Delhi.. the capital city.. the elegant pride of India.. As the plane landed i could feel my heart beat. As we picked up our luggage and moved out, we could see one smiling face and a waving hand which was Ambi's paternal side aunt Latha and beside her stood a lean figure with a serious unhappy face befitting a politician. Well that person i guessed was her husband. I had some idea about them from all those introductory descriptions Ambi had given me the previous night. Ambi's stout aunt gave him a tight hug. I was surprised to see Ambi in a single piece after that hug. Her husband who was a Punjabi said nothing and just walked ahead to fetch the car. I followed them as if a tourist who knew not the native language. Ambi's aunt was a nice lady though a big chatter box. She was a women of guts. That was understood because who else would in those days take courage to fall in love with a person from a different cast, and later stand up for her love against the whole family and thus force them into nodding consent for the relationship? Well !!
I seriously wondered how this lady could fall for a person like him ( Ambi's uncle ) who looked so serious and gloomy all the time. Later i learned from Ambi that this uncle belonged to a political family and was a very jovial person in his young age. But later seems his father, brother and his entire family was burnt to death due to some political vengeance and since then he has been so silent to the rest of the world.
The day we accepted their hospitality was just not the right timing. Aunty's only son Vinayak was leaving to London for higher studies that night. The house was full of relatives and friends who had arrived to bid the young lad farewell. Some how we too managed to accommodate ourselves in the house. Ambi's aunt was trying hard to smile and be cheerful with everyone though if observed clearly one could see a lamenting mother in silence. This was the first time she was going to be separated from her only son. After she married uncle, she had lost touch with most of her relatives back at home. After the ruthless disaster that occurred in the family she had lost that old bondage she had with her husband too. Vinayak was her only comfort and hope in life. I have heard that most North Indians hire a bai ( nanny ) to take care of their little ones at home and that these nannies were more close to the children than their mommies. But here the case was different. Latha aunty was very cautious about the A to Z that happened in Vinayak's life and that day he was gonna leave in pursuit of his dreams leaving his mom behind with a bunch of old memories until he returned.
I witnessed all the emotional drama that was going on in the house with no particular expression on my face. I hardly knew this people that i just couldn't walk up so easily and tell Latha aunty not to worry nor was there a gap when i could get familiar or comfortable with them. Latha aunty forced us to gobble up some thick " Aloo Paranthas " drenched in "Shudh Desi Makhan ". We somehow stuffed ourselves and went off to sleep in the room provided while the drama continued till late night.
I don't remember when Vinayak left home because by the time we woke up it was morning. I could hear some tinkling noise of vessels clashing together. Latha aunty was already in the kitchen getting ready for the next session of cooking. We didn't find time to inquire about anything that happened the previous night. We had to hurry up and get ready to go to the consulate. Ambi grabbed all the files while i noted down the directions and we rushed down the apartment complex to catch an auto. After all the useless bargaining we finally set to the consulate. For the first time i realized how polluted our country was. How badly we people polluted the air we breathe everyday.. It was summer and Delhi was terribly hot. To top it all we had forgotten to carry any water with us in a hurry. Somehow we managed to reach the consulate area. Initially on the way we passed by the Australian consulate and some other consulated and there were hardly anybody outside the gate. Foolishly i thanked my stars and thought that we were early birds and didn't have to face a big crowd.
My high hopes were shattered the moment we reached the Canadian consulate. There was a huge queue outside and seems there were people who were standing there since 2 A.M. in the morning. Our timing was nothing. We had no choice but to stand there at the end of the trail.
I don't know how or how long we stood there n the queue. maybe for 4 or 5 hours. The only time i remember standing in such a queue was when we used to visit the famous Thirupathi Temple in Andra Pradesh. people would stand there for a day or two even if required for a darshan of the divine image. But of course there we were sheltered and there were people selling beverages and snacks. Here we hadn't even a bottle of water. Our lips had become so dry that they almost started cracking and bleeding. Somehow after a long wait it was our turn. By the time we reached the front i started recollecting and revising in my mind whatever i had mugged up previously to answer the interviewers. My heart was thumping hard and my throat went dry even more. I was sweating thoroughly. What if something negative happened? What if i answered foolishly to any one of their questions? God knows. I have seen people sweat in this manner in the famous show " Kaun banega crorepathi " . My case was that if i lose " Kahan jayenge mein aur mere pathi " ???
Finally it was our turn. Ambi opened his file and i was hiding behind him. Those people asked him hell lot of questions. But luckily they didn't even ask me a single question. Either they were really confident about my genuineness or they felt that i was an ultimate dumb female who would faint if they asked me anything. Whatever it might be i just had a clean escape and guess what?? they approved our visa. Yes!!! We were asked to come back in the evening to collect the stamped passports.
By the time we reached outside the consulate it was late noon and we were badly fatigued and all that occurred to our minds at that time was "Water".. There was no good shop in the vicinity and we couldn't wait till we found one selling safe mineral water. So we settled for a sweet lime soda made in some crap water from a nearby local shop. Somehow any crap wouldn't have tasted
better that day. Happily we returned to Latha aunty's place. There wasn't anybody in the house. Both had left for work and we got in with the spare keys aunty had given us. Somehow we managed to eat what we had packed for lunch on the way back and rested for a while. We had to leave immediately back to the consulate to collect our passports. Yet another round of pollution and heat. By the time we reached there i was almost drained. The Chinese food we had for lunch wasn't helping me any better. My stomach was rumbling and my head was spinning. I managed not to tell Ambi anything. I thought i could somehow manage it. I was holding Ambi while i walked and he was talking to me.. I don't remember a bit after that. Suddenly there a a dark cloud in front of my eyes and i felt as if i was drowning blind.. Drowning into a deep slumber.. It felt so good.. Felt like i had no control over myself. Felt as if i was free from all responsibilities of this world. So peaceful. Is this how one feels like when death is dragging him away from this cruel cruel world?? I do not know.
I felt cold suddenly and i opened my eyes. I was on the floor and Ambi was splashing water on my face. There were people around me staring strangely. "What happened Ambi".. i asked "Am i dead?? " .. Ambi laughed "No.. you just fainted. are u ok? ". Ambi helped me get up. I had a two or three bruises because of the fall. Ambi bought me bandaid from a nearby shop and we continued to the consulate. We collected our passports. Ambi opened them. "Wow!! Visa for one full year !! I did not expect this." We were happy. In the happiness i had forgotten all about my fatigue. I wanted to go shopping to relax. Ambi said it was better to return home and take rest. But i assured him that i was ok and that i wanted to shop something for our parents before we left. Ambi finally agreed.
We caught an auto an went to the famous Connaught Place in Delhi. We roamed around and did some petty shopping.. some sarees and other stuff. The more i walked in through the crowd the more faintly i felt. But i didn't dare tell Ambi about this. I knew he would shout at me because i was the one who forced him into this. Finally my stomach started rumbling very badly and it started paining terribly. I just couldn't stand straight. At this point i had to surrender. I asked Ambi to catch an auto as soon as possible. Luckily we found an auto driven by a long bearded sardar. We asked him to drive fast. But the rush on the streets was so bad that he couldn't help. Finally i started feeling some pressure. My stomach had decieved me and i badly wanted to go to the loo. I was holding my breath and told Ambi to find me a loo before it was too late. Ambi somehow explained the situation to the Sardar and the nearest possible halt he could think of was the famous " Birla Mandir ". The logic was that if it was such a big temple with so many devotees, there has to be a loo too. Logic was right. There was a bathroom somewhere behind. We asked the sardarji to wait and we rushed in search of the destination. The loo was at the back side of the temple. The place was isolated, dark and scary. There was a small room with an asbestos sheet as roof and a broken door. That we figured out was the Loo. Ambi closed the door for me and i rushed in. It was when i entered that i found what mess i was in. Bad luck was following me all the way. The washroom was full of cockroaches on the floor. Till date i am a terrible fan of cockroaches. I would rather die than confront a cockroach. But as they say if there is a bigger emergency sometimes you somehow overcome your worst fears. So did I.. I had to. I just closed my eyes and rushed in and found relief within minutes. Huh!!! Even now my husband reminds me about the Birla Mandir incident whenever we hop in a Chinese restaurant.
After the bombing, we returned to his aunt's place. To polish my wounds they had bought Tandoori chicken for dinner. Wow ! I could really smell how lucky I was. Ambi had to relish the chicken while i watched helplessly. After everything we went to bed. Had to catch the early morning flight the next day.. Lights off !!
- Priya
