The Wedding Trip That Never Happened!

Everything was normal about that day in feb apart from one thing! I was a bit stressed. For the whole day, I kept mulling over on whether I should go to my friend's wedding or not! Even after coming back home, I was roaming here and there in attempt of getting to the final decision. But this time, my mind simply refused to be on one side and decide: yes or no. Actually I knew somewhere that I did not want to go but then, I had already committed to my friends, to all my colleagues with whom I was supposed to make to this trip. There were many reasons for my unwillingness: 1. My husband was not going with me, 2. I was unable to feel and find that enthusiasm and excitement within me for this trip, which I normally used to have while heading for a trip. I was asking my husband again and again "Shall I go?" "Do you think I should make it to the wedding?" "Don't you think I should be here for the weekend and we both should spend some quality time with each other?" and I was continuously bombarding him with the same question but in different words. May be I was looking out for a particular answer. I wanted him to say "No, you should not go." If he would have said it once, I would have got an excuse for myself and for everybody. But he said, you should go as its going to be a good break for you.

I din't do any packing at night. I din't wanted to! I thought I would decide on going in the morning and slept indecisive. Though sleeping wasn't so easy as I was tossing and turning, my mind was not letting me sleep, it was stressed, it was just not able to decide. And it remained indecisive till I went deep into the well of dreams.

We were 5 people who made this plan of going to our colleague's marriage. There were 2 couples (Rajat and Nidhi, Rushit and Vidya) and me. The men in both the couples were my colleagues.

I woke up at 6 AM next morning, called up Rajat. But I wasn't able to connect to him for a long time. I was roaming here and there in dilemma. I felt like I had never been in such a vague situation ever! Moreover, I was confused about office: Was I to leave for office or was I suppose to wait for somebody's call to declare that we were going! 

Finally I was able to connect to Rushit and he told me that they might not be able to come as Vidya's shopping is still not done!! Now, I felt a strange feeling. I had already ditched my office and now, I get to know this! I was sad but I was also happy somewhere within me because this is what I wanted to hear since last one day. And so, I made up my mind completely about the cancellation of this trip. I smilied and thought that I would enjoy the luxury of being at home for that whole day, watching TV, cooking, cleaning, shopping, sleeping! I felt amazing just by the thought of doing all this!

After escorting my husband for office, I made tea for myself, switched on the TV and just started sipping the tea and enjoying its aroma filling my senses.

After around 15 mins, I got a call from Rajat. He directly asked me about the place where I would be meeting them. I was perplexed. I told him that I thought we were not going as he was not taking the call and moreover, even Rushit was not coming. Rajat said that nothing was like that and we were going. He had already spoken to Rushit and he would join Rajat in next 45 mins. I tried different tactics to cancel this trip but Rajat was adamant and said we would meet at the bridge near my home at 12.15 PM.

I was shattered! I somehow dragged myself to my closet, did all the packing, went to the washroom, got ready. I was trying to boost up my enthusism by again and again reminding myself about the beauty of the place where we were going. It was supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in AP: Rajmundry which was around 400 kms from Hyderabad. We would reach there by tonight, attend the wedding, leave for Papikondalu next morning, would be there for a day and would be back on Sun! I had heard a lot about Papikondalu. It is a hill range in AP whose scenery resembles that of Kashmir in North India. We were supposed to go to a place (which seems to be like a small island) in a boat.

I was reminding myself about the beauty of the place but somehow, I was just not getting success in bringing that excitement within me. Somehow I was not at all happy to go to this one trip. Somehow, my heart was not with my decision of going.

I dragged myself to the bridge where I was supposed to meet Rajat and others. It was already 1.00 PM. And as soon as I got into the car, Rajat told me that they had forgotten the camera at home and so, we would be going back to his place to pick up the same. And we started heading back to his house. After picking up the camera, we all decided to first have lunch and then start for the long journey. By the time, we finished our lunch, it was 3.00. And so, we officially started for journey at 3-3.15 PM which was a little late and we all were aware of this fact. Infact, we were supposed to leave at 9 AM.

Anyways, we all got on to the highway finally. We were screaming, talking, singing, chatting, sleeping. It was a real fun. We spoke about many things: about music, movies, friends, life, parents, office, ghosts etc.

Now finally my spirits were high. Finally I felt the excitement which I was seeking for since last night! Thanks to everybody in the car. They were just an amazing company to be with. I was loving each and every moment. We were laughing, screaming and having fun while on the move! We stopped on the way to a small restaurant to freshen up. And we again started in 15 mins. Now, we started calculating the time when we would be reaching Rajmundry. As we might get late to attend the wedding!

Meanwhile, I got a SMS from one of my colleagues congratulating me for winning "'Star of the month" award! I was full of ecstasy as it was my first award in this new organization. I got busy in telling the same to my husband, my parents, my friends, my sisters and to all those who I know would be happy to know this!

It was around 8 PM when we all were dreaming and talking about reaching the wedding by 10 PM. We all were planning for the next day trip to Papikondalu.

When suddenly, that moment shoved us! We were at a speed of 120 KM, there was no light at all on the highway. We were normally chatting, when Rajat noticed a cycle just in the middle of the road. Rajat started blowing horn and cycle moved to the left side of the road and so, Rajat maintained the speed by thinking that the way was clear and we would bypass the cycle via right side and when we were about to bypass him, the cycle came to the right side, just in front of our car!!! Rajat pressed the breaks and for a moment, nobody knows what happened. In few secs, I realized we had met with an accident, the car was going somewhere, untamed, uncontrollable. I closed my eyes, my mind went blank. All I could see was a kind of blurred black screen with some fizz and some absurd vision. It was a kind of when TV goes off, there are no signals and then, the black and white dots on the screen which makes a weird sound. Yes, I could see that!!! Had my mind refused to be with me at that time of shock? Had my mind gone in some kind of hibernation?

The car toppled and fell in a field which was around 10 feet below the road. The car dragged for about 15-20 feet when finally it got stuck in a tree!!

I was still blank, my eyes were closed when I heard Vidhya's voice calling me. She was over me and Rushit was over her so I was cramped on the side. The car was almost standing at a 90 degree angle. We all gained conscious and became alert when Nidhi said that we all will have to get out of the car immediately as it might get on fire. The visions of the cars getting on fire in different movies started playing in front of my eyes. How scary it looked, and how scary it would be to experience the same!!! Now I became alert, my mind getting to a sudden jerk. We all became restless. We asked Rushit to open the door on his side which was a bit difficult as that door was on the upside. And at the same time, we had to maintain the car's balance so that it doesnt get toppled to the other side again. It was a nightmare come true when we got to know that all the doors and windows have been locked automatically!!! I had only seen such situations in movies! Never knew how absurd, scary and intimidating it can be in real life. Now, I was losing my patience and asked Rushit to break the window if required. He was able to open the window after working hard for 5 mins. We all somehow came out. I was sitting bare feet inside and so I had to jump out the same way, and when I jumped I directly stepped on to the fencing of the field. Rushit jumped on the crushed glass pieces. It was pitch dark and we saw few villagers stopping by. As soon as we all regained ourselves, we just thought of our luggage as by then, a whole crowd of villagers had surrounded us and we did not wanted anybody to flick anything. Vidhya went inside the car somehow again and took out all the things: shoes, phones, cameras, wallets, bags etc. Thanks to her! After we were done with all this, we looked at each others face and just did not know what to say. Our eyes were talking, consoling each other that we all were fine!

We tried to call few of our friends but none of us had signals in our phone!!! But thanks to one network which was still working: Airtel! I always carry 2 nos and airtel was one of them! I called up one of my colleague who was there in the wedding and told him about the whole incident. Everybody was obviously shocked and tensed by now... All of us were standing on the highway with our luggage, unaware of where to go at 10 PM in the night. All the villagers had gone and we all were alone! Now, we all hugged each other and said "Thank God". We all were completely conscious now. We were scarred, terrified with what just happened!

Thanks to the industry we work in. We were able to connect to one of our distributors in the area. Then thanks to the colleague whom we called up, he arranged for a relative of one of his acquaintances. We all were waiting for him on the road side to come and pick us up! I was standing alone and there many different things storming in my head. Was it because of this something somewhere was continuously making an attempt to stop me, was it for this thing my heart was trying to alert me, was it because of this my mind, soul and heart refused to produce that excitement which I was demanding from them?, Was it because of this thing I wanted my husband to stop me for the trip? Was it possible that I somewhere inside knew that something bad was going to happen? My head was pondering over the wind of these weird questions when the man for whom we were waiting came and picked us up. He took us to his farm house which was around 5 kms from the accident place.

Thanks to that one man who helped us so much!! He din't only gave us place to spend the night but also arranged for the dinner and all the required things. Obviously none of us could sleep that night. We were just discussing about the incident, still unable to take it out of our nerves, still not able to believe that we were alive and that too without much casuality. We all just had minor pains here and there which were ok to bear.

But somewhere I was feeling extremely alone because all others had their better halves to hug and console. And so, I was missing my husband. I wanted to be in his arms, I wanted him to tell me that all is fine! For once, I even had a thought to call him and tell about this incident but I stopped myself somehow, as I was not in a position to narrate this whole incident to him. My voice was not steady while talking and that would have given him unbearable tension. I even did not wanted to talk to my parents, my mom would have jumped out of the phone virtually. But then there was so much going on within me. I had to take out all that in front of someone, I really wanted someone to make me feel that I am alive, I wanted to share this terrifying incident with someone!! And in such weird situations, I just have one person to talk to! And so, I called up that one very special, my best(est) friend. He is one person who had always been there for and with me in whatever condition, in whatever situation I needed him. And so, I thought to bug him again (I do that more often). And as usual, he supported me.  He spoke to me till he was sure I was fine and feeling better. I thank God I called him up. I felt so relaxed after talking to him! Felt alive!!

We all woke up at 8 AM next morning and were wondering where we were suppose to be and where we were! Strange...

Our host had arranged for an amazing breakfast. I was wondering why do we always crib that earth was full of bad people. It's not!! There are good and helping people as well on this planet:)

Rajat and Rushit went to see the car with him. We ladies were at the guest house, trying to revive our spirits by gossiping! Its like having tequila shots and getting sloshed! Anyways, Thank God we were smiling.

Rajat and Rushit came at around 4 PM in the evening and told us that the car was in super bad condition and so they have somehow managed to get it to the guest house. There were dents all over the beautiful car... I felt bad...

There was also a strange incident that happened to them at the police station. When they went to lodge the complain, the inspector told him that "Sir, you should have hit that cycle man and should have passed by. Nobody would have ever come to know. Why did you risk everyone's life for that one unknown person."
Then he said "Also when we inspected the place, we found out that you were drunk (none of us were!)" Rajat was dumbstruck!!! Police man said further, if you do not want this case to be declared as drunk and driving one, then plz let us know what you can do!!! Imagine, they were asking for a bribe so openly and that too in such a horrible situation.

They asked for some 12k and somehow, Rajat gave them 5k and got all the required things for insurance.

At 4 PM, we all had lunch and now, there was another decision to make. Shall we leave the same day or the next day! I was adamant that I wanted to leave the same day, I wanted to go home, I wanted to see my family, I wanted someone to hug me!

And so, finally we booked a cab and left for the way back at 5 PM. Wherever the driver was exceeding the speed limit, we all were screaming in one voice at him to slow down!!!

Finally I was home at around 1 AM. I hugged my husband and dint say anything much!! Had an amazing sleep. But for atleast 10 days, whenever I used to close my eyes, all I used to see was the same fuzziness. It was scary! I would never ever want to face any such thing again in my lifetime. Even today, if I think about that moment when my mind said "you met with an accident" and went blank, I get sort of powerful thrust in my body, start getting goose bumps!

Lesson from this whole incident: 1. God give you signals of what is going to happen, learn how to understand them! 2. Life is too short to cry and crib, you never know when you will meet your end (it can be today, tomorrow or after an year or after 50 years) and so, just and just enjoy and cherish each and every moment.

Keep smiling!