(*In Tamil Kashtam means trouble)
The visions of my home town floated below like a delightful dream. Motherland beckoned me as the flight touched down at the Chennai Airport.
We came out of the plane, pleasantly surprised the way the Airport looked. It was getting better and better as we have observed over our biennial jaunts. More efficient in the way the immigration officials handle the travellers. Flashier cafes and polished floors.
We descended the escalators and stood to receive our baggage on the carousel, once again stunned by the crowd (having got used to the uncrowded Wellington).
A couple of Customs officers (in their crisp white uniforms, well oiled hair and vibhuti and kumkum) came near us and as we were identifying our bags, jumped close to the carousel and picked a suitcase, put it on the trolley. Thus they helped us with all the four suitcases and I couldn’t believe my eyes!
Here are some Government servants, really rendering efficient customer service. I sincerely thanked them and was beginning to delight in the thought that much has changed in my India!
The customs officers accepted my thanks and I thought that these two Samaritans will move over to assist a number of other travellers who were having their anxious wait. But they did not move.
My Chennai-bred caution quickly replaced the momentary ecstasy of gloating over my Motherland’s progress.
One of the uniformed guys came close to me and very politely whispered ‘American dollars iruntha konjam thaanga sir (If you have some U.S dollars please give).
I said sorry…"I don’t have greenbacks. Only the humble Kiwi and some Singapore".
“Paravaillai Singapore thaanga…oru 20 or 30 kudunga pothum”. (It’s Ok give us Singapore dollars say 20 or 30).
I shelled out twenty dollars and geared myself up for yet another exciting stay in my hometown.
The visions of my home town floated below like a delightful dream. Motherland beckoned me as the flight touched down at the Chennai Airport.
We came out of the plane, pleasantly surprised the way the Airport looked. It was getting better and better as we have observed over our biennial jaunts. More efficient in the way the immigration officials handle the travellers. Flashier cafes and polished floors.
We descended the escalators and stood to receive our baggage on the carousel, once again stunned by the crowd (having got used to the uncrowded Wellington).
A couple of Customs officers (in their crisp white uniforms, well oiled hair and vibhuti and kumkum) came near us and as we were identifying our bags, jumped close to the carousel and picked a suitcase, put it on the trolley. Thus they helped us with all the four suitcases and I couldn’t believe my eyes!
Here are some Government servants, really rendering efficient customer service. I sincerely thanked them and was beginning to delight in the thought that much has changed in my India!
The customs officers accepted my thanks and I thought that these two Samaritans will move over to assist a number of other travellers who were having their anxious wait. But they did not move.
My Chennai-bred caution quickly replaced the momentary ecstasy of gloating over my Motherland’s progress.
One of the uniformed guys came close to me and very politely whispered ‘American dollars iruntha konjam thaanga sir (If you have some U.S dollars please give).
I said sorry…"I don’t have greenbacks. Only the humble Kiwi and some Singapore".
“Paravaillai Singapore thaanga…oru 20 or 30 kudunga pothum”. (It’s Ok give us Singapore dollars say 20 or 30).
I shelled out twenty dollars and geared myself up for yet another exciting stay in my hometown.
9 comments:
That's atrocious - officers asking for money??? i have only seen the more humble peon-types asking for tips for helping with baggage..that too only in Indian Rs. Hmm, guess this is what they call adhigara pichchai!!!!
Kiwilax: Yes. What surprised me was this was happening at a place where there were much senior officials, checking the baggages etc. The ones that demanded money were probably quite junior in their ranking. Yet...!
hahahah. That's home to ya :)
So u are in Chennai now? Me jealous!
btw, my dad played AC of customs - and he had some juicy stories to tell.. stressful yet interesting times!
Rads: Thanks. This was from my visit of Dec 06 - Jan 07. Now I'm back in Kiwiland. Sure, customs would have been an exciting place to work!
Really! You should have refused - I am shocked. How could they?
Usha: The gentleman was so polite I couldn't refuse...especially after helping us...
When I was reading, I was shocked, not asking money for their service? By the end, what I guessed went right...
There's never a free lunch in this world, right? :)
:)
when director shankar makes Anniyan II, i am sure he'll make his hero do vimaanapaagham on these guys.
it's been 8 years since ive been to madras. ill brace myself for - in kiwilax's words - adhigara pichai. lol.
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