Now and then I get excited about things and wanted to blog it. Though the excitement was never enough to rise against my laziness ;-) . But something unusual happened today which I would love to share.
I was sitting on a bench at Oakleigh Station(Melbourne) waiting for the train. My head was down, eyes were closed and I was listening music. I was in my own world until someone taps me on my shoulder. I looked up and saw an old man. He was fair, light colored eyes and looked someone from interior Australia. I took out my earphones and the first word what he tells me was "Namaskar" in complete foreign accent. Out of shock instead of replying in Hindi, I wished him back with "Hello".
And the conversation goes like this:
Old man : " Aap Hindustani hai"
Me : "Yes"
Old man : " Hindustan mein kahan se"
Me : "Benares, Aap nahi jaante hoge".
Old man : "Benares....Varanasi...Kashi"
I was amazed. I have been to many parts of India. And many people dont know "Benares" specially in southern india until you tell them it is other name of "Kashi". And this old man from some other country knows all three names of the place.
Me : "Aap kahan se ho"
Old man : "Tashkent"
I might be poor in geography but seriously I didnt know where this place was.
Me : "Tashkent kahan hai"
Old man : "Jahan LAL BAHADUR SHASHTRI ki death hui thi"
Now this was another shock. I definately knew about Lal Bahadur Shashtri but never heard of Tashkent. I felt ashamed that he knew more than me about my country's history.
Old man : "Mujhe chalne mein pareshani hai, train mein chadhene ke liye madad chahiye"
Me : "Sure"
I helped him boarding the train and he wished me "Dhanyawad" while leaving. I never met before anyone from different country and culture speaking Hindi with such pleasure.
By evening this incident was out of my mind. But then I saw this on one of the Melbourne's tram
Later after "googling" I found Tashkent is in Uzbekistan(Part of former USSR)