THE ENTHRALLING TRIP TO PAAPIKONDALU


Hearing much about Polavaram project made us think about paapikondalu .We heard many times about its scenic beauty and tribal cultures.When we read in news papers that if the project is completed that whole area will get submerged and we will be missing that scenery for ever we have decided to visit the place at the earliest possible.Long back producer K.Balachander s film had a song saying “PAAPIKONDALA VENUKA PAPANTI MANASUNNA JABILLI VUNNADANI CHALLANI KABUROCHENE …..NA VOLLANTHA PULAKINCHENE’ which means there is a thrilling news that there is moon(a person with very pure heart like a child…most lovable person) behind paapikondalu with child like heart.These very delicate romantic lines also strengthened our urge to visit that area.Finally the proposal took a firm shape and tickets were booked in Gauthami express for 19th of march.We all met at the railway station,Me Ranjana madam,Bhargavi ,Waheeda,Kalpana,Sarala,Nirmala,Lalitha,Indira duo.Everyones face beaming with happiness and excitement radiating a glow all around made those silly electric bulbs shy down everybit.After settling the lugguage I opened my bag and took out plenty of nice smelling jasmines I have collected at my home.I it was Bhargavi very mischuvously started making bunches of those jasmines with the help of safety pins and she started decoring me with those as earrings lockets and even as tira on my curly hair.she said she is felicitating me for arranging this trip.Everyone joined her in doing so and not only that they even took a photograph of me in that special appeaarence.The whole compartment was reverberating with our laughs.We requested the one young couple in that compartment to exchange places with the berths of Nirmala and Lalitha which were little away..they oblized without any fuss after watching our excitement.Madam Ranjanagaru mixed well with all of us without any inhibitions.After this felicitation we took out dinner and enjoyed a lot with jokes .Then we started playing cards.I was in winning almost sixty rupees and they suddenly stopped playing…I was so sad I couldnot sleep all through the night.(In between u and me I usually sleep very well while travelling in train and speciaaly after laughing so much I slept very well..pl donot tell them this truth.)Around eleven we all jumped on to the berths and slept very well.
My sleep broke around five in the morning..i remembered the attender telling us that we may reach Rajamundry around 5.20am..i switched on the lights..some others also woke up but Nirmala was still sleeping I woke herup..meanwhile Kalpana enquired and got the news that it will take another one and half hour to reach rjmy.Nirmala gave me a angry look and went back to sleep.I opened the window curtain..and it was like swirching the tv to a geographical channel..showing us the green paddy fields tall palm and coconut trees which were standing tall on eitherside of railway track as if they were welcoming us with a salute..There was fine delicate screen of fog all around..we were enjoying the scene to the content of our hearts.Again we tried to wakeup all other who were missing this unforgettable scenery..meanwhile as if he was saying hai to all of us sun raised like a bright ripe tomato .As we were watching the sun rise we reached rjy station.
We were only ten but more than twenty people came to receive us at the station..we reached the guest house and adjusted our selves in the allotted rooms.I shared the room with Madam Ranjana…who is very sweet and simple person made me very comfortable to be with her.As she does not speak Telugu all of tried to remember that and make her comfortable.Aruna and her cousin who arrived at rjy previous night joined us a little later.Everyone was ready by eight..meanwhile I took all the details of our programmes from protocol clerk.Breakfast was arranged at pattiseema so we had a cup of coffee at the guest house and started for pattiseema. We all started in two quails and one ambassdor cars to pattiseema enjoying the breeze on the banks of godavari.after an hour we reached pattiseema..my god there were fifty people waiting for us.It was little irritating. A who looked familiar came to me and asked Madam do you recognise me?I replied are you not Mr.Saikumar..he was happy..he working asR.I WHEN I WAS R.M.O.we used to work on kalingapatnam Jamindari lands issue.He said madam u gave up a good job.of course but I am doing what I like most now ..i am happy and content I said.Meanwhile everyone flocked around Gigantic Hanuman idol and the preist was chanting loudly some mantras.Me and Waheeda stood aside.Suddenly one bright golden coloured object caught my vision..It was being dragged like our never ending telugu serial..i understood what it was.It was jaggery syrup being made into toffees ..very famous regeional delicacy.I went near thar people who were making it and took some from them and distributed to everyone..i explained about it to Madam Ranjana and Waheeda.Preist was tring to take us around all small temples.I restrained him and proceeded for breakfast.After breakfast we boarded the launch.As soon we boarded almost more than twenty people boarded the launch .some said they are security personnel some are from court staff so on …we told them firmly that we came on a personnel pleasure trip and sent them back to courts.Launch started after fifteen mins with minimum possible people along with us.
We reached pattiseema in ten mins..it was a bit difficult to walk in that hot sun almost half kilometer distance. After Pooja and darshan we returned to launch..this time it was really very hot and all the surrounding were very dirty with the garbage left by visitors for recent Sivaraatri festival.Feeling sad for our lack of civic sense me and Bhargavi walked very fast to reach the launch.They served us tender coconut water as soon as every one settled on the laun ch .Felt very refreshed with that sweet coconut water while the cool breeze cooling our heated bodies.