Friday, June 01, 2007

In Love

“Company ka hai Dadiji” I said to my grand mother who found my Identity card, hanging around my neck, unusual. That was last Friday. She seems to have never changed since the last 24 years.

The last couple of weeks had been very hectic. I traveled a lot. I had lot to do, ranging from my office work to travel to shopping. Since I work, I don’t mind working. Since my first office tour was just a week away, overseeing my travel arrangements was need of the hour. It became all the more necessary and futile since my travel booking was not progressing. I was still waitlisted. Just few weeks back, I was asked to travel to HQ. Our HQ is not located in India. It is some 10,000 miles or more from India. I was considered lucky to get a chance to fly to HQ so early in my professional life.

And the last in the list…. Shopping, hmmmmmmmmmm…, read on.

I never dreamt that I would do such a big shopping so early in my life. Just yesterday, I was a grown up kid of my family. But as luck would have it, I was called upon at the eleventh hour to begin the process to get a home loan.

It is more than a quarter of a century now that Papa has been working away from his home. It was time for him to finally decide where to settle after retirement. We (me and my brother chinku) were unanimous in our choice. And so a foregone conclusion was reaffirmed. Soon we zeroed in over a flat, owned by a Sardar ji. The interesting part came now, as we decided to buy it. The fun just started.

We never had a look at the flat ourselves. Our neighbors on the second floor were the negotiators. Rightly so, they have been with us long before I was born. It will be a delight to stay with all of them, MD, Rinku, Bhabhi ji and the high command. Mom would call mamaji regularly to enquire about the status of the deal. And then she would say “Munna, tane sharam koni aaye ke”. Not that nothing was being done; it was that everything was already done. I would like to specially mention Munna Mamaji and Uma Mamiji for their role, for without them; it would never have been possible.

Finally, a date was fixed when the landmark deal would take place. Travel tickets were made, travel tickets were lost and travel tickets were cancelled but finally the journey was embarked upon. Mom, Dad and Chinku reached Kolkata. To pay for the flat, we decided to take a home loan. Since Papa would soon retire, I became a co-applicant that allowed the bank to consider our application based on our repaying capacity. This required me to travel to Kolkata to sign those bank documents. I reached there a day later, while promising that I shall work from home.

I never worked.

I have always thought and wrote about how good I feel whenever I am there, even for a day or 2. The sultry weather, the red buses, the yellow taxis, the hand pulled rickshaws, the tram, the bustling narrow Muktaram Babu Street, the hawkers near Ram Mandir, the over crowded Bada Bazar, the imposing flyover in front of Haldiram, the silhouette of Howrah bridge, the Bengali kurta, mishti Dhoi, puchkas, jhaal moodi, laincha etc. etc. etc. are so peculiar to Kolkata, but look so familiar to me. There is something that I don’t know but I surely feel whenever I am at my birthplace. Perhaps, I never tried to find out. I am in love with Kalkatta.

Now that when I have found time for introspection, I surmise it as that feeling of ease, which I so long for that I always forget about it. The city limits and beyond forms my comfort zone. I love spending my time there, with my folks. It may be possible that there is a difference between holidaying and living, but I think…. I can live. There is always something amiss in spite of being on full throttle for some time now. I know I am running in the race of life, furiously pacing ahead to reach for my goals, which I have manicured. It does not matter who is ahead of me, who is running besides me or who just lost to me. But you always have that home ground advantage, where you play in your comfort zone. You have better chances to win. Does this then make me weaker than others? I don’t know. But then no one can complain. I don’t think I will ever be able to compete in my home ground, since that is more of a destination. I am all by myself.

Coming out of the trance, we had an aggressive schedule to meet. I had come for 2 days and the weekend. We visited the bank on all the working days I was there. This working holiday concluded with bank asking us to come again after 2 weeks. I quickly consulted with my travel agents and decided to start my journey to SFO from CCU itself. This would allow me to come 2 days before my tour would begin and finish the work. The bank would complete the remaining process by then. With a new travel itinerary, I spent my weekend on a resort. En route to resort, I passed by IIMC. On Monday night, I headed to Delhi for Visa interview. The stay at the Oberoi marked this visit.

As soon as I came back, I raised requests for my travel booking. The agents told me that my onward journey from Singapore is waitlisted. With the travel date 10 days away, I had a reason to be nervous. But soon the reason changed, as the phone rang.

Papa called up and informed me that the bank has raised a legal issue and that the loan matter would not proceed. Since the resolution lied on the landlord, who had refused to supply some documents to the bank, it became clear that we would not get the loan. Mom had once again come under tension. Whatever, Papa and I decided that I apply for the loan without loosing a minute. And thus began the race against time. The stage was set, in less than 10 days, I was to start my first journey away from India, complete my role in loan formalities which would normally take 2 – 3 weeks and of course, carry on with office work.

It was 17th May, Thursday. I had called up the bank helpdesk at office last evening and was nicely informed that I will get the sanction letter in a day or at max 2, so that I can proceed with disbursement process. I submitted the required documents and waited anxiously for one process to complete, so that I could began the next one. Rinku would come in handy at that time. Meanwhile, I was in touch with my travel agent over my ticket and hotel reservation, none of which were moving ahead. Sabhee ko tabhee jaana tha jab mujhe jaana tha.

2 days passed and nothing happened. Neither the tickets got confirmed nor I got the sanction letter. I had been working past 9 in night the whole week to catch up with office work. It was Monday and I started getting irritated. Nothing happened on Monday. I was expected to fly on Saturday, still without hotel or travel tickets and the sanction letter for the loan. Things started changing on Tuesday, as I got my ticket got confirmed. The hotel reservation was also made. I could purchase foreign currency and get my office laptop; but the sanction letter was still out of sight. I was to fly on Wednesday to Kolkata again to initiate disbursement process. Rinku had already talked to people out here as to why the delay was taking place. On Wednesday, as I was eagerly waiting for the letter, I got a call that raised my tempers to the power of n. I was told that the FI process of bank could not be completed and that I could not get the letter on that day. With 2 days remaining to travel, I could not hold my temper and lent it over my bank agent. I was so angry that I had to go outside my office to continue at the conversation. It had been a while since I had lost my temper, but the moment had come. And so started the period of one phone call to another, which lasted for almost an hour. A miracle happened or whatever as I got the call, which I had been waiting for. My letter had been prepared and I would be handed over the same within half an hour. Thanks to Rinku, Ajoy and Smuriti for quick resolution of the situation.

I could finally begin the journey.

The next 3 days saw Dad, mom and I once again doing rounds of the bank and our landlord. I knew from the beginning that it would be unfair to ask anyone to complete the process in 2 days. Things take time. But the process got a head start as Rinku introduced us to the right people. It gained momentum. We went on submitting documents as and when required. I went to the landlord and signed the new contract. It was hectic, but that had become flavor of the month. As Azel put it, I looked grown up. Finally at the end of the 3rd day, everything looked set. Papa decided that he would postpone his return journey and stay back to complete the process. He could sign on my behalf after I gave him my POA.

I got a warm see off with everyone from Nanaji to Aru being present at Panchvati. It was an occasion, as we were celebrating 7 birthdays together. It was so nice to see Aru, as she would follow me while lying on her mother’s lap. Leo was to his usual self. The 3 musketeers were as usual eating and watching. Thanks to GT and Jijaji for their support at the last moment. I can do some more shopping now.

As I finish my day in a foreign land, a new day dawns at Kolkata. Papa will sign the final papers of the flat today and the cheque will be handed over to the seller. It gives me collywobbles while writing this. Touchwood, we will take the first step to settle in our hometown. Our permanent address will permanently change.

I look forward to spend some more time with my love.
..

Thanks to
Mom, Dad for their support in such a tight schedule
Rinku for helping us out, thanks to his collegues Manoj, Shambu and others.
Bhabhi, Mickey, Dickey, Shanky, Azel for providing some nice time during these 2 trips
Chinku for taking care of Ashwamegh (my laptop)
Panchvati and Salt Lake for their hospitality
Office for allowing me take such quick leaves
God…for being Great and Kind and Generous

4 comments:

Azel said...

Nice to read as usual...[:)] Whats different this time is that you have been much more specific and clear.. unlike the previous ones which were quite vague and bordered on abstractness.... though all have been equally good. [:)]

But its a good read... although not much has been written about me.. [:(].. it seems me and my peers were just there to de-stress you.. well glad to be of service.

Achcha hai.. keep up the Good Work.. Mr. Grown Up. [:)]

Vivek said...

Thanks for your time to read and comment on the blog.

You all were a great source at home that helped to relieve the stress accumulated throughout the days.

There is so much to write for everyone, I guess soon there will be one for everyone :)

Kalyan said...

Vivek,
Good to see you back here after some months. And yes, Priyanka is right. You have been giving details here and there. A lot. Which is quite unlike you. But one thing dude, your experience will be of help when others confront the same situation (I guess most of us would, sooner or later. At least I would, and that too, pretty soon.)

Good Luck in CA.

Vivek said...

Kalyan,

Certainly, Its good that my exp can be helpful.

Best of luck for yours