Chronicles of Bankelaal: Introduction

Mr Bankelaal, a gaon ka chora, visited Bangalore a few months back. Many people who don’t have an engineering degree opt for Mumbai to start their career but Bankelaal opted for Bangalore even though he knew that he’s all the qualities to become a successful actor. The reason was that he got a job in Bangalore. He was sad since he left his family, his village (Jhumritalaiya) and the life full of fun where he touched the lives of many. Whenever he remembered his good old days during the journey, he crooned the famous song

“aankhon mein sapne liye
ghar se hum chal toh diye
jaane yeh raahe abb le jaayengi kahaan”

It was a fine Saturday morning and the traffic was moving fast in front of the Bangalore City Railway Station ( Note: The traffic moves at respectable pace only on weekends and public holidays in Bangalore). A person was arguing with an autorickshaw driver (AD). Oh! He was Bankelaal.
AD: Kahan jaana hai?
Bankelaal: Koramangla
AD: 200 Rs
Bankelaal: Meter pe jine aayega de denge. Aise kaise paise maang rahe ho.
AD: Bangalore main naya lagta hai tum. itna hi lagta hai.
Bankelaal: Itna nahi lagta hai. Hamare chacha ne bataya tha.

He argued with a few more ADs, then he decided to take the city bus. So, he walked to the Majestic bus station. He had never seen such a big bus. Somehow he managed to find a bus. He reached to the hotel. He was very tired after the long journey in the bus. Log kehte hai hai ki ishq main ek ek pal ek ek baras ke barabar hota hai, Bankelaal had the same feeling when he was inside the bus.

The company had booked a hotel for Bankelaal in Koramangla. When Bankelaal reached the hotel, the guy at the reception asked for all the identities a person can have to make sure that he’s the right person because the bus journey made him looked like a beggar. Anyways, he got the room.

In the morning he managed to get a window seat so he had a lot of oxygen to breathe. He finished all the joining formalities. His supervisor introduced him to all his colleagues. During the lunch one of his colleagues asked,” Where are you PUT UP in Bangalore?”
Although Bankelaal had good knowledge of English but unfortunately he didn’t know the meaning of put-up. He ignored the question and started talking about some other thing. The other guy understood immediately that he doesn’t know the meaning of put up. He asked the same question again. Bankelaal mumbled, “I don’t know. I’m not put up anywhere”. All the people burst into laughter. Bankelaal was embarrassed. Then the people told him that most of them added this word to their vocabulary after reaching the Bangalore. After a couple days Bankelaal asked a person, who had come to Bangalore recently,” Where are you PUT UP in Bangalore?”

The days passed and Bankelaal was now well settled in Bangalore. A dance competition was being organized by the company. As I told earlier that Bankelaal had all the qualities an actor should have, he could dance well. He had been planning to participate in the competition. When he told his desire to his gang, one of his colleagues, a female, asked him if he’s interested in participating in the competition with her. She was an average looking girl, so Bankelaal ‘Ji’ refused. The girl got very angry. When Bankelaal could not cite any convincing reason, the girl asked him, “Have you got two left feet?” Bankelaal immediately replied, “Can’t you see that I’ve got one left and one right foot”. The girl fell down laughing. Bankelaal was embarrassed again.

To be contd…..