A
farewell to my first car that lived with me between 2005 July-2013 September.
Photographs taken over a period of 4 years spread among the geographical
regions of 4 southern states of India.
There
are moments in life when it’s time to say good-bye, time to leave, time to shed
tears and still, move on. No matter how strong the bonds were and how intense
the love was, certain departures are inevitable in our ever changing lives. We
never want to see them happen but, such departures are integral to our lives
that they
have to be braved through to sustain and keep smiling. 8 years of intense
relationship concluding through a sudden exit, which was inevitable, is an
event and I would never be able to forget the minute I saw her the last time.
That evening I stood on my terrace, holding strong against the gust, as sun set
in the west and darkness engulfed when my fragile mind sailed back in time to
the point where
it all began. Way back in 2005 when I was an idle man, working on the ICS
exams, music and cars played the pivotal role in keeping my days far from
boredom. Automotive magazines overflowed in my upstairs room and I used to get
lost in a world where efficiencies were ignored and raw power and speed were
the norms. Though unreachable, I used to fantasize of the exotic metals hearing
to my favorite music and forming a relation between both. Those were the days
when F1 cars wore their fabulous 3.0L V10 engines and ripped through high speed
circuits, when Bimmer and Merc filled their performance vehicles with massive
V10/V12 engines and when cubic capacity game was at its pinnacle. In my life,
it was during that period when I got the most expensive gift from my Father –
an $ 18,000 Suzuki Sedan – The
1.6 L Black Baleno – my love for the next 8 years that will see me walk through
the most unforgettable phase of my entire life. When
I took delivery of her it was a dream come true after sleep disturbing cravings
and mind disturbing events. It was the month of July in 2005 and it was the
last year of production of this super light and super efficient sedan. When she
was bought home, I parked her safe in the fully covered Garage and cosseted her
with luxurious body polishes and glamorous waxing. She was kept clean, really
clean, from the roof to the last bolt on the alloy wheels and I loved spending hours in
doing so without the slightest thought of how she’ll be abused during her dying
phases. 2005-2013 was a remarkable journey in my life and if my assumptions
hold right, the most nostalgic phase during my entire existence. And the fact
that my first car lived with me during this phase makes it a special one, for
ever. Being that special, it’s only obvious I pay her the due homage
when she’s on her way to an unknown destination.
She was
not just a car, she meant so much to me – she meant freedom, she meant respect,
she meant pleasure as my life revolved around her. During these 8 years she had
taken me to distant destinations through varied terrains and never in one
instance, she had let me down - I acknowledge and respect her reliability.
Though there have been numerous journeys associated with her the one that
remains close to my heart is the one which took me and three of my friends to
the western Ghats for the first time, during the winter of 2006. It’s etched in our hearts
like an ancient inscription on a temple wall. A year later, in 2007,
when I got a job she got her share of indulgence too – I gifted her with a pair
of Xenon headlamps and a Piper Cross cold air intake which enhanced the power
and efficiency. These new gadgets were put through rigorous test when I embarked on a life
altering Jaunt to Sultan Bathery as rain was ravaging the region and fate, my
life. That one trip has the potential to make me shed tears as easily as a
pinched baby. It was my first inter state drive and God’s poured generosity
all through the way, all through the 630 Kms, as they made me forget the pain
eroding me. To
the outer world she was just a car but to me, she was another world. 2009 was a
year of gain and loss as God gave and seized the most valuable part of my life
when my beloved car was the only mute spectator to those heart stopping
incidents. She wanted to hug and console but alas, she didn’t have life to do
that as I lay inside her for endless hours. Life rolled fast and the years 2010 and
2011 were the heydays of her life span as I drove to exotic destinations and
photographed her at mind disturbing locations. Each trip during those two years
were planned to perfection and if they were successful, it’s because of her.
She would carry us in utmost comfort and I would just enjoy driving her for
endless hours. With
almost a decade having gone past since my love for cars began, the next
generation of cars made gradual appearance on the automotive scene and my aged
car couldn’t compete in terms of refinement and safety.
Though she was much efficient and had that old world charm, I slowly began to
recognize it was time to give her that much needed rest. And when I did so - I missed her less than 1000 Kg
nimbleness, her low stance, her high revving 1.6 L flat four, her superbly
modulated brakes sans ABS, her brilliant fuel efficiency, her ultra powerful
air-conditioning, her dynamic handling and her presence itself but; she’ll
never miss me. She has seen me laugh, cry, drink, in happiness, in distress,
evade sleep, fight fatigue and have the time of my life with friends but, I’ll
never see her again – She’s Gone. When I came back to my room
and lay on the bed after an hour of running back in time on the terrace, all that remained was a
vacuum that never could be filled. The bond has been broken,
forever…
Behind my heart: The 1.6 L naturally aspirated engine she wore
was a Jewel. It would rev at its will and still, retain the frugality to keep
going those long distances. Her chassis was well balanced and coupled with the
low stance, she was a blast through the corners which I tested and enjoyed
extensively over the various Ghat sections of southern India. I also have to mention about
the powerful air conditioning system, it delivered the same performance during
the seventh summer as it did way back in 2005. Then; those seductive brakes
that stop her without fuss sans ABS under the most demanding situations. For
more than 8 years she went where few would have taken their cars to and she
didn’t lose a single component as a result of these impacting drives. She had
seen roads where 30 mins of drive would translate to < 2 Kms but still,
wouldn’t rattle as an after effect. If only she was made of
carbon fiber and aluminum, I would have retained her until my funeral…alas…she
wasn’t…Hope she R’s I P…as I walk away from her…leaving behind those wonderful
memories and moments that have a lasting impact on my life…as I wonder if I
would cry the same way when my parents leave this world…and above anything else, she’s a testimony to
an important phase of my life known only to me and the fact that she carries
away those priceless and painful events alone is sufficient enough to make me
break down, crouch and look through the path she took in her final journey for
ever…eternally…
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