1990 – Shillong - Indore – Calcutta – Shillong Trip.
THIS BLOG WAS WRITTEN 21 May 2021
Irrespective of the date when the blog was published, It has been published backdated, to maintain historical sequence.
These backdated blogs are written as much to record our travels and places seen all those years in the past, as they are to present a photographic record of the growth of Ajeet and Anuj through those early years.
Background.
PQ 55/4.
While trying to write about our - Darjeeling - Gangtok - Nathu La – Kalimgpong Trip,
I remembered that Whenever
the topic of our trip to Darjeeling, Gangtok etc came up Priti and I were very
clear that some time towards the end of 1990, all of us were in Calcutta. We
stayed in officers Mess at Fort Williams. This was very evident from the few
photos in Album no 9 (5/88 – 5/90) which had always confused me as I have no memory whatsoever
of ever going to Indore and Calcutta from Shillong during that time. (Link to these photos is included in the
end.)
Speaking to Priti and Ajeet, who have
elephantine memories this is what emerged.
During the academic year in 1990 when
Ajeet was in 10th standard due to board exams we did not go anywhere.
Once Ajeet’s exams were over, it also
being the warrant year decided to go to Indore. We travelled to Indore by train via Guwahati.
No other details about the train route, train names etc are available.
The return trip was done on 50% concessional fare by
Indian Air Lines from Indore to Calcutta. This time we stayed in Officer’s Mess
at Fort Williams.
One day as we finished our breakfast and
were leaving the dining hall, Priti happened to spot Col Suresh Gadre.
In their time, the fathers of Suresh and
Priti were together in Gwalior Army and later in the Indian Army after the independence.
Due to long association, Gadre’s and Naik’s were family friends. Priti was
treated as a younger sister by Suresh and all the Gadre brothers.
Therefore it was but natural that when
Priti saw Suresh we met.
Long chit chat between them to bring each other up to date about the happenings in both families. Suresh mentioned that he was Chief
Engineer at Siliguri. Our plans to visit the Eastern states during our Shillong
posting was also mentioned. Suresh said that being Chief Engineer he can help
in organising a trip to Darjeeling
- Gangtok - Nathu La – Kalimgpong.
I told him that I will keep in touch and
would definitely take him up on his generous offer. Later on, This was to result in our doing the trip.
From Calcutta returned to Shillong bt train
via Guwahati
Link to relevant photos of Indore trip
is given below.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dtMjE6rJLTWP6Crs6
