We had not been on a family vacation for nearly 2 years. When my class 9 son completed his final exams we decided that this was the right time. When you are hungry for travel you end up trying to do too much. The plan was visiting friends and family in Kolkata and then head over to Andamans for a relaxing time by the sea. But we had not anticipated one variable – the ever increasing threat of the Covid 19. As 13th of March loomed we were totally confused as to whether to cancel or go ahead as things were changing very rapidly. Finally we boarded our Indigo flight with the tag of brave heart (given by my team) with some bit of apprehension in our minds.
It is another matter that Andamans got shut down before we could reach there and we preponed our return from Kolkata to the 19th. In hindsight it looked to be an avoidable choice. But I would want to share my experiences from these 7 days as to what I learned both from a business side and personal side. Let’s start with business.
Our two and fro trip from Kolkata to Port Blair was through both Indigo and Vistara. Vistara not only refunded our full fare but the manner in which they did it was equally commendable. The telly caller took 30 seconds to process full refund. With Indigo it was a harrowing experience. I will leave the details but suffice to say that it took us around 5 calls each lasting for an average duration of 45 minutes. The same was not good for my vocal chords or blood pressure and we used all possible ways of threat including social media. Here was the behavior of the market leader which was totally contrary to expectations with little empathy for its customers. While the other company had the Tata brand to protect. In times of crisis the value systems of companies make it stand out in the crowd. I booked my return ticket from Kolkata through Vistara (despite the fact that they were more expensive). They had a customer for life.
On the personal front I spent these 7 days meeting friends and family. I would like to share some experiences from these meetings.
We travelled to Shantineketan, a quiet, culturally rich town around 4 hours from Kolkata by road. While I was passing through the lush green rice fields and seeing farmers harvesting potatoes, one thing struck me. Is Covid an Urbanization problem? Here in these serene villages where the villagers lead a relatively simple, uncomplicated and peaceful lives, would they not be largely insulated from this pandemic. In-fact they would be getting the farmers would keep the food supply chain going. As we gallop our way through the race that we have created for ourselves and named it life , is there a need to learn something from the simple farmer who sleeps in peace after his hard day’s work while the World is coming to a lockdown situation.
I met most of my relatives, some after many years. The warmth in that welcome made me miss my hometown (I am born and brought up here but have been out due to my professional commitments for the last 20 years) like never before. I realized that in the pursuit of our own professional pursuits and travel with our nuclear families, our connect with the larger social fabric has dwindled. There are people who have had a hand in my development as an individual, who had spent selfless hours during my childhood grooming me and shaping my future. The sheer joy in their faces to see me after so many years and spending quality time with them was refreshing. I could see loneliness in some of their eyes and I had this feeling of selfishness creeping into me. For all that they have done for me how am I reciprocating (not that they expect reciprocation)? Are the wants of Senior citizens severely neglected in today’s world? How many of us move away from our near and dear ones in the pursuit of what we call a career? I have no solution for this being part of the same boat. But the question remains as to how we can make their balance life in this world joyful. Is that not the logical cycle of Karma which we need to complete? Are the scales of success in today’s world tilted horribly towards money and fame?
While coming back through the same airports on the 19th, it seemed that the world has turned a full 360 degrees. The airport looked like a war zone with more security people than passengers. The scared eyes visible behind the masks was unmistakable. It struck me that nothing is constant in life. Things that we take for granted can change very quickly. Enjoy and live in the present. Past is history and future a mystery. With this feeling I entered back into my condominium on the evening of 19th
As we dig in our heels to brace through one of the toughest phases of human civilization, I had a few reflections. Is the loosening bond of society one of the reasons for this outbreak moving in rapid proportion? Has the empathy factor dwindled? Can this battle be fought as individuals? This battle will be won (and I have no doubt that we will come out of this sooner rather than later) through a collective effort from the entire society. In-fact the battle will be won only when the whole world coming together. It will give us a lesson in solidarity for our fellow citizens. By staying in isolation, the bonds of humanity will only become stronger. When we emerge out of this crisis, we should become better parents, better children, better relatives, better friends but above all better human beings which the World desperately needs.
Jai Hind.
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