my mission - Talkatora swimming complex

or Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Pool in the heart of Delhi

is the pool complex built for the 

Commonwealth Games in 2010

huge complex that can hold more than  3000 spectators

two olympic pools, one 25 pool, diving, water polo, gyms 

unfortunately the pool was for some reason closed after the games 

( sad to say that some of the stadiums after the games where closed and have stayed so ever since ! )

  year ? this complex reopened and now holds the national swimming academy 

an academy with swimmers working out towards the Olympics

kind of like  Swedish NEC,  the national elite centre in Stockholm

same same but a lot different

 I have been on a mission ever since I moved here, to get in through the huge gates that surrounds this stadium

well, really not just to get inside the gates

I have had a mission of getting into one of the pools also

it's been a long journey

with many ups and downs

major obstacle with this whole mission has been the first couple of guards that I've met 

I  have been laughed at, ignored, yelled at, etc etc

so I've given up a couple of times 

(yes I've had my driver try to speak hindi with them but they have just ignored him)

but you who know me also know that I'm quite stubborn so....

two weeks ago I set out for a new expedition 

how do I find a way around those first guards so that I can get in to the next couple of guards !!

what to do ?

I mailed the director that we actually met some time ago and got the right kind of application forms 

(3 pages of info regarding everything from me to my dead father)

after that I booked an appointment with  a doctor since I needed a Medical Fitness certificate

I also needed passport copies

passport pictures

proof of residence copies

and then I should be all set to go and apply for a membership 

so off I went

to my surprise, or not,
those first guards did not let me through even though I was standing there with all my papers

NJET NJET

so I picked up the phone and called the director to let me in to the next set of guards who

surprise surprise said 

NO no no

and again I called the director who talked to someone and asked me to join her assistance in his room

so I did but after an hour I was told that there's no possibility to do any trials today

trials ????

yes you have to show a coach that you can swim and then it's decided if you can join the pool or not

"you will have to come back for trials tomorrow between 10-11"

and we will talk to the guards so they let you through !!

back I went today and you get one guess dear reader

do you think the first guards let me through without a hassle ?

of course not

somehow I got through and somehow I managed to get pass the next not so smiling guard 

and ended up in some kind of office 

paid my 100 rupees only fee for the trials

then I was followed by guards to the locker room

finally I was actually at the pool

and a "coach" told me to get in and swim 200 meters but told me

"Mam, if you get very tired you can stop after a 100 meters"

when I stopped one of the coaches told me that I can swim !!

to tell you the truth

I already knew that

I got to sign up for an hour a day at a specific time to come and swim

you see there's a law regarding how many swimmers there can be in one lane at the same time

namely 10 people in one lane (50m pool) !

then this mission took another turn

I was invited into the directors office and found myself in a discussion about swimming

and coaching 

tomorrow morning I'll be at the poolside to have a look at their practise

that is if the guards let me pass
but still mission accomplished

have a cozy Friday everyone

I'm filling up on chicken burgers with sweet potato wedges