First day in Kolkata

In the Plane to Kolkata

Anjanna: Hey, so where you come from?

Suraj: I’m from Singapore

Anjanna: Oh, Singapore. So you speak Malay?

Suraj: I understand but I don’t speak. You speak Melayu?

Anjanna: Yes.

Suraj: You are Malaysian?

Anjanna: Nope, I’m Indian Nationality but I work in Malaysia for a very long time so I know how to speak malay.

Suraj: Oh ok, so what u working as?

Anjanna: I’m working as a chef in a hotel

Suraj: Wow, classic. Nice yaar. So you stay in Kolkata?

Anjanna: No, I stay in Orissa.

Suraj: Oh, Which part of Orissa?

Anjanna: Puri…You heard of this place?

Suraj: Oh, I have been there. It’s at Bhubaneswar isn’t it?

Anjanna: You been there? Wow. Yes, it’s at Bhubaneswar.

Suraj: So where you going? I’m going to Raurkela

Anjanna: Oh..That’s in Orissa. Nice. So are you going to study there?

Suraj: Naaa. Previously I went to study in NITRKL with my college in Singapore. Kind of like a Immersion programme, it lasted for 3 weeks and 2 weeks of holiday in Bhubaneswar, I went to Sun temple, bay of Bengal too.

Anjanna: Wow, and this time round? Staying for a month?

Suraj: This time round is to visit my friends and holiday, going for stay for 2 months.

Anjanna: That’s long.

Suraj: Well, it’s short for me.

Both laughed~ HAHAH.

Anjanna: Hey, why don’t you take down my number, so when you reach BBSR you can contact me?

Suraj: Hey, sure.

And both Exchange number.

First day touchdown in Kolkata, how do I feel? I’m alive again, if there’s the word I would choose to use. The same old feeling is back but this time round, I’m alone. I walked through the custom this time round all alone, the same old building, the same old airport.

Custom Officer: So you wrote NITRKL as your address, what does it mean?

Suraj: It’s National Institute of Technology Raurkela Sir

Custom Officer: So it’s in Kolkata?

Suraj: No sir, it’s Raurkela. NITRaurkela. R-A-U-R-K-E-L-A. Raurkela.

Custom Officer: Oh, Raurkela.

Suraj: Yes sir.

Custom officer: You going to study or holiday?

Suraj: Holiday Sir.

And the custom officer chops on my passport and let me in

I have expected this scene a thousand times in my mind when I was in India. And now, it was in real time. I took my luggage and off I went out. Before I went out officially on to the street, I took out my phone and tried to call Nikhil’s friend but realize my card has no more balance or to say, its negative balance left. I don’t know what to do? But my heart tells me: Suraj, just go out first, he may be there and you may recognize him.

I walked out of the door and a lot of people was holding placard welcoming us, tourist.

I glance through all those placard and I saw: Suraj, Singapore and he recognize me. We met and I was glad. Like what he said before I fly over to India, he assured me that he will be there.

We chatted when we were on the way out for a taxi to his house, as usual all the Hindi conversation, but I wasn’t uncomfortable with it. I belong here, remember? Finally we found a taxi that is willing to take up our offer and we board the taxi to his house at which I don’t know where it is?

We chatted a lot, and he told me that he never in his life think that he will have a friend in Singapore. I’m so honored and flattered

Around 20 minutes, we reached a small road, after which we change to a trishaw to go even further in. About paanch minutes of distance and we reach the place. His brothers and friends came out to fetch me; I felt respect and importance when they did that. We walked around 5 minutes before we reached his house. I entered his house with a open mind, I told myself I’m going to fit into this “clan”. And I did. The house looks exactly like my Dadi’s house just that it’s a 2 level house, my dadi’s house is a 3 room flat. The toilet and everything, the tiles, the flooring, the bed it’s exactly like my dadi’s house before renovation, and it’s where I use to grow up. I felt a kind of warmth when I entered the house, it’s my dadi’s blessing.

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