Life of a Train Ticket Inspector
By: Right Angle
Tags: Cities, Life Lessons, Life, Retirement, Nilgiris

Myst and Mystique

When I tell people about my decision of moving to Coonoor in the Nilgiris, the immediate question that follows is — “what made you decide on Coonoor coming all the way from Kolkata?” As I playback the same answer yet one more time, I have often wondered if I chose Coonoor or the Nilgiris brought me here.

I have often wondered how life takes people to different places. There is something ordained about it, I feel. Though there can be counter arguments, it is difficult to deny that fate has a hand in it. One can always rationalise by citing reasons of job, education or marriage. But, for example, does one justify why someone finds a job in Bombay and not Bangalore or Delhi? Similarly, how between two students from the same college wanting to go overseas for post-graduate education one lands up in California and the other in Ohio?

This is not just limited to longer-term or permanent relocations. One sees it even in the nature of jobs people land up with. Some have frequent-flyer miles lapsing because they do not have time to take holidays, whereas others have their Airline Cards downgraded for lack of travel. Like many Indians, I take astrology with a healthy dose of skepticism. But, many years ago, someone looking at my horoscope had said — you will have the life of a Railway Ticket Collector. Elaborating further, he added — you will not spend two nights at the same place. Enquiring why a Railway TT and not an airline pilot, he told me in all seriousness — because it will not be a life of 5 Star luxury. He was not too far off the mark considering the life of an itinerant salesman I led for the better part of my life.

In the course of my 35 odd years of working career, I moved a good twelve times including a four year stint in Nepal. At one point, we made a serious effort of migrating to the United States. But, despite having greencards did not make any headway in six or seven years before deciding to give it up. Looking back we feel, it was not meant to be. However, more interesting is the story of my return to Calcutta.

Unusual for Bengali parents, that too of an only child, I left Calcutta immediately on qualifying as a Chartered Accountant at their insistence. A decision for which I can never thank them enough for. It was a turning point of my life. Whatever I have achieved in my professional life would not have been possible if I had stayed back. It sure caused them some pain and loneliness. But, that was a sacrifice they made for my future. Perhaps, it was their best gift to me.

I had no intention of returning to Calcutta even after retirement and had already started looking for a nest in some other part of the country. In 2009 December, my mother passed away after a brief illness. Myeloid Leukaemia snatched her away in just five days. We had to shift her to the hospital on the morning her 50th Wedding Anniversary when the diagnosis was confirmed. Though we had planned no celebrations — as birthdays and anniversaries were always a private affair in our family — she had probably lived for that day. But, within weeks of her passing away — quite out of the blue my transfer to Calcutta came through. A few other little things happened in the next few days — which convinced me that she had wished that I come back to Calcutta to be with my father, who was left alone.

Last October — after exactly a gap of ten years I lost my father again after a short illness and a surgery from which he could not recover. With the last link gone, I felt there was little reason for me to stay in Calcutta except for my job. Then Covid19 happened. Perspectives changed almost overnight. The lockdown was godsend for reflection. I took the decision to hang up my boots on turning 60 in September and came away to Coonoor as soon as travel restrictions eased.

Taste of Tea and Hills

That brings me back to the original question of why Coonoor? I had always fancied having a place in the hills. The Kumaons in Uttarakhand was my first choice. I even bought a little patch of land between Ranikhet and Almora. Also seriously considered acquiring a cottage in Kasauli overlooking the Garur valley and the mighty Trishul range of the Himalayas, that parents of dear friends had built and wanted to sell off after her father passed away. Then some practical considerations prevailed and Coonoor beckoned.

Now it seems the Nigiris is where I was destined to be. I like the moderate climate and the Blue Hills and Tea plantations have a calming effect. I feel blessed. But, whether this is the final stop, who can tell?

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Story first published in GhoseSpot