Comedy of ERRORS

While Singapore offers immense opportunity to enjoy the various attractions it has, the international airport can be a complete destination by itself to catch on if one fails to visit the country’s sites. Let me share my experiences at the airport during my recent short business visit that turned out to be a comedy of errors.

“Not many airports around the world are carpeted extensively like this one,” said one of my fellow traveler (and a friend), as his first reaction after we landed at the Changi Airport Singapore, who was traveling with me for our short business trip of one and a half day in Singapore. The immense horizon of the airport terminal provided us with an experience of a lifetime. I was looking forward to this country visit but hey, first let me check out the airport itself – a great excursion place to be in!

We were invited by Singapore Airlines (SIA) to know about their latest cabin products offering to India bound travelers, the catering unit of SATS and the airline training centre. SIA’s public affairs executive received us, a group of journalists, and escorted to the SilverKris Lounge. This lounge of the Singapore Airlines is immaculately designed. As we reached quite early in the morning there (as the Rolex watch with golden outlining was pointing in the lounge) and had to proceed for a business conference directly from there, we were asked to freshen up ourselves at the airport itself, which appeared weird prime facie.

Since I was hungrier by then, I checked out the buffet first, which was not only elaborate but sumptuous too. After gorging some stuff quickly, I experienced the best of washrooms that even hotels fail to deliver. Immaculately designed, it provides with the basic necessities to get fresh and enjoyed my 10 minutes of amazing shower experience. Though, our group consisted of 21 people from New Delhi and Mumbai, none complained getting refreshed at the airport because that turned out to be a more pampering aspect of our tour that we never thought earlier.

After the hot shower, I returned to the breakfast zone again, guess it had an effect and forced me to take another round of the buffet. The design of the lounge was also interesting too. I noticed that the ceiling is an elaborate structure of air conditioning vents and so on that gets concealed with the fine bars used as ceiling; when viewed with an angle, it conceals the grey matter inside but looking up vertically, one can check all the gadgetries.

While appreciating the artistry of the lounge and sipping my cup of tea, a middle aged German drew my attention. He walked from his dining table and looked for some beverage. He was about to get a cup of tea or coffee as he proceeded towards the coffee making machine. He pressed one of the machine buttons without any outcome. Obviously, that fellow was trying one of the beverage choices out there but failed to succeed. He pressed the button once again but met with the same result. He was visibly miffed at the machine and his bad luck. As his eyesight crossed mine, I signaled him about no water in the machine that he needs to feed. He chuckled… and went towards a stewardess to resolve the pending matter.

As we proceeded towards the immigration counter after that it surprised me that the Terminal 3 is yet to be formally inaugurated on July 25 by the Singapore Prime Minister. We reached there two days before experiencing the complete service that will be formally opened to the world, though the soft launch took place way back in February this year, I enquired. Before the immigration area, we went pass Section A of Terminal 3. This zone welcomes Airbus 380 passengers and I felt good knowing that. Hopefully someday, will be crossing from that area, I wished.

Next day, that is July 24, we were back again at the airport to make a departure for India. There was this sense of incompleteness. Nonetheless we checked in our luggage and by mistake, I had left my immigration slip inside that I am supposed to pose at the counter during emigration. I was sweating profusely. I was asked to get the verification done from another counter and I proceeded mutely. There, the lady I confronted with will remain etched in my memory for long. She brutally murdered my confidence and asked me about my arrival date, flight numbers… and so on. Suddenly I felt everything has been erased from my memory. I was unable to recall today’s date and was counting out on my luck. God! I’m the most peace loving person on this planet, don’t interrogate me like this! It was just yesterday when I arrived on this land but the tension crept in so badly that I fumbled to recognize the date.

Nonetheless, at the end, I got a life when the officials verified that am not a terrorist and just a mere skeleton body that can be blown away easily by air. Huh! I was verified and asked to go ahead and not to repeat this mistake again in my life. Timidly, I promised so.

After getting a new lease of life, I tried to track my group who had already scattered for their shopping spree at the DFS zones. And so did I. During that time I met a sweet lady in the chocolate shop helping me in selecting the right ones for my colleagues. And then encountered another one just opposite to the earlier shop where I purchased ear tops for my sister-in-law and a pendant for my mom. While delivering the stuff, she said, next time around get it for your wife. I said, “Yeah, definitely. I will surely get married soon in India to come back here to oblige you.” She laughed. That laugh will stay with me…

With all my purchase done, I confined myself to the Internet zone where apparently I met another Indian young guy pursuing mass communication course came here for a cultural exchange programme. We chatted and exchanged cards. He wishes to become a director some day and I requested to book me for a role then. He assured so. Forgetting the time while chatting he asked me about my flight’s time. It was scheduled for 1850 hours departure. Again, I started perspiring as the clock showed 1830 hours. Bidding him goodbye, I rushed and managed to catch the flight on time. Reaching the cabin, I saw my business friends relaxing on their seats and I quickly ordered some wine to quench my thirst.

While my journey back I realized, there was hardly much time to experience the country. Nonetheless, I was at ease and felt complete of my stay here. The airport with its good, bad and ugly experiences that it stored for me made it a true script for a holiday. Next time around I don’t mind having business meetings at the airport itself and if business travelers across the world start doing so, then Singapore Tourism should ideally Blame It On Changi to rest their case on.

going back to cricket memory

Long before twenty20 format, Cricket still used to enthrall me a lot. But the situation is no longer the same anymore. India, in Cricket, winning or loosing now doesn’t churn out the same effect in me once it used to. While watching the first Test Match between India and Sri Lanka this season, I recalled how I used to take the lost matches in my stride proudly.

The following is one such episode during September 21, 2004 when I penned down my feelings on paper after we lost to Pakistan.

Savouring loosing points
Though we lost the Indo-Pak tie, we went down with never-say-die spirit. When we loose, all the goods inevitably appears on the other side. It feels indeed bad to be left alone on this side – where past looms around as something you don’t want to look at and the future, more than ever, hovers like a puzzle as John McLain of Die Hard fame encounters, though he always ends up with success unlike the Indian Cricket Team.

The situation on the match day in each and every home, I guess, must be same throughout the country. My home could be easily anyone else’s, as my mother constantly maintains her murmuring when Ganguly’s Gang does something silly on the field, which she, like many other moms, doesn’t approve and just not ready to accept from the men in blue. Then her murmuring turns into a one-sided argument with the players, who should thank their stars for they are unable to listen to the country moms (include Geoff Boycott’s mum too) and I end up with disgust and stop her from giving those unparallel expert opinions. I shout, ‘Let me listen to the commentators what they have to say about the game…you don’t know…hmm… hmm… I don’t know…as they do…’ and our argument continues till the end.

There is always a clash of what we expect, think about the game and how our players perform at the middle. No matter which part of the country one travels to, there be an endless discussion about the previous falter or about the imminent onslaught reverberating all the time in the atmosphere. The dying expectation never ever dies down, strange enough for non-cricket lovers.

We lost to the Pakistan team. We are out of the Champions Trophy. We have been shaken up. Oh! We are faced with that feared moment in our lives once again, which we forgot of late. But is it that bad? No. Not at all, if you think logically.

The recent comment of the Australian captain Ricky Ponting that has been hailed correct by the Cricketing Connoisseurs, suggests the maturity phase the sport has entered into and now, like all life cycles it is bound to go for a plunge. With meager contingents viz. USA, Bangladesh, etc… coming into such an important event didn’t ruin anyone’s reputation but the name of the tournament.

Coming on to the performance of the Indians, they should be praised for making the match interesting after stumbling to set up a good score for the Pakistanis to chase. Knowing the firepower of their bowling department, they could have applied themselves a bit more. I agree that after the completion of a match it is very easy to do all sorts of post mortems, but it is really difficult avoiding so being an Indian. Even we are allowed to have some negatives - is what the nation retorts, when we loose out on a key encounter.

What more than anything hurts is that the players don’t put a price on their wicket and ready to gift away their wickets even before making the opposition stoop a little. Ganguly, Laxman and Sehwag, all gave away their wickets and the rest inevitably fell flat with burgeoning pressure to achieve a respectable number on the board. Although we managed to reach double century mark, it was always short of what was needed to give our bowlers a chance to knock out a steady performing Pakistani line up. At the end we were short by a whisker. There was a sure shot element of disappointment amongst Indian cricket lovers but we were not morally down and out, which used to happen a few years back.

The scenario has changed. We might be going through a rough patch but this could just embark something good performance from the boys in the forthcoming series against the world champions. The spark, which was conspicuous in the last couple of years, was not there. Yet, I can see there is enough to come in future from this team. When we talk about cricket dying down, the matches like Ind v Pak adds up a few more years to it. So it can be said that even after we lost we gave back something to the game.

Meanwhile, we can carry on with more analysis on the team’s pitiable performance to keep ourselves busy. For me, at least, I will be able to watch the other important matches with all peace, as my mother won’t be commenting anymore. India is out of any further discussion for her. Conclusion: loosing propositions isn’t that bad for sports lovers like you and me. We will be enjoying the sport rather than praying and crucifying our boys with words throughout the finals, had they made it. What you say, hmm…?

knowing spirit of Godess Durga

Living the Pujo Spirit

When I thought of writing something on the occasion of Durga Pujo, I was enlivened by mere fact of writing something. This, I guess, happens to each and every Bengali. Oops! I think to everyone around, who associate with Maa Durga irrespective of the dialect he or she speaks.

Isn’t that a strange thing to come across? I mean how this festival has never been a festivity of religious norms and further…it is much beyond a religious harangue/obligation that youngsters keep away from or atleast try so. Not with this one though; we are blessed to know it as a festival that is our Right but a ceremony to be performed every autumn.

Since childhood, it has been a festival that begins from Mahalaya (the invocation ritual to bring Maa back to Earth from Kailash) turning on the spirit of Durga Pujo at once. Buying new clothes and segregating the same as per number of occasions is one statement Bengalis wear on their sleeves. But imagine do we actually recognize who is celebrating the festival in true sense. Of course “we”, many would shout but I think the festival begins from the dhakis; decorating their dhaks and preparing them so that they express our trepidations fluently. There are many symbols of how this festival isn’t about a Maa Durga alone, and you know that. The truth is – we relate Durga Pujo with every little thing we do. The important things i.e. all about, all those small instances that fills our heart with joy, we tend to realize only when the Pujo arrives.

Bengalis react vehemently. They have so much to do, in less time and all in ill order; never sure what to do, and what not. Grown up in Delhi, I’ve experienced the Kolkata flavour too a many times during this festival. Amazingly, people express in different manner and that’s perfectly right at its place. But one thing common which I want to bring your focus on and have noticed that people tend to forget to carry forward the “happiness & spirit” Pujo brings to us. Why it is such short lived? Just ask for the answer.

This time around, try that you, continue to carry on the buzz of this festival along with you all-round-the-year till next time, when there will be an opportunity to quantify it. May we are all blessed with that wish in this festival of fervour.

(Wrote for the Puja Brochure 2006 for Dwarka Sector 14 Agomoni Samiti)

out of the blue

used to see that so many people blogging intensively. now, it has hit me. and just got started.
Now, what i used to write earlier and think about the various situations can be brought to light for others through me. i am enthusiastic about my new move, as this gives me an opportunity to breakfree... wish myself happy blogging!