Expressways, concrete roads, flyovers, metro, eight-lane highways and so on! There has been an overdose of news about all this all over! “You can reach Mysore from Bangalore in 75 minutes.” I thought this was an exaggeration.
In April, we drove to Mysore and I was all excited to zoom on the new expressway just three days before it was inaugurated. Of course, it took us 90 minutes to reach Kengeri from Yelahanka, but I was thrilled to drive on a smooth expressway, which was similar to a freeway in the U.S. or those wonderful highways of Europe. In no time, we were passing by the romantic, nostalgic rocks of Ramanagara, where Hema Malini had danced over broken glass pieces in Sholay.
“What, Ramanagara? Incredible! In 40 minutes,” I exclaimed. Soon after, I saw the Cauvery of Srirangapatna at a distance! Yes, we reached Mysore in 75 minutes! None of us was tired by the journey, which was smoother than our journeys from north to south Bangalore. Nobody needed a restroom stop or a coffee break! It is a fantastic road.
However, there is a flip side to this development! Back in the 1980s and 1990s, a trip to Mysore meant a lot of planning and excitement. We used to drive to Mysore at least three or four times a year, and each journey was so enjoyable. My father-in-law, who lost his vision in the last part of his life, would be all excited to go to his native place. He would note the time of departure and ask, “Are we at Kengal? I think we are now taking a turn towards Chennapatna. Isn’t this Maddur? We are now passing by my son’s LIC office in Mysore.” We would be surprised at his accurate guesses. Was he sensing some aroma of the different places?
The best part of our drive would be the huge trees — banyan, peepal, tamarind, raintree and so many others on either side and the lush fields and orchards that we could see on either side till the horizon, in between the small towns. Sugar cane, paddy fields, vegetable farms, coconut groves, fruit orchards, ragi fields — children could see things that they see only in textbooks or movies today! All the travellers would definitely stop over to drink tender coconut water and buy fresh fruits and vegetables sold by the farmers immediately after harvest and have breakfast or lunch at one of the many good highway hotels. Many tourists would crave for the world-famous Maddur vadas! The colourful Channapatna toys and decorative items attracted most travellers.
Thus, a trip to Mysore was more like an enchanting tour to faraway lands, which many may not be able to afford. All that fun is lost now! We don’t see any town on the way; no highway hotels, stores and vendors, unless we take the exit and go down. Though such expressways are a boon for regular travellers and businessmen, as the travel time is cut short and travel made most comfortable, I miss the shaded avenues of yesteryear and all the fun we had on the way!
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