(1/5) En Route to Countless Smiles: Journey Begins at Burla!

After nearly two years, I finally decided to take a trip. The ups and downs of the startup journey had kept the travel off my priority list. But as things slowly started falling into place, I made the decision to go.

I booked a bus ticket from Bhubaneswar to Burla, with just a backpack and the idea of returning in a few days.

There was no specific agenda—no meetings or mission to complete. I even left my laptop behind, simply planning to spend some time with the people around me. That’s it.

The journey from home began with a bike taxi picking me up for the bus stand. The 30-minute ride was filled with his stories and my engaged listening.

He was in his mid-30s, using these bike rides to support his family, which included his wife, parents and a brother with whom he has a strained relationship, despite having helped him set up a shop.

He was also burdened by loans accumulated over time to cover various family expenses, such as his sister’s marriage. Along the way, he offered me a taste of homemade cookies his wife bakes and sells at local outlets for some extra income.

This made me pause and reflect on the wealth inequalities in our society. While I was setting off on a trip to meet friends and enjoy myself, there are others who are struggling even just to make the ends meet!😔

Somehow, I boarded the bus, had my ticket checked and waited for the departure from the newly inaugurated Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bus Terminal.

I couldn’t help but be awestruck by the impressive design of the this high-tech bus stand in Bhubaneswar.

The journey followed its usual route of over 280 KM. This time, however, I experienced a heightened fear of speed. Since my past scooty accident, I had grown accustomed to traveling at a much slower pace.

Throughout the night, I was grappled with anxious thoughts about various scenarios. While this may sound pessimistic, it was beyond my control. Thankfully, nothing of the sort occurred!🙏

The bus reached Burla early in the morning around 6:30 AM. I chose to offboard at the Jyoti Vihar bus stop, as I used to do back when I lived in the hostel 4 years ago!

This time, however, I was picked up by Nishant, my engineering batchmate who had been remotely serving for a US based organization. I was scheduled to stay at his home for the next few days.

The 1.5 km ride through the lush green campus was filled with nostalgic memories from the past. However, my anxiety resurfaced when Nishant accelerated his bike.

Despite my worries, it was a short distance and we arrived before I had a chance to dwell on any second thought!

Nishant’s home always reminds me of my own place, having visited frequently during my engineering days & later as well. The day began with a Gujarati breakfast at their house.

As I settled in, I noticed a copy of Raja Yoga by Swami Vivekananda on his bookshelf. Just 2-3 days earlier, this book had been at the top of my reading wishlist and now it was right in front of me! I made sure to borrow it from him for a few weeks.

The day before, we had received an invitation from Lokesh, a mutual friend from engineering, to attend a commemoration ritual of one of his closest relatives.

The event was scheduled in Jharsuguda, Located about 80 KM from our place, a city known for its industrial base, driven by coal mining and large-scale industries, which fuel its economic growth and make it one of the most urbanized regions in Odisha.

I set off around 10 AM with Nishant on the driving seat of the car, accompanied with soothing music and plenty of conversations.

I texted my chai canteen colleagues from the engineering times, mentioning that I wished they could have been here too. However, being a Monday, they were busy in the metro cities, attending their morning standup calls & project updates!

Nevertheless, you'll know you've reached Jharsuguda the moment you see a long convoy of loaded trucks passing by and a plume of smoke rising from the industrial plants!

You can’t afford to travel without a mask, if you opted for a 2-wheeler, though we were safely enclosed inside Nishant's car.

Guided by Google Map's accurate verdicts, the vehicle stopped near a high school, where we had to take a narrow lane to reach Lokesh's home.

He comes from a joint family, bound by shared love and emotion and over time, they've become our extended family too. We proceeded to seek the blessings of the elders by touching their feet.

Lokesh took us on a tour of his village, particularly to the large pond side, where we had many conversations in the past. Along the way, we encountered several familiar faces from his circle.

We received a warm welcome and offered our prayers in honor of the departed soul. Afterwards, we were escorted to a community center where lunch had been arranged for the guests.

With our schedule being a bit tight, we headed for home, with a final conversation with all.

The evening was packed with a ride with Manoj, another localite batchmate, to the Hirakud Right Dyke, a critical component of the Hirakud Dam, extending along the right bank of the Mahanadi River.

It helps in flood control and irrigation by retaining water and preventing river overflow.

This would be incomplete without mentioning our final stop for dinner at Bedi Dhaba, a nostalgic must-visit for anyone who has been to Burla or studied at its campuses. The mutton and chicken dishes, cooked to perfection, are simply irresistible!

P.S

Though this is inspired by a real-life story, due care is exercised by modifying the names, details & incidents to protect privacy.