Ek Khwab

I was totally pissed off, I just sat down at the end of the Q, I needed water very badly, but by the time I could regain my mind, there was again quite a few people behind me in the line. I could not leave the line and all the way to buy a bottle of water. But I was too tired and without hesitation started asking people for a sip of water from their bottle, until I found a person selling water bottles. He was selling Rs. 10 bottles for Rs. 30, I did not care, I took one, sat down in the road, had some drink and kept that bottle on my head and eyes just to cool them.

Then it was another 4 hrs in the new Q, but this time the line was stable, lot of time to talk and many friends made. I met Akshay from Hyd who came along with his wife to see the match and also naveen and suresh who came from kolapur. I was feeling happy as the Q was getting closer and closer. Then Finally I got my ticket,, wow, I was congratulated by about 7 people who knew my story from morning.

Another surprise, mobile and cameras are not allowed inside the stadium, What?? what do I do now I had no idea me along with Akshay-the guy who came from Hyd to see the match, decided on two thigns, option A – I courier it to my home here in Bangalore, option B – I take a hotel and keep the stuff there. Hotel seemed better, we would start the conversation asking for a cheap room, then asking for 12 hrs, then telling them we need the room for 4 hrs and then asking them if they can just keep the mobile and camera till we are back.

We finally convinced one manager, and decided on Rs. 200. he gave his no and told to call him and he would come near the entrance of the PCO booth.

All done I had one more thing to do, sell those 5 tickets in black to recover some expense Ive made. few of them warned me about the police. I was there seated in that crowd and thinking a way out of it. I cannot excape the cops as there are cops everywhere.

I thought the best thing was to involve them so that I wont have to fear them. I genuinely went to a cop and told that I have come all the way from bangalore and I had extra tickets with me. I requested them if they someone needed those tickets kindly direct me and showed him the place where I will be standing. I went around and met few more cops and my 50 % work was done. Cops sent the people to me, I had nothing to fear and couple of kids purchased my first 2 tickets for 2 K. I Was starting to smile.

But that also made me think I could sell the other at a higher rate, I was wrong, I could not sell any more tickets, I started moving around, looking for people who wanted tickets. I even shamelessly would go to the people who looked blank asking if they wanted tickets. I was speaking, negotiating, and selling. I was actually becoming a black ticket seller and to be honest  I was becoming good and more shameless as the hour went. I actually was enjoying it.

I sold two more at Rs. 1500 and still had one ticket more to sell. I could not find any more buyers, the stadium was almost full and crowd outside was reduced to just hundreds and everyone there wanted to sell their extra tickets. I met one guy who was offering me Rs. 1500 Tickets for Rs. 1000. I realized that it was too late and sold the last one for Rs. 750.

Rushed inside the stadium and wow what a stadium, I was entering the gate while the roar make it clear that Sachin won the Toss. I did not find any special police protection, but when you approached the gate you had your Q covered by cops on both side.  We had to go through two frisking centres, one metal detector entry and again one more frisking.

They had a box at the frisking centre and they just threw what they think should not be carried, let it me match box, gutka or anything at all. They took my pen and threw it in the box, they did not even bother to look at me. One guy told that his pen was worth Rs. 2000, for which the cop relied that he could either take the pen and go out or throw the pen and get it, it was his choice..

I located my entry point and entered the stadium, and indeed it was amazingly built. Hanging roof, so no pillars, box seats, good infrastructure I felt I was so close to the ground and still had a very very clear view of the entire ground. And one more surprise, most of the people sat in their respective seats

Long Post

This is how it happened, I went to VRL at 2:00 PM, said that I have the ticket for Mumbai for a bus at 3. He asked me for my ticket no, I replied 28, he asked my name, I replied Pavan Kumar, He asked me to show the ID card and I showed him the my driver license, he showed the bus and told me to go ahead. Almost 3 hrs once we started, ( the bus had various pickup points ) there came a family of 5, and they said that my seat belongs to them, I showed my e-ticket and said that it is not possible.

I got down and went to the Booking center to check the same, there he had in his list 5 tickets in the name of Pavan Kumar Jain, I was surprised, I have booked only one, he said no sir, his name is Pavan Kumar Jain and he has 5 tickets pointing at the other guy. So I really did not understand what is happening. Just then the Booking person pointed out something, My ticket was of Sharma Travels and not VRL. ahh this is so so so embarrassing. I was choosing one among them while booking, I though I booked VRL, while I had actually booked Sharma.

But what is really bothering me is the co-incidences, I mean there is another person, who also named Pavan Kumar, who also has Seat No 28, who also is going to Mumbai, who is also going by 3 PM Bus on the same very day, that putt me off, that was too many coincidences..

I ran to Sharma Transport which was nearby, they said that bus 15 min back and on top of that the lady started shouting at me that being educated how can I make such a mistake, I shot her back saying that coz of being over smart this blunder happened,,, I did not know what to do, I started walking slowly thinking about alternatives, I knew I should not decision now, so was just thinking about it.

I had 6 tickets of IPL that could not be sold as they were I tickets and I have to go to redeem them, I have also booked a midnight flight with Air India flight, so I just decided to book the next available bus.

we stopped around 5-6 AM for tea and I met 4 guys who were going to Nashi which is supposed to be close to the stadium, they said that bus will take an extra 1 1/2 hr by stopping for breakfast and at various stops, they offered me a lift, which I gladly accepted. I did not carry any bags, just two mobile and one camera, I knew they did find anything worth stealing from me, so though was pretty safe.

They were kind enough to drop me to the stadium itself, that was nice, I imd tool the e-tickets and went to the Gate No 1 for redemption, I was couple of hours before the stipulated time but I already saw a decent crowd. there were 5 windows, one for Rs. 2000 / Rs. 1500 & Rs. 5000 Tickets, one for Rs. 400 & Rs. 500 and one for Rs. 700 & Rs. 800. I did not find any poster ( when I say poster, it is an A4 sheet pasted few days back, half torn ), so someone said it can be all combine, but since I did see anything else, I decided to wait in the 1000 plus Q.

4 Hrs, that is exactly the time I took to reach the counter, coz the counter opened late, then they did not have the list, then they did not have the tickets. I was feeling horrible, the sun was beating down hard, My t-shirt was all sweaty and my pockets were heavy, had two mobile in one pocket and a camera in another.  the crowd went on increasing, but there were no cops to manage them, there were was a long Q and as a result too many people barging in between. We had few of them create a human chain just to avoid people barging in. The crowd became unbearable as I reached the counter, It was just crushing. for a moment I thought I would actually faint.

I was came to the counter, gave my e-tickets, they asked me for the ID, I could not reach my pocket, I requested a person behind to take out my wallet and hand it over to me, my ID was checked and then they say they dont have 1000 rupee tickets and I should wait for some time. He then did something which I still hate it, He called out for people with 1500 ticket and told me to wait aside. That fool in that small window had no idea that there are thousands of people pushing and fighting just to come close that window. people again barged in, while I was holding tight to the grill of the ticket counter. The tickets came, he was tearing my share  of tickets and I feel a hand pull me out.

It was the cop, dark, fat belly, he pulled me out for entering in between the line, I tried to explain him that I was there in the Q from morning in that heat, without water, without anything down my throat travelling all the way from Bangalore. But he did not care. There were few more people telling him that I was in the Q, but again he did not care, I got really frustrated, I stood there while he was pushing and I resented and I said Iam not leaving without my tickets, I paused and pleaded in really desperate tone explaining him that I was there in that q from morning. For which he replied in sarcasm that he does not care, and pushed me again.. He pushed my till the end of the Q.