Shaadi No.1

[-Flashback-]

Mid 1999. School days. Infact, last year at school.

Like a herd of sheep I and my school friends used to flock to those IIT-JEE coachings, to poora karo the sapne of stepping into IITs. They had like 300- 400 students in one batch. Sometimes the number would go up to 500.

The decision was basically taken by my parents, majorly supplemented by thoda sa doodh de dijiye types padosis. They told my parents, "bete ki life ban jaayegi". Thus, I went to those coachings. Three of them - Phy, Chem. and Maths and each one lasting for about 3 hours. Life was already hectic and to add to that the Cricket World Cup. I ogled at those matches much in the same way Vivek Oberoi ogles at Aishwarya Rai.

Tuesdays, Thurs and Fridays were bad . Come back from school at 2:20 pm. Watch TV, Eat lunch, Rest a while and shoot for the Chemistry coaching at 4:14:12 PM types (give or take a few seconds). Listen to the instructor. Write down if in the mood. Watch girls. (That was the last ime I saw so many pretty gurls sitting together). Hoot when the lights goes off. Talk cricket. Talk movies. Come back to home at 8:29:22 PM types. Satisfy papa and mummy - "bahut padhayi hui aaj". Eat dinner like if it was the last supper. Try and finish off some school stuff and coaching stuff. Sleep.

Mondays, Weds and Saturdays were worse. Take off from school like a supersonic. Land at home. Eat lunch, like if I was on the 100th floor of World Trade Center and have just seen the plane flying towards my window. Change clothes with the same speed as Mallika Sherawat takes her off. Shoot for Physics and Math back to back. Somehow make it back to home at 9:12:04 P.M. types and eat and zzZZZ..

Thankfully my school was only 3 (7) minutes at a running (walking) distance from my home. Sadly the coachings were 30 - 40 minutes, add to that the never forgiving Kanpur traffic. I had the always-reliable my dad's Humaraaaa Bajaj Super!. and learned to ride it only because of the coachings. I and my school friend B had worked out a plan to share the commute. I would drive to his place, pick him up and drive to the coaching and drive back. Next day, I would just leave my scooter at his place and he would drive his bike. We were happy saving fuel and having a friend along was the next best thing after cricket (and girls).

Just another day at coaching.
B was driving us back and a red scooty (Humaraa Bajaj Spirit UP78****) speedily drove past us. I really think that was the moment which inspired Dhoom.

B: Abey.!
Me: Abey..
B: kuch baat hai...hmm..
Me: ladki thi kya.
B: hmm..
Me: hmm..

Yet another day at some coaching. The class just got over and as usual I and my friends hung around, gossiped, watched the girls leaving with their brothers and dads.

B (shocked): Abey!
Me: kya
B: Arey yeh to apni hi coaching mein hai..us din wali speedo.
Me: haan..pata hai..teenon classes mein hai..phy .chem. .math..
B: oh acha..saale bata nahi sakta tha.
Me: hehe

I think there is something with the world, like a rule or a commandment that once you start noticing certain people, you come across them more often than all the other mortals. Much like when you start noticing suni hui tunes in Anu Malik's songs, you see him composing more.

So we noticed her, in the coachings, in the parking area, on the roads and soon realized that we generally took the same roads and turns and chaurahes back to our homes.

I think she noticed us too.

Chemistry Coaching. I was minding my own business, looking around, waiting for B to pull out the bike from the 3 feet narrow gali which came out of the parking lot like a caterpiller coming out of a football field.

Just then, I think I saw her coming towards me. I froze.

(Self:"Abey yeh to yahin aa rahi hai..noo..dekthe hain")

It was confirmed. She was.

(Self:"Abey pit gaye aaj..bolegi ki peecha kyun kar rahe ho..maregi..kahan bhagun ..kaise kya!".)

I had only heard and seen in movies and was convinced that its not really comfortable when a girl takes off her sandal and launches it on you. I thought may be its time for me to witness it very closely, or I should say feel it.

Eye contact was made. I tried not to look but she was right there. The dinosaurs are never there when you most need them. The sky never falls down. The ground never tears apart. I was cornered.

She: Hi!
Me: Aei..

(the 'H' did not come out. I was very pleased with whatever came out in that situation.)
She: Tum log Bade Chaurahe tak jaate ho na
Me: haan..
(Self: Pukka pite!.Maa kasam...Ab kabhi nahin jaunga wahan se..)
She: Actually, I also go till there..and raat mein risky hota hai kaafi..wapas aate waqt.tum log saath mein chal sakte ho??..woh mummy kehti hain ki koi rahega to safe rahega.
Silence.
Me: Err..Umm..Haan..(Silence) I come with a friend...let me talk to him.
She: haan..ok.

She went back to her friend who was standing by her two wheeler. In the meantime B had come with the bike. I told him.

B: Hain!.
Me: haan
B:Hain...Hain..
Me: Ab chaloge ya 'hain' hi karte rahoge

B never believed me.

I took the back seat and B kick-started the bike and we drove towards her. I think I just said "chale" and she nodded. It was time for B to deep-freeze. He did not say a word. Not to me, not to anyone. May be he was just checking out the sandals. I never asked.

We stopped at a railway crossing and waited for the train to pass by. I thought this may be the time to break some ice.

Me: Hi!..I am Kapil and he is B.
She: Ya..I am Nupur...Mujhe naam pata hai tum logon ke..tum log Jaipuria se ho na..meri friends hain tumhari class mein..unse poocha tha.

(Self: Aeen.. Background Check karela hai isne to!)
Me: oh ..accha..tum Phy aur Math mein bhi aati ho na..
She: haan :)

(All the conversations here are a reconstruction of real ones based on my ant-size memory. These may not be taken for exact.)

[-/Flashback-]

The reason I chose to put down this memory today is very simple and now very obvious from the title. I am really glad that we have been good friends since then, and I am much more happy and excited today.

Yes...Its her W-E-D-D-I-N-G!

So the Miss Nupur that we knew is now gone. She is Mrs. Nupur :)

My Heartiest Congratulations to Nupur and Nupur's HE

and

Bestest Wishes to the Jodi No. 1 for their Journey together.

11th Feb 2006