The Driver's Travelogue - Part 2

The Driver's Travelogue - Part 2

Day 5

Raju felt rejuvenated. The cold breeze blowing across Medical circle seemed rather pleasant at eight in the morning. The happy evening he had spent with his family was fresh in his mind. And he had needed that break. Today would be his longest and toughest day of the tour. The journey to Udaipur via Ranakpur and Kumbalgarh. His planning had to be precise. They would move away from the smooth national highways and drive through some kuchcha roads inhabited by the tribals in the Aravalis. While he wanted the guests to enjoy themselves, he wanted to be back on the highway before sunset.

The first leg of the journey was undoubtedly the smoothest. He stopped respectfully at the Om-Banna temple. The tale of the motorcycle that rode by itself every night to be at the spot where its owner had died, was part of folklore in this region. Every vehicle passing the temple stopped for a while or atleast slowed down, seeking the blessings of Om-Banna. Raju believed this story with all his heart. These miracles proved God existed. And because he was a driver by profession, he probably sought Om-Banna's blessings even more.

And all his prayers would come to his rescue later that afternoon. The day's sight-seeing complete, Raju was driving the family back from the Kumbalgarh Fort to Udaipur. The road curved like a serpent and the sun seemed to be in a hurry to hide amongst the hills. Raju was slightly on the edge. He could sense that he was driving a tad too fast for the hilly road. From the rear view mirror, he could see Aunty exchanging anxious and stressed glances with her younger son. Guideji didn't seem to want to make small conversation - lest it distract Raju. They must have seen it coming. From nowhere, a minibus was hurtling towards them from the opposite direction. Raju was speeding too. He realised slowing down wasn't an option. Nothing could have trained him for this. He pulled the steering wheel hard to the left - too close to a side wall on the road. Once he was sure they had avoided the minibus, he pulled the steering wheel to the right with all force so that they didn't crash against the wall. The family sat in stunned silence. Raju continued driving for the next couple of minutes to get his confidence back. He then slowed down. "Thank You Guideji, for maintaining calm. I needed that most to handle the situation" he said, breathing a sigh of relief, his heart still pounding against his chest. 

He could sense that the family felt totally relieved only once he drove back into the highway - which was clearly what even he was looking forward to. Om-Banna had come to his rescue. Uncle slowly ventured "Thoda slow please". Raju smiled sheepishly at him. "Don't worry uncle. You have a family. I have a family. You have responsibility. I have responsibility" Raju reminded himself of everything else he wanted to do in life, before he slept that evening.

Day 6

Raju was now used to the strange hotel choices of this family. He tried hard not to crib about the distance from the main tourist locations. The tough part of the trip was over. As the family went about discovering the city Palace in Udaipur, Raju started looking for a return pick up from Udaipur to Jaipur.

Nine thousand a month was definitely not going to suffice a family with two children. Raju's first son was in school already. He was proud that it was an English Medium school in Jaipur. His daughter had to be enrolled to a school that summer. The extra few thousands he could make by dropping people from places like Udaipur back to Jaipur was what covered his daily expenses and created the emergency fund for his family. "That I didn't study well...shouldn't hurt my children" he told Guideji during one of their conversations. 

When the family returned from the Palace, the younger son said "Rajuji, we completed the boat ride on Pichola.  At five hundred per person."  Raju was aghast. "But why did you pay two thousand Sirji? I would have made sure you complete four people's boat ride at five hundred..with sunset also, at Fateh Sagar?" "The view was too good to resist, Raju" Guideji chipped in.

It was this independence that his children need to have, Raju thought, as he drove the family back to the Hotel in the evening. The family had shopped at the cottage industries emporium, buying razais and souvenirs. Raju would get a small handicraft as gift from the shop during Diwali, if he stopped his vehicle there and ensured the guests visited the emporium. He conveyed this part to all his guests, out of sheer honesty.  The miniature elephant that the emporium had given him last year, still lay alongside his daughter in her cradle. Raju checked his messages to see if there was a return pick up request. There wasn't any luck yet. Uncle had tipped him well through the trip - but that would only cover his expenses. He still needed some extra money to provide for his daughter's admission. 

Day 7

In terms of sightseeing, today was the last day of the tour. The family looked happy and relaxed. Raju was content that he had performed his duty and met the expectations of the family - which was evident in Uncle's frequent jovial attempts to strike conversations with him in broken Hindi. Even Aunty tried her luck with Hindi, saying "Trip Achha, Driver Achha", as he drove them to Chittorgarh. 

The highway drive was largely uneventful. Chittorgarh was a fort that had to be covered by car with a guide accompanying. Raju had thus visited the fort multiple times along with tour parties and knew the historical points and stories by heart. As the guides started haggling with the family to finalise the charge, he was mildly irritated and guilty. He knew what they would charge is too much for the history they would ultimately share. But dissuading the family from taking a guide  - would mean the family would return without knowing anything. He refrained from doing any negotiations with the guides on behalf of his customers, a matter of principle. He felt the guides were like him - people who depended on tourists to make a livelihood.

As he sat with the guide Sonu, while the family was away clicking a couple of pictures, he asked him " Dost, isn't 650 rupees a little too high for the guests? The entire tour is not even ninety minutes." "Bhai, I'm a dual degree graduate and I need to make a living. I give them some gyaan on history. They are willing to pay. Even you get your tip from them...don't you?"  "But, I don't ask them for it explicitly...and I don't specify an amount..."  Raju wanted to say, as the family came back and sat in the car. Every business was different.

It was the family's last hotel on the tour that astounded Raju. He felt the family had made the perfect choice. Lake Nahargarh Palace about forty kilometres from Chittorgarh. Located only a couple of kilometres from the highway. Yet in the centre of a beautiful lake. He was thrilled watching it from the car park. He could sense the excitement in the family and the sons' voices as they made their way to the boat that picked them for a short ride to the Hotel. 

As much as he was sincere and honest with his work, Raju felt a tinge of jealousy that evening. There was a sense of unfairness in what was happening around him. Why did God create some of them to be able to afford whatever they want while the rest looked on? If anything, he had not studied hard. Was it making such a huge difference, even after twenty years of finishing school? The two sons of Uncle travelling with him - wore such good clothes, spoke fluent English and were able to afford this vacation. He struggled to take his family out for a couple of days in a year. His hardwork would earn him only nine thousand per month. If he wanted to earn more, it demanded sitting in a driver's seat for unimaginable hours - which only affected his health and mental peace and also meant more time away from the family.

He closed his eyes and tried to imagine being in the Lake Palace with his family. He added that to his long list of life goals. Yes, he would achieve all of them. Nevertheless, he didn't want to think ill of the family that was travelling with him. They had been kind and treated him with respect. Raju watched the domesticated Ostrich that was walking towards him. His mood lightened. He made a video call to his children and showed them the Ostrich, live. His son had only seen pictures from his school textbook and was thrilled. It would be something that he would talk to his friends for days to come. 

As he watched a beautiful sunset from the car park, he could see the hotel boat making its way to the car park. The hotel had a policy where all the drivers would be provided dinner and a resting place in the hotel and didn't have to spend the night in the car park. Raju was elated. It was a small consolation. He couldn't bring his family here - but that he could stay in the hotel premises for a night made him feel lucky. There were other drivers too - a couple of them whom he knew reasonably well. The night would be fun. Raju finally sent a small prayer of thanks and asked the Lord to bless the family for bringing him here. He had a new recommendation for Zakhir bhai!

Day 8  

Ejazuddin had come back in the first boat meant for the drivers that morning. He wanted to make sure that everything went smooth on the final day of the tour for the family. The only part left was to drop them back to Udaipur Airport - safe and sound and in time for their flight. He cleaned the car of the dew drops and dust that had accumulated. And also made sure the interiors looked good. The car must look as immaculate on the last day, as it did on the first. Zakhir bhai's words were worth their weight in Gold, Ejazuddin thought. He would be meeting him for dinner in Jaipur. 

The family got into the car, clearly excited from last night's experience on the Hotel. They were pleased to know even Ejazuddin had rested in the hotel premises and not the car park. The return journey was relaxed - as it totally was on the highway. With nothing more about the tour left to talk about, Ejazuddin discussed his family, his other customers and some of his more interesting customers with Guideji today. He blew a bit of his own trumpet too, saying he could drive for twenty four hours continuously if he is well rested and that he had covered Bengal and Nepal that way. He went on to describe how a local businessman would stash cash in his car on a return journey from Nepal -which had Guideji in awe. In a moment of emotion, he showed a picture of his family to him. In a moment of pride, he showed his own pictures in front of the Taj and on the sand dunes of Jaisalmer. "Come to Rajasthan once you marry. I'll show you Jaisalmer", he winked at Guideji. 

They entered Udaipur Airport at noon. Plenty of time for the family to do a relaxed check-in and even have lunch. Ejazuddin could give himself a 9 on 10 for the trip - the Jodhpur evening and Kumbalgarh incident at the back of his mind. He unloaded the luggage from the boot as the sons fetched a trolley. The smiles were awkward again. The sons posed for a picture with him - it happened with all families. Whether they did as a courtesy or as an emotion or as a data point of the trip, this last picture with the driver would remain with them. 

Ejazuddin folded his palms and bid goodbye. Aunty thanked him. Uncle handed him thousand rupees and jovially said "Raju, Enjoy karo". The family disappeared behind the departure gates.

Guideji, Uncle, Aunty and Chota bhai - was how he knew them. No names. He always wondered why he could never muster the courage to ask his customers' names. This family had been better than most of his customers - easy to handle and guide and didn't argue with him or challenge his plans. Yet, they had always maintained a certain formality with him. He would probably remember them for a couple of months. He was sure they would remember him for longer. He never told them that he had noticed the confusion on their faces when his ringtone blared, praising Allah. 

He received a message on his phone. There was a pickup for Jaipur, at last, at one thirty in the afternoon. He would not go back empty after all!

Ejazuddin sat in the car. He looked in the rear view mirror.  His hair was still neat. The beard had grown a little. The Paan stained teeth....well...there was nothing he could do about it! 

                                                                                                      - 05th January 2020