DEMONETIZATION AFTERMATH : TIDE OF HUMANITY

 

Nov, 8 2016.

 

22:00 Hrs

 

We reached Cochin Airport and were waiting to catch early morning flight back to Chennai.

 

My wife’s phone rang.

 

On the other end was a shocked a client, a senior citizen.

 

He, an 80+ super senior citizen – according to the parlance of Indian Income Tax Laws, was awake at that late hour.  That he was gasping for breath could well be discernible even sans video phoning. His missile, “Have you seen TV?”.

 

 

The whole day we were crisscrossing in whatever mode of transport that was available on hand as soon as we went about completing the hectic day and night long schedule in Cochin and Ernakulam. Hardly there was any time to bother to look into idiot box.           

 

So, my wife said, “Why, what is the news?”.

 

The super senior gentleman said, “you no longer can use your Rs.500/- and Rs.1000/- currency notes.”

 

Now it’s our turn to gather back our breath.

 

Suddenly we searched our hand bag, purse.  Only a few hundreds, tens all that could sum up to about 2000s only, the balance we had in Rs.500/s and Rs.1000s.  All totaling to a little less than Rs.10000/-. 

 

Thank God.

 

The cab Walla, who dropped us at the Airport, had accepted Rs.500/- in old currency.  Probably he too must not have been aware of the hot news blaring in all channels.

 

Then forgetting that we hadn’t yet finished our supper, we couched ourselves in front of TV in the lounge.   PM was speaking in Hindi.  The news that Rs.500/- and Rs.1000/- were demonetized kept scrolling down.

 

We were wondering how we would manage to catch a cab back once landing in Chennai in the early morning.

 

Nov, 9 2016.

 

05:40 hours.

 

With bated breath, I approached the Fast Track counter.

 

Handed over a Rs.500/- currency note to the counter attender.  He simply accepted the same and printed out an invoice.

 

We headed to the parking lot and handed over the slip to the driver.

 

We packed ourselves and as well our baggage into the car.

 

As the cab meandered through Meenambakkam, the driver started his conversation.

 

“What Sir, …………..about this banning of old currencies?”

 

So tired we were, that we simply whispered back, “What to do?’

 

He continued his dialogue, “Sir, last night I just had only single Rs.500/- note.  To have dinner, I thought of picking up parcel on the way in a way side restaurant.  At the hotel, the cashier had no change to give back.  Hence I gave back the parcel and walked away without having dinner.”

 

My wife said, “So sad Sir, we also didn’t have any dinner”.

 

Despite his staying hungry, he said, “Don’t worry ma’am. Go home, relax for some time and have a good breakfast.”

 

Relentless and not minding his hunger, “Sir, we certainly need this dire step.    How else are we going to get rid of this rotten?”.

 

Reaching home, we saw the newspaper thrown at the doorstep.  The headline just didn’t read but literally seemed like screaming.  The line went this way, “Financial Pokhran”.

 

Thrown into water, what to do?

 

Whether you know swimming or not, you’ve got to shake somehow to reach out to some point of survival.

 

In the midday, I just was passing through bank branches. Everywhere, there was sea of humans, old, young, middle aged et al.

 

I stopped by a small catering service unit to have some green tea.

 

The lady at the counter said, “Sir, it’s new challenge for me. I don’t want to turn away my customers for want of change.  I’m planning to extend credit to the customers.  Let them give back after they could get some change themselves”.

 

This morning, got a whatsapp forward.  It conveyed similar story from a church in Kerala.  The priest opened the hundi to let devotees avail whatever money they needed.  Leaving Rs.500/- and Rs.1000/-, every other currency was taken away.  When asked for the raison d  etre, the Father seemed to have answered, “The Gods can wait. How do we mortals carry on life without much needed bare minimum money?”.

 

Note the undercurrent of the above narrations.  Did you see any one complaining?  Every one, the driver, the lady at the restaurant and the priest at the Church tried to find a way forward.

 

May be we may feel our wings clipped abruptly.

 

Should we feel slain?

 

Isn’t time, we must grow new, legitimate wings?

 

And rise like phoenix?!