Playing 'Goodwill Ambassador' in Margherita

A very happy New Year to all of you, dear readers! I'm delighted to share another charming story from Murari Saikia today!

It was early March ’84, a balmy spring Sunday morning in the salubrious climes of Margherita. I had just returned from the factory; manufacturing for the weekend done and dusted and the factory locked and sealed.

I was lounging in the ‘jali’ verandah trying to make up my mind on whom to ‘raid’ for some beer and lunch and while lost in my thoughts, I heard someone addressing me from beyond the porch.

‘Sir, sir!'

Peering out, I could make out it was my third Tea House babu, standing a little away from my vehicle.

He looked quite distraught, so I asked him what was the problem, and the man blurted out in Assamese, ‘Sir, my wife is expecting and I had taken her to the hospital, the doctor is away and the sister says that she’s to be transferred to Digboi AOC hospital. The ambulance has already gone out with some patient, we don’t know when it will return!! Sir, my wife’s case is urgent. Emergency, sir’.

I knew what was coming next; he had come to request me to help him with my car - it does happen at times, especially in situations like the one my poor staff was in! I told him to fetch Dhaniram driver and that he should be ready to move, ASAP. The babu bolted and in a short while, Dhaniram was standing outside, to take my instructions.

I told him in the usual bagan lingo, to take the babu and his wife to the AOC hospital and return as quickly as possible after dropping them off, adding that I had to go out, so he’d better hurry back!!

Dhaniram left with my trusty steed - the ubiquitous Ambassador - while I bid adieu to my plans of going out for beer and lunch. I ambled off for a bath and that done, sat down comfortably in the jali verandah with my legs perched up on the center table, a book in hand and a mug of chilled beer by the side. Lunch would have to be a mish-mash of whatever was available in the fridge. The day drew on, but, Dhaniram had not returned, it was past three in the afternoon. There was no means to find out what was happening either. Thinking that he’d be in shortly I went off for a nap. Dhaniram was one of the trusted guys and he drove well too, I reassured myself.

It was past twilight, but, no sign of Dhaniram or my car…I was beginning to get worried while a lot of thoughts plied through my head. Time ticked on, and I realized the other lads and I would not be able to get to Digboi club in time for the Sunday movies either, none of the other Assistants had any conveyance (four wheeled types), I was the only guy with a vehicle, and the other chaps depended on me!!!!

After another nerve racking hour for me, I could see the headlamps of a vehicle at my gate, and as the car drove up the short driveway, I realized it was my car, in one piece; as good as she was when driven out in the morning!

As Dhaniram alighted I was about to bombard him with a mouthful. He disarmed me with a toothless grin under his handlebar moustache, and with a flourish brought out a folded piece of paper, ‘from the babu’. On my query as to why he was late, Dhaniram in his own way informed me that 'the babu requested him to wait, and he had to take the babu to the market to fetch some things, and babu has explained everything in this letter. I was fuming at the undue liberty my staff member had taken and mentally made a note to ‘give it to him’ at some point of time.

Dhaniram stood by, while I was seething in anger as I read the note which went thus:

“Most respected Sir,

I take pleasure in bringing to kind notice that wife has fine baby boy child. 

I beg your kind pardon for not releasing Dhaniram and vehicle quickly, I was without help and movement. Kind Sir, I thank you deeply, my wife also. Sir, the baby would not be there without you. 

Your ever obedient,

Shri……” 

My wrath vanished in a jiffy after reading the note...the baby would not have been there without me!!

As they say, it’s 'cha ki baat' - it could only happen in a tea garden!!

Meet the writer:

Murari Saikia

I was born in Dibrugarh in 1959 and grew up in Shillong. After finishing school from St. Edmund’s College (School Dept.), Shillong in December 1975, went off to Delhi University and graduated from Ramjas College in 1979. Joined FSL (Nestle) around mid-79 and was in Calcutta for a short while and thereafter joined tea in 1980-81 - almost by accident!! 

After a career spanning 36 years in the plantations of McLeod Russell & the Luxmi Group, I retired from the gardens in 2017. But, the love and the lore of tea have not left me. I am still actively involved with the industry currently with Parcon (India) Pvt. Ltd as a Visiting Advisor. 

It’s always a pleasure visiting the gardens and meeting up with some very good old friends who have weathered the storms together, and as always it’s also a treat to meet the younger generation of planters and get to learn a thing or two from these lads too, while throwing back the sundowners!!

Is this your first visit here? Welcome to Indian Chai Stories!
 
Do you have a chai story of your own to share?  
Send it to me here, please : indianchaistories@gmail.com. 

My name is Gowri Mohanakrishnan and I'm a tea planter's wife. I started this blog because one of the things that I wouldn't want us to lose in a fast changing world is the tea story - a story always told with great seriousness, no matter how funny - always true (always), maybe a tall tale, long, or short, impossible, scary, funny or exciting but never dull.
 

Happy reading! Cheers to the spirit of Indian Tea!