by Atul Sharma
“How come you worked in Chandigarh then?” asked Raghav.
“Search for a job brought me to Delhi and subsequently to Chandigarh,” answered Raama.
“What’s your name?” asked Raghav.
“Raamanujlingam Swaminathan,” said Raama.
“Sounds lengthy,” said Raghav.
“Sir, you can call me Raama.”
“That’s nice. So the source of names of both of us is same. You are Raama and I am Raghav. You can call me Raghav bhaiya.”
“Thank you Sir, I mean Raghav bhaiya.”
“Do you play badminton?” Raghav asked to de-stress his south Indian companion.
“Very well!!” said Raama confidently. Raghav felt that he was up against a badminton champion from south zone.
But the next 30 seconds were enough for Raghav to change his opinion because Raama played badminton as if he was playing hockey.
“Very good!” said Raghav to boost the morale of this
self-proclaimed champion who was running in the badminton court as if a dog was chasing him.
The badminton court is same but not the time, Raama realised on coming back from the thoughts of the past.
Raama knocked softly on the door of the guest house.
He didn’t have to wait for long as Raghav opened the door.
The door led to a spacious drawing room which had interiors of wooden panelling. There were three bedrooms and a big
kitchen-cum-dining room in the guest house. The back door led to a balcony which gave an astonishing view of the sunset.
“How’s the first day in the hotel?” asked Raghav.
“Quite happening,” replied Raama. “Why didn’t you come there today?”
“I’ll come tomorrow,” said Raghav.
“Raghav bhaiya, some guests are adamant that we serve them non-vegetarian food,” said Raama.
“Didn’t you try to convince them that we don’t cook
non-vegetarian food in our kitchen?” asked Raghav.
“They are drunk and not willing to listen,” replied Raama. “What should we do now?”
“It’s no more our personal villa but a hotel now. We’ll have to go by the guests’ choice. Send someone to the market to bring the required items and tell Maharaj to cook as ordered,” said Raghav.
“Pranam Bibi ji!” Raama said to Raghav’s mother Neha and touched her feet when she came out of her room.
“Is everything fine at work?” enquired Neha.
“Yes. How’s Sahab Ji?” Raama enquired about Raghav’s father Vijay Anand who was confined to bed.
“There is some improvement in his health,” Neha said about her husband who was suffering from right side paralysis.
Raama left for the villa while the quietness of the guest house still not leaving it.
Many guests had gathered in the reception area to collect some information or the other, either about Devpur or about the villa.
“Is there any games room in the hotel?” a little boy named Rajat asked Sanju.
Sanju took the little kid to the games room which had a table tennis and a billiards table.
“But I’ll not reach the table,” Rajat said innocently citing his height as the reason.
“You can play carom board and video games,” suggested Sanju.
Rajat went to call his sister Kriti to join him in the sport while their parents were busy inspecting the architecture and interior decoration of the villa.
“The interiors and the wood work in this hotel are unique and exceptional,” Karan Kapoor said to his wife Juhi.
“There is a homely look in this hotel,” said Juhi.
“Who plays this piano?” Karan asked Raama about a large-sized
piano in the lobby.
“The owner of this villa,” replied Raama.
“Can you show us the entire villa?” asked Juhi.
Raama took the guests along with him to show the entire villa.
“You have a spacious lobby,” Juhi said about the reception area which was earlier the drawing room of the villa.
There was a small library behind the reception having lots of books and magazines kept on the glass and wooden shelves.
“It reminds me of the Advance Studies Institute in Shimla which is a heritage place visited especially by the distinguished scholars,” said Karan.
Raama escorted them to a big hall which could easily accommodate about fifty people for any conference purpose.
“This hall is also used for get together activities like dancing, playing tambola etc.,” said Raama.
“How many rooms do you have here?” asked Karan.
“There are eight spacious rooms, all on the first floor,” replied Raama. “The kitchen is in the east corner and the basement portion contains staff quarter, stores and a laundry.”
They reach the games room where their children Rajat and Kriti were glued to the video games.
“The roofs in the villa are high but present a royal look,” said Juhi.
“The garden area and the badminton court are well maintained,” Karan said when they strolled outside.
“Why this hotel is named ‘The Sunrise Villa’?” asked Juhi.
“The view of the rising sun will be etched forever in your memory when you’ll wake up tomorrow morning,” said Raama.
The Taneja family enjoyed the delicious food in the dining hall. After dinner Rahul sat with Pratap in the lobby.
“The food was tasty as well as homely,” said Rahul.
“Our chef is master of his trade. He is working here for last many years,” said Pratap.
“Pratap, if so many people are working here for last many years then why did you say that we are the first visitors here,” asked Rahul. We met a man when we arrived. He told us that this is a personal property of someone. I could see pain in his eyes when he said that he was leaving this place forever.
“That was Haria Kaka. He was a gardener here and quit the job as he could not adjust with the change,” said Pratap.
“What kind of change?” asked Rahul.
Pratap paused for a while before narrating the inside story to Rahul.
“This villa was not originally a hotel. It was the home of (Late) Purshottam Anand, affectionately called as Bauji by everyone. He lived here with his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. A financial calamity struck his family after he passed. His family converted the home into hotel to raise money to clear a debt.”
“Where do they live now?” asked Rahul.
“They stay in the guest house, inside the premises,” informed Pratap.
“The villa is so big. Why did they make a separate guest house?” asked Rahul.
“The guest house was not for their personal guests or relatives. It was the comfort zone of those people who came here for business assignments,” replied Pratap.
“What business do they have?” asked Rahul.
“Apple orchard and farmhouse business,” said Pratap.
“And who looks after the work here?” asked Rahul.
“Raghav bhaiya, Bauji’s grandson,” replied Pratap. His father is embedded to his illness at present.
The tragic story of the Anand family stirred Rahul’s sensitive heart and he wondered about the power of great force called ‘time’.
“Whose room are we staying in?” asked Rahul.
“Room no. 1, in which you are staying, was Bauji’s room,” replied Pratap.
“It is difficult to deal with the drunkard people because they themselves are not in their senses while consider others as nonsenses,” commented Sanju about Virender Bajaj and Amit Goyal when he came to the kitchen after clearing the cutlery from their rooms.
“Its 12 a.m. We should also go to sleep now. The room service will start at 6 in the morning,” Pratap asked his colleagues at the end of a l
ong and hectic day in the villa.
The loud sound of the conch (shankh) in the morning, coming from the ‘Hanuman Ghat’, worked as a siren in waking up the guests of the villa.
“I never thought that the first rays of the sun bring a feeling of optimism,” Juhi said to her husband.
“It can be felt by those people only who get up early in the morning,” Karan replied as he was still reluctant to leave the cosiness of the bed.
“Splendid!” said Juhi on entering the balcony to see the glorious view of the sun rising behind the mountains of Devpur.
“The money was worth spent to stay here,” Karan said holding his wife in his arms.
“Good morning!” Pratap wished to the Taneja family who were going out for a walk.
“Good morning, Pratap! Is there any good walking route nearby?” asked Rahul.
“On exiting the gate of the villa take the road to the left. It’s a stretch of two miles leading to the Trekkers Hut and there is negligible traffic on this route,” informed Pratap.
“Can the kids walk this far?” asked Raama.
“They leave us behind while walking,” replied Divya. “They have covered the thirteen kilometres distance from Katra to Vaishno Devi twice by foot.”
“Very athletic kids,” Pratap said about Ira and Ishaan after they had left.
“Very polite too,” added Raama.
“Bajaj Sir will take a second birth in between before reaching the Trekkers Hut,” Raama joked about the fat man Virender Bajaj.
“Raama, you are looking damn smart,” Sanju complimented him as he had got his dreadful beard shaved after the last night showdown with Michael Henry.
“Have you arranged a vehicle for the sightseeing trip of Devpur as mentioned in your brochure?” Karan asked Pratap in the reception area.
“Yes. A mini-bus will take all our guests for a sightseeing tour.
Sanju will also accompany you as a guide. Please get ready by
10 a.m.”
“What are the sightseeing points in Devpur?” asked Juhi.
“There are five places to visit,” informed Pratap. “Your trip will start by visiting Hanuman Ghat first. This ancient temple is situated at a hill top. The next place to see is Pushp Vatika, a floriculture garden. Next stoppage will be at Him Prabhat which is a
museum-cum-shopping centre run by Himachal Gram Udyog. You can have lunch there. The fourth sightseeing point is a waterfall point called Safed Jharna. Here the water falls from a height of 50 feet and looks like milk. The last destination is Vihar Vann. It is a wildlife sanctuary having a zoo inside.”
In the guest house Raghav was getting ready to join the work at hotel.
“Maa, I am feeling sad to think that my home has become a hotel now,” Raghav said as he was still finding it difficult to accept the harsh reality of life.
“Life is a great teacher. It makes you do things which you have never envisioned but tough experiences make you wiser in life,” Neha said to boost his morale.
“I am going to Hanuman Ghat first to take the blessings of my eternal friend,” Raghav informed as he prepared to leave.
“My son will emerge a better person after this ordeal,” Neha said and kissed his forehead.
Latecomer Virender Bajaj made other guests wait for a while. The bus took the guests to Hanuman Ghat. It was the highest motorable point of Devpur from where Devpur and Shimla were clearly visible. A temple of Lord Hanuman was situated at the centre of the place while rest of the area was open.
“I thought that it would just be another temple but it’s a scenic place with views all around,” Amit Goyal said to his wife.
“What are these huts beneath?” Varsha asked on seeing some covered structures far away.
“These are greenhouses where vegetables, fruits and flowers are cultivated,” informed Sanju.
“One can spend a whole day here,” said Rahul.
“This place is also called the sunset point as the view of the sun is magnificent in the evening,” said Sanju.
“From the sunrise villa to the sunset point,” commented Michael Henry.
Sanju was delighted to see Raghav coming out from the temple. Sanju introduced Raghav to all the guests.
“Hi! I am Rahul Taneja. It’s nice to meet you,” Rahul introduced himself to Raghav when others dispersed.
“My pleasure sir,” replied Raghav.
“They are the first guests of our hotel, “Sanju said about the Taneja family.
“How’s your stay in our villa?” asked Raghav.
“We are enjoying every moment of our stay here,” replied Rahul. Your villa is a wonderful piece of architecture and your employees are courteous.
Rahul’s praise motivated Raghav to invovle himself wholeheartedly in his new assignment. After sometime Raghav left for the villa while the guests proceeded to the next spot.
Everyone’s heart blossomed on seeing flowers everywhere when they reached Pushp Vatika.
“It is a floriculture garden maintained by the horticulture department of the state. There are different varieties of flowers here especially the roses,” Sanju informed the guests.
Virender Bajaj plucked one flower and tied it in his wife’s hair who got embarrassed by her husband’s gesture.
The gardener came near the touring party to explain them the types of flowers.
“There are primarily many kinds of roses here,” the gardener explained. “These include shrub roses, climbing roses, miniature roses and hybrid tea roses. The second portion includes varieties of other flowers like carnation and gladiola.”
“A rose with a rose,” a newlywed man said to his beautiful bride while capturing the beauty of both in his camera.
“The association of flowers and romance will never die,” Juhi commented on seeing the chemistry of that couple.
“Isn’t there any restaurant here?” a hungry Virender Bajaj asked Sanju.
“The next spot is in the market. You can have lunch there,” suggested Sanju.
“What do you do with so many flowers?” Michael asked the garden supervisor.
“The flowers are sent to Chandigarh and Delhi which form a big market for its sale. The sale fetches handsome amount for the horticulture department,” the supervisor replied.
“Can we also buy a bouquet from here?” asked Divya.
“There is a sale counter near the gate where flowers and bouquets are sold to the visitors,” informed Sanju.
They moved to the next destination, Him Prabhat which was in the market of Devpur.
“Him Prabhat has a museum showcasing the things that depicts the culture of Himachal,” said Sanju. Moreover, there is a shopping centre inside the complex. You can buy Himachali fabrics and wooden material from there.
“Bhaiya, what’s special about these shawls?” Kavita asked a shop owner.
“Madam ji, these are the famous Kullu shawls,” the shopkeeper replied politely. The embroidery on these shawls is handmade.
“Are these caps for gents only or can we also wear this?” enquired Varsha.
“This is Himachali cap worn both by ladies and gents. You’ll find it very warm,” the shopkeeper said.
The children were busy in choosing appropriate items for them from the wooden gift gallery. Michael Henry was deeply immersed in watching the handmade paintings in the museum.
“Do you sell these paintings?” Michael enquired from the
lady-in-charge, Sharmila.
“Sir, the paintings inside the museum are for viewing only but there is enough material to buy from our sales counter,” replied Sharmila.
“What do they depict?” asked Michael.
“These paintings depict the culture of all the twelve districts of Himachal Pradesh. They show the dressing and living style of the people,” informed Sharm
ila.
“I want to buy some books to know more about your culture and your state,” asked Michael.
“Our book shop has many books providing information of all sorts,” Sharmila said directing him towards the shop.
“You can have lunch here. We’ll move from here at 3 p.m. Please reach near the bus in time,” Sanju said to the guests.
“Kaake, what do you have for lunch?” Virender Bajaj asked a young waiter, Rinku, in a local dhaba.
“We serve Himachali food only,” informed Rinku.
“Tell me the menu. My stomach doesn’t differentiate between Punjabi or Himachali food,” Virender Bajaj said pointing towards his fat tummy.
“The thali includes all the local dishes. How many thalis should I bring for you?” asked Rinku.
“We’ll share one thali,” said Amit and Varsha.
“Tell us about these dishes,” Kavita asked Rinku when the food was served.
“This is poora-chuttney. There is madhra which is made of dry fruits. Mahani is sour in taste and has small dry mango seeds in it. This green vegetable is mushroom ka saag. There is meethi daal which is very sweet and has coconut and fried bread in it, eat it
with rice.”
By the time Rinku completed his explanation, Virender Bajaj had consumed one thali.
“This delicious food has ignited my hunger. Bring one more thali for me quickly,” asked Virender.
“The people of Himachal are sweet-natured just like this meethi daal,” said Kavita.
The employees in the villa were pleased to see Raghav.
“The first day in the villa passed off very well. The response of the people is encouraging,” said Pratap.
“What should I bring for you? Coffee or juice!” asked Raama.
“Should I prepare lunch for you?” asked Maharaj.
Everyone wanted to see a smile on his face.
“Thanks. How are you all?” asked Raghav.
They all shared new experiences with him because he was not just their boss but their friend too.
“Our travel agent, Shekhar Paul has told me that there is a huge demand for rooms for the month of June,” informed Pratap.
“Are the people happy with our room tariff?” asked Raghav.
“Shekhar said that the tariff is still low for the quality of the rooms we have,” replied Pratap. “I was also apprehensive in the beginning that the tariff of three thousand rupees for two super deluxe suites and two thousand rupees for six deluxe rooms might be high. But our rooms deserve these tariffs.”