Deep Tube Well:- aap log lake ko jaata…woh adha kilometer jaa kar left ko murh jaao…aur phir seedha chaltey rahana…lake aa jayega…

Arindam: - Thanks a lot.

**********************

Prady: - hmm…this is the road, which is going towards Lakhnavaram. Today is Saturday, that’s why; many private cars are entering in this road. All are going towards the Lake to enjoy themselves.

Arindam: - All the people sitting inside their private car are giving a surprise look to both of us. Hardly, anyone is walking on this road and that too in this extreme heat of the Sun. This is the month of February only, but, the Sun is heating this particular region in such a fashion, as if we are in the month of May or June.

Prady: - Look at the left side of the road. It is a graveyard.

Arindam: - It is a Christian graveyard. Everywhere, I can see a Cross-Bar of Jesus Christ. Dhaath…is it a Christian area? I was under the impression that this region of Andhra Pradesh is a Hindu region only.

Prady: - Why a tribal person of a forest will remain as a Hindu person, when he is ill-treated and continuously abused by the upper caste people of Hindu Community? To gain self-esteem, money and job, these tribal people of Andhra Pradesh got converted as Christians. Now, they are getting financial as well as social help from the Christian Missionaries, which always get funds from all over the world, especially from the Vatican City of Rome.

Arindam: - Hmm…that’s a real problem in our Hindu community. There is no unity among the Hindus, which is why, so many rulers have conquered and destroyed the richness of ancient India.

Prady: - Wow, look at this tree. I don’t know the name of this tree. But, it looks amazing. The small white flowers of this tree make it more beautiful. Can you please take the photo of this tree?

Arindam: - Ok, why not? Baapre…look at the right side of the road. There are so many buffaloes grazing there.

Prady: - Villagers of this area are very fond of cattle and that is also a way of earning money for them. They are having buffaloes, which will give milk. They are having hens, which will give eggs. Also, they can sell those hens in the meat market. They have domesticated so many sheep. One sheep gets sold for at least 700 bucks in any meat shop. So, if a farmer is domesticating around 20 sheep in his little farm and properly breeding it, then he is earning lots of money. Every month, if you can sell at least 5 sheep, then you are earning around 3500 bucks. That is quite good enough for a farmer to live a healthy life in a village with 3500 bucks income per month. A farmer doesn’t have to buy potatoes, onions and rice from the market. So, there is hardly any expense for him.

Arindam: - I think that we should take some rest under this tree. Till now, we have walked around 4 Km in this extreme heat. There is no humidity in the climate of this region as it is a dry area. We are not sweating too much, that’s good for our cloth, but not for our body. The more you sweat, the cooler you feel and it preserves your energy. Whereas, in dry sunny weather, the Sun just sucks your energy like anything. That’s why, after walking for 4 Km, we are feeling tired. Let us take a rest for 5 minutes.

Prady: - Wow, look at the village scenery at that point. There are lots of Tal trees, a pond and some buffaloes are grazing there. It’s totally lush green everywhere. Just capture this scenery in your mobile camera.

Episode: - 23

Prady: - Come on, let us start walking again. We have taken rest for 10 minutes here.

Arindam: - Yeah, ok, let us start again.

Prady: - Wait, let me ask that shepherd about how much distance is still remaining to reach the Lakhnavaram Lake. Accha, bhaiya, woh Lakhnavaram lake aur kitna door hain, yahaan se?

Shepherd: - Arrey, Sir, can’t you see that milestone? The lake is still at a 4 Km distance from this place and Bussapur village is just 1 km from here.

Prady: - Ok, thanks.

Arindam: - Hmm…we have finished all the drinking water here only. We need to drink water after reaching Bussapur village.

Prady: - Ha ha ha…it is like a military training. After walking for another 1 Km, we will get to drink water, he he he…

***********************

Arindam: - This is the Bussapur village. Let me buy 5 water pouches from this shop.

Prady: - There is an Auto Stand in this village. All are shared autos only.

Arindam: - Ok, in the time of returning to Chalvai village, we will travel by one of these autos only. Take a deep breath and drink water. We need to go another 3 Km to reach the lake. All the autos that are now going towards the lake are all reserved. They will not take us. Forget about the private cars. No one is in a mood to give us a lift. Therefore, we have to rely on our Bus No. 11 only.

************************

Prady: - At last, we have reached the Lakhnavaram lake. We have walked 8 Km. that’s not a matter of joke in this extreme heat.

Arindam: - Baah…this lake is really very big. The water of this lake very clean till now.

Prady: - Hey, what is that?

Arindam: - Arrey, it’s a lachman jhula…

Prady: - Ha ha ha…arrey yaar, that’s a cantilever bridge made by using ropes and woods.

Arindam: - Whatever it is. In my childhood days, I went to one part of India, where there was a similar kind of bridge, known as lachman jhula. It looks quite similar to that.

Prady: - Come on, let us cross this bridge to find out what is happening on that little island of the lake.

***********************

Arindam: - See the fun…these people are having a gala picnic out here. All the big aunties and naughty uncles are bathing in the lake. The water in this part is getting polluted. You can never guarantee that they are not urinating under the water, while bathing.

Prady: - Ha ha ha…the cold water of the lake will become hot…he he he…If I would have known beforehand that one can bath in this lake water, then I would have brought a towel and a half-pant with me.

Arindam: - Don’t even think of bathing in this water. Allergy ho jaayega…Look at the condition of the water. These people are also eating their foods in Saal-patta and throwing those things in the lake water only.

Prady: - These people have brought their home cooked foods to this place and are eating them now. It is unlike the Bengali picnic, where we people go to the picnic spot and start cooking Chicken curries, rice and other foods.

Arindam: - These people don’t need to cook anything like that because they eat only idli, dhosha and sambhar. The expense in a Telugu Picnic is much less than that in the Bengali picnic and have less fun and entertainment also.

Episode: - 24

Arindam: - Let us go to the entry point of this Lakhnavaram Lake. There are many stalls. I am feeling thirsty.

********************

Arindam: - Give us two small bottles of Thums-up.

Stall Owner: - Thums-up is out of stock. Sir ji, Thums-up mein kya rakha hain…aap log ‘Slice’ pijiye ‘Slice’.

Prady: - Ok, then give us two small bottles of ‘Aam-Ras’.

*******************

Prady: - Accha, what is there at the leftmost portion of this lake? Many people are going towards that area.

*******************

Arindam: - This leftmost portion of the lake is not bad at all. It is a rocky surface, and a stream from the lake is flowing down here. Children are enjoying that stream water.

Prady: - Not only children, even adults are enjoying here. Behind those bushes, you can see some lovely romantic live actions.

Arindam: - Aaah…secret bushes of lakes are a special place to do those things. All couples cannot afford to rent a hotel room to enjoy themselves. The poor couples enjoy everything in front of Mother Nature only. There is no sin in it. It is just natural. Next time, if I visit this place, I will surely come with my permanent girlfriend.

Prady: - Ha ha ha…why not with the temporary one?

Arindam: - Temporary ones don’t need this nice and secret romantic ambience created by Mother Nature. They are happy in their own apartments or in any hotel room. But, the special beloved ones need a special place to perform that special activity. Also, there is an old saying that ‘Nyara beltalaye ekbaar ee jaaye'. You will spend so much of money and energy on your temporary girlfriend and then one day, that girl will declare that she has fallen in love with some other guy. Then, all your energy got wasted.

Prady: - Nothing is wasted as you were also doing some time-pass. Even that girl also fell in love with you to enjoy some fun only.

Arindam: - That’s true, but still…you know…

Prady: - Still it hurts…yeah, yeah, I can understand. After all, I am also a boy like you. We, the boys are not as emotionally selfish as girls. That’s why, even if we are flirting with girls, some kind of infatuation steps into our emotions and that changes our attitude towards her. But, alas, girls don’t understand these basic things. Accha, one thing I must tell you that next time when you will come here with your permanent girlfriend, she will not walk for 8 Km with you in this extreme heat. Girls are pathetic in walking or trekking.

Arindam: - Don’t underestimate them. There are some girls, who are just expert in trekking; especially the girls of hilly areas. They have too much stamina and can even walk 6 Km at a stretch.

Prady: - to visit this lake with our own girlfriend or wife, you need to have a bike or 4-wheelers. All the tourists, who have come here with their beloved partner, are having their private bikes or cars.

Arindam: - Hmm…I would prefer to own a 4-wheeler rather than a bike. Bike is very risky and if you have too much passion for speed, then you never know, when and how you will have a bike accident.

Prady: - He he he…that’s quite true. That’s why, there is an old saying that ‘Speed thrills, but kills’.

Arindam: - Can you see the southern part of the lake? There is an alternative road which connects to the main road, but that road goes through the jungles. The vegetation of the lake surroundings are such that there is no doubt about the fact that around 15 years ago, this region was the best place for tigers to live in.

Prady: - Yeah, of course, there is no doubt about that. Hey, boss, it’s already 4.35 PM now. We need to move from this place.

Episode: - 25

Auto Driver: - All the Autos that are standing in front of the lake are reserved, Sir. No one will take you to Chalvai bus stand. Do one thing. Walk another 3 Km from this place to reach Bussapur village. You will get shared auto from there.

*******************

Prady: - Uff, again, we need to walk back to Bussapur village. Come on, let us start walking again.

Arindam: - Wow, this lake also has boating facilities. We have overlooked it. See there; there are 5 paddling boats, but the irony is that not a single tourist of this lake is interested in boating. Some are enjoying the picnic and some are busy in romance with their female partners, he he he…

*******************

Arindam: - We have reached Bussapur. Now, it is 5.10 PM. But, I can’t see any shared Auto standing in the auto stand.

Stationary Shop Owner: - Aap log baithiye, saab. Abhi 5 minutes mein aur ek auto aa jayega.

Prady: - Ok, then, let us sit at the bench kept outside your shop. Can you give us 6 water pouches?

Arindam: - Hey, Prady, look there. Why is that man climbing on that Tal tree? Are they so fond of Tal?

Prady: - Yeah, they are interested in the juice of Tal fruit. They will prepare a local alcoholic drink known as ‘Taari’, by using that Tal juice.

Arindam: - Really, the people of Andhra Pradesh are too much alcoholic. I really wonder that how they drink these alcohols even in this hot climate.

Prady:- In Bengal, you cannot drink too much alcohols, as it hampers your digestive system because the drinking water of Bengal contains less minerals than that of Deccan area. Also, the climate of Deccan area is hot and dry, but no humidity. The water of this Andhra region is such that it helps to digest your food rapidly. That’s why, you can drink too much alcohol while living in Andhra Pradesh and it will not hamper your digestive system. Therefore, the Telugu people consider local alcohols as their energy drink or stimulant.

Arindam: - Hmm…ei, there is a shared auto. Let us go and sit inside it to reach the Chalvai bus stand.

*******************

Arindam: - How much we need to give?

Auto Driver: - Aap dono saathe mein hain ? Ok…then give me 12 bucks only.

*******************

Prady: - No, no, don’t board on this bus. It is too much crowded inside. We will wait for the next bus to Munna Road. Let us sit on this bench.

Arindam: - Hmm…so, today, we have walked 11 Km. from Chalvai to Lakhnavaram lake, it is 8 Km and then from the lake to Bussapur, it is another 3 Km, he he he…Boss, we were planning to go for a trekking at Narsapur forest area, but that never happened. But, today, unknowingly, we have done a trekking of 11 Km…See the fun.

Prady: - Yeah, yeah…you will understand the fun tomorrow morning, when you will try to wake up from your bed. Tomorrow morning, it will very difficult to move our legs freely. Come on…another bus is coming. Let us board on it.

********************

Arindam: - Oh! We have reached Munna Road. Come on; let us get down from the bus.

Prady: - Tonight, we must eat special Warangal mutton.

Arindam: - There is no Bengali restaurant in Warangal? Wait; let me ask this traffic police. Accha, iddhar koi Bengali restaurant milega?

Traffic Police: - Bengali restaurant! Aap Bengali khana khaatey…ok, issh raastey sey seedha chale jaiye aur 2^nd right lane mein murh jaao…uddhar left side mein 4^th restaurant, ek bangaali ka hain…

Prady: - Thanks a lot for providing the information.

Traffic Police: - you are always welcome sir.

*********************

Arindam: - aah…this is the Bengali restaurant. Come on; let us enjoy the Bengali mutton rice here.

Episode: - 26

Prady: - This is not the Goat’s meat (Khashi), but it is of lambs only.

Arindam: - But, how do you understand the difference between a goat’s meat and that of lambs?

Prady: - the meat of lambs are very soft and spongy type, whereas, a goat’s meat is like a hard rubber type, which is not too soft or spongy and has a Ghee-type smell. By that ghee-type smell only, you can make out that it is a Khashi meat.

Arindam: - Hmm…anyway, the meat of this lamb is not bad either.

Prady: - Hey, Arindam, just listen to the conversation carefully between those married couples at that right hand corner table.

Arindam: - Yeah, they are talking in Bengali among themselves.

Prady: - They may have either came in Warangal for a tour from Kolkata or maybe stays in this town only.

Arindam: - I don’t think that they are Indian Bengalis.

Prady: - How can you say that?

Arindam: - Look at those married women. They are not wearing any red bangles and white shankhas. They are also not having any vermillion in their forehead. The way they have wore the saris is of typical Muslim type. Moreover, their Bengali tone is of Bangaal type. It is more like Chittagong style.

Prady: - Yeah, you are right. They are talking in pure Bangaal tone, which is very hard to understand. Actually, Warangal is a Muslim town and the Muslims of this region of Andhra Pradesh have good connections with the Muslims of Bangladesh.

Arindam: - Andhra Pradesh is the second hub for Bangladeshi Muslims. You will be stunned to know that the banned SIMI of India and HUJI of Bangladesh have their own training centers in Old Hyderabad and maybe in Warangal too.

Prady: - Anyway, we should not discuss about these things inside this restaurant. You never know that this restaurant owner maybe a Bangladeshi Muslim also. Have you not noticed the signboard outside this restaurant? It was written there, ‘Amago Banglar Khabar’. Also, the hotel boys are saying among themselves, ‘arrey, oi table e tey paani ditey hoibo’. So, it is a Bangladeshi restaurant rather than an Indian Bengali restaurant.

Arindam: - Let us just finish our dinner and go back to our lodge. Already, I am feeling very tired.

*********************

Prady: - Our lodge is at least at distance of 3 Km from this restaurant. We need to take an auto.

Arindam: - Ei, auto, roko roko…we need to go to Ashok Lodge near the Warangal station.

********************

Prady: - Our Auto is going through a street, where I can see the branches of all PSU banks. I think that this street is the bank street of Warangal town. All banks are in this street only.

Arindam: - Arrey, is there any festival going on in this town? Look at that lane in our right side. There are lots of lighting in that lane. Also, I can see many people are selling ‘Gajras’ made of white flowers. Many people are buying it.

Prady: - Aaah…don’t you understand, what is inside that lane? It is like our ‘Golden Tree’ Lane of Kolkata. You can get several ‘Umrao-Jaan’ in this lane. As a Hindu, are you interested in ‘Umrao-Jaan’ rather than Champa and Chameli?

Arindam:- He he he…Aishwariya Rai is not as good as Rekha in terms of the character ‘Umrao-Jaan’, but that does not mean that the character of ‘Umrao-Jaan’ cannot satisfy you like the Champa and Chameli. Sexual relationship breaks the barrier of religion and caste. Come on, let us visit that lane.

Prady:- My goodness, after wasting so much energy by walking 11 Km today, you still have so much enthusiasm in your body to visit that lane….he he he…

Episode: - 27

Prady: - Hmm…today is Sunday, that’s why; many shops of Warangal market are closed. Actually, Sunday is a holiday for some shop owners in this area. I think that today we need to do our breakfast by eating those ‘Mirchi – Bhaji’ (Fried Green Chilli Pakoda) from the roadside stalls. Come on; let us eat those mirchi bhajis.

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Arindam: - It’s good. Actually, in Hyderabad, I have never tried out this item. I always prefer to eat ‘Aloo-Bonda’ (Potato Pakoda) as it tastes like samosas only. But, one thing, I miss in Andhra Pradesh and that is our Bengali ‘Aloo Chops’ (Fried Potato masala mixed with Besan). Anyway, the taste of these mirchi bhajis is not bad. I like it. It is not the traditional green chili that we eat in our house. The size of this green chili is somewhat different. Its size is in between a small green chili and a capsicum. Rather, I thought, it’s a slim-sized capsicum only, though it is not. It has its own chilliness.

Prady: - These types of Chilies are very hot. Before preparing this mirchi bhaji, these chilies are kept inside a pot full of tamarind water for 2 to 3 hours. That adds a sour flavor to these green chilies. That’s why, the people of Andhra Pradesh love to eat these mirchi bhajis.

Arindam: - but, I have also heard that if you eat too much of these mirchi bhajis, it may lead to acidity and other gastric problems?

Prady: - Who told you to eat too much of mirchi bhajis? Just eat 2 or 3 mirchi bhajis per day and that is more than enough. If you eat any food in excess, then it is bound to create gastric problems. The supply should fulfill the required demand only but not beyond that.

Arindam: - Ok, now, we have to take an auto to reach Warangal fort. I think that we will get the auto from that side only. Come on, let’s go.

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Auto Driver: - No, no, Sir, I will take 25 bucks. Today is Sunday. The Auto rate is more on Sundays.

Arindam: - Le halua…These Auto drivers always make their own rules. Ok, ok, we will give you 25 bucks. Now, start the Auto.

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Prady: - Woh, the Warangal fort is on the western side of the Warangal railway station. Yesterday and the day before yesterday, we went to the eastern side of the Warangal station to reach Munna Road.

Arindam: - Hmm…baapre, the condition of the western side of Warangal is more pathetic than that of its eastern side. I can see a series of slum areas in this part of Warangal town. At least on the eastern side of Warangal, there are Banks and several SMEs. In the western side, it is just the opposite. All the factories are on this side and the family members of all the labourers stay in these areas.

Auto Driver: - Sir, you want to visit the main Warangal fort or its adjoining Warangal garden?

Prady: - No, no, just take us to the main fort of Warangal.

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Arindam: - So, this is the Warangal fort. Hmm…

Auto Driver: - Sir, you people go and visit the Warangal fort. I will wait for you people here.

Arindam: - Ei , I have given you 25 bucks, right? Already, you have taken 5 bucks more than the standard rate. You don’t need to wait for us. We will take another Auto after coming out of this fort. You can go now.

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Prady: - Hey Arindam, to enter inside this Warangal fort, we need to buy tickets of 10 bucks each.

Arindam: - Ok, not an issue. Every historical fort has a tourism cost for its maintenance.

Episode: - 28

Arindam: - He he he…this fort is an excursion spot for the little school children. See there, all the little students of a local school of Warangal are enjoying themselves. The two young lady teachers, who are leading those little students, look very sweet, but their skin is dusky.

Prady: - Ha ha ha…in this hot climatic conditions of Andhra Pradesh, are you expecting a fair-skinned beautiful lady? How funny!

Arindam: - Hey Prady, do we need to go to that point by walking on this steep staircase? My goodness, the main fort is at the top of this hillock.

Prady: - Yes, we need to go to that top only. See those little school students. They are just running on the staircases.

Arindam: - aah…we are now getting old. We don’t have that much stamina and enthusiasm, which we used to have when we were school children. Anyway, let us go to the top.

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Arindam: - Baah…the architecture of this Warangal is really cool and good. By the way, who was the ruler of Warangal? I mean, who used to stay in this Warangal fort?

Prady: - Actually, Warangal was the main city for the Kakatiya tribe of India. The strong ruler of Kakatiyas was the King Ganapati Deva Raya. This was his fort only.

Arindam: - Kakatiyas? Oho! Now, I understand why the ITC Hotel of Hyderabad has been renamed as ITC Kakatiya. The ancestors of majority of the Andhra people belonged to Kakatiya tribe only.

Prady: - Yes, you are right. As far my knowledge, these Kakatiyas used to rule in this Andhra region till 1300 AD or so. After that, the Kakatiya rulers lost their own power, because the Mughal Empire was expanding rapidly at that time.

Arindam: - Hmm…this Warangal fort looks like a deserted place now. Who devastated this fort?

Prady: - The No.1 cruel King of Mughal Empire destroyed the Warangal fort.

Arindam: - Oho! Akbar has done that…hmm…

Prady: - Dhaath…Akbar was a very liberal ruler. At least in later part of his life, he brought unity of peace and harmony among the Hindus, the Muslims and the people of other religions. The No.1 cruel Mughal ruler was Aurangzeb. He completely destroyed this Warangal fort. At that time, Aurangzeb was ruling this region, while staying in his Golconda fort.

Arindam: - Nevertheless, this Warangal fort was a planned fort. There is temple at this hillock. This building was the watch tower for soldiers. On the northern side of this fort, there was a talaab (lake). On the western side, there was a Gulaab bagh or ghalicha (garden). On the eastern side, there was a courtyard, where meetings were held with the ministers. All the soldiers used to live with their family members on the southern side of this fort. Now, those areas have become slum areas. You can have a nice view of the Warangal town from the top of this watch tower. On the north-western part, I can see some constructions of buildings are going on. Maybe, those areas will become an industrial zone very soon.

Prady: - The Andhra Pradesh government has failed to maintain this Warangal fort as a historical fort. It has now become a lovers’ spot. Look there, the love birds are singing a romantic Telugu song together while sitting inside that temple and that too in this morning hours. There are also bats inside this watch tower. Be careful. I can smell the urine of bats. It is not feasible to enter inside this watch tower too often.

Arindam: - Hey, boss, it is already 10.45 AM now. Don’t forget that we have to catch the train at 1.30 PM today. We need to go to our lodge to freshen ourselves. It will take some time. Come on, let us go now.

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Auto Driver: - Where will you go, Sir?

Arindam: - Warangal market. Is it a shared auto?

Auto Driver: - Yes, Sir. It’s a shared auto to Warangal market.

Prady: - Then, we will give you only 15 bucks. Now, speed up the auto.

Episode: - 29

Lodge Owner: - Oh! You people have checked out from your room. Just wait for 5 minutes, Sir. Let us check the room No. 123. Hey, Shyam, just check the Room No. 123 once and give me the report.

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Shyam: - Everything is ok in room No.123.

Lodge Owner: - Ok. Sir, just sign in this register book and also write the log out time. Here is your deposit money, Sir. I hope that you people will visit our Warangal town again in future. Thank you for staying in our lodge.

Arindam: - Ok! ok, goodbye.

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Soumesh: - Oh! You people have come back from your Etunagaram Tour. How was the tour?

Prady: - Boss, we are still alive, that is the main thing. We would have been killed by a leopard. We were tracking wild animals by seeing their footprints.

Baccha: - Baah…it was an adventurous tour, then?

Arindam: - It was indeed!

Soumesh: - You people could have taken any one of ours digital camera to the tour. At least, we could have also seen the photos of Etunagaram Tour.

Prady: - Don’t worry. Our Arindam was the photographer of this tour. He clicked some of the photos while walking inside the jungle with his mobile phone camera.

Baccha: - ki bolchish bey…mobile taa sesh mesh bhaloi kaajey lagaali toh…he he he…Come on, show us the photos.

Arindam: - Aaah…we have just returned from a long tour. Let us relax a little bit. Again, tomorrow, we need to go to office. He he he…today evening, I will upload all the photos of Etunagaram Tour in the website: - http://arindamsain-etunagaramtourphotos.blogspot.com

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Prady: - Hey, Arindam. Do you know where we went for a tour? Come here. I have opened the Google Map in my laptop. I will show you the exact map of Etunagaram. Look at this spot. This is the Etunagaram Bus stand, where we went on the first day. Luckily, we came back from this bus stand and moved northwards to the Etunagaram forest bunglow. Had we heard the suggestion of that Chiran and went South Eastwards to see that botanical garden, then we would have reached the Etunagaram village, which is just at the bank of this Godavari River.

Arindam: - So, what? Is it a dangerous village?

Prady: - Boss, that muddy path inside the jungle, about which you were asking the questions to Narayan, leads to this Etunagaram village only. Everything is shown clearly in this Google Earth Map. The Godavari River remains dried out for most of the time in a year. Therefore it is very easy to cross the Godavari River during winter, spring or summer time, when no rainfall occurs in this region. If you cross the Godavari River, there is the Godavari Basin, which is the training ground for Maoists. Etunagaram forest is the main head-quarter of Naxals for all the 5 naxalite states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. All the heavy-weight Maoist leaders have taken training in this Godavari basin only. Today, have you read the newspaper? Just see this headline. The oldest leader of Naxals of Andhra Pradesh has surrendered in front of the Police. He has been arrested from his house in Etunagaram village only. He is saying that he has surrendered in front of YSR government because of his ill-health and has faith on the rural development schemes launched by YSR. So, he does not want to go for any fresh naxal operations in Andhra Pradesh. Boss, we were totally in a dangerous zone. We could have been a soft target for the Maoists in Etunagaram forest. They could have abducted us easily. We have done the right thing to ignore that Chiran.

Arindam: - Hmm…anyway, we are still alive, he he he…Arrey, boss, the more you fear, the more you are near to your death. That’s my foolish philosophy, but still it works well in times of danger. Chalo, at least, we have been able to tour the deadly Etunagaram forest, which everyone cannot do like us.

Prady: - I will never suggest anyone to visit that Etunagaram forest, which is a den of Maoists, the internal terrorists of India, who even kills their own tribal villagers also. Anyway, the chapter of ‘ETUNAGARAM TOUR’ ends here. Now, we need to plan about our Bandipur- Madhumalai Tour in May 2009.

THE END