Contributed By Divya Vattikuti
Chaala saarlu chaala try cheyyali anukuntaam. Kaani cheyyakunda undataaniki manaki maname 100 kaaranalu cheppukuntaam. Naaku kuda anthe. I always wanted to go solo traveling. College lo unnappudu intlo permission adigithe “Nuvvu udyogam chesetappudu vellu" ani simple ga ignore chesesedhi amma. Kaani nenu maatram chaala serious ga teesukunna aa maata. Campus placement lo Job vacchindhi. Job vacchina 6 months ke manchi sambandham ani ventane pelli chesesaaru. Ala pellayyaka teliyakundane 5 years aypoyaayi. 5 years lo attha garini, mavayyani, maa aayanani, rendalla maa buddodini chusukovadam lo ala gadichipoyindhi.
Edho teliyani depression thoughts. Oka roju amma tho cheppa. "Intha manchi mogudu, ardham chesukone attha mamalu, pilladu ippude maatalu nerchaadu. Intha kanna inkemi kavaale neeku? Neekasalu em kastham vacchindani depression" ani annindhi.
Amma entha cheppina, naa manasulo maatram edho kalavaram. Nannu nenu ekkado pogottukunnanu ane feeling. Asalu pelli tarvata intini chuskovadam maatrame naa aanandama? Naakantu vere emi isthaalu, abhipraayalu undava? Asalu nakantu emi isthalu leva ani aalochisthe nenu eppati nuncho cheyyalekapoyina chaala chaala vishayaalu gurthocchayi.
Alaanti vaatilo eppatiki teerani korika la migilipoyindhi ‘Solo travelling’. Ippatiki emi aypoledhu ani anipinchindhi. Kaani chinna baabu, office ki velle husband, attha mamalu. Veellandarini vadili ala tirgadaaniki vellanu ani andaru anukuntaaremo. Anthendhuku amme ee maata antadhi. Ila amma maata aalochinchi college nuchi ippati varaku korika, korika lane migilipoyindhi.
Ala raatri ayyina aalochanalu maatram manasulo nunchi vellatledhu... Manasu kuduthapadaka aayanaki cheppa idantha. ‘Appudu vellalekapoyav, ippudu vellu. Andhulo em undhi’ ani simple ga cheppi, tana maanana tanu book chaduvukutunnadu. Antha easy em kaadu. Attthaya mammayya em anukuntaaro. Anthendhuku mana buddoddu nenu lekunda untaado ledho ani naalo unna prasnalanni bayata petta.
Maa vaaru ey maatram aalochinchakunda, ‘Its okay, We can manage for few days. Take your time off and explore yourself. You need it right now.’ Ee maatalu naalo create chesina clarity antha intha kaadhu. Idhe maata college lo unnappudu amma kuda cheppaledhu.
I decided to go solo travel. Kaani ekkadiki vellali. Eppati nuncho vellali anukuntunna ooru “Kaasi”. Why only Kaasi ani adigararu aayana. Why ante chaala kaaranale unnayi.
Chinnappudu nannu padukobettadaaniki ammamma cheppina kathallo. naa manasuku chaala daggarainadhi “Kaasi majii kathalu”.
Ganga nadhi, vandhaku paiga ghatlu. Oka pakka devudlaki pujalu jarugutunte, inko pakka chanipoyina vaariki antyakriyalu ane vishayam chinnappudu entho aschryam ga anipinchedhi.
Pedda ayyaka kuda kasi meedha interest alaane peruguthu vacchindhi. Chaala mandhi foreigners India vacchi Kaasi lo settle aypovadam, Kasi loni goppatanam gurinchi kathalu raayadam, aa kathalu chadivina naaku Kasi meeda inka aasakthini penchaayi. Spiritual aspect okati aithe, Ganga nadhi vadduna kurchoni chustunte janala maranalu kalla mundhu kanipistaayi ani endharo cheppina maatalu, naaku Varanasi meedha intha makkuva kaliginchaayi. Asalu is the city worth all its hype annadhi telusukovadaaniki aina okkasaari Kasi vellali ani anukunedanni.
Ala somehow inti baadhyatha maa husband ki appaginchi, I planned a week solo trip to Varanasi. Ala flight lo kurchunte ippati varaku jariginadantha madhilo medilindhi. Ala aalochanallo undagaane I landed in Varanasi, arguably the most overwhelming city in India.
Did the city really meet my expectations? Next part lo teluskovadaniki ready ga undandi.
