The return of the Maharajah – The Times of India Blog

The pandemic graph finally seems to have come down. And this has raised a million hopes in a million hearts of a million people all over the world, hoping for flights to resume, airports to reopen, people to reunite with their families and for others to get away from families they were stuck with through the lockdowns. In short, for life to return to normalcy.

I am, of course, one of them. I needed to travel to India from the UAE, but thought it was better to wait for some guinea pigs to travel before me. Because frankly, traveling has become a challenge ever since the virus was born. Travel rules and restrictions have this tendency to change overnight like a womans mind. And different countries have different requirements. By the time weve wrapped our heads around the whole rigmarole its apparently stale news and we need to begin all over again. And looking at the number of documents to upload before traveling, I was beginning to feel its easier taking a 10 minute trip to space rather than the 3 hour trip from Abu Dhabi to Mangalore, but of course, its better to verify this little bit with Branson & Co., not having been to space myself yet!

And as if all these are not enough deterrents to make one reluctant to take a trip, one is also forced to listen to dozens of warnings from some well-meaning friends and one skeptical husband who spoke darkly about a 3rd wave and asked questions like what-will-you-do-if-the-airports-shut-down-again-without-warning and more along these mournful lines.

In the meanwhile, some noisy news anchors informed us about the return of Air India to the Tatas and this was a bit of cheerful news in some dreary times. It gives me hope that the British might return the Kohinoor back to India too, some day along with at least one or two of those absconding Indian billionaires who are hiding, (no scratch that), who are living it up in Britain.

Anyway, I took this as a sign from above for the simple reason that only Air India operates flights between Abu Dhabi and Mangalore and I promptly booked myself on the next available flight. I was a nervous wreck on the actual travel date, what with waiting for the PCR test result, downloading appropriate apps, uploading appropriate documents along with trying to find the suitcase, which was finally located hiding beneath a thick layer of dust.

At the airport, suitably attired in battle gear with mask, face shield, gloves and sanitisers dangling from my belt like swords ready to be drawn at the slightest hint of a virus attack, I asked for a window seat and the guy at the counter looked at me as if I was asking him for an elephant to carry me to India. He studied the computer screen intently and informed me loftily that a window seat would be a bit difficult to get but he would do some jugaad and allot me one, out of the goodness of his heart. I thanked him profusely almost falling at his feet, but it transpired later that the guy was lying through his teeth. The flight was empty and the few travelers who had braved the challenge like me had not only window seats but the aisle seats as well and the seat in between too, in short each of us had a row of seats to ourselves and plenty to spare. The entire 3 hour ride to India was covered with all of us stretched out luxuriously across our seats to the accompaniment of the soft drone of the aircraft and the loud snores of my fellow passengers. We returned to India like kings, for this flight at least, which makes me dream of better days to come for our much-maligned carrier. Heres hoping that the gracious Maharajah will return to his rightful place and former glory.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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The return of the Maharajah - The Times of India Blog