ठुलु तिम्रो र चित्रेको बाल्यकाल पढेर मलाइ पनि आफ्नो दुइ कुरा लेख्न मन लाग्योक , पहिला नै लेखेको हो कतिले त पढि सक्नु भो होला त्यै पनि, चौतारीमा गाइ खाने भासा घुसायकोमा कान समातेर् उठ बस गर्दैछु है It was midnight, dark and cool. I tried to sleep but I could not. Chilly breeze entered through the whole of the window of the train. I closed my eyes tightly and invited a dream but it was unsuccessful attempt again. Cold air kissed me gently, made me shiver and went away. I was at lower berth; plump Punjabi, sleeping at upper berth was snoring louder than damaged speaker. Everyone was sleeping except me, I guessed. I thought of flipping the pages of Sidney Sheldon’s ‘Nothing Lasts Forever’ but I did not dare to put on lights at midnight. Helplessly, I tried to sleep and I was badly defeated. I had a good sleep the other afternoon. The train had left this morning from New Delhi. I tried to play on my Walkman but batteries were old. At that moment, I agreed with Disraeli who once quoted ‘Travel teaches toleration’. All of a sudden, something pinched me pleasantly, I was excited. Train was moving on its own speed, there was dark. In my mind good old days started pouring. I remembered my school days, going to school barefoot in dirty shirt and torn half pant. In rainy season we used to fight in class to get a seat at safe place. Life was really beautiful in those days. Since childhood, I was crazy about music but there was not transistor in my house. I used to walk an hour to listen radio. In those days, I used to dream that one fine day I would travel by train, speak English, and lay down on a beautiful beach with my kind of music. Of late, I have danced madly on a beach, and done everything else I used to dream of. But now I like my naughty and childish life. God, make me a child for tonight. During break time of school, we used to run empty stomach; we did not have even 25 paisa to buy BARAF (ice-cream). Those boys used to be the heroes of class who licked Baraf and definitely I was not among them. Train was in its rhythm, and I was travelling in my own track faster than the train, reminding wonderful memories of bygone days. After school, I came to India for +2. Believe me, it was so painful to leave those dear friends with whom you shared so many things for so many years. We could do nothing as the show must go on. I missed my friends greatly; I was among odd people in odd place. First day of my college was awful. I was in a city of the people of 7 million, all new faces for me. I felt like suffocating. Gradually, those odd people turned very closed to me and odd place Hyderabad became very special. Oh, train had stopped, new station might had arrived. Life is a journey as well. We passed many stations. In some stations we halt longer and in some not. I lost into the past. I heard past is a bucket of ashes but the ashes here are stronger than cement. During college days, slowly I made some good friends and we had a wonderful time together. I remeienced good olden days, bunking college, playing cricket, having Idlis and Dosa on footpath, teasing dusky girls, ragging juniors. Countless nostalgic events ran into my mind. That strict Hindi Madam who punished everyone except me. I miss you, madam. It was just like yesterday when we all were angry with Principal as we got punishment because his car’s tyre was punctured. Oh! Time flies so fast. We wandered every street of Hyderabad, every cinema hall, every park and every girls college. Life had never been the same again. Then there came a bitter day, a farewell. We had to depart; we could do nothing as meeting and the parting are the routine of life, only that was left to console us. We cried, embraced, hugged for the final time. Then, life took another turn. That chapter closed. The train was whistling, I had gone completely nostalgic and emotional. I could not believe I led such a beautiful life. Oh! Time flies we say. Alas! Time stays we go. After +2, I came to Kathmandu. I lost everything my school friends, college friends, many good people who cared me a lot. One more time I was among odd people, I was just a piece of crowd. But experiences have taught me a lesson. Life is a game where we meet to part and part to meet. It was a new beginning for me. Going to campus, making new friends, again new episode of drama, new station in life. Oh! It was morning, I heard people shouting "Chai garam ,Chai garam…….." I could not remember when I slept last night. Many stations had come and gone, many passengers had left the train, and many new had got in. It is like a journey of life, there was a gorgeous lady in the place of Plump Punjabi. The train was heading towards Hyderabad. I was on the way to it, where I spent my 2 colourful and fruitful years. I was very eager to meet my friends, that Hindi Madam, Principal and everything. After 36 hours of journey I got off at Hyderabad platform. I found the city welcoming me with open arms and I heard the melodious voice coming from speaker "कभि कभि मेरे दिल मे खयाल आता है......"