Just going back home the other day, i was contempating and pondering over the 4 years I have spent not only in college, but in the Daily Travels (or shud i say travails) to and from this institute...

Just going back home the other day, i was contempating and pondering over the 4 years I have spent not only in college, but in the daily travels (or shud i say travails) to and from this institute.

I know it seems a pretty odd topic to converse or even think upon. But really, it does form one of the most integral part of a students life.

When i hear my dear hostler riends cribbing over the horrendous 10-minute walk they to make from their rooms to the canteen or admin, (obviously not thte college ; you dont think students come here to study now, seriously, do u? ) I kind of feel just about raving mad to smash their faces. Common sense prevails, and i hold back, bcos exams are near, and notes have to b arranged frm the hostlers

Do they realize, some dayskies have to bear the sweltring heat, a 1 1/2 hr standing ride alongwwith all the pushing and shoving, only to come and find an empty college.

Anyways, not digressing away from what i started off, lets begin at the beginning. 30-40% of the colg students are hostlers. Of the remaining, another 35-45% have their own mode of conveyance, be it bikes or car pools. What a about the rest - yes - one and only - BUSES.

There are only 2 routes from NSIT - 817 and 764. These 2 buses, rather routes, will generally take u to where u wish to go, cos as they say - \"sab raaste bhagwaan ke paas hi to jaate hain\". Since i personally travel by the 817 \"route\", my personal reminiscences lie from that domain expertise.

So, whn colg gets over, after saying all ur tatas and bye byes, you trudge desolately from the admin to the main gate. Standing out there, you wait for a noble soul to give u a lift till Kakrola (or evn further). Obviously, beggars cant be choosers. So anything and evrything goes - from a Skoda, to a Pulsar, a van, tempo, tractor ..... even from a bullock cart. Most generally a khataara scooter will be ur saviour. By the time u crawl along along at a snail's pace to Kakrola, half of Dwarka has zipped past, and is staring and oggling at you.

The best lift we have had is frm an army bus. One wednesday afternoon, whn all colg gets ovr simultaneously at 3:30, one of my friends managed to \"hold up\" an army vehicle. The driver kept seeing the number of students (about 40 in the least) getting onboard the vehicle. It was truly amazing.

Nonetheless, u finally reach NSIT's paradise and most happening touring spot. Just like Bangalore's MG road, where u will recognize 80% of the ppl as ur colg acquaintences (thats another story), Kakrolla also offers u a chance to catch up with friends, while u wait for ur DTC. Ah! DTC - the lifeline - the immense pleasure of saying \"PASS HAI\".

Some people get impatient after waiting for 35 minutes for a DTC. So then u take a RTV, in the hope of reaching home quickly. But as soon u pay the guy the 2 Rs/- fare, u find a DTC whizzing past you, and all ur friends smuggly sitting in it. You think its been a bad day.

But wait - the worse is yet to come ...

After a 30-35 minutes of trvelling misery, you get to Uttam Nagar, with all bones dislocated, and ur head in a swirl. Now u r eager to catch ur nxt prey, oops, i meant the DTC bus. Life or Death, it hardly matters. You cut across the swarm of traffic like an expert pro. One hand movement and u expect the cars to slow down - just bcos u said so. Next is the 100m dash to get onboard the bus, which most definetely leave the bus stop before u can arrive there. Most of us would emulate even Jesse Owens, who beat a race horse in sprinting.

Now that ur in the bus (God knows which - as long as it takes u near to ur final destination), u try to find a seat where u can sit and sleep off the tireness u have accumulated over a rigorous day in colg - organizing mass bunks, playing TT and baski, persuading friends to give u treats for no reson whatsoevr.

But before all this, u must indulge in something called \"haggling\" - a term used to describe your bargaining with the conductor over the bus ticket. You never buy a 10 Rs ticket - always a 5 or 7/-. The 3 bucks saved can go into drinking a bunta in the canteen the nxt day.

Then, if ur lucky, u'll get an empty seat nxt to some uncleji. If not, yet another hour will be wasted standing in the middle of the stampede, with ur upper torso being jolted in a diametrically opposite direction from ur legs. Worse, never sit on a ladies seat, unless theres a cool looking chic besides. And Murphy's Law will follow you soon. The moment u sit, some auntyji will apparate out of sheer nothingness, like from some other space dimension, and ask u to vacate the seat - irrespective of whether u r carrying 1/2 a ton worth of books, registers, ED apparatus etc etc.

And if u do get he seat, and sleep off - just follow a couple of precautions. The guy nxt to u will let u keep ur head on his shoulders, only till u dont start drooling and dropping saliva on his shoulders. After that it cud nasty.

Secondly, remember where u have to get off. One of my dreams has been to visit the metro station and enjoy a ride. Well, once it almost got fulfilled. I slept soundly, and by the time i woke up, i saw strange and unfamiliar buildings passing thry. My misery was compounded, when the conductor told me i was about to reach the metro station. I quickly got off and came back to my \"intended\" bus stop, a 3/4 hr ride probably.

I was still groggy and very sleepy. In the confusion, i tried crossing the main road on a green signal, only to be bumped by a speeding motorbike I never saw coming. It wasnt so scary apart from a swollen leg and a near crushing by the blue line bus, that just stopped with screeching brakes an inch away from us.

But looking at the brighter side, some good uncle gave me a drop back till home, seeing my condition - and u know wht - that was 2 Rs saved frm yet another bus ride (this time it wud have been my final one)

And so as the engineering joke goes - Alcohol and Calculus dont mix - Never drink and derive.


The above scribbling of mine typically describes a single day of travelling back to our abodes. Imagine spending 4 years doing this. Also take into account the fact that for the 1st 3 sems, the Uttam ngr-kakrolla route was closed - so we had to take the long way back.

Looks like i have travelled immensely in these buses and probably tried and tested 9-10 different routes for getting back home, sometimes evn going half way to gurgaon, or evn in a 764 to IIT (which is in completely ooposite direction to my home) to accompany some \"friends\" enroute (if u ppl get the drift :wink: ). No wonder the buses are a third home for us, considering we spend 4 hrs travelling in them daily.

But its been a hell of a 4 fun years in the \"buses\". And the excitement and incidents will definetely be missed.

However the best route/journey I have encountered so far is :

Friend + car + \"thoda sa bahaana\" + \"bahut saara maska\" = lift back till home

Perseus Patrawala

COE (Class of 2005)