Testing time for all of us. The lockdown extended further up to 17th May with some relaxation.
Factories and industries have been asked to work under strict norms of social distancing, wearing masks, health care and sanitization.
We never heard of such things of sterilisation and sanitisation of factories at least in leather tanneries in India and probably the tough conditions we have been living provided the required immunity to face and live through such pandemic outburts.
Situation in India has been relatively better compared to other Countries but still, every life lost makes you feel sad.
Hence, it is important that we all exist during these time of national crisis.
If we exist, we shall pursue all our dreams and ambitions post Covid-19. Money lost can be recovered but, life lost cannot be reclaimed.
It is important that we all follow these 3 principles in life at all times, to make life enjoyable and comfortable.
Accept, Adapt and Adjust.
Accept
We need to accept that we are all caught up, in such a situation due to the corona virus spread.
Learn to accept the reality and plan your next move accordingly.
The Government have done its best to save us through the last 45 days and accept the dictum and direction for another 2 weeks.
Adapt
We need to adapt ourselves to staying at home for a further 2 weeks time.
Zoom and other video conferencing facilities have made it comfortable to communicate, to share your woes, to suggest futuristic plans, precautions etc.,
Adjust
Adjust yourself to the reality situation in front of you. This is the need of the hour.
If you have these 3 principles instilled in you, any situation in life can be handled.
I will narrate a situation from my own life experience as to how I was able to follow these 3 steps through a natural calamity period.
It was 1st December, 2015, at Chennai. Myself and two of my Italian business associates got all our meetings cancelled as the rains were on continuously and city was getting flooded slowly.
We decided to reach up to the airport and wait for our evening flight not aware as to what was in store for us.
We checked-in and cleared the security and were waiting at the restaurant on the first floor by 5pm. Our flight was at 7pm.
It started getting dark and the rains were not subsiding. By 6pm, there was an announcement that the flight will be delayed by one hour.
We were cool as the luggages were checked in and only question of boarding the flight n reaching Delhi, even though it will be late night.
By 9pm another announcement that the airport is flooded and we cannot travel that night and cannot move out of the airport.
We were getting upset and irritated for a while but, soon came to accept that this is the reality and we need to adapt ourselves to stay at the airport all night.
The next challenge is to sleep over to reduce the tension. The restaurant was closing down and they asked us to vacate by 11pm.
Now, we were left with those moulded chairs to sleep through the night sitting. There was no option except to adjust and manage to get some sleep to stay fresh the next morning.
Next morning, we open our eyes to see the airport totally flooded and there was no chance of the airport opening for the next two or three days minimum.
Accepting the fact and reality, we tried to get a van to drive through the flooded roads and reach up to a Hotel first.
We were stopped at kathipara and asked to go back, as the city roads were closed due to floods.
We then started hunting for hotel from kathipara to Tambaram and no rooms were available anywhere and I and a friend of mine who came for our help with the van, literally pleading at every hotel. All in vein.
Something struck me and I requested the driver to drive back us to kathipara and I will give it a try.
Imagine, all night at the airport and it was already noon time and could not use the toilets at the airport as it was overflowing due to the floods.
It was important for me and the foreigners to get in to any one room atleast and relieve ourselves.
Of the 2 Italians one was. a lady, how can she manage even if we get a room. She accepted the situation and adapted herself to live under any situation.
Trying our luck again from kathipara one by one hotel and landed up at Raddison Blu, just before the airport.
By this time situation had worsened and hotels were only allowing the car inside, if only the rooms were confirmed.
Somehow, I told the security that we have our booking confirmed and he allowed us inside.
I went and requested the manager and he explained his inability as there were 70 in the waiting.
I then moved on to the bar and sat down little stretching as due to heavy rains, the bar was empty. We relieved ourselves at the washroom and were feeling better. This is adjustment.
Slowly the day light faded and night started creeping in. How long shall we sit in the bar and slowly sipping our drinks as an excuse to stay there.
Coming back to reception with a request was in vain. I requested the manager on duty that we be allowed to be in the lobby and our luggages in the cloak room.
He was very helpful and agreed. Not having slept the previous night and spending anxious moments the day time, the night seemed to be longer.
I spotted the Spa boy and convinced him to allow the Italians to stay over night at the Spa, on those beds.
Imagine, these Italians who are known around the World for their branded clothing, perfumes have remained is such a condition by acvepting, adapting and adjusting to the given situation.
I was also tired and would not even remember how and where I slept. Probably in the billing table at the Spa.
The boy was kind enough to help us with using the washrooms next morning, so the day could be comfortable.
With the help of my friend, whose help we can never forget in life, came with a different SUV to help us drive out of Chennai and reach Bangalore.
We got the vehicle by noon time and went to Tambaram and took the outer ring road where the water had sloped down flooding all the residents both sides.
We got our life back only after crossing, poonamalle. Now, we were relaxed that we will somehow reach Bangalore and take a flight.
The next challenge came in our way that, all the flights were full leaving out of Bangalore and I was trying every option possible through Kerala or Andhra airports and somehow reach back to Delhi.
The Italians were very much worried and were losing their temper not able to reconcile with the reality.
I stopped the car got them down near vaniyambadi and made them take a stroll and relax and I will find a solution.
My travel agent got annoyed with me and banged the phone on me that he was running out of ideas.
I spoke to another travel agent and found an option out of Hyderabad by next day morning at 8am.
Now, we got stuck at airport on 1st December, 2nd at Raddison and 3rd on way to Bangalore and need to take the flight on 4th morning from Hyderabad,
Accepting the situstion, I called my friend at Bangalore to arrange a taxi to drop us at Hyderabad from Bangalore.
The cyber/electronic city flyover was totally jam packed and we had to move by inches.
My friend had kept the taxi arranged to reach us by 8pm and the driver reached us by 9pm.
The Chennai taxi driver was worried about his family and wanted to go back and anyway, we had this Bangalore taxi by 9pm.
I explained the driver that, we are tired and desparate and need to reach Hyderabad airport by 6.30am.
He spoke very nicely and started driving and I fell asleep having lived with my tension, pressure to safely make the Italians reach Delhi, fighting the whole time with hotel people, driver and whatnots.
Around midnight, the Italian lady woke me up to look at the driver. I was shocked as he had stopped the car on the side of the road and was sleeping.
We were yet to cover about 415 kms more. I asked the driver to come to my seat and sleep and I will drive the car.
He was kind enough to accept that. Generally, the drivers don’t agree. He explained that he has been driving for the past two days and was forced by the taxi operator to take us.
I felt pity on him and started driving. Now, not to make me feel alone these two Italians kept me engaged in talks so that, I driver us to Hyderabad.
As we were nearing Hyderabad and could see 30kms to Hyderabad, my eyes were totally closing and refusing to take any command.
Then, I woke up the driver and told him atleast now leave us at the airport. He was feeling fresh and left us at the airport and we all 3 slept at the airport and on to the flight and reached Delhi by 11am.
The 2 Italians resigned from their company on reaching back n never came back to India. They were upset because, inspite of my warning about bad climate in Chennai, their Boss pushed them to travel.
“All is well that ends well.”
Lesson to learn is Accept, Adapt and Adjust. Life will be smooth.
“Whatever has to happen will happen and happen for good”. This should be the trust and faith in Nature and God.
By Vasan. Suri