If you have been places, you know travel guides come in all shapes and colors. This is about one such guide in Bombay (anyways now they call that place Mumbai). It was one of those daytrips I take up in any city I visit. This was a 1-day sightseeing trip in Bombay. Generally, with a shoestring budget, this is a good option to see as many places as you can at one go.
The guy was frail and fragile as a stick; was that pan-chewing kind, had a hairstyle that Dev Anand sported in movies; and wore a shawl akin to what Dev Anand wore in the movie “Guide. ” He looked the part. He spoke Hindi in exactly the same way Aamir Khan speaks in Rangeela.
I am not sure if his real name was Pappu or he just made it up but then the name rang a bell.
The very first thing he did was share his number or rather announce his number to the whole bus; the next thing he said was “koi missed call nahi maarega”. Oh Yeah! calls were expensive; it was those days.
He had a way of explaining things; one such thing I remember is he would ask the tourists. In all these skyscrapers, how do you make out which one is a residence and which one is an office building.
The crowd would still be pondering; he would say “arrey yaar-jis balcony me chaddi suknekeliye daale hai who kisika gar hai baaki sab office” That’s a rather interesting observation.
He had me enthralled the whole day; I don’t remember much of what I have seen in that god-forbidden city, but I do remember this guy.
I am just wondering after all these days why do I write about this guy. What was it about him? He was just one of those people who make a lasting impression. It is quite strange that people that you have had a fleeting encounter become one of those memories.
Maybe like this song “Aadmi Musafir Hai” life is all about memories.
