The picnic was at its peak and the floating dance floor was a hit. Jutting out from the bank towards the river, this was a marvel way ahead of its time. The bada saab revelled at his vision and his assistant’s impeccable execution. Munching onto a kabab, he went up to the bar looking for the newly-inducted assistant. But, he was nowhere to be found! A frantic search broke out. Some pointed towards the river while others towards the forest. “Has he been swept away by the river currents? Or attacked by wild elephants?” the bada saab- Mr David (KSD) thought out loud. He felt the sweat trickling down his brow in spite of the biting chill.
A few hours back, the vehicles from Kartick, Rydak and Jainti tea estates drove through the foggy night braving the “fair-weather” bridge. It all seemed worth it as they passed by the kutcha pathway adorned with hundreds of beautiful painted lanterns and mashalls on either side, leading to the riverbank of Sankos. The hosts of the “At Home” celebration (Sankos & Kumargram) keenly welcomed them. As the guests descended from their jeeps, they were awestruck by the reflection of the silvery moon in the endless expanse of turquoise shimmering water that had a magnetic pull. The night picnic was inviting with apt music to set everyone’s feet tapping.
Amid the wintry air of January 1983, the ladies clad in their overcoats and stylish hats enjoyed the warmth of the bonfire whilst keeping an eye on the tots playing in the gazebo. The managers around the jute reed bar toasted to the new chhota saab’s arrangements and the décor. In the picnic spirit, they rewarded him with the first peg from each scotch bottle they had carried. He humbly added, “it is all because of bada saab’s faith in me and the supporting team.” The praises soon began to flow in his veins, so did the liquor. He was soaring high. He wore his dancing shoes and began to jive to the music. He moved his limbs in perfect rhythm as if they were half liquid. The bada memsaabs too gave him the honour of their first dances. He was used the attention since his college days and was enjoying it even now. His voice quickened and there was a sparkling aura around him, when he proudly stated, “Magical, isn’t it?”
Arranging all this had been a tedious task. Sanjay had been entrusted with the responsibility of creating this wonderland in the wilderness. For two weeks, he would reach the spot, crossing the chhota Sankos river by tractor. The terrain was rough and the forests were dark and dense. But the stories shared by the driver and khalaasi, about their wild escapades, invigorated him. The khalaasi narrated, “once I saved myself from a bison attack by climbing a huge tree within minutes.” The driver gloated, “that’s nothing! We have even faced herds of wild elephants several times.”
None of this had deterred KSD from hosting the picnic at this spot. He is known for his extraordinary vision and his love for outdoor locations. His team was determined to give every ounce of their being, as what they got in return was almost superhuman. So everything had to be perfect.
A day before the picnic, Sanjay and his team were having a preview when the bada saab appeared. As they inspected the site, KSD jumped on the dance floor to test it and landed on the wooden planks. To everyone’s horror, the planks creaked and snapped. “San...Sanjay what the heck? You bloody well uproot the entire dance floor and fix additional battens in between the planks.”
Sanjay had 24 hours to make sure that everything was in place. The past three months since he began his career, he had been on his toes. But this ordeal made him question if he had bitten off more than he could chew. Nevertheless, he faced the challenge head-on. He collected all the carpenters and instructed them to complete the work, even if it took all night.
Finally, the big day arrived. KSD picked Sanjay up from his number-16 bungalow sharp at 7 in the morning. He wanted to ensure that everything was running smooth. Upon reaching the spot, both of them were aghast! The dance floor was in shambles and the entire working team was fast asleep without a care in the world. Sanjay had not seen his bada saab so annoyed and anxious. Fuming, he ordered Sanjay to stay put until the work was complete.
After toiling for a few hours under the bright winter sun, Sanjay’s stomach grumbled signalling that it was way past his lunchtime but there was no sign of bada saab, the jeep or the tractor. Walking back was unthinkable. With the approaching dusk, his patience was disappearing. At 4 pm, he saw Ratan driver in bada saab’s jeep approaching and heaved a sigh of relief.
On reaching back he found that the fridge and the pantry had been locked and the cook had taken the keys with him. Sanjay was forced to fast. Yet he had to be at the picnic spot before the guests arrived. At 6 pm he was back seeing to the minutest of the details. As the first vehicle rolled in, his stomach swirled. He wasn’t sure if it was hunger or nervousness.
He and his team welcomed each of the guests and gradually the picnic warmed up. All soaked in the whiff of the barbequed meat and the forest breeze along with the grandeur of the place. Trays and platters of delicious cheese canapes’, fish fry and paneer fingers flowed in. The delectable snacks added a crispness to the celebration. The spotlight was on Sanjay who was on cloud nine. Somewhat uneasy, yet beaming with pride he assured himself that he deserved all the accolades.
The concoction of scotch, compliments and fatigue elevated him to a higher plane but the initial delight of dancing with the ladies was now wearing off. He yearned for some quiet time and wanted to relieve himself. So he began to walk. As he carried on, the music faded in the background until it was barely audible. And then there was darkness all around.
At the picnic spot, the merriment continued oblivious of Sanjay’s fate. Suddenly, KSD started looking for the new chhota saab but he was nowhere to be seen. It was well past midnight and the picnic unexpectedly turned to panic. The quest for the chhota saab was intensified. All the jeeps were sent out in different directions. Each of the guests grabbed a lantern and started calling out to him. The search was halted abruptly by Ratan honking furiously. Everyone rushed to the scene, stunned to find Sanjay lying on the pagdandi going towards the forest. His head lay next to a huge boulder and fresh elephant droppings just a few meters from the spot.
One of the garden doctors knelt hastily to check him and assured everyone that he was safe. They carried him to the picnic spot. “Thank god!” exhaled Mr David. There were hushed whispers about his sozzled state but they soon found out that he was well and the picnic went back to its ebullience. The camera flashed away as each guest wanted a photograph with the show-stealer. The doctors from Kartick and Rydak TE who were Sanjay’s guests turned his hosts. They picked him up and brought him to his bungalow; changed and tucked him in his warm quilted bed as he snored away.
The next day, he surfaced at around 10 with a heavy head to find his hosts waiting for him at the breakfast table. They filled him in with the details about the previous night and tried to make an accurate diagnosis of his condition. Sanjay was embarrassed and guilty but now knew the importance of keeping one’s stomach grounded even if the spirits soared high.
At the Jainti-Sankos club, where the lawn tennis tournament was in full swing, he approached the spectators to apologize expecting an earful. This time he was certain that the butterflies in his stomach were not due to hunger but jitters about facing his bada saab. When he did finally, all the managers laughed heartily as KSD replied, “don’t worry. It could have happened with anyone. Come, let’s calm your nerves at the bar!”
A glossary of some Tea-related words:
Chhotta saab: Assistant manager
Bada saab: The estate manager
Khalaasi: Navigator/ conductor
Pagdandi: A narrow kutcha pathway
Mrs & Mr David with Sanjay and Suman, in 2017
