MY FIRST FLIGHT OF FANTASY

I was born and brought-up in the tribal-belt of Odisha. As a child, like any other kid I too had child-hood fantasies of cars, trains and aeroplanes. In my tender age, many nights in the sleep I dreamt of elevating from bed and flying in the sky as if a Superman. But it was the year 1983 on my 7th Standard in school, I had the first glimpse of a flight at Kolkata. Till recently journey by a flight was considered to be a way of luxury and out of reach for any common Indian.

In September ’10 I had been to New Delhi. On my return journey I opted to take a flight to Bhubaneswar instead of a superfast train on the pretext that I had never before travelled in a flight in this life of mine. More to it, it is highly affordable when you could plan it well in advance. As a ritual at New Delhi every day my younger brother Karun started giving me tips on how to take a flight journey, as he himself is a frequent air-traveller. I started getting impatient as the days neared by for my return journey. The night before schedule departure I was in a state of euphoria. As a result of which I was sleepless till one past midnight, whereas I had to wake-up by 4.30 AM to get prepared for my Bahuda Jatra (return journey).

I had my return journey by Indigo in Flight # 6E-257 on 15th September 2010 early morning from Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA). It was scheduled to be departed at 7.30 AM. I was instructed to report at the check-in counter two hours before the schedule departure. I reached the airport lobby on the wee hours at around 5.30 AM. The whole area was glittering with neon-lights as if day time. So much illumination made me even more nervous. I was instructed by my brother to reach the counter of the Indigo Air and the rest they will manage. As I reached the counter of Indigo the lady officer greeted me with a smile. She asked for the ticket and the ID proof. After weighing the luggage she asked me politely to deposit Rs.500 for the overweight. She handed over the boarding pass. I learnt the valuable lesion to travel light whenever you take a journey by a flight. Thank God my mother was not accompanied with me. Had she been there my luggage charges would have been more than the ticket cost.

I was directed to reach Terminal # 20 for which I had to take an escalator. I went to the gate and waited. Soon after other co-passengers gathered one after another. There were two European tourists as well. All those people were aristocratic and wearing blazers and boots, where as I was wearing a cotton shirt, denim trousers but with sleepers on my feet as a “gaon ka Govinda”. I recalled, this could be the reason why my mother was particularly asked me to buy a new pair of boots on this trip of mine to New Delhi.

By 7.00AM a transit bus picked us all to drop near the Indigo flight. In the bus I found a co-passenger in a low spirit and deeply engrossed in thoughts. In Oriya I greeted him “Namaskar Agyan” as it was a Bhubaneswar bound flight. He forcibly smiled, but kept quiet. I questioned if everything is fine. He said he is rushing to Bhubaneswar to stand by the side of his mother, as the previous day his father passed into comma. All I could do was to express my concern to him, just by placing my hand on his shoulder. In sharp contrast to the popular believe I realised that, these airline carriers are not just the luxury mode of transport, but they do deliver hope, aspirations, care and concern to the loved ones on time.

With the help of a ladder I stepped inside the flight. At the gate I was greeted by an air hostess. I was amazed to find her speaking in the regional Indian languages. It assured me, neither one need to know English nor need to wear a pair of boots to board a flight. She escorted me to the seat number 8D. I was disheartened to find it to be the centre chair far away from the window. I was dissatisfied with self for my maiden venture as I won’t be able to see the hemisphere and the earth below me when the flight takes off. I greeted my other two co-passengers with a smile to accommodate myself in the chair.

I just thought to be introduced to the Parthasarathi of my flight, as my safety is in his hands. I went to the cockpit. I expressed my good intension to the air-hostess. Without any suspicion she opened the doors of the cockpit. I greeted the pilots saying, you have to make me reach home safely as my mother would be waiting. The co-pilot said, just be assured all the life we are doing it un-failingly. I returned to my seat with a light-heart. Soon they announced the flight is about to take-off and to switch-off the cell phones, laptops and all other electronic gadgets. They announced to fasten the seat belts. By observing my side-seater though I able to pullout the belts, but could not lock it. For a while I was hanged in the jumble game. My puzzled state of affair soon caught the attention of a tall air-hostess, and she came to my rescue.

They announced that the flight is about to takeoff. By keeping alive my orthodox personal beliefs, I prayed to my lord while shutting my eyes and folding both the hands. Engine started and the flight moved ahead. In seconds it accelerated to a greater speed and took off the ground. I sensed everything went smoothly. After takeoff it made a sharp L-turn. Then they announced to unlock the seat belts.

Now it was time for me to start lobbying. I expressed my desire to the neighbour about my eagerness to sit near the window as it’s my first journey by a flight. He wanted to laugh at this thought of mine, but vacated his seat quietly to keep alive his self-dignity. Now I occupied the window seat just a row ahead of the right-wing of the aeroplane. I could see the powerful engine on its wing which was pulling us ahead. By now flight elevated above the clouds. Entire life I had seen the clouds above me in the sky, but now for the first time in life I saw clouds below me.

“aaj mei uppar asman niche ……….”

To my disbelieve I heard that I am flying at a pace of 850 kmph and at a height of 35,000 feet above the ground level, which is much higher than the summit of Mt.Everest.

Than there came another airhostess with a cart load of breakfast. I got a pack of sandwich with fruit drink. It was wrapped in an eco-friendly paper. While eating my breakfast I read the beautiful love-story of Sahjade Salim and his lover Anarkali printed on this packet. It reminded me of my yester years of love life, even while at that moment I was moving ahead of time.

By 9.30 AM my flight landed safely at Biju Pattnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar. Every passenger got up to lift their hand bags from the cup-board and moved towards the gate. But I was sitting there still near the window while the seatbelt was tied onto my waist. That tall air hostess came back to ask if I need any help to unlock the belt.

But I said, no let me be tied to this seat ……..

Post Script : This writer got the following memento from Indigo Airlines on sharing this article with them.

WhatsApp# +918249314972

kiranbima@gmail.com
E. KIRAN MOHAN(The Writer)
C\o. Dr.E.R.Rao (M.D),
Tahsil Chowk,
At\PO: BARPALI–768 029,
Dist. Bargarh, Orissa, India.