Going to India after a long time. A very quick turnaround after a couple of days. There was a time this was the trip that I used to look forward to every quarter. The prospect of seeing my parents, listen to some more humorous quips from dad, have mom’s food – that was what the wait during the rest of the quarter was all about. I always had or the other surprise every time. Including that one time, I surprised everybody by showing up one fine day. Only to realize that everybody had gone somewhere else!!

The center of gravity used to be Kalyani where my parents lived. My brother and his family would show up there and of course, my sister and her family would be there too.

After my parents’ passing away in quick succession, that whole excitement balloon took big punch in the gut. There was that one time I did go two years after their passing away – to surprise Sharmila who was visiting her mom.

On the other hand, I use that opportunity to go visit other countries!

This time I am going for work (I think it has been 20 years since I have gone to India for work). Will swing by Durgapur to check on my mother-in-law and my uncle there. In fact the whole center of gravity will be Durgapur this time. My brother, sister, brother in law and their spouses will be showing up in Durgapur.

I have also heard a certain college student is visiting his parents in Durgapur. High up in priority is high-fiving him!!

Also will be visiting Vijaywada for the first time in my life!

I used to go thru this airport 8 times a year. Came this time after 4 years. So many changes!!

Love the rainforest set up. Who will say I am in a desert airport?

They even have tents inside the forest where you can sit down or lay down!!

Numerous animal statues all over

… or for that matter, any fountain pen shop!!

I remember making friends with Karan Dhir in the William Penn store in Terminal 1 in Mumbai airport a few years back. The gentleman clearly was one of the rare people in today’s world who understand fountain pens. I remember buying one that day and then he presented me another!

Today, while in Terminal 2, I saw another William Penn store. I was hoping to see Karan there. Unfortunately, he is still in Terminal 1 (and in Mumbai, there is no easy way to go from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1). I did make friends with Kiran here and landed up picking three fountain pens.

Loved the coffee color pen. Goes with my fondness for everything coffee lately. Also, got my first Sailor pen. I was a bit worried about the Medium tip nib till Karan pointed out that it is a Japanese company. Japanese pens tend to be half to a full point thinner in nib edge for the same classification (of nib edges) and I love the tactile feedback of fine tips.

Can’t wait to go home, put some ink and start writing with these!

I usually do not travel thru this airport in India. My first flight of my life was from this airport with a now defunct airline (Damania). In fact, my first international flight was also from here. So much has changed. Very impressed with the modernization of the airports in India.

I bet none of my friends in US or Europe has experienced this. When I was alighting from the Indigo plane in Durgapur, the pilot announced that we can get off from either side door in the front or the one in the back. I have seen two door exits – both on left side of the plane. Never seen people getting off a right side door too! In fact, Indigo announced that this is a global first!!

Would be interesting to see if this is catches on.

After about 2 years!!! The last one was also in the same hotel, same lunch table… but that time Sharmila was here too!

That would be my siblings, their spouses and Sharmila’s brother and his wife. Also present was one nephew (Sharmila’s brother’s son). The rest of that generation is spread all over Bangalore, Delhi, California, DC and New York. At the risk of boring my nephew we had great fun remembering old stories. (mostly of our parents!!)

We had dinner at Citi Residency today. That was a first for us. After the dinner, we strolled over to our old haunt – the restaurant in Peerless. And ran into my classmate from school – Prodipta – who was celebrating his wife (Sonali)’s birthday along with his mother in law!!

The best part was – the moment we entered, a staff member recognized me and asked “Rajib Sir!!” Made some good, long lasting friendships here, it seems!!

That was all of 15 folks who were creating enough of chaos and din in my uncle’s house. Of all the living relatives I have left, he was -without an iota of doubt – the most influential when I was growing up and deeply revered by all in our family even today. Also, Sharmila’s most favorite person from the Roy side.

His three kids, two of their spouses, two grandkids, one great grandkid and then, from his sister’s side (that would be my mom), there were my siblings and two of the spouses, my aunt and myself!

We simply had a blast. A houseful of it, in fact!

And then after everybody left, I hung back to talk for an hour more with him one on one getting caught up on some of our old memories and some family details.

For all the lack of interest I have developed in visiting India, every time I think of him, I do a double quick. I have no idea how many more times I will be able to see him. I miss him a lot.

The walk from the hotel to my mother-in-law’s place is a fairly short one. 15 minutes at my brisk pace. 20 minutes if I am with somebody. The sights I see and the sounds I hear on that quick walk are an indubitable signature of the richness in variety that India is. The new fangled cars coexist peacefully with those toiling to push the bike pedals one more time around. The sound of the ambulance nearby reverberates with the Rabindrasangeet songs being sung by the young girl around the corner on her harmonium.

On the way, you will come across this communication pole by the road. The two adjoining boxes are fairly tired. As you can see, they are rusted and have all sorts of undergrowth under them. Probably one sharp shower away from a short happening and a loud bang followed by loss of power. (which, incidentally happened to a different box while I was at my mother-in-law’s place the previous day).

While that paints one picture, you might be well served to inspect the box a bit more closely. On that box is a handbill that offers you to teach… get this… the highest end of technology in software world today – Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).

I realize some might scoff at the depth and quality of knowledge that would be imparted – but that is not the point. First, there is that entrepreneurship bit. But more importantly, it is the contrast of a chance to learn the most modern technology advertised in the good old printed street side hand bill form pasted on a much-rusted communication box that has clearly seen better days!!!

That is a multifariousness to be celebrated!

They are ready to head back to their houses in Kalyani and Kolkata respectively and their normal lives!

And a lot of memories of talking about each other’s interests. Always marveled at his level of knowledge when it came to internal combustion engines, cars, autos and such. I do not know of anybody else who is better suited to studying Automobile Engineering… which is exactly what he has chosen to do!

His mom – Baisakhi – and I, of course go back even further back. Today was one of the few times we sat down over tea and coffee with no other friends or relatives around.

That meant a lot of great discussions about mutual interests.

Mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law and nephew.

So, today it was three persons instead of one egging me on to eat more food. The end result was pretty much the same! But good time spent in chatting…

This gentleman has been my friend for many a moon. Pushing half a century almost. I had found out some time back, thru a common friend, about some of the serious health issues he has been fighting. Himself being a doctor ,who alleviates pain for kids on a daily basis, it struck me as a bit unfair that he would have to go thru his severe health crisis.

There are stories about how when admitted to the hospital for surgery, he would go around and talk to the other patients and raise their morale level. It was like he was born to serve human beings, one way or the other.

It is with a modicum of justice from fate and a lot of discipline on his side that most of his battle is behind him. Although he will have to live with a few conditions for the rest of his life.

Now, for most of us those conditions would be emotionally, physically and mentally devastating. Not for this gentleman.

I had been wanting to see him face to face for some time. My first India trip after these many days gave me that opportunity.

That one hour that I spent with him showed to me the ultimate living proof of the aphorism – “In life, pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional!”

Thank you Sudipta for being that shining beacon that you have always been ever since I met you on that fateful morning of Jan 10, 1977 for the first time.

Was taxing out of the apron to the runway area in Hyderabad airport when I saw something very strange. Do you see it?

Having not come to India for a few years, I had completely forgotten that when a plane approaches a gate in the terminal of an Indian airport, my fellow Indian brethren often hear the Captain’s announcement as “Welcome to such and such airport, ladies and gentlemen. On your mark! Get set!! GO!!!”

Found this in a bathroom in Hyderabad airport. If I understand the message correctly, it is saying that we should not be alarmed if the flush goes on even when nobody is around. Well, when no one is around, there is nobody to get alarmed either, right?

I thought it would be a vast desert. Look at all the marks of rivers flowing (no water though). Looks like a huge delta!