BORI BUNDER
-
Gopikrishnan
Kottoor (India)
Sir, come. I have reserved this seat for you.
Pandey
removed the fat copy
of
the Annual Report.
I
took my place beside him.
My
interview is tomorrow
For
the post of Deputy General Manager.
They
ask questions mostly
From
the Annual Report.
If
I get through I can even become GM.
I
wished him the best.
From
just behind
The
chorus rose;
Ramaiya Vastavayya*
Ramaiya Vastavayya
Mene dil tujh ko diya
Mene dil tujh ko diya
The
ghost of Raj Kapoor floated past
Wearing
the overcoat of Charlie Chaplin.
The
train started light as a butterfly
Loaded
with morning pollen.
We
parted ways at BoriBunder.
Onam
came.
We
left for our native places.
Walking
past the Harbour line again
I
realized I hadn’t seen Pandey
For
a while. So I walked into his office in Cuffe Parade.
Pandey? AGM?
Who gaya.**
Ek mahine hoga.
Cancer tha.
The
silver sachet in his left blue stocking
Suddenly
flashed before my eyes.
Back
in BoriBunder
I
sat in the evening train,
The
same place
Where
he had reserved a seat for me.
Tu na aaye toh kya, bhool jaaye toh kya***
Pyar kar ke bhulana na aaya hame
Pyar kar ke bhulana na aaya hame
Ramaiya Vastavayya
Ramaiya Vastavayya
Mene dilt ujh ko diya
Mene dil tujh ko diya
The
old lady
Of
Bori Bunder
Ticked
6.30 sharp.
The
train started,
Ripping
an annual report
Across
my face.
*Ramaiya,
won't you come?
I've given you my heart
**He passed away. A month ago.
It was cancer.
***So what if you don't come or will forget me
I know not how to forget you having loved you.
(Lines from the Hindi film song: Shree 420).
Bori Bunder, or Victoria Rail Terminus, Mumbai, India.
****