Episode 326 : The last days of 2011- 1

December 28, 2011

It had always been a habit to look at a map and remember alternate routes- in case roads were broken, dangerous, or were too long. It was also a habit to check the weather forecast of places less frequented- you never know when it would rain.

But it is Pondicherry. And in December. What could go wrong?

The road from Bangalore to Madras and Pondicherry is the same till Krishnagiri, after which you take the right turn towards Thiruvannamalai. The road is two-laned, lacking a median, and ‘scenic’, someone had mentioned a few years ago.

I should have remembered that some descriptions have an expiry date. The road is indeed two-laned, lacking a median, and quite ‘scenic’- euphemism for tree-lined country roads. It is also riddled with pot-holes at many places. It was after crossing Utthangarai that I noticed something was wrong with the motorcycle.

The front brake wasn’t working. And for someone who depends on both brakes to come to a quick stop, it was a risk to continue. On closer examination, I found that the brake’s caliper had slipped off the plate, causing it to fail.

Luckily for me there was a mechanic at Utthangarai, just 4 kilometres behind me.

'There is nothing I cannot fix' the mechanic declared, his breath smelling of alcohol.

I thought the caliper had come apart, but all that was needed was a screw to mount the caliper into position. It was then that I first heard of an impending cyclone that was going to hit Pondicherry in the night.

But I had heard such forecasts before. The cyclones and storms usually missed Tamil Nadu, I told myself. So I decided to continue and take things as they come.

After I reached Auroville that evening, nothing happened that night. There is no cyclone, I thought brashly.

To be continued...