Most Precious Two Rupee

On 15 th July 2013 the international Airport at Chennai was opened on a trial basis and the

Passengers had to close their nose from the stench at the toilets! This was the newspaper report

I had an   even bigger adventure with the toilets in the new Bangalore Airport in the same month

These two occurrences may be unbelievable to you but this in truth is the Indian Quality Standard for you

 The story goes like this:

7 th of July 2013  was an early rise  day  for us both since my husband and I had to take the morning flight to Bombay from Bangalore and as everyone  know  the Bangalore airport lies at the far end of the city and consumes  nearly two hours to reach from Electronic city where we were staying. In addition we were planning to have the local culinary speciality of masala dosa at the airport for breakfast.  These two factors necessitated the early start. 

As a policy we adhere to the routine consuming one litre of water in the early morning and that day was no exception. My husband might falter on days but cleansing of my system with drinking   a mandatory litre of water was the first part of my ablution process. And hence when we reached the airport after an hour and forty five minutes, the urge for a visit to the toilet became imminent. Informing my husband to order for the dosa and reserve two seats in that crowded restaurant, I rushed across towards the ‘toilet arrow’ which righteously indicated the right direction. Satisfied with this information I happily walked forward but the path led me to the outside of the airport where vehicles were picking up and dropping passengers and security personnel were controlling the vehicles at the pedestrian crossing. Assuming that I had misread the indicator I walked back into airport but the arrow very rightly indicated the the direction I had taken! Taking the right turn I tried a small detour to the right at a junction but as we are used to in India,   ‘some work in progress’ was vigorously happening there. By now I was at the bursting point of nature's call! I hastily retraced my steps back to the indicator point and saw my redeemer in the security personnel there and he too directed me in the tested and proven direction on the ‘right!’ I rushed forward impervious to the vehicles and proceeded straight further. There among the bushes I saw some activities of men hovering around and now I was sure that the ladies' toilet would not be far off!

I identified the ‘lady in the frock’ sign easily but another surprise was awaiting me! A board at the entrance indicated that to use the facility a fee of two rupees is collected and the toilet papers cost another three rupees! And a lady sitting in a chair with a table in front was presiding over the collection process! Paid toilets?!! At the airport?!! We pay an exorbitant price for the tickets and is it not the courtesy on the part of the authorities to provide this basic facility to the passengers?!! I was fuming. Helplessly I wondered where I was to find this two rupee. Anybody might have easily suggested to me “Pull out your purse string lady and if you don’t find the coin take out a note and give it to the person concerned, rush across and get the change later or ask the person to keep the change.”

 I could understand your sarcasm. But my dilemma was of a different nature. Generally when both my husband and I go out my husband becomes my sole creditor and expense manager and service provider. I neither carry my hand bag nor my cell phone. Today I knew that this was my undoing! If I have to rush back to my husband who was at the other end of the airport the damage would have been done. Then I saw an elderly couple walking along the path and enquired whether they paid the two rupees. The woman was flabbergasted by my enquiry and in a pacifying tone told me “It’s just two rupees; keep it on the table and you can go inside”.  I asked the gentle man if he could lend me two rupees. He not only understood me but considerately gave me not two but four rupees and said “You

can use it if someone else is with you.” But luckily no one was accompanying me in this mad adventure! I took the two rupee coin from him and my request to return the same was refused with a benign smile by those lovely couple!

I paid and having relieved the internal pressures that was building up, I sheepishly returned to find my husband who was totally oblivious to all this adventure!!

And long live the generous couple in whichever part of North India they reside. (They spoke in Hindi to my English!)