Mysore - I bid you adieu!

6th May 2007 - I miss the Chamundi Express to Mysore. Somehow manage to arrive still.
The beauty of the campus captivates me.
5th June 2007 - I move into my rented house. It soon becomes home. Though I don't quite like the workplace, I feel good at home.
7th September 2007 - Moving out. Bidding goodbye to the beautiful city.

I remember the tears trickling down my face when I had known that I shall be in Mysore for good. Fast forward and a silent tear wells up again when its time to bid goodbye to it.
Its strange how this city has made me feel. Its strange for me to say that I will miss it somewhere. I have cribbed enough over the fact that I was here but there is no denying that this city will somewhere be a part of me forever. The face of this city will occupy a permanent corner in my heart.

Having lived in a big city all my life, this was an experience for me. I can say that there is no denying that this place is beautiful. I love the weather here, the rains and the gulmohur trees. I love my house. It was a luxurious place to stay in. I was surprised but yes, the road is a main road. The buses going uphill wake me up every morning. I will miss the walk to the bus stop. There have been days when I have walked down this road and felt the closest I could to nature. I can't pinpoint why. Its a small place. No malls, no theatres. Most people speak Kannada. and I know what to say when they speak to me in Kannada - Kannada gote illa ( I don't know Kannada). Its strange how strangely xenophobic I have felt here sometimes. Like a foreigner. Have met some nice people here. Some not so nice.
Work wise this city hasn't given me much. The kitchen in my house here is where I have learnt to cook. I love the Mysore palace and being a guide for it. I have been there too many times. I have wanted my family and all my friends to come and visit me here. I have wanted to show my home to them, my city, the places I have discovered here. I feel a certain amount of possessiveness with this city, because I am the only one here amongst all my friends. So I feel that its my city where I want to show them around, where I want to be their host.
Life in this city is not as fast as it is in others. My company is probably valued most by the people here. They feel they owe something to the company because they have helped in its development. And this gratefulness makes me feel nice that I am a part of this organisation. There have been very few times when I have felt this otherwise. People here are simple, very. Those handful of nice eating joints that we have discovered here some how mean something to me.
There have been times when I have felt bored in this city. Super bored. And I have wanted to just escape from here.
There have also been times when I have felt that I want to retire in the peace and tranquility of this city, sitting in a rocking chair in my balcony with ear plugs in my ears and a book in my hand.
Strange gestures I have come across. Like my milkman shaking hands and wishing me independence day when he came to deliver milk on the 15th of Aug. In a big city, no one would care a damn to do that.
Auto wallahs have recognised us and greeted us at the bus stop. Could'nt imagine this in a place other than Mysore.
I have felt what it means to provide employment. My servant calls me 'amma' and she started to cry when she got to know that I am leaving. She got me a note in Hindi written from some one saying that -' please ask the next owner of the house to employ me'. She thought that I didn't understand that when she tried saying the same thing to me in the morning in Kannada. I wanted to tell her that I had just begun to understand her. And yes, I was surprised to find my throat choking when she brought me that note. I guess I will buy her a gift before I leave.

Though I have cried here over my loneliness and over work, I will miss Mysore. I will miss my house. Sorry, home.

I bid you goodbye Mysore. And leave you with the hope that I will be back sometime, maybe to fulfil my retirement dream! Till then, be as you are. Don't turn into what a big city is. Stay like this always!