A Surreal Flight

We have been travelling a lot since we moved to India from Kuwait, for though we have now settled here more or less, we still keep going back and now I have to check the entries and exits in my passport to keep any account of it. So I don't remember precisely when we traveled back from there the last time and I am too lazy to go check my passport, but it was on a Kuwait Airways flight.

To say I love my husband a lot, is belittling that grand emotion, but he is an extreme pessimist at times and for a 'nothing can keep me down long' person like me it becomes very trying. So it was that, as was the set pattern that had formed during all our comings and goings, he began predicting dolefully weeks in advance, as was his wont, that we would be overweight. Now we always get overweight when we go to Kuwait; long hours of telly viewing, lounging around all day doing almost nothing, and stuffing ourselves like junk food is going to be banned in the next hour, does help us to get a bit big, ok a wee bit on the enorrmous side. He though, Bless him, did not mean us, he was so used to that, and anyways it made him feel a bit proud to think that he was such a good provider.

No, he meant the baggage that had somehow multiplied from the original three bags we had brought with us, into six and a few small extra airbags out of which stuff kept spilling out. Reminding him of our allowance of 120 kgs did not have the expected pacifying effect. Then began the threats that he was not going to pay for the extra baggage. This was so unfair. After all who was responsible for this collection of finery? Of course he and his generous nature, that had dragged us kicking and screaming, shopping to every mall, supermarket and departmental store,( not that he really needed to exert much pressure) where invariably we would finish all the money and reluctantly put back half the stuff ( he doesn’t use plastic). So the next night feeling guilty for our sacrifice and deprivation, we would yet take more money and we would head out only to repeat the same pattern. Somehow we always ended up buying more stuff each day then we had put back the previous day and the money was never enough. Soon there was no place in the flat to put more stuff. (This is strange behaviour indeed from someone like me who is strongly actively against consumerism.I have never bough much more than I needed in my days in Kuwait and yet on these trips I turn into a greedy, devouring monster.)

Now he went on repeating that we should perish the idea of expecting him to pay the overweight charges, till I was deluged by déjà vu, for it was a set pattern that repeated each time we travelled. After all the moaning and complaining when the time came though he invariably ended up paying the over weight charges quietly.

So finally the day of our departure dawned, we were all packed and ready... but of course everything had to be opened and rearranged feverishly as usual a few times, till finally, again as usual, we were ready just a couple of hours before our flight.

Now off to the airport.. again my dearest prophet of doom droned on... "all this traffic is headed to the airport, we will never make it in time".... "what" I asked in incredulous wonder, "even that water tanker..." till at the final turning to the airport, we realized that miraculously all the traffic had taken the highway to Lord knows where, and there were only two vehicles left on the road, ours and you guessed it -- the water tanker!

Whew! I breathed in relief, it wasn't so bad, there just was a chance we would make it... of course my fingers were crossed, toes too and I had been praying non stop from the time we left the house. Twice we had paid almost the equivalent of a hundred dollars for changing the bookings … now my hubby could see another hundred quickly begin to take wings and fly off into the sunset, if we missed this one… of course on the practical side the girls did have to be back for school and college.

A surprise awaited us when we reached the counters. There was barely a queue. Look, I told hubby, all that worrying for no reason, we could have kept cool and saved on blood pressure pills. We stood in the short queue for our turn, of course I was still praying..by now the fingers and toes were beginning to hurt by keeping them crossed…. you see the luggage still had to be weighed and that horrific possibility of being overweight still loomed large upon my frightened consciousness.

So we stood wondering which counter we would get… would we get the nice looking Kuwaiti, or the Indian, or the Pakistani???? Would they be strict or putty to our wiles and smiles… Questions questions.. fears fears… “ Go to counter 26” Counter 26? My heart sank at that ominous order. My father dabbles in numerology, 26 is 2 +6=8. 8 the number ruled by Saturn, the planet that creates problems where none existed. Did not many of the natural disasters occur on a 26? The tsunami was on Dec 26.. My marriage had taken place on Dec 26… Did I need more proof? It was like a portent, an omen… A sign that said “do not take this flight… run do not take this flight” While the thoughts were surging in my mind I was unconsciously moving towards my fate and counter 26.

Salamalaikum, I wished the officer in the Islamic greeting, smiling at him… definitely not a Kuwaiti I thought. Indian? Maybe… "Alaikumsalam" he answered in a thick Pakistani, Punjabi accent. “Ok definitely not an Indian”. He helped me lift the luggage and load it on the weighing machine all 130 kilos of it. Oh how nice! I thought, no one has ever done this before. Maybe it will be alright after all. The smiles were working...The luggage went through smoothly…. No hitch there. The 10 kilos overweight was shrugged away. The wiles worked too. All that unnecessary anguish and anxiety, should just have kept cool.. trusted the sheer power of my personality “I am traveling alone with my daughters so please could you give us seats together?” “Yes of course, no problem you can have 26, 27 and 28…. 26 again! I quivered inwardly.” “Thank you very much, you have been very kind”

Then off we walked triumphantly to meet hubby. “ See, I crowed, that was no problem at all, all that worrying for nothing. Can we eat a shwarma now please”? “They will be serving dinner on the plane, why do you need to eat now? go on, there is a long line at immigration, you will not make it” “My sugar is falling, I will certainly not make it if I go into a hypoglycaemic coma.” I can be quite stubborn at times. So we had the shwarmas and finally said our goodbyes and headed to an almost empty plane, for after all there had been almost no one in the queue, had there?

When we boarded the flight finally, the spectacle that met our shocked eyes was the horrific one of people swarming all over the plane.. Where had these people been in the queue??? I asked myself in a stunned stupor. The answer was so simple… They had arrived three hours before, completed all the formalities and waited in the lounge.

Now there are three kinds of people who travel from Kuwait to Bombay in the economy class, one is middle class Indians like us, the other is Indians traveling to India from the US, who take Kuwait airways, as it is one of the cheapest airlines from the US… and lastly the Indian workers and maids, who work in Kuwait. The passengers all belonged to the last category, no not completely, for there were no maids, only male workers. We got over the shock of seeing a full plane, and sought our seats, thinking they would be somewhere in the front of the economic section. We kept being sent further and further back till we finally reached our seats. OK, finally! Now we could just settle down and wait for the plane to take off. Or could we? The seats 26, 27, 28 were not as we thought, together, but the lines were numbered vertically and the horizontal rows were alphabetical, so we had got three middle seats and in the centre aisles, yes with two men on either side. Could it get worse?

Ok this was it! No way was I going to travel in this cramped tiny, even a mouse should not travel on it airbus, with two men almost resting on my elbows, nor were my daughters. “I am sorry ma’am but you were given the seat by Kuwait Airways staff, there is nothing we can do” piped an air hostess who looked like she had worked for the Stasi before. “Well and aren’t you Kuwait Airways staff”? I asked angry and perplexed. “No ma’am, we are not” came the mystifying reply, no explanation to who she was. Luckily two of the men got up and in true Indian style offered to take our cramped middle seats and let us have a complete row. Great, finally we settled in and sat down in row 26 (OH that number again!). Seat belts fastened, we waited for the take off that was scheduled in about 10 minutes. But the passengers were still shuffling, overhead bags were still being arranged, it took a while before everyone was settled to their satisfaction and belted down to their seats and finally the aircraft began taxiing down the runway almost thirty minutes late.

Cabin lights went off and in that eerie dark, television screens creakily descended from the roof of the plane, like some monsters from outer space. Where were our personal screens??? In vain I looked around under the seat, on the side, but there was no sign of the screens we were so used to.

It was getting close to midnight. The normally smooth taxiing turned frighteningly noisy, clanking loudly every once in a while. “Hope the wheels won't fall off” I thought. That wasn’t enough though, for suddenly a menacing message flashed on those screens, almost like a threat from somewhere in the blue beyond “Welcome aboard Novair” welcome aboard Novair, I kept repeating dazedly, Welcome aboard Novair, aboard Novair , novair , novair, novair. It kept echoing till the spelling blurred and I thought. Oh God! We have taken The Flight to NOWHERE! What does it mean? What had become of Kuwait Airways? Were we in the wrong plane? Had we been kidnapped by aliens? What airline would call itself Nowhere? I took out my camera and took a picture of the television screen. Finally, while these questions were hammering in my mind, the aircraft accelerated and in turn the clanks accelerated as well, and finally with pulses racing, hearts pounding and lips feverishly praying, we took off.

After we were in the air for quite a while, perhaps thirty minutes the smiling air hostesses appeared with their trolleys, to serve water. Except one, who had a very long blonde, plait, reminiscent of Rapunzel, they all looked like they had worked for the Stasi before. The service made me think perhaps we had wandered off into that time not too long ago, for they smilingly measured out half a glass of water to each of us. Half a glass of water!!!! I know we were coming from the desert, but this was too much. After all the sea was all around us and there was no dearth of desalinated water in the Gulf. Was there water rationing? “Could I get some more please, I need to take a tablet” I asked almost softly and hesitantly, my natural confidence and verve subdued by the shock. Oh God! Where had we landed? Well not landed yet, but then would we ever land? Even that seemed in question. Luckily more water was not a problem and so we sat for about thirty more minutes as the clock ticked past midnight, and there was no dinner, nor seemed to be hope of any coming. The shwarma held me together and I was happy about my stubbornness. The TV screens in the meantime, showed only the route we were following and what part of the earth we were above. I did not really approve of this new concept of inflight entertainment.

Suddenly there was an attack of colossal proportions on our olfactory senses. “Breathe” I told myself, “if you don’t breathe you will die.” The other me answered back “I might survive by some miracle if I don’t breathe, but if I breathe, I will surely die”. What was it???? Gross, evil, foul, disgusting, offensive, no make that offensive in the extreme, I was quickly running out of adjectives to describe the vilest of smells, that rose from somewhere behind my daughter’s head. “Oh God ma! this guy has removed his shoes and socks and put his feet up right behind me. Do something or I’ll die.” “Shhh its bad manners, don’t exaggerate, I can’t tell him anything, he will be so insulted? Good resolution! I managed to keep it for one minute more and then had to call the stewardess, the only nice one, and tell her to bend down to my seat level and take a deep breath. She finally requested the man to put on his shoes and we thought whew, that is that. How wrong we were, for in that short time, while I was practicing my manners, the smell had mingled with the air and it stayed with us, accosting us all the way till Bombay, yes through the entire three and a half hours.

A short time after the passenger behind us had put his shoes back on, the air hostess arrived with a few trays, announcing special meals. “Ma, I don’t think we are going to be served any dinner. Maybe they have paid extra for the special meals”. My elder one piped. After all, it was way past the time they normally served dinner. The shwarma would not hold us for much longer, and adding hunger pangs to the nasal torture, was a bit too much. “Well lets wait and see,” I said, trying to sound patient and wise. The smell by now was so bad that passengers in seats far away from us, were holding kerchiefs to their noses. To add to the aggravation the aircraft had been designed solely for Barbie dolls and there was barely any room to move a muscle. We had to sit with arms overlapping, thanking God for small mercies, I thought that at least we did not have to sit this way between strange men. How I longed for the days of business class travel. Sadly with these frequent trips, it did not make economic sense anymore.

Finally, when we had with great difficulties come to terms with the idea of starving till Bombay, to our enormous surprise the airhostesses began trundling out dinner trolleys. So we were to be served a meal after all. “Chicken or lamb? Chicken or lamb?” “Chicken” a daughter and I said “Lamb” said my other daughter. So we were served chicken and lamb, which surprisingly not only looked alike, but even tasted exactly the same.

Soon trays cleared, more water served, followed by tea or coffee, oh lucky us we could even have seconds. Finally everything was cleared away, the windows were pulled down, cabin lights dimmed, and we settled down to sleep as best we could….Undisturbed till Bombay hopefully….well for a short while at least. Just as we were falling uncomfortably asleep, the fasten your seat belts sign flashed on and the speakers boomed; “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, I am sorry to say we are flying into a storm and there will be some turbulence” Great! one thing that really adds excitement to my flying is turbulence. Okay I am fibbing. Of all the things connected with flying I hate turbulence most, it puts my teeth on edge. Sleep took off like it had never been and lips began the feverish praying again. Well the turbulence was not as bad as we had thought (I have been through worse) and at some point we landed in Bombay, with the now very familiar clanks. The poor over worked TV screens retracted back into the roof of the plane like an army of retreating aliens, after having entertained us in the nouveau fahion for almost four hours.

All who have suffered this ordeal with me, will now be so glad to disembark from this flight from hell into nowhere and just go home. That is exactly how we felt.

It was about 5:30 am when we landed in Bombay. The immigration checks had recently become real quick and the baggage handling more professional, so in about 30 minutes we would be in one of the thousands of prepaid taxis that are available at Bombay airport and whisked off across the railway bridge to my sister's home close by.

Man lives in hope... silly women like me do too. The immigration queue looked like a short one, till we realised that it was actually a serpentine one snaking its way across two halls to finally reach the immigration desks. At some point that morning, we would be able to complete the formalities and move on to recover our baggage. A boy about ten or twelve stood ahead of us and tried to eat some chocolates from the duty free bag in his trolley. "Wait till you get home" his mother reprimanded. "Mum where is our home" the boy asked in such an exhausted and wistful tone, that I felt a complete sense of empathy with him.

Finally, almost triumphantly, we reached the immigration desk... each of us a separate one. The immigration officer looked down at me over his glasses in a very suspicious way... He was probably thinking why has this woman made so many trips this past year??? Now middle aged Indians are not supposed to be in love, at least not love in the "I can't take my eyes off you or hands for that matter" sense, oh no, we are supposed to settle down comfortably into our middle age, planning our children's marriages and pretend that we were never young..... would he actually understand if I said "you see officer, the thing is my husband can't live without me nor I without him and yet for some insane reason I have decided to make my home in another country." Doubtful!

Anyway finally, with stamped passports we could now go on to collect the luggage, or could we? We headed to the conveyor belt that said Kuwait Airways and waited patiently.... till 'Kuwait Airways' rolled off from the sign above and the name of another airline took its place. Great now we had to go looking for the right conveyor belt. That was actually easy... all we had to do was follow a large number of exhausted, disgruntled, irate passengers.

Leaving the girls at the right conveyor belt, I made my way to find a trolley, asking directions to the trolleys of everyone I saw on the way. They kept pointing at some dark, indistinct corner in the far reaches of the airport.... which after walking for over ten minutes I managed to reach... now I would just have to make my way back pushing two trolleys that had minds of their own and recalcitrant wheels. This certainly was going to take more than the original ten minutes.

The girls were angels, they unloaded the suitcases off the belt and loaded the trolleys... I hate travelling without them. I went to queue for a taxi which I was sure we could procure in a few minutes...after many more minutes and much shuffling and impatience, shown by a queue which had now reached the end of its tether, we finally enquired the reason for the delay. "Madam there are no taxis" Now anyone who has seen the lines of taxis at Bombay airport will never believe such a preposterous statement. Why those guys are like ugly, broken down, fixtures and fittings out here. maybe they had finally done everyone a favour and sent the whole lot to the scrapyard where they belonged. The man quickly disabused me of the idea though by continuing. "There was a very bad storm last night, almost a cyclone" (remember the storm we had flown through) "All the roads are filled with water, it is still raining heavily..." it seemed Bombay was not merely submerged it was nearly drowning... Great morning to choose to arrive!

I should have followed my instincts on the number 26 and stayed back in Kuwait. This was just not happening!
Well usually there is always a way if one is willing to pay for it and luckily for us we found one... after paying four times the normal taxi cost, we managed to hire an SUV that would go through any water logging and get us and our luggage home safe and dry.

As we drove home, it seemed we had taken the right decision because their was no rain, there was a wall of water. It seemed as though someone was standing on the edge of the clouds and emptying out cauldron after cauldron without a break. A fellow passenger had managed to procure a tired old, bedraggled taxi and loaded their luggage on to the carrier, we watched the taxi which was in front of us as it made its way through the thundering waterfall. There was no saying in what state the luggage would reach its final destination

I have never been happier to get home.... Actually I have.. Oh yes there have been worse moments than this one..

A Monsoon Day

Incessant rain, flooded roads, squelching mud, grey skies, dreary days, sometimes that is all we can see during the monsoon. How soon we lose our patience after the first relief from sweltering heat. Yet there is another side to the monsoon: waking to a world washed clean and bright after a night’s rain and breathing in the cool crisp morning air, listening to birdsong that seems to have a chirpier lilt in its merry notes, enjoying the sight of luxuriant grass growing by the side of the roads, and raindrops resembling dew, nestling on green blades, shimmering golden as they catch the sun that often plays hide and seek after a sudden shower. Nowhere is the monsoon more beautiful than on the hills and mountains that are so close to us. Khandala, Lonavla, Panchgani, Mahableshwar, all wear a glorious verdant look, with mountainsides lushly cloaked in green. Beautiful wildflowers in vivid hues cover hillsides and meadows and silvery white waterfalls gush down the mountainsides. The monsoons enhance the natural beauty of the Western Ghats tenfold, helping to hide the deep ugly scars of deforestation that show through most of the year. A drive to Sinhgad fort or Panshet, which is much closer to Pune, is not less rewarding.

I remember what a joy it was, splashing through puddles, during my school days in Mumbai, or walking out for miles as the first rain fell. It is impossible to forget the power of the winds that almost pushed one at Nariman point or the intense pleasure of meeting the rising waves on Marine Drive, Worli Seaface or Haji Ali, as we were drenched by the falling rain; salt mixing on the lips with cool fresh rain drops. A few days back we were back in Mumbai and woke to find it submerged in water. For working people it was an unscheduled holiday, time to relax, watch TV or just eat hot pakodas and watch the falling rain, or pretend the sun had not risen and go back to sleep. We postponed our departure from there, following the advice given on TV to stay indoors till 5 pm. Fifteen floors below we could hear the children from a nearby slum screaming in delight, looking out of the window we watched them as they played a tug of war. A little distance away we could see a group of boys, in a maidan, playing some game, while almost waist deep in water.

As we drove to the highway there was still water in places and youngsters were out in the rain without the protection of raincoats or umbrellas and little children were swimming merrily in the knee deep water collected on the side of the roads. Much later leaving Vashi, we were rewarded by our first glimpse of snaking waterfalls. Then followed the paddy fields between Panvel and Khopoli; a truly entrancing sight during the monsoon. These are small patches bordered by tall trees with wide canopies, and rain washed leaves, gleaming emerald bright. Once in a while we were greeted with the sight of a single tall palm or a small group of towering palm trees. The rivers flowing through were full and surging with power but rather muddy. Clouds half shrouded the mountains of the Khandala ghats. A little further we were rewarded by a sight of monkeys sitting on the expressway wall. A number of monkey families sat on or clambered up the wall. Mama, papa, baby monkeys along with aunts, uncles and cousins were all over the place. It was quite a sight. A few minutes later a policeman stopped us, very considerately choosing a spot from where we could spy a glorious waterfall, though shrouded in misty clouds. As the driver spoke to him, we took the opportunity of taking some pictures. We left the expressway at the Khandala exit and headed to Lonavla and Lion’s point which is on the way to Ambi Valley. We headed up the steep, curving road, and stopped at a spot where we could park the car and walk in the grass. Wild plants, cacti and wildflowers grew in profusion. Water fell from a mountainside close by and it was an idyllic scene. Walking a little further we came upon a brook singing its way down the mountain. Wispy clouds floated around like chiffon curtains. Reluctantly we moved ahead to Lion’s point, but we had lingered too long and it was dark by the time we reached it. Lion’s point is impossible to miss, due to its popularity, as there are always a number of cars parked there. It is blessed with a breathtaking view but more often than not, this is cloaked in clouds during the monsoon, yet it continues to attract people. The mist was swirling when we reached it and it was quite dark, yet there was a beauty in the scene. We parked on the other side of the road, where a dark hill loomed high behind us in the gloaming. Clouds added to the darkness and visibility was lessened, creating a strange unreal atmosphere. Passing car lights appeared eerie, diffused by the mists. A little distance away a reddish glow perhaps of a parked car, lit the silhouette of a tree, producing an unearthly scene. Carts of roasted corn on the cob or tea stood on both sides of the road, their fires adding to the mysterious atmosphere. People blended with the night, their faces barely discernible. Occasional showers of red sparks flew in the deepening darkness as the shadowy hawkers fanned the flames. There was neither view, nor light, nor colour, nor moon, nor stars, yet the rolling hilly mists, the growing shadows, the secretive night, all held us entranced.

Mornings at Six

Often when asked about our day we tend to recount all the setbacks and frustrations that it may have contained. This, though helping us take things off our chest, can sometimes blur those moments that may have been beautiful and worth remembering, till they begin to fade, and we can barely recollect their colours or textures.It's better to record these wonderful moments, however short or few, so they maintain their freshness.

It has been some months now since we moved to Pune, we have been here through the monsoon,the short warm autumn, the winter and now the emerging spring. Summer will complete the cycle for us. The weather for the most has been pleasant and enjoyable, even the rains brought their own pleasures.

The best part of the day though has been the time I wait with my daughter at dawn each day, for the school bus. Together we share the pleasures in each new sight and experience. There was the first sighting of the mongoose,as it ran out from one bush and into another, then as a pleasant surprise ran back into the first bush. There have been moments of wonder as we watched the bayas (weaver birds) build their nests in trees beside our apartment complex, and moments of sadness and loss when the entire area was bulldozed to make another building. There were times when the bus was late or we were early and had enough time to sit in the gazebo watch the crow pheasant strut in the bushes, or stand by the frangipani tree, breathing in its sweet fragrance. Sometimes the rain would catch us and we would shelter in one of the buildings and watch it fall, its drops rippling the puddles that formed at our feet. It was in the garden that my daughter first saw the red vented bulbuls and heard their song, or I saw a shikra on a wire in the field next door.

Later in October after my daughter would leave, I would walk down by the fields watching the sun rise through the morning mists, the birds flying in the reddening sky, and somewhere over the bridge near our house she would witness the same sunset over the river; a very special moment of her day. As we watched it, the sun would bind us closer. These were times of easy camarderie bonding us together with memories to be cherished always.

Then one day after my daughter came home there was a terrible sound. A few minutes later the bus driver called saying there had been an accident. The top of the bus had caught a corner of our building, as the driver had swerved to avoid, we never really knew what, and had been ripped off from one side. That was the end of our mornings in the beautiful garden. From that day the bus started picking her up from the gate.

Now our path changed direction completely and with it our surroundings. We had to go to the lane outside the complex, passing buildings in the first stages of construction and building materials; bricks and cement, spread out. As winter advanced and the nights grew longer, we had to go down when it was still dark. There wasn't any gate really and everything wore a rough, unkempt look. As we stood waiting for the bus, mosquitos would hover over our heads, many sucking our blood like insatiable gourmands. As the sky lightened, stray dogs would come to relieve themselves close to where we stood, if we were not careful an unguarded step could land right into it. To add to the woes, if the wind blew from the east it would carry the strong stench from the buffaloes at the dairy farm next door.

One would think that our times together in the begining of the day now brought only misery, but this was not true. Even now we enjoyed new sights and learnt many things. As we were going down in the dark, often we saw the moon in its various stages over the eucalyptus trees or sometimes as it was about to set it stood in glorious orange splendour.

There was a small vacant plot in front of our gate, sometime in October it had been encroached upon and first one hut and now three stood there. When we began waiting for the bus at the gate there was only one hut. As we stood there a young girl would wake up and begin her chores. First lighting a wood fire outside the tent like hut, she would then make chappatis for her family, while it was still dark. Her face in the dancing red firelight was a fascinating sight.

Sometimes the bus would be late and we would watch the early risers; maids hurrying to work, arms crossed in an effort to keep out the cold, giggling twosomes walking to school, old couples warmly wrapped, out for an energetic walk, enthusiastic joggers, people walking their dogs, which thankfully did not choose our feet to complete their days business, among others. We learnt that it was at 7:45 am precisely, that the candyfloss man cycled by each morning, his wares displyed in their pink prettiness in a basket on his handlebar.

One morning, quite by chance we looked up at a eucalyptus tree to find a number of cattle egrets roosting in its highest branches. There was another time when a bird, which could not quite be identified, perched on the bare branches of the tree opposite. A little later a crow came by and perched very close to it, the bird flew at the crow and the crow backed off for a moment but returned and came even closer, this went on for a few minutes till the bird could take it no more, and chased the crow right off the tree and over the opposite lane. For a while nothing happened, then the crow returned and proudly sat cawing from the branch the other bird had been on.

There have been many other delights enjoyed during our mornings; watching the cormorants flying in different formations till they come together in a straight line, or listening to a purple sunbird calling from a branch, hearing the many cries and songs of the birds in the trees and fields, finding another tree full of weaver birds' nests. Though it is short, it is a time we look forward to each day. The moments we spend together are precious and prove that it is not quantity but quality that truly matters.

Respite in the Middle of Summer

This was our first real experience of a summer in Pune. The heat began in earnest as March was ending, increasing as April began and continued, till it felt like we were suffocating in its stifling, vice like grip. Relief bringing breezes were few and far between and as the temperatures soared in the afternoon there was little one could do but lie down limp and lifeless, in a half dazed stupor. Nights failed to bring respite and perspiration, parched throat and lips and an unquenched thirst became a part of life, till the mind and body cried for a reprieve from the never ending heat - and then it came, when least expected.

On 15th April, as another burning afternoon assailed us, suddenly the winds began and dark clouds appeared from nowhere. Trees gyrated madly like whirling dervishes in some frenzied rain dance and finally drops of the year’s first rain fell. Though the earth gave out is sweet fresh smell, it also released the heat trapped within it and so that first shower did little to alleviate our discomfort. The shower faded to a drizzle and then stopped for a while, fortunately it wasn’t the end. After a while dark clouds thickened, till the sun hung like an orange sliver in the west and then totally disappeared. Lightening flashed, thunder roared, even as the wind continued playing its own wild band and then the deluge began. The pulsating excitement of the storm infected us and our neighbours and some children even came out to get wet. The storm was exhilarating, inviting one to throw inhibitions to the winds and becoming one with it, dance out in the rain. Just when one thought nothing more would happen, noisy, fat hailstones began to fall.

A pleasurable, clean, crisp breeze wafted in on dawn’s wings. Clouds still hovered in the morning sky, some dark, some puffy and white. The light of the rising sun filtered through dark clouds, cast an unearthly, rose pink glow on the buildings and trees. The cool promises of the morning though faded as the day grew, the sun once more claiming its own. Lethargy, drooping lashes and closed curtains once again beckoned the mind to the pleasures of siesta to while away the never ending afternoon. Too exhausted to even draw the drapes completely, I fell asleep with the sun streaming in from one side, only to wake up in a short while surprised by the growing darkness. The sun had all but disappeared in the west and the wind played its own wild dance. The sight from the terrace was fascinating. Trees once more whirled and swirled, while leaves and dry seed pods torn free, swiveled and spun, rising higher and higher in the wind. I did not notice the birds, but squirrels scurried here and there swiftly. The wind felt almost cold and it was with surprise I looked up at a monotonous whirring sound, to realise my neighbours still had their AC on and were oblivious to the beauty nature had so magnificently displayed. I went to the drawing room balcony, to look in the opposite direction. Strangely on the eastern side it was more restrained and though the leaves fell heavily from the Eucalyptus trees, the clouds were not as thick here and there was still light. The army of sweepers battled valiantly but futilely against the onslaught of the falling leaves. Soon the eastern side too had become just as wild as the western. Storms though frightening, have always released in me some primordial feeling, one that makes me want to embrace it in all its awesome glory, so leaving the windows open, I surrendered myself to the elements and sat down to relish it.

The Jatra

A slow influx began up the narrow winding road a few days before, an almost unnoticeable trickle, unless one kept a continuous watch. Slowly they arrived one by one, some carrying their goods in a basket balanced on their heads, some pushing their carts laden with delicious snacks, sweets, vividly hued handicrafts or bright trinkets. One evening as I stood outside in the lane looking for a rickshaw, a row of sweet meat sellers trundled their way heavily uphill with carts covered with big plastic bags full of bright orange sweet sev, pethas and other popular delights. These vendors of various goods were not the only ones, for hand worked merry go rounds with colourful dragon or elephant faces, various kinds of swings, and even a Ferris wheel had somehow wound their way through the constricted twisting road, that led to the village.

Unknown to the recently arrived settlers of the new apartment complexes around, something was afoot. There was a growing excitement in the village of Wadgaon Sheri, less than a kilometer away. As the day awaited for a year grew closer, the village took on a festive look. Not just the residents of Wadgaon Sheri but even those of other areas close by; Shastri Nagar, Yerwada and even outlying areas waited for the day of the jatra to honour the deity of the village.

I first heard about it from my maid. Eager to go to the Jatra, she asked to be let off early on Saturday and I agreed. I held my peace through that day but come Sunday curiosity got the better of me, and nothing would do but visiting the Jatra myself along with my close companion, the camera. It was to be a simple visit, I would take an auto rickshaw from the gate, look around, find a few photo opportunities and then get back home in the same rick. I did not plan on being away for more than thirty minutes. So we plan but reality is always different.

I felt their excitement right from the gate itself, as groups of people joyfully walked to the mela they left me with an impression of a medley of bright clothes, laughter, chatter, fragrances from flowers worn in the hair, floating on the cool February breeze, among others, as I waited for a rickshaw. The excitement continued as the rick made its way through the colourful stalls on either side. We stopped close to the rides. I had barely looked through my lens at the Ferris wheel etched against a cerulean sky, when a neatly dressed band of boys encircled me, insisting I take their picture. A voice piped up asking “Yahan shooting ho rahi hai kya?” Looking at the limitations of my Lumix I could only sigh and reply that “Nahin, is camera sey to nahin,”
The group was persistent about their pictures being taken and I happily obliged them, feeling for a moment not a bystander but one of the crowd, this was part of the fun I had come here to find. I was thinking of ordinary pictures but the boys certainly surprised and amused me by striking creative poses. Smiling to myself I could only conclude that they had been watching more than a few Bollywood thrillers.

I stepped on to the road and started drinking in the variegated sight. There wasn’t much traffic, as most of the people preferred keeping out of the way of the mela going crowds. An occasional motor bike passed by honking loudly. Laughter and chatter and some music were the loudest sounds. Strangely there were no street cries, the hawkers knowing that the people would come to them by themselves, sat around and waited. They sat on the dusty pavements, often only protected by the dust by bits of sack or some other cloth. Some sat, surrounded by litter, plastic bags and strewn newspapers - discarded by fair goers after their satisfying treat. There were others luckier, who had found cleaner spots.

There were stalls selling colourful plastic toys, others selling hats in pretty pastel shades, some selling vividly hued artificial flowers and some trinkets. Even the clothes were a riot of colours. Sarees, salwar kameezes and frocks in yellow, orange, green, red, and blue all added to the gaiety of the atmosphere. What really caught me though was the total enjoyment and joie de vivre here. The children were excited and interested in everything, the rides, the plastic toys, the ice golas and other goodies on sale, and everyone was enjoying everything with a fervour I do not often witness. Their sparkling eyes and lively faces certainly infused me with an equal exuberance. I watched as some kids caressed a ride almost reverentially. Others passed by slurping their ice golas with unmitigated enjoyment that made my mouth water as well. A girl longingly touched a plastic doll, delight shining in her eyes when her mother bought it for her. When, I wondered had I seen such delight in my own children’s eyes at a new acquisition? These children were also part of the urban milieu but economic limitations kept them from having too many possessions. The malls, multiplexes and fast food restaurants their more affluent but jaded counterparts frequented, were foreign to them. Yet they proved beyond doubt my theory that the more we give our children the more we take away from them the most important thing, the ability to enjoy what they have.

Shaking my head against this depressing reverie I once again joined into the fun and started taking pictures of everything as the crowds milled around me, both of us coming in each other’s way. Often deleting a few pics as suddenly an unexpected hand, face, or shadow obliterated my carefully thought out compositions. One of the things that puzzled me was that the offerings here were often to be found on the pavements and markets of Pune, where the vendors would wait for long periods for customers, yet here they had suddenly donned an undeniable magnetism that the buyers found irresistible.

Another mystery was that more than one person approached me and asked me to take their picture, or that of their wife and children. Though I was using a digital camera, not a single person asked to see the picture on the LCD screen. Why would they want a complete stranger to have their picture when they would never see it, is a question that continues to baffle me. In a time of growing internet crime and wariness against cameras among the urban populace, this behaviour endeared them to me even further. I had only traveled a kilometer at the most but it seemed I had stepped at least a decade back in time, when everything was much simpler, smiles were real, so was pleasure, people were genuine and children most of all were not bored, world weary and jaded.

As I was reflecting on all this, a young man came up to me and offered to show me the real mela. He pointed to some tents where a few ladies sat and children played. There was a genuine earnestness about him that made me follow him quite gladly, curious at what he was going to show me. We had to bend down to go through the barrier of a ride to where the fair folk lived. The girls and boys working with the fair immediately surrounded us, these were quite grubby and dressed in ragged clothes unlike the neat villagers, but this was in no way an impediment to their pleasure. Some of the excited boys climbed on the high swings of a ride and posed for a picture, while their mothers began shouting loudly at them to come down before they got hurt. A little girl, whose father owned that ride posed with one of the swings. What can I say? Just that despite her threadbare dress, the sun shone through her bright, sweet smile.

Then it was time to meet Pannalal, the wonder donkey. Nothing would satisfy the crowd but that I entered the raggedy tent where the show was held each evening and took pictures of Pannalal. To enter the enclosure the donkey was kept in, I had to pass by his legs and risk the swift kick that Pannalal usually meted out to strangers who came too close. Happily for me though, the smart donkey that he was, Pannalal sensed that this was his five minutes of fame, and held his peace. So I took pictures of Pannalal and the boy who worked with him, all the while wondering what was I doing here, taking pictures of a donkey, yet it all made sense. So what did Pannalal do that made him so popular? Well, they told me, he knew things; could tell colours, dates of birth, foretell the future, when given a choice he always chose the right thing. Impressive! That donkey knew more than I ever did. From Pannalal we moved to the puppeteer Hiralal or the ‘Man in the Lion’s mask’. Of course I had to take a picture of the face behind the mask as well. After that they introduced me to Pannalal’s owner, a Rajasthani lady who covered her head with her saree pallu for the picture.

Curiosity was aroused, the mela was held here for just two days, so who were these people, where did they come from and how did they earn a regular livelihood? Ramdas, the person who had originally offered to take me around told me that they lived in Pune itself, but they took their rides and shows from Jatra to Jatra in the outlying villages. There was always a Jatra or Urs held somewhere and these afforded them plenty of opportunities to earn a decent living all year long. They lived in proper homes, though during the Jatra they would manage with makeshift tents. He took me to a couple of these tents to get a glimpse of their life behind the colour and gaiety. The tent was a rather worn out, grimy one that had seen many such fetes in its extensive lifetime. There were two metal beds within one, without mattresses and some vessels and boxes. A woman sat on one and smiled obligingly as I took her picture with her daughter. A teenage girl got a wood fire going and placed a medium sized vessel on it with water for boiling, when queried if she was making tea she told me that it was their evening meal. I wondered what she would be adding to the water later, perhaps rice. It was a hard way to live and yet these people had accepted it as their way of life and carried on with a happy heart and a ready smile.

The sun was going down, the light was beginning to fade, it was time to head home. At the fair though, the bright lights were coming on, the crowds were growing, soon the rides would begin their exciting whirls, and in my imagination I could already hear the children’s shouts of joy. In their tents Pannalal and Hiralal would perform their respective shows to assemblies of thrilled villagers. I was glad to have been part of all this, as I returned home I knew I was carrying these sights and experiences away in more than the camera. These people with their exuberance and innocence had touched me. I would remember them and hoped that maybe some would remember me too.

From Dreams to Bitter Realities to a Pleasant Day

Therefore Mumbai, being the city I loved, was the first choice, but the attractions of Mumbai had begun to fade over the years. The time to go from point A to point B had trebled in the last ten years. The traffic was impossible, the humidity killing, and the roads disgusting. Moreover all one could get for a small fortune was a small, cramped apartment.

Settling there seemed to be an unappetizing prospect. Pune was never on the horizon and never considered. It was only while making one of my half hearted searches for property in Mumbai on the net that I found a site that also had listings for apartments in Pune, the descriptions were interesting, and allured I began a year long odyssey on the net for a place to live.

The more I read, the more desirable the prospect looked. This ‘Queen of the Deccan’, sitting pretty among the Sahyadris, was an enticement to eyes that had longed to look at mountains and greenery. Sobriquets like ‘Oxford of the East’ increased its appeal, after all education was the prime reason for moving. The many apartment complexes on sites like punerealestate.com, offered every convenience we were used to, and much more. The tree lined avenues, 40% of the land under green cover, proximity to places like Panchgani, Khandala, even the Konkan, added to the charm. Mumbai was a short distance away, and the expressway a dream to travel upon. We would not be ensconced right in the lap of the family, yet would be close enough to spend week ends with them. Its centralized location made Pune seem like the perfect spot from which paths spread out to innumerable exciting destinations. Visions of adventures and discoveries began dancing before my eyes. I felt God was guiding me.

Finally I settled on one apartment complex, after scrutinizing almost a dozen, day after day. When we reached Bombay that summer of 2003, early one morning my girls and I took a taxi and drove down to Pune, without informing a soul. The complex did not disappoint for it was all that it promised to be on the net. The buildings and landscaped gardens were aesthetically designed, but it was the sugarcane fields on both sides, the teeming birdlife, the baya nests hanging from trees, and lastly the kingfisher on a power line that really clinched the deal. The areas closest to us were a sleepy, upper middle class suburb on one side with pretty houses and prettier gardens and a village with all its idiosyncrasies on the other. The purchase and the legal formalities went off without a hitch. We learnt that the builder I had chosen had a reputation not only for honesty but also for professionalism. It truly seemed like we had been guided.

The next three years were spent dreaming about all the exciting things we were going to do. I began to imagine traveling down many of the mountain roads, exploring each cranny and cliff, walking in wildflower meadows and bathing in waterfalls. Our holidays had always coincided with the monsoons and we had only seen the mountains as dream like places cloaked in cloudy mantles, under their verdant cover, with snaking silvery waterfalls. Oh those pessimistic detractors warned, but to deaf ears, their words unheard and unheeded. It seemed we had only existed till now, and would really live only once we moved.

How often it happens that we look forward to something with rose coloured glasses only expecting the good and never anticipating the bad. perhaps it is that in human nature that continues to drive us towards change and and what we might view as an improvement in our life or situation. Those among us always expecting the worst are labelled as pessimists and to be honest are rarely the ones to try to experiment or try a life out of their comfort zone. Even within their comfort zones they are miserable each moment wondering when the sky is about to make a rapid descent on their heads.

Optimism, what a wonderful way of thinking! Lets us go through each day happily, though maybe unrealistically sometimes, yet we do not anticipate trouble beforehand and therefore are able to dream and live on a cloud nine even if it exists only in our imaginations. So I lived for three years on my own soft cosy cloud, it was not pink I was viewing the world through though, but green. I could not wait to move to a land of green, fields and hills, gardens and forest. Perhaps I would have been more ready to be realistic had my husband not always introduced new doubts. The more he thought up potential problems regarding our forthcoming move, the tighter I clung to my ideal dream world. My roses were hybrid, I had bred out the thorns, there were no rough edges, there were no stormy seas.

Yet for all the problems that arose, I would advice people not to anticipate trouble before trouble comes calling, for you can never really know what form it is going to come in. Troubles have a very strange nature, they never come in the form in which we expect them, and so worrying about impending problems is a total waste of time that can be spent in so many more enjoyable ways.

Cling to the happiness life brings, relish it, enjoy it, and when you face a problem do not let it overwhelm you to an extent where it looms so big that you are unable to see the sunlight through it. Problems can be solved when taken apart and handled in small manageable bits. Most of all, life itself and all its wonderful offerings, small moments of joy, of happiness, love, companionship, pleasure in nature, etc should not be forsaken just because the mind is confronted with some difficulties. These are what living is all about, not the small or big wrinkles that may occur on the sheet of life.

Perhaps it was a bit naïve but I am glad that I did not waste the time worrying, but in pleasant anticipation and in March 2006 we finally moved to India, rose coloured glasses firmly in place and then the troubles began, ones we could not have expected.

The first were more of a series of shocks than problems. Turning left from the Highway into the Pune we were confronted with the potholes all the way till our home. We wondered what had become of the roads since we had last been here. In 2003 we had compared them favourably with Bombay roads but now we could not compare them favourably even with a bullock cart track in the remotest village in India. I will leave that here, for enough has been written on the state of the roads and I am glad that many have now improved considerably, though no doubt countless backbones have paid for their previous neglect.

Our second shock was the metamorphosis of our sleepy area, which had now turned into a throbbing glass and concrete IT hub. Any major metropolis would be proud of this blooming suburb with its state of the art complexes, malls and multiplexes. In vain I sought the quaint charm last witnessed.

Our little place too had become part of the outsourcing world. The once unending fields besides our complex now proudly sported a brand new call centre, with another on the way. We should be happy we were told, the price of our property had doubled, but the truth is; for me and for others too I am sure, that the greenery is the major inducement of moving to Pune and if that is not saved and cared for, and if development is not properly planned and controlled, this will become just another highly polluted, ugly, grey, metro.

Once over this shock we began sorting out our many problems. The major one among these was admissions.

Newspapers while extolling the education opportunities in Pune, never wrote about how hard admissions would be. Almost, in every school we visited, it was impossible to meet the principal. Often we were turned away from the gate itself by the security. This, after taking a bus at 6:30 am from Bombay to reach Pune at 10 am. There was no sympathy for the fact that we had traveled such a long way or that we were trying to resettle in our own country. I began to strongly suspect that the media was actually over hyping and selling Pune for some financial inducements other than the advertisements. Everyone who had promised to help us, either seemed to be unavailable on their phones, or else permanently out of the city. This taught me that people here tended to make promises they either had no intention of fulfilling, or then no real way of keeping. It was always better to have other options and an alternate plan of action ready.

There were some who wanted to be paid, outsiders who said that if I offered such and such amount to the school, my child would be easily granted admission, but I wondered what kind of education and ideals would be imparted to the children by an institution where the staff was corrupt. I wonder if the great Mahatma would be pleased to know that though we Indians do not remember his teachings, his picture does influence our decisions a lot when it is on the currency notes. Yes, sadly today we Indians carry Gandhiji not in our hearts but only in our pockets. I cannot really confirm that the staffs were corrupt as no one directly asked me for a bribe, how would they, when they were totally unavailable, but it was implied time and again by others.

As a word of warning to others, I have since then learnt that there are many touts who promise seats in educational institutions and desperate parents are only too happy to pay, sadly losing their money, so do beware. I though, was adamant that I would not buy a seat for either of my children. They had been brought up in a corruption free environment, and abetting bribery was not going to be in their first experience or lesson in their home country. The other alternative was an IGCSE School. This seemed ironical as I had always been an advocate of Indian education in Kuwait. Here in India though, among all the ICSE and GCSE schools I had no option left but to choose one of the newly mushrooming crop of IG schools offering a Cambridge Certificate.

The school I chose was new and they welcomed admissions. Each class was going to be limited to only twenty seats which assured personal attention from all the teachers. The counselor spent a long time with me, allaying my doubts and showing me all the certificates of recognition that the school had received, both from Cambridge and the Indian universities. In a way it was a moral victory too because though the fees were very high, I was paying them for services offered, a full cheque payment, and not under the table in a slimy, shady deal.

The next admission was for my other child who had actually done FY of college externally from another university. The said university took its own sweet time in giving the transfer certificate by which time most of the renowned colleges had already filled their quotas. I made a silly mistake here I admit. I believed people who said that her percentage was too low and she would never get admission without paying a heavy bribe. I advice everyone, never to accept anything as God’s own truth from anyone, even well wishers, but to find it out for themselves. When I finally found the courage to go directly to the colleges, I found that many of the good colleges like Garware, Modern and others were willing to take her, sadly we did not have the required transfer certificate. An external exam had been a convenient choice for us, as it gave us another year in Kuwait to get our affairs in order, but it could have been an expensive choice. Whoever tells you that external degrees are the same do not believe them, for they do not carry the same weight. Luckily, an external FY B Com result is treated the same as one from a college, while giving admissions for the next year. I was advised by a professor in a very reputable institute that I should immediately get her into regular college. It was this kind man who we had met for the first time, God bless him, who guided us to a newly opened college, where she would surely get admission. Here once again she was able to get individual attention and the lecturers were very helpful. Also the students here are much closer to their traditions and culture and so she too is able to learn much about it and about a way of living different from what she was used to. This pleases me immensely when I see how fast this same culture is disappearing from many among us.

Once the admissions were confirmed we moved to our new house one afternoon with nothing more than a mattress and a couple of pillows and a few suitcases. Most of our things had arrived from Kuwait by ship till Chennai, and from there by road to Pune. The tin trunks and even the factory packed fridge, washing machine and stove took quite a beating. The house had no furniture and was still being painted so I was unable to open anything to check the state of their contents. This was a mistake as I could not claim the insurance. As the first rains had fallen on the very evening the goods were delivered and the tin trunks had arrived damaged, this resulted in water seeping into the trunks and spoiling many of the books, clothes and other items in them. We had tried to pack them the best way we knew, using a lot of newspaper and tape yet we had been careless and perhaps even stupid. I advice anyone who is shipping their goods to crate everything, spend freely on bubble wrap and thermacol and see to it that your parcels are waterproofed. In the end the little expense and trouble will save a great deal. After I had buried my prized china; a gorgeous plate with a sea scene from Iraq, hand painted plates from Southern Africa, and some other items lovingly cherished for years, I began the salvage operation. The fridge had a leak and all its gas was lost. The filter of the washing machine was totally punched in. The stove luckily had escaped without much trauma.

I was lucky to find a person to repair the washing machine, who brought someone who was an expert refrigerator repairman. Not only was he a genius but also extremely scrupulous. He asked for about Rupees 2000/- to repair the leak and fill the gas, offering me a 1 year guarantee. Sadly there was not one but three leaks and since then he has had to repair them and has filled gas three times and has done so without asking for another paisa. The fridge has been working well now and it has been quite a few months. The washing machine too is working well and since then they have installed my stove and television all for very reasonable sums of money. I think I am very lucky to have found them especially as they come every time I imagine a disaster and charge just about 50 rupees only after I insist on paying them for their trouble.

Getting a gas connection was another problem, wherever I went they said that the company was not giving new connections for the next six months. They gave me a number, said they would be in touch and whispered under their breath that I should not hold mine. For a while we used a camp stove. Then one day I was directed to a lady in the village close by who had taken an agency for Pushpa gas. Unfortunately, I soon realised that I had a bad deal because the cylinder not only is more expensive compared to the others but also contains much less gas..

Getting curtains stitched was another problem I faced. I was directed to Camp for my many requirements, but have since then realized that a trip to the Peths is a better option. Most shops refused to stitch my curtains as I had not bought the material from them. It was a shop close to Laxmi road where the owner agreed to send his tailor, who I think has done a reasonably good job. I did have to specify though that I wanted the curtains to sweep and the design to merge without appearing uneven.

I think that the worst among my problems was not any of ones I have mentioned before but the autorickshaw wallahs here. Their rudeness and unreasonable demands made life hell in the beginning. As the complex we had chosen to live in was a little away from the main road, they refused to come there without being paid at least 30 to 40 rupees extra. Often even then it was nearly impossible to find a rick. Many times I stood out for over an hour, often in the rain but no rick would have the decency to stop. I caught on very fast that they never had 5 rupees, even if their pockets were bursting with change. The rick guys here had no scruples about pocketing the difference if you were unlucky enough not to carry change. Evenings out became impossible as the mental stress generated by the rickshaw wallahs dissipated any pleasure we might have got out of a movie or dining out. Planning simple outings or trips became a nightmare. I know there are others out there who have had similar experiences and will not think I exaggerate when I say that if I hated living in Pune in those first months, it was only because of the rickshaw guys.

There is also a maid mafia in our complex and they control the rates and the hours. If one maid works for longer hours for less money she is soon dissuaded by the others. They never give one house more than two to three hours, often running from house to house leaving half the work undone. Many also have ingenious ways of relieving the kitchens of extra rations. Our complex has many young couples, both of whom work, and have no options but to give in to the maids’ demands. This makes it really difficult for others on a lower income, who have no choice but to comply with their unreasonable demands. The maids knowing they have full control take as many days off as they like. There are others who operate differently, making the ladies of the house totally dependent on them and then asking for loans regularly, which the ladies find difficult or often impossible to refuse.

Another bad experience I have had has been with home tuitions. The agencies offering tutor services ask for complete payment in advance. This puts the parents completely in their hands. When one makes an enquiry they are promised the moon, two hours of tuitions five days a week, completion of portion and revision, and one free class, so you can try out the tutor. Of course once the money is in their hands then, so are you. The timings are erratic, the five days become four and change so often that you lose complete track, the portion is completed at the speed of light and two days before the exam the tutor says that no revision was promised.

Home tuitions offer a great service and a very necessary one as school teachers are not allowed to coach their students so a few words of advice. Get it all in writing with the signature of the owner of the agency (you have no idea how fast staff changes here) and the tutor. If they refuse, dangle the carrot of needing tuitions all year long. Do not pay the money before you have that in writing and if possible break the amounts into two or three payments which generally they will not agree but you can try. Follow your child’s progress. See what lessons are required to be done, and see to it that the tutor explains slowly and properly, and that the child follows the explanations. Do not accept the tutor’s words for it. Ask him to give homework and to correct it. Make sure that the portion is completed and so is the revision. I seriously think that some kind of law should be regulating these services so they do not defraud helpless parents and leave them high and dry before exams.

It is now been a few months since we have been here. I have managed to iron out all the wrinkles so that our existence is more or less smooth. I sorted out the rickshaw problem by taking the cell numbers of every driver with a cell, who was good enough to drop us without asking for extra money, or fighting half the way, or behaving like a martyr for taking us home. Before that I had to take one to the police station, and threaten another with dire consequences, though I had no idea what they would have been, fortunately he was unaware of my ignorance. Finally I have a list of decent, hard working men on my cell phone, who come to our building and do not put down the meter, till I am actually in the rick. As for the maid, she has been sheer luck, again a little bit of that divine help. We have lived through a few seasons here and have enjoyed each one, and the beautiful flora that blooms with it. There has been some unrest and a few incidences, since we have been here and one day was especially harrowing when my child was in school and a few people decided to stone the school’s buses. I would have preferred a cleaner, less polluted Pune, with more landscaping on the roads but overall though, it has been extremely pleasant. Learning about places, cultures, people, has been an enriching experience. We have discovered good places to shop and some pleasant gardens. Each day we learn some more and we live some more.

A Strange Childhood

We had always discussed buying a home and settling in India as a far off possibility, never seriously. It was hard for us to envisage living apart and impossible for my husband to think of working anywhere but in Kuwait. He had always worked there right from the start, he knew the market well and everyone knew him equally well. It would be impossible to build those kind of contacts in a new place.
But the fact, that our eldest daughter would be finishing her schooling soon and would need to pursure her further education in our home country, could not be ignored. So at some point I began half hearted, perfunctory searches on the internet for a suitable flat in Mumbai.

Mumbai was the place where my family lived and it had always been dear to me. As a child I grew up with a maiden aunt about 170 km from Mumbai. I would always be happy to come back to Mumbai, to my father's house and to the family. It was a lonely existence where we lived, away in the quietness of the country. Mumbai though, was vibrant, and so was our family home there. It was always filled with people from all over the world, as my father loved to entertain and had many friends everywhere.

Besides that, at that time both the seaport and international airport were in Mumbai, and any relatives or friends who were travelling abroad and who resided in other towns, would invariably stay with us, for the duration that it took to get their documents in order. So it was that we would almost always arrive from the country to an exciting house, filled with interesting people. All our photographs of our childhood have been taken at the airport, either receiving someone, or seeing someone off. In those days, travel was not as common as it is now, and it was traditional for all the relatives and friends to go to the airport to see off or recive the passenger, as well as to take a flower garland very like a Hawaiian lei, for them. So it was that we would drive off, often in the early hours of the morning, to the airport to see off friends and relatives.

My siblings also lived in Mumbai. We owned quite a large, five storey apartment block, half of which was rented out to tenants, and different flats in the other half were occupied by us and our aunts, uncles and cousins. The flat which my family occupied was actually three large flats in one so there was always a lot of space ofr everyone and everything... even my fathe's perfume and incense laboratory.. Dad made perfumes and incense sticks and the whole place smelt deliciously of jasmine, rose, keora, vetiver, amber, Indian jasmine, night jasmine, etc etc etc... Growing up with such a plethora of intoxicating fragrances, it is impossible for me to bear cheap perfume now.

As the flat was huge all of us cousins used to gather on its terrace and play a variety of games and this again was something I missed growing up alone in my solitary castle, for solitary castle it was, a huge run down mansion like house, completely empty except for us three, who occupied the second floor and one very very old Parsi couple who lived in a dusty unkempt place on the first floor.. They though seemed like ghosts, as they never went out nor did anyone ever come to visit them.

So it was almost enough excitement for a little girl, but that was not all for through the holidays my father would take us to exhibitions, fairs, the circus and to the movies. He loved movies and made sure that he took us to all the good children's movies that came. I inherited his love for sharing good movies and do it with my children now, sharing the many wonderful movies I had first seen in the theatre with my father: the list is endless, Those magnificent men in their flying machines, Chitty chitty bang bang, Singling nuns, Sound of music, Mary Poppins, My fair lady, Hatari, Born free, African Safari, etc being some I remember....I was most gratified when my daughters loved Benhur as much as my father and I had done.

What Happened Before

We are Indians and we lived in Kuwait for almost two decades. My husband lived there much longer. We had settled into a life of comfortable complacency till it was upset, first by the Iraqi invasion on 2nd Aug 1990 and later by the American attack of Iraq on 21st March 2003.

After Iraq occupied Kuwait in 1990, we had moved back to India for a year, but it was difficult starting something here, as the system was so different. My husband was so used to working in Kuwait, that he could not wait for the war to end, so we could go back.. and go back we did. Go back despite the burning oil wells, the mined beaches, the thick black smoke everywhere and the large scale destruction. In those early days of course it was the very destruction that meant money and companies came in from everywhere to cash in on this. Cleaning and rebuilding was the mantra in those days. Frenetic activity made sure that things were back to normal as soon as possible.

My husband worked as an engineer in an American company and was involved in many important projects, so life began once again and once again complacency set in, except when once in a while we would be jolted out of it, by Saddam's continuing threats. He hung over us and our new found peace and prosperity, like the legendary sword of Damocles. Every few months, a new threat of being bombed by weapons of mass destruction loomed. Imagining dying with one's family in a chemical attack, is a very nasty thing, especially when one has has seen pictures of the Halabja poison gas attack between 15 March–19 March 1988. The fear of death is a death in itself, and living with it day in and day out is like dying every single day, and so it would happen for a few days and then everything would be calm and normal and we would breathe easy again, till the next time. In such an environment it is but natural that the economy kept rocking and only the best survived.

It was a hard time, yet few people really wanted Iraq to be attacked when America finally took that decision. That year was a crucial year for my daughter. She was giving her 10th standard exam through the CBSE board New Delhi, and that is a very crucial exam for Indian school kids. It was natural to think that if America attacked Iraq, using its bases in Kuwait, then Iraq would retaliate by using Kuwait for target practice and it was not an unfounded fear. So months before the actual attack, a climate of fear set in. Helicopters would hover over the entire country and practise sirens went off throughout the day. I had a maid servant in those days from the Andhra Pradesh district of Cuddapah, and she poor, ignorant woman, was so frightened for her life, not knowing what was happening, that she would sit down and wail each time a chopper passed over head or a siren sounded.

So it was that in such a climate we went through life, a day at a time, trying to be as normal as possible. Soon plane loads of people, of all nationalities began leaving Kuwait, in fear. I do not know about the other airlines but the Indian planes arrived empty and passengers had to pay over double the fare for a one way ticket. The Indian airlines were good at evacuating, as they had had ample practice in 1990, when Air india evacuated over 111,000 people from Amman to Mumbai - a distance of 4,117 km, by operating 488 flights in association with Indian Airlines, during August 13 - October 11, 1990, lasting a total of 59 days. This feat is entered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest evacuation by a civil airliner. Though at the time we were expected to pay for it, later this was waived by the government.

As the planes landed in Mumbai this time around, my parents watched on TV in horror, as wave upon wave of traumatised passengers, disembarked. The CBSE board made arrangements for the students of the 10th and 12 to give their exams in India. Teachers from British and American schools left en masse. But many Indians did not leave and we were among them. The decision to stay had been a conscious decision on my part. First of all I did not see why we should get the chance to run for our lives, when my husband for economic reasons, would have to continue staying back. The second, equally important reason was that I did not want my girls to grow up as people who ran at the smallest sign of trouble. We had left once before. but then I had a two year old, whereas now they were grown up and I wanted us to stay as a family and face what was coming with faith in God and courage.

So while people taped up their windows and prepared rooms in the basements, cleaning out supermarket shelves in a mad rush to hoard food, we went on as usual. I remember getting some silver duct tape which is still lying around somewhere in our home in Kuwait, unused. My daughters continued going to school and preparing for their different exams. The teachers of the various Indian schools (there are at least twelve in Kuwait) too stayed back to give moral support to their students.

Then it happened suddenly, without warning, on 21st March 2003, America attacked Iraq. The expected retaliatory attack came almost immediately. The first time, most people thought it was just another routine excercise, to soon learn that it was not and we had been attacked. But the attacks were mild and I must say the sirens were more frightening then the attacks.

Through all this, my elder daughter and all her class mates and other Indian girls of her school year, attended school, went for extra tutorials and studied day and night for their CBSE exams. There were attacks even during the exams though the missiles never came close. But the continuous sirens were enough to unnerve the best. At this trying time the teachers stood behind their students all the way and not enough can be said about their courage and that of their families. It was not for remuneration that they did this, for their pay was very meagre compared to teachers of western schools.

As the tanks rolled into Iraq, sandstorms like we had never seen before, arose and engulfed Kuwait in thick, choking, red coloured sand. On the news one could see that the soldiers in the desert were suffering the same fate. If it was so bad in the city that it entered through the closed windows, one could only imagine how much worse it must have been in the open desert. We watched TV day and night trying to make sense of the death and destruction going on just a short distance away. It was expremely traumatic and made me feel like bursting into tears for the slightest reason. It was at this time I wrote a poem on the death of an American soldier called 'I Remember, I Remember' and a short story on the senseless death due to bombing, of a small Iraqi boy, not yet three, called Ahmed. People were people and they were dying senselessly, unnecessarily. Dying so close to me and in the pain, there was neither friend nor foe, just the great sense of loss. These young people, these promises of the future, lay trampled in that merciless sand and it was heartbreaking and still is.

The planes looked for the missile launchers in the desert but could not destroy all. One evening we had been to the sea-side after the sandstorms had abated. March/April are pleasant in Kuwait normally, as it is spring time and this was the first time we had seen such sandstorms in this season of balmy breezes and wildflower carpets. That evening there were many people on the beaches and life looked almost normal. That night though, a missile hit one of the sea-side malls, 'Souq Sharq' and the first real destruction of any kind took place. Though it was not much, it still made people afraid and after that we rarely saw anyone else on the beaches.

One day there was no bread in the house, so we went to the supermarket and the bakery. There was a long queue at the bakery, people were buying enough bread to feed entire neighbourhoods. Later all that bread was finally wasted, unconsumed. At the bakery at that time, there was a television crew recording the madness, even a fight broke out between some of the people. We headed home after picking up some groceries as well. When we came close to the traffic lights near our building suddenly the sirens began and a policaman frantically asked us to stop and pointed upwards. We were so scared at his gestures that we ran out of the car looking upwards, thinking that he saw a missile coming in.

It was only later that we realised that he just wanted us to gather on an incline away from the road. Much later, when we realised that the direction he was pointing to was the south, and Iraq and its missiles lay towards the north, we really felt rather foolish and laughed at ourselves. But even now when we pass that particular traffic signal a slight shudder passes through me, though we sometimes mention it and laugh.

It was during these days that my father called to ask when we were coming. The entire family used to watch the returnees on TV, as well as the news that Kuwait was being hit and worry about us. I told him we would be there as soon as all the missile launchers that were attacking us were destroyed. It was not then but a couple of months later that we finally visited the family during the summer holidays.