Two days of nostalgia

A two days that took us all the way back 25 years.

And full kudos to Ashutosh who came down to Hyderabad with that as exclusive purpose. He said the years in hyderabad were the best time of his life, and he wanted to revisit......he wanted two days from me and Lan. 

Initially we weren't sure it would fall in place.....but his excitement was so palpable, his feelings so from the heart that it totally wrapped us in as well.

While we've each been at IDBI for long years, the overlap was 1993 to 1996, just three years when we were part of a gang (Amrutha missing)

Day 1, straight from airport at 7 in the morning we went to Abids Taj.....Pesarettu, Alam pachadi and Coffee he said.

A drive around the city......old haunts, tank bund and the like.

And then to our old office, IDBI.

While we didn't expect to meet any of our colleagues from back then, (we did though) it was a wonderful surprise to meet Srinivas. He was a young lad back then, working as a tea boy, an integral part of day....the cups of chai and coffee....the bonding times. It was so wonderful to see him as Canteen head, a long chat...and the warm feeling when he said "stay and have lunch with me".

Imagining the layout as it was, who sat where, quirky stuff that happened, people who brought out our best, work challenges, bosses who drove us nuts, closing days with irani samosa and chai at 2 in the night, scrabble during breaks, papa toads for egg puffs, mohini for biryani....and that list goes on.

Two incidents that Ashutosh recalled with so much feeling, that they deserve special mention:

When Ashutosh was transferred into Hyd, and was given the most sticky portfolio of PFD Accounts,  I apparently ( I don't recall this) spoke to our GM and said "it's not fair, I'll do half day accounts until he gets the hang of it". And today when he said he just couldn't have done without that......well.... Ashutosh, so touched for making me feel good about it even today :)

Second was his saying how when he heard that Lan was transferred to Indore, and orders were to move within a day, he actually broke down in Lan's cabin.... and how Lan just quietly got up, closed the door to give him that space. Was so touching to hear, also because it reminded me of the quiet tear I shed when I walked him out the doors the next day.

Lunch was beer and biryani. 

Evening started with us visiting his old house on Rd No 12. I sat in the car and watched ....it was his journey, his experience......to see him stand and gaze, zoned out and lost to the world. 

And he had so many stories to recall about his life there.

Next on list was a temple inside the Apollo hospital campus,  apparently a sunday ritual for him and his daughter, who was back then all of 3.

A beautiful temple, quiet, serene......the sanctity and depth becoming a metaphor for the bonding experienced through the two days.  

Dinner was again farmaish....chicken 65 and biryani...and beer ofcourse.

Day 2 started with a walk in KBR, and rest of day was literally spent in Lan's red scorpio. We must have done a 100 kms I think........just driving around.....osmania biscuit at Nimraah in Nampally, irani chai at Charminar, lunch at Ulavacharu, pan at dimmy's, tea at lamakaan.........and lots and lots of catching up of times bygone.....aspirations and attitudes......life in general, right until we dropped him off at the airport late evening.

Ashutosh saying "It's been twenty five years, and I haven't met more interesting or fascinating people than the two of you (how much ever exaggerated, who can resist hearing such stuff huh), and Lan saying "I'm not a talker, I'm known to be quiet......but today......I'm going to need gargling with iodex for the throat". 

When twenty five years drops off like that....guess that's how it can get. Strangely, none of us took even a single picture. So strange, and so sorely missed.

Well, well, Ashutosh very quickly and creatively filled that gap (just from our whats app dps') , plus office and his house ...lovely

Ashutosh, for having created and enabled this experience.......tough to find the right words...so, like Lan said 'let silence speak the rest'.