North Kolkata Calling !!

I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to go  through the book 'Beg Your Pardon' written by you in Marathi and later translated into English by Mrs.Jayashree Naidu and Capt.Dr.ACapt.Dr.Anil Deoghare.      Let me thank you again Mr.Anant Joshi for doing what an  honest man (especially as a writer) should do to expose the the ongoing corruption in coalmines.I appreciate your endeavor to bring forth the arrangements, which has become a system in itself, between officials and contractors. I just want to add that this unwritten system has spread not only in coal mines but in every sphere of activities prevailing in our lives -as we are all aware.    I am sure you have related your experience through grass root level - I mean knowledge directly gathered by working among such characters.     There is a silver lining though when we find character like Murlidhar too among these people ! They are our only hope !

A first time flyer has shaken every passengers in the mid air ! It happened in the Delhi-Patna GoAir flight . The man tried to open the aircraft's rear door mistaking it to be the lavatory gate.  Of course he was unable to do so due to the existing cabin  pressure. In the meanwhile a co-passanger gave the alarm and alerted the crew who quickly intercepted. 150 passengers felt relieved when the plane landed safely. However the Airport police station later confirmed that the man was indeed a first time flyer and had no clue that it was the rear gate.

It all began on a Sunday morning.  I was staying in Hyderabad with my son's family and my wife - who went to Kolkata for few days- was to return. Ria- a close associate of my son & daughter in law -was to accompany her on the flight. My son was abroad and Arnab (Ria's husband ) was the sole person responsible to receive and bring them back from the airport. It was 45 minutes to an hour journey from our place. My son's flat was on the 9th floor while Arnab stayed on the 14th. We went to bed with the expectation of a good day ahead. All was going well until Archi ( my son's wfe) made a phone call to Arnab -well -just to find out if 'all was ok'. The phone went on ringing. After few moments Archi put in few more calls but all went unanswered. Finally she decided to go to his flat and find out whether he was still there. The plane was to land around 2pm and the time was ripe. Within few moments she came back with the news that Ar