Japan: Expected Wonder

 

I was reluctant to write about Japan. Many reasons. I wrote about South Korea with lots of enthu because it’s still an unconquered frontier for the Indians. I met hardly any. While in Tokyo, in the suburb, Nishi Kasai where I was staying, I met dime a dozen. Every fourth person was Indian.

So much so that when I climbed down the Metro station of Nishi Kasai balancing my bag on escalator the first couple I met, appeared to be Indian. On asking them they turned out to be Marathi, right ho, from Pune! They asked their Japanese friend to assist me in finding my hotel; as Google maps play gimmicks many times! The lady accompanied me till she made sure with the front desk that I have come at the right place. Kudos to her. For right reasons Nishi Kasai is Mini India of Tokyo.

Second, there is hardly anything about Japan that’s unknown to Indians. And that’s why the title, Japan: Expected wonder. Wonder, no doubt but nothing makes you shake from within! You remain fairly rooted. As if, if it’s Japan it has to be such!

Third and most important, taking in to consideration that Japan was nothing but dust, rubble and ashes in 1945-46 and what it is today, one feels lost as an Indian! Major cities like Tokyo, along with of course Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a big hip of debris and wreckage. In 1947 India was quite well off, American dollar was on par with Indian Rupee. There was no aftermath of the big war that was fought on the shores far away! And now…..And this is where I hate it…. In the end while writing about countries like Germany, Japan and South Korea, you start bad mouthing India in one way or the other, at times indirectly! And what would I achieve …nothing! It was like this, it’s going to be like this. I do not want to go into the details of where we lost the bus! But it hurts and I do not want to get hurt, so I was reluctant to pen down the memories of my Japan Journey!!

But after fighting with myself for many days and moved by many friends’ requests along with literally pushes of my wife I gave up the charade, and now when I am at it, let’s see, how much justice I do to the topic, Japan: Expected wonder!

I had chosen Nikko for its nature, Kyoto for its culture, Hiroshima and Tokyo; of course you cannot omit them when you visit Japan. Tokyo as the last stop because it’s always better to be nearest to the airport from where you are flying back home and plus, shopping! Tokyo stands predominantly on world map of shopping! I was not going to buy Rolls Royce or Bentley but whatever tiny bits…. Tokyo was the best choice!

The ANA, All Nippon Airways flight from Mumbai to Narita, one of the busier airports of Tokyo, other one is Haneda was the best of the flights I had taken so far. Flawless take off, turbulence free in-flight and absolutely smooth landing. Narita Airport- When you expect more, crash landing is more often. Narita only is a work savvy airport like Japanese themselves. No flashy duty frees, nor decorated interiors. Though not absolutely drab, nothing special to write home about!

On agenda there were few important chores to be completed. Exchanging JR pass voucher for the actual JR pass. It’s like a Eu-rail pass, unlimited travel for a fixed amount for stipulated days. I had taken 14 days’ pass. Though the queue was not short, the girls on the counter were efficient and I got my pass within 15 to 20 minutes .Another task was to get Japanese SIM card for the mobile. It turned out that the SIM card available on the kiosk was only for data and you neither could  call nor send the messages. So it was useless. I had to turn on ‘International Roaming’, on my Vodafone. I had read about delivery of your baggage at your door-step, here hotel. I was so exasperated with my bag in Korea; this seemed like god sent opportunity. You could move freely without any “Baggage!” [Pun intended!] Nikko is hardly two hours travel from Tokyo. But I was told, for two hours of passage they would take a full day to deliver, it would be only next day. I was to live in Nikko less than that: so this again was futile.

JR pass is valid for travel on Narita Express to Tokyo. Narita Express is an ultra modern train that crosses the distance of 65 kms within one hour. When I landed on the platform a train was already waiting so I got on the board. And it was not Narita express. Within minutes, on the platform adjacent, the real Narita express arrived. As I was about to alight, the attendant practically forced me back again because the train was about to start. And I missed a chance to travel by ‘The’ Narita Express. My train turned out to be ‘Dombiwali Slow stopping at all the stations’!    

Tokyo, why Tokyo alone, all the railway stations of major cities in Japan are big ‘Bhulbhulaiyya’! Trains are privatized in Japan so stations cater to multiple types of trains. Usual trains, Shinkansen, aka bullet trains, local trains and metros. All the Shinkansen platforms are on the upper deck, ground level platforms cater to the local trains [usual passenger trains in India], while metros are underground. I was practically lost in that maize, as my local train from Narita arrived on the underground platform and I was to catch bullet train [on the upper deck] to Utsunomiya from where the third train of the day, the train to Nikko was leaving. The Electronic notice boards are there, but within a fleeting moment English version disappears and Japanese versions at least in two scripts keep on flashing. Japanese language has three sets of alphabets and they do not have any resemblance to each other. I for few minutes did not know what to do, whom to ask and which platform to go. Common Japanese hardly knows any English, and for any query if they don’t want to reply, which is common, they coolly turn their heads away. And I saw Utsunomiya being flashed for absolutely a second or so, on the notice board of platform number 23. Japanese railway stations have more than enough escalators so bag did not pose a problem. Every Shinkansen has few compartments un-reserved. And it’s boldly displayed. I stood in a queue for such a compartment. To ascertain, whether I am standing in the correct queue or not, I asked the gentleman ahead about the train and whether it goes to Utsunomiya or not. And I was as if taking to the wall! Fortunately another gentleman heard it and said, ‘You are in the correct queue!’ I was just short of leaving a deep sigh!

Shinkansen is an airplane on the ground. Similar tube like aerodynamic design. Shorter in height than the usual trains. Locomotive has a long beak like snout, the pantograph and the overhead electrical traction system too is different than the normal trains. During the entire course, the train runs on the upper deck, so no ground level grazing cattle halting the train! No comparisons! It hardly has jerks and it’s said that water in a glass does not shake even a bit! I did not try, as I drank it directly from the bottle! Utsunomiya to Nikko train was like Matheran’s mini train, a bit bigger, meter gauge.

When I got down on Nikko JR station, climate was absolutely wonderful. Air was so crisp, might have heard the crackling sound on twisting the fingers. My hotel Classic was bang opposite station and I just walked in! After changing three trains without losing a minute anywhere I was on the clean white bed for my first stop in Japan. Nikko!

 

 

Benurwar’s boy got lost!

 Of course I don’t remember anything of the incidence; whatever I am going to narrate is heard from my mother and siblings who were quite old then.

My father was in Military services so was transferred many times during his tenure. At the time of my birth he was posted in Pachhmadhi, though the official name in gazette is Panchmarhi, we always called it Pachhmadhi. Absolutely picturesque hill station in the hills of Satpura and is rightly known as ‘Queen of Satpura’.

According to his status in the hierarchy my father was given accommodation in a twin bungalow which we shared with a north Indian family named Mishra.

Somehow though I was hardly 3 to 4 years old, maximum 5, because there after we shifted to Pune, I distinctly remember many things of Pachhmadhi. Our bungalow had two bedrooms, a hall and a kitchen bit away from the main bungalow, joined by a sort of causeway that had wooden railings and tiled ceiling. And as the British had built the army quarters, there were many roomy verandas, one in the front and a huge one in the back behind the master bedroom. And it directly faced a valley with dense forest. Our bungalow was almost perched on the cliff of the valley!

Sighting of wolves, jackals, wild boars and at times big cats, leopards as well as tigers was fairly common. A story of a sweeper named Dhania, [I remember her name distinctly, still] how after being attacked by a tiger, her mutilated body was left behind, made many rounds, making it almost a folk lore.

In such a scenario I was lost!! At the age of may be 2.5 to 3 years.

Deep in the jungles around 2 to 2.5 kilometers away from our bungalow was a stream flowing into a small water fall, known as Zaria. I was a water child and always loved to play in the water. How I don’t but I managed to reach Zaria on my own. The road to Zaria went through the jungles so was lined with thorny bushes. I knew it so only sandals on the feet and a loose shirt on the torso, no knickers [?!], I successfully marched to Zaria.

I had my own stupendous time in the waters how much I don’t know, but back home it created havoc!!!

‘Benurwar ka Ladka Kho gaya!’ Benurwar’s boy got lost; was the war cry.

I and my brother had our own caretakers, Halaku, a tribal looked after me while Michael a part time carpenter in army looked after my elder brother. Both were trying their level best in the search. Mishra family of course was there along with few Marathi families, Mr. Kher and Mr. Mangalwedhekar. Nobody had a damn clue about my whereabouts. Right from, ‘lost in the jungle to taken away by the wild animal’, all the guesses were hazarded, that worsened my mother’s psychological condition, my father had to abandon the work in the office and had to rush home.

Almost after two hours, after a luxurious dip in the pristine waters I had returned home in the warm embrace of my parents. Nobody blamed me but was crying his/her hearts out. With half sobs when my father asked me, ‘Where I was?’ Absolutely innocently I had told him in Hindi [I learnt my mother tongue when we came to Pune], ‘Gone to Zaria to have a dip.’ And there was a smile mixed with deep sigh on every body’s lips!

History always repeats!

I had just recovered from a heavy bout of Typhoid fever and was to attend the hospital after a very long time. My son then, again, hardly 2.75 to 3 years old, said very innocently and of course sweetly,

‘Baba you have just recovered, I’ll come with you to look after you.’ Hospital was not very far away so I let him come with me. Just next to the hospital, a new residential apartment was coming up so I could not park the car near the hospital. Instead I parked it on the main road leading to hospital. After walking down to the hospital, I handed him over to the receptionist asking her to look after him till I finish the rounds.

Say after 45 to 70 minutes when I finished the rounds, there were hardly any patients as I was sick for rather a long time, Saket, my son was nowhere to be seen!

Big ditches were dug for the plinth of the new building. A suggestion came ‘Get down in the water…. And I lost the grounds below my feet. Weak from the recent illness, a child being lost was unthinkable.

Hospital is very near to the railway tracks, somebody came shouting, and ‘Two boys have come under the train…..’ I barely could stand.

Hospital is in a residential building, so all the neighbors came down to help me. Many suggestions, lots of running around and what not, every possible idea was discussed out, ‘Where Saket could have gone?’

My wife had fracture in the leg then and had plaster cast. When we did not return for a very long time she phoned up the hospital to get the catastrophic news. ‘Saket is lost’. She came rushing to the hospital, almost hysterical. Chaos ruled the roost.

One of the residents Dr. Ashu Solanki, and good neighbor Mr. Shetty who lived upstairs concluded that, Saket is a smart child and must have gone homewards. Immediately they took out the motorbike and drove towards my home in Ghatkopar west.

And to everybody’s absolute delight Saket was found near Vikroli bus depot walking quietly, holding both his hands behind, towards Ghatkopar, our home. When I held him after finding him, naturally my eyes had welled up.

He asked me very simply, ‘Why are you crying Baba? Where were you, I could not find you nor our car so I went home.’

How he managed to reach quite a distance up to Vikroli Bus depot from Vikroli station still dumbfounds me. How he crossed a busy thoroughfare like LBS Marg, how nobody noticed such a small child walking alone, not scared not confused he just walked alone. Quizzes and more quizzes!

Benurwar’s boy was lost for the second time but was found again!

Now I am in my early seventies and I don’t think it is the age to get lost!

My son’s in laws and their extended family had arranged a visit to their home town, Vengurla in February, this year. Gawades have a huge coconut orchard at Pale’ near Vengurla that’s almost at the foot of steep mountains. Naturally to climb up the mountains to reach the top was one of the activities on the agenda. After visiting the light-house, a trip to sea shore, the port of Vengurla it was time for “Mountaineering!’

Due to my respiratory condition I always take my time to do such things, means going at half the speed than the others. Slow paced, rather very slow paced! Taking rest after every forty five to fifty steps I could manage to climb up half the way to the top. The nearest person, due to loss of breath and lack of stamina had opted out and I could see her sitting on a rock for breath. The ones in front of me were walking fast so within few minutes I could see neither them nor the one behind me.

I always want to prove to myself so always try to complete whatever task I partake. So though I could not see any humanity in the vicinity I kept on climbing. After walking up for some time, may be twenty or so minutes I realized that I might be lost! All the paths looked the same, or should I say there was no path as such! I could see the top but the last leg of climb turned out to be too steep. Plus my shoes were not meant for the purpose. They were not having enough hold on the earth below. And it happened. They gave away. The gravel below slipped with such a speed that I was flat, horizontal to the ground and was slipping downwards with frightening speed, in seconds.I tried to get hold of the bushes on the sides but each one was laden with thorns, as a result I had more than few bruises plus as many splinters all over the palms. Shin of my right leg is notoriously vulnerable to injuries. It got bruises for the 'N'th time ,mostly superficial.But fortunately it stopped. I laid there still, not even trying to move a finger, lest it starts another roll down!

Within those few minutes my mind went absolutely berserk. I imagined help from the sky in the avatar of helicopter, a wild cat attacking me and what would I do in such case? I tried to get a big stone, none was found. I was to hit the nose of the beast with it, in dire emergency! How to spend the night in that wilderness? Thousand thoughts.

Back home it was another scene. Mid way to the top the company had taken the left turn and descended down leaving me to conquer the fort! And then they realized that I was lost! Except my wife everybody practically lost their marbles. She was sure that I would definitely return because she knew what clay I am made of. My son was in shambles and made umpteen efforts to find me. It went on for more than 45-50 minutes and they were about to give up the hopes.

But the Gawades knew the locale so well that they sent few of their men to get me. Losing to the age and the hostile nature I decided to climb down when I heard the voices of few people. The children of the mountain reached me in jiffy and holding my finger literarily helped me to climb down to the safety.

And the lost boy of Benurwars was found for third time!