“Haishh. What is that?”Marshad loses his patience. It sounds like our bus is making an unusual and unpleasant noise. We were forced to hear that strange voice because some of us went to the bathroom at that time. We had decided to start our journey at 2 in the night, but those fellows began to go to the washroom at 2 o’clock. The punctual people were stupid and obliged to hear that strange noise because of them. After everything was set, we headed to Thrissur railway station and reached there at 2:50 a.m. Then straight to Mumbai.
“Sshhh.. Go.. Go.. Go.. Go..”Some railway police officers blocked us. We were beginning to put our Salah mat to pray subh namaz on one of the platforms of Panvel railway station, Mumbai. It feels like a metro station. Those officers told us:”Don’t pray in public places.”At that time, I said to my friend Rashid,”They don’t care about anyone who sleeps or does other activities on this public platform. But they don’t allow us to pray here. Especially during the time of Namaz, we never encountered any kind of snag, not even for a baby. However, they still prevent us from performing Namaz. This is a clear form of discrimination against us, Muslims.
Then we went to Mahim Dargah. When we went on the way to Dargah, so many people begged us to give them something else. Most of them are very healthy. I think that they can easily get jobs, and they can do it. Yet they were begging. We entered Mahim Dargah and recited Moulid and prayed together, then came out. I went to where I kept my sandals. I wondered. My heart pounded. I lost my footwear. Someone has stolen it. Before we started the trip, some of my seniors and teachers told us:”Stealing is one of the usual things going on in those places. so be careful.” I experienced it too. The shoes of one of my friends were also gone. I messaged my father:”I lost my sandals, and now I like to walk without footwear. Don’t think that I have no money. I have money, but this gives me a special insaneness.” When I saw that, he replied to me:”If you have the money, you must buy new footwear. Otherwise, your feet will break through the walk without wear.” I walked with bare feet for a while. After that, I realized what my father had said. Then I bought new footwear.

That was a Friday, and we reached Ajmer. All were walking before me. Unexpectedly, I went alone. I came across some dogs in front of me. I was frightened, and I swallowed my saliva well. “Bow bow”. I heard the barking of dogs going into rooms near Ajmer Dargah coming from Ajmer railway station. All were big, fat dogs. Maybe their food is always meat. I walked quickly and reached the room. After some sleep and morning things, we went to the Dargah of Sultanul Hind Khwaja Mueenuddeen Chishti.
That night, a few of us walked the streets of Ajmer in search of food. We ordered the shawarma plate from a shawarma shop. They gave us a shawarma role. We said to them, “We ordered you a plate. You gave us a roll.” That time they gave us a plate and put that shawarma role into it. My friend Noufal said to me, “They haven’t an idea about the shawarma plate.””Hhaaa.. Haa hhaa.”.
I realized the truth when I reached the room. I scratched my head over the pocket. My phone is lost. Someone asked me, “Is it sure?””I am sure the phone was in my pocket.” We searched it in the whole room. But there was no result. I wore a kurta at that time. It is very loose, so I won’t know when anyone enters his hands on it and takes the phone. We have looked at everything as best we can. But no way. Phone went. I felt very crazy at that time. It’s not that there is no sadness in losing the phone. But I was saddened by the loss of the data in it. Gone is gone. It doesn’t matter.
While going back to Kerala, everyone’s main activity was playing on the phone. In that solitude, when everyone was busy with the crowd and their phones, I thought, How diverse are mankind and his thoughts and actions? This trip has given me many losses. But this journey is not for the faint of heart. No matter what level it is, Loss experiences tell me the stories of my carelessness. This journey may be desired, and may he never forget me. Maybe that’s why it gave me losses that leave lasting scars on people’s hearts.