.It is a correct addage someone has rightly coined Man wishes god disposes. Well an incident occurred in my life which disturbed the basic fabric of a grand plan.It also taught me a great lesson to be humble and set the balls of one’s dreams rolling. As for pride allow it go as a lone Ranger….
My mother used to always say that to stay is to exist, to travel is to life.Life was treating us good. Retired life after four decades of active strenuous work basically for livelihood and well being of the family. Our life oscillated between Kolkata..City of my birth and where we settled.. .Dubai..where our daughter’s family works and resides….to be basically with our infant twin grandsons for enjoying joy and bliss seeing them growing up and London where our son and Daughter in Law works and stay. ….Meeting friends and playing occasionally a round of golf..frequent snoozing and enjoying reading plethora of books of various subjects made our life really worthy of living.Off course the yearly family outings in distant places ..both inside and outside the Country added that extra Zing..and Spice in our quiet and Non Happening Lives.I again remembered my Mother’s saying…., enjoy the little things, they measure up to greatest enjoyment in life….how true and correct she was often I felt.
In January 2020 we had planned to visit USA on family vacation. We were at Dubai..and my son and his wife was to join us from their place of residence.One month with the children and grandsons enjoying Gand Canyon..Disney Land..Niagara Falls..Texas Casino .. Washington DC and other such tourist locations were in our Bucket List.With our niece in New York..brother of my daughter in law in Chicago and my son in law’s sister family in Iowa..and few friends on other states catered for our local sightseeing..transportation and stay. Itinerary were made every day..changed..amended.. reammended…airlines availability and debate between Home Stay/Hotel were browsed regularly.Well to be honest we all were eager and wanted to replicate our previous family vacations .
Little steps are perhaps the beginning of a lovely journey….this is what I had heard and always believed. Perhaps it was in March when the seriousness of COVID 19 or Wuhan Virus struck the world.Fortunately good sense prevailed in us as we decided to adhere to wait and watch policy before finalising and booking our Airlines..Stay and Transportation details.However due to some buisness commitments I had to go back to the country for a fortnight.Some official documents required the signature of Proprietor regarding payment which our Manager was unable to do inspite of giving him the Authority and Power of Attorney.Moreover some new contract was in the offering and it was felt by all that my personal rapport and charisma may tilt the deal in our favour…So much ..perhaps it was the start of an ordeal which is better forgotten.
I started back alone on 10 March with a hope to be back within a fortnight after completing my jobs succesfully. Although with the spread of the Pandemic I was bit sceptical, but the precautionary arrangements made by my daughter regarding gloves.. masks and sanitizer gave me a feeling that everything would be fine.I again remembered my Mother’s words that, … hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear ….this thoughts edged me to venture to country and back. Perhaps the gravity of the Pandemic was not thought so grave by me…I was mistaken as in the Airport I could sense the silence and the sulleness.
At Dubai airport I could notice many blank faces of people who had been told to return back indefinitely. The livelihood of those people and thinking about their folks home were enough for me to feel homesick. I did silently offered my prayers to Saibaba for blessing us and protecting us from facing such adverse situations.However I remembered a quote from RUMI….it is not fear that gives wings but love does .Inspite of wanting to talk to those peoples about their impending thoughts , I refrained myself as for the first time I thought that I would be unable to face them and give them some solace.
On reaching Kolkata..after a preliminary checking I could come out of the Airport and reach home. However those blank eyes haunted me till date. Immediately on return I could finish my impending tasks which unfortunately could had been done by Manager itself. I was thus mentally prepared to return back. However with each passing days the situation seemed to deteoriate and government all over the world had started contemplating stricter quarantine and other precautionary measures. In India…domestic flights..inter state train and other movements stopped and it seemed suddenly everybody was geared up to face this Pandemic.My daughter also sensed it and could manage Tickets and VISA for me to travel on the last day before Air travel and Entry to UAE was to stop. Only one EMIRATES flight was operating in the morning.I being a less optimistic person started thinking about the Worst Case scenario when my wife rang up and told that, not to be too quick to interpret the situation. She told me to be quiet as there must be something good awaiting me ….
On 18 March I did reach Airport and got my checking in done without any major fuss . However at the Immigration the desk officer told me to wait and after getting clarification from higher ups did stamp my Passport and allowed me….So far so good…In my exuberance to reach my family I reached Airport quite early to get all my formalities done..eat my breakfast and then be ready to board the flight.However one more situation disturbed me…. Generally in the morning at Kolkata airport there were lot of footfalls but it was barren less few International Flyers.This was understood as domestic flights were stopped and most International Carriers were barred to land and fly out from the city.However closure of all shops less one selling bottled water baffled me.
Crossing my fingers I along with co passengers were awaiting in the Departure Lounge when I heard my name and one more name being called out by the Airlines Staff to report to the Front Desk. Well both of us were told that UAE had suspended entry of all Persons issued with Tourist Visa…only those with Resident Visa were allowed to travel. Sulkingly we were being escorted back but as we had been Security Checked we were told to wait before being escorted out. The lady Airline Staff who was helping us although told that talks were being initiated with EMIRATES officials in Dubai for confirmation of allowing us to board the flight as special case. At the last moment the approval had come and puffing and panting both of us boarded the flight. Thanking God Almighty for his mercy we took our allotted seat. She being newly married going for the first time to be with her husband…and me a veteran going to be with my extended family…..The flight was not the usual comfort of EMIRATES flight….we encountered airpockets in random through out the journey and my sixth sense was somewhat pricking me subconsciously that there is something amiss….KAHANI MEIN KAHIN TWIST HAI….
Landing in Terminal 1 in Dubai International Airport was uneventful.However I did notice there was less hustle bustle in the Airport. The Immigration Counter was quite vacant which to me was very unusal. On reaching the Counter we were told to report to Airport Manager where we were told that at 12 PM …Government had issued orders that persons with Tourist Visa’s were not to be allowed to enter UAE . They were to be deported back to their originating station by first available Return Flight. We were told to report to Emirates office inside the airport only.No amount of pleas..request..cajole could melt the ice and yielded only negative outcome. Finding the Airlines office was another Herculean Task….Almost walking from one corner of the Airport to other extreme Corner..one finally could locate the EMIRATES office . To my dismay there was a long que of passengers of different Nationalities from different destination awaiting their turn to be accommodated in First Available Return Flight home. In my wildest dreams I could never even imagined to face such a situation and the ordeal thereto.
I recollect one piece from a book I read.It says that if 100 black and red ants are put in a jar..nothing happens. But if the jar is shaken and kept it in a table the ants starts killing each other thinking each other as enemy. It is true in our Society when you have Rich vs Poor…Left vs Right….Gossips vs Rumours….vs Hatred …Religion vs Religion and Countries vs Countries…..but at this crucial catastrophic time the paragraphs which I read seemed to be all wrong. Perhaps united by common cause there was total harmony breaking the barrier of region..colour..creed..caste.status …or religion . A sight unless seen seems unreal.
After seeing the situation around me I realised again to a gospel of my mother when I was swimming against the tide in Academy….She used to always tell that the current situation is not your final destination. Listen to Silence, it has much to say….So be it I thought while standing in the line to get my registration done for the return flight. My thoughts were broken when I saw two persons almost in tears talking amongst themselves that their money is in the booked luggage which was not made accessible…and they were not given the return ticket as they were in Working Visa issued by the Employing Organisation…or requisite money to survive in the Airport….and their phone balance has reduced as the Agent who recruited them was Untraceable. Similiar was the case with an African lady and her husband when I heard them telling the Airport officials to allow them to get their booked luggage to get Milk for their twin infant children.Somebody who was in dire need of medicine pleading to the official to allow access to their booked luggage for medicines . Perhaps none of them including me contemplated such situation. I was also a victim of my such indiscretion as my essential medicines barring those for the journey was with me and there was hardly any drinking water bottle . But again quoting a para of a recently read book that, everytime you find humour in any situation you win .So I started seeing the better part of this ordeal. I thought so many things could had happened…the crashing of rocking aircraft..deadly virus affecting or the fear of unknown ..but I was safe observing things around .
Due to over usage of numerous passengers the Airport WhatsApp was very feeble. But fortunately before it could get clogged I could inform my near and dear ones and my family about my present imbroglio. My daughter with her high level contact in the Government Machinery through her Bosses gave me momentarily solace but then I resigned to the fact when I came to know that it was an universal directions from the Government ,even top police official was unable to help me.Another thing my daughter told me to be safe in the airport and voice message them on development as whatsapp messages both Video and Audio would not be possible.
I recollected my Regimental Religious Teacher’s discourse when we were moving to Siachen Glacier,… God doesn’t give hardest battle to its toughest soldiers. He creates toughest soldiers to fight through life’s hardest battle……How true was it in this scenario.Generally as both me and my wife travel together the money..credit/debit card was generally kept with her.But due to foresight of my daughter she ensured 1500 dirhams..her debit card with me. Moreover I also had my Indian Credit/Debit Card which were also available in case required. Secondly in all our previous air journey we like everybody used to book ourself in the best available deal..not necessary to be returning by same airlines. But in this case as only EMIRATES were plying both my onward and return journey was booked with the same airline. Lastly the first available direct flight to Kolkata was available at late night and there were two seats available which by drawing the Fastest fingers First I could manage.Blessings and Mercies of Saibaba and God Almighty.I realised that it was better to believe in one’s gut feelings, respecting the inner guide and adhering the personal wisdom and advice of family members. …
While standing in que for getting confirmation of return ticket availability one was perplexed and pained to see some relieved faces who were fortunate to get confirmation seats in first available return flight to their country and mostly dejected faces of many who were not so fortunate. With sceptic mind I did approach the booking lady and was relieved when she confirmed my return by the first available flight . There was a Afghani duo in the next counter who were to travel to Kabul via Islamabad..they were denied return flight even though the seats were available as they had booked by some other airlines. I saw two large families perhaps of German and Russian origin who were told about non availability of seats and was given an option to either book themselves by some other Airlines or stay in the airport for two days to avail first available flight of EMIRATES.
The scene within the airport was something unless seen can be believed. Shedding caste..creed..colour..race or religion the true face of humankind was so promptly visible. There was an old Arab lady who had fainted and suffered a mild concussion being attended by perhaps an African doctor so passionately…there was an European couple dire need of drinking water being provided by a small boy which reminded me of a saying…A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength but a strength of heart. A Pakistani couple seeing me from the same region offered to share their meal with me.Group of different ethnic culture sharing their food/water and in one case I saw somebody sharing medicine also…what Camaderie…Perhaps I had never and will never witness in my lifetime, unification of mankind tormented by similiar cause….I with all humility learned the Virtues of human values and diversity of Region and Religion…..
As I had some eight/nine hours before I could board my return flight I choose to explore the airport from One section to Another…Another spectacular scene awaited me..in one Section I saw a group of few Africans playing Music and singing/dancing with crowds and officials cheering them up..there was another enterprising gentlemen perhaps American who was busy organising a sit and draw Competetion ( only sketch) for the children…while an old lady telling stories to few toddlers and babies….HAMASTU..HAMIASTU…for me the Heaven seemed to be there inspite of all personal agony…Again I remembered a quotation from some novel that, Activity is another name for happiness. It gives unfethered play to one’s unique talents living with full radiance of one’s being. A real meaning to be Truly Alive. ….
Yours truly motivated by such gestures and activities took four Bangladeshis to a restaurant and paid for their dinner. As I had some money I could purchase few sanitisers and gave to few transients who were not in a position to afford it….Again remembered my Mother’s saying.When you choose joy, good is felt and you do good which will remind others the joy of happiness….
The return flight was something very sullen and sad for me. Fortunately I was upgraded to Buisness Class where one prominent Bengali actor with some crews were also travelling. The hero and his accomplice through out the journey kept aloof as if worried about some sort of plague infection…on the contrary there were a group of Bengali Marwaris who took it upon themselves to visit Economy class distributing food..medicines and water beside those provided by the Airline. I also joined that group and entire flight of six/seven hours I did interact with the fellow passengers. Their blank eyes and fear of uncertain future spoke their anguish and agony…they were jobless and returning back devoid of their livelihood.
At Kolkata airport after scrutinisation selected people were left especially those from European destination who were travelling via Dubai as direct European flights were banned by Indian Government.. However all Gulf passengers were detained for checking and isolation/segregation/quarantine. I was fortunate to be left as the lady who was there previous morning while I boarded the onward flight . She ensured by talking to the official for excusing me. However one humorous event I cannot help to mention. Inspite of the Pandemic and gloomy situation everybody was carrying their Duty Free Liquour…in fact one gentleman requested me to buy my quota and give it to him….really funny 🤔🤔🤔
Back home was a secure and comforting feeling for me and my family. My near and dear ones and well wishers were relieved after receiving the news of my safe reaching. This situation and turn of event made me realise that ..The best thing in this world is to know how to be oneself ….Perhaps my return was ordained because after few days of my arrival back the catastrophic AMPHAN struck West Bengal. My maid ..driver..and my erstwhile maid’s family were severely hit. With no work..money and destruction of the property they were in a helpless position. With all humility and help of my children I could reinstate them reasonably …side by side aiding few NGOs with which one is associated to help the needy and homeless personnel especially in East Midnapore and Sunderbans.I realised that Perhaps you a
nd your purpose in life are the same. Your purpose is to be You……..
I had since returned back to Dubai on 18 August at first window of opportunity available…the biggest lesson for me is that, Everything is temporary, emotions, thoughts, people and scenery. It is futile to be attached, just flow with it as all problems are Illusions of Mind.
Maybe I was too emotional penning my thoughts but I can say with conviction that anybody whom I met or was there in Dubai airport must have felt the same way. I have never met so many beautiful souls together at one place sometimes it seems it was a dream…love of human mankind..🙏🙏🙏
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A place to share your thoughts freely , liberal in every way
Very well written, sir – Everything is temporary.
We are divine beings undergoing an Earthly experience !