Something’s happen by chance (2)

Note : Railway Diaries follows the Number on the Post Title

It was just like any other day except that My friend Naveen who was doing MBBS in Davanagere had come home to Bangalore to purchase his Medial books and as usual since he did not possess the driver’s license nor knew how to ride a bike, I had to be his driver to Avenue Road.

He purchased his books and on the way back to the parking lot, along the roadside I noticed this advertisement for Diesel Asst. for South Central Railways and the Qualification asked was ITI in fitter, Millwright Mechanic and all bench trades. As it cost only ten rupees for the application, I picked one and filled the details and posted to the address mentioned.

After that I had to leave to Belgaum to work for Fairfield Atlas on behalf of Dynamic Services & Engg Consultancies. I completed the work there and after My return to Bangalore My uncle Anantha Krishna sent me on a project to Gurgaon as an Engineer from Atreya Integrations (never did I want to become an engineer). I returned from Gurgaon on 12^th Sep 2001.

When I reached home, mother informed me that there is a written test on 13^th Sep for South Central Railways and gave me the hall ticket. Half heartedly I wrote the test which wasn’t all that difficult and I did not have any hopes because all the candidates who had come there had thick books which they had studied for more than 6months and for some of them it was the 5^th or the 6^th attempt. Whereas I wrote it, without turning a page of my MICO or any other manual.

Life went on as usual with the maintenance work that I did for Dynamic Services & Engg. Consultancies and also for Atreya Integrations. Financial earning per month was 3000/- INR from Dynamic Services & Engg Consultancies and nothing fixed from Atreya Integrations (I really cared less about my earnings because I knew my time would come and I have to hone My Technical skills to the sharpest possible on Earth).

GOD blesses you with such surprises that you don’t realize what HIS plans are. I received a letter calling for the Psychological test. Again without a clue answered all the questions in the time given. This was a cake walk I can tell, after all the practical training I had at MICO.

Now almost confirmed that I would get through this round, I was awaiting further communication and finally it arrived asking me to come for a final Medical round at Hubli (which was bound to be my home station for two years).The wait was more than two days and My father who had accompanied me had to leave after two days. I was staying at my father’s friend’s in-laws place where Badrinath their son became my friend (hospitality received in their home for more than a week cannot be forgotten).

Here GOD puts me through another test. When I was examined for 6/6 eye test, the first day I really couldn’t make out the direction of opening of ‘C’.This examination is conducted in a dark room where you have to sit at a distance and at the other end you have a small ‘C’ with a faded light at the background. The attendant rotates the ‘C’ and you have to tell the direction of the opening of ‘C’.The doctor whose name was Renuka asked me to reappear for this test the next day as I had passed in all other tests and also for the fat that I was the only from Karnataka in that Batch.

Feeling low I returned back to Badrinath’s home. I called up home and informed them that I had some defect with my eye and I doubt passing it the next day.

I hardly get any dream even to this day but on that night a miracle happened – Lord Venkateshwara came in my dream and I remember it well, it was the gopura of Tirupathi. Quite amazed after I woke up, I recollected that on my earlier visit to Tirupathi when I had to wait in the queue for nearly 24hrs, after the darshan I had told to the Devine unseen that I will not visit you again. When I mentioned about my dream to Badrinath’s father, he told me to make a wish telling if I get through the medical test, I will visit Tirupathi for Lord’s darshan.Not quite trusting my own wish I went to the Railway hospital the next day and the ‘C’ was crystal clear and they had to do multiple rotations to confirm the same.

When HE calls you, there’s no stopping and as all the elders later told me, it was God’s way of calling me to Tirupathi again.

Thanks LORD – I did not have to strive much to be noticed by YOU.

After the medical round, I had to go through a final round – a one on one with AME and then take off to Guntakal for LOCO Training. I traveled on a pass for the first time in my life.

Journey from Guntakal to Moulali (Secunderabad) in my next post…