@ the city beautiful - II
As promised, I am back with another blog of this series. And here I am gonna talk about people and not places. This is the third time I am referring this person in my blog, but this time with his real name and not with Mr. Songepedia-II. His name is Utpal. He is a nice friend and I trust him enough to come here alone with him. He is the reason I could say my parents confidently that “Don’t worry, I’ll be safe”. :-)
And after my flight took off, within few minutes I got so many surprising and shocking news from him. He always carries a bag full of news, gossips and information. Not because he spies, but because he is a public figure, has good contacts with others and people like sharing with him. Sometimes I really envy such Gregarious Gangsters!! ;-)
Next I would like to mention two such people without whom my stay over here would have been impossible – Guest house staff and my cook. They are the ones who received us at our guest house and first question he politely asked me was, “Madam ji, dinner me kya khaoge??” I showed my courtesy and said, “ Jo bhi aap khilao”. And calmly added, “bas khali Jain food chahiye”. First he did not understand and said, “ O ji, thik hai, par Jain food matlab?” I explained him in simpler terms, “Matlab vegetarian food without onion, garlic and potatoes”. This made him little furious. I think it was his career’s greatest challenge to make Punjabi food without onion. But I knew if alone in Ahmedabad there can be hundreds of restaurants serving Jain Punjabi food, then he must have enough expertise to manage it for a month.
Now touching to my professional life here, Well… here, it is not at all so called professional environment. People here are sincere, hard working, but not rigidly tied in the webs of mannerism and etiquettes. Everyday I go to my office, I have to greet Good Morning to minimum 10 people. Unlike corporate, I don’t need to think twice before wishing someone Good Morning!! 12-13 people take lunch together. I can not try their lunch as it is mostly not Jain, but I offer them mine and looking at curd brought by me, they say “Oh! It contains bacteria, we don’t eat Non. Veg. food!!” In reply to that I just go X-( and they take curd without saying a word. Dinner time is also good when on the same table people from all different corners of
Life here is easier, because we have a company of a local friend Pankaj who is also from our department and has taken responsibility to introduce us to the new city
Also this post would be incomplete if I don’t mention Diwakar and Rajiv – consultants from
From the grace of God, I’ve always get a company of great friends and it holds true even for my this small chapter of life! :-)
Will be back with more updates!! Stay Tuned…
© Bridge Soul
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