The privileged traveller

I was preparing for almost three months. To move from rural Bihar back to Delhi. I was to have shifted end of March, but the lockdown had affected my movement. My wife already in Delhi and I was trying to get to Delhi from late March itself. I went through option after option, train, bus, taxi, flight once it opens etc. Multiple opinions from well-meaning family and friends came. The gist of the advice was – do not risk yourself.  Take your time, go slow, once everything is fine and clear, pack your things, send the truck and them move, well protected. A good advice that I decided to follow. And I waited.

There was this 4-hour notice given before the national down. The exodus started. Millions on the road, trying to get back to their homes and family. With all their belongings in couple of bags they could carry. On the road, for days and days, some fell sick on the way, some collapsed, some died. Most were forcibly quarantined in centers en-route, far from home. Having left their own homes but waiting in quarantine centers for a day when they can restart their journey again.

I continued in rural Bihar, safe and protected in a campus housing, with many families and friends to provide me with fellowship food and fun, though I was alone. Yes, it was a bit lonely but the community I was part of saw to it that I was cared for.

The stories coming in from the villages were challenging. Most had members of their family as migrants in cities. They had not returned. There was no money to go around, there was no job to be engaged in. From three meals a day, many reduced their meals to one or two per day. They were hoping for a day when life will be back to normal again. To get back to earing some money, to normal life of regular meals at least. Hoping that the money they had has been promised by the government will reach their banks!

Finally, my time had come. The wait of three months was over. I had been well taken care of by friends. Protected and cared for and more than adequately fed. I had found a truck to shift the 32 years of married life belongings. Books and personal items mostly but a small truck load full. I had booked a vehicle to the nearest city (5 hours away) and a fight to Delhi. I had got a travel pass from Bihar. I had Arogya Sethu downloaded. I went through the check list multiple times – I had done everything as requested by the state.

As they were loading the truck, I started a casual conversation with the driver. He seemed reluctant to share details. He was a Delhiite, with his family in Delhi. Yes, a migrant who had got caught on the other side. He had come into Bihar with his truck three months back. He had been stuck in the city for three months with no money, but some place to stay along with others, and this movement was an opening for him to get back. I overheard his negotiations with the packers and movers for more money. saying that this is the first trip in three months. The truck left with the driver alone, driving from Bihar to Delhi, for three days, carrying some one else belongings, but a home going for him too.

Couple of days after the truck left, I left too. I had a vehicle carrying me to the airport 5 hours away. Well protected by being alone in the vehicle. At the airport – there was very well thought through physical distancing. There were sanitizers, spraying of bags, physical distancing, vizors in addition to the mandatory masks, and gloves. Many staff around to carefully guide and protect and see that the travelers are protected. A bit slow, but worth the delay!

As we moved out of the campus at 2.00 AM, there were a few men, who were walking (?crossing the Nepal border at night), with all their belongings on their head and back, possibly going home to their village? As we reached the city, early hours of the morning, there were bikes with 3 to 4 people, autos with many people, minibuses with people on the roofs, some with masks, many with no masks. Not an uncommon sight in this part of our nation, but during the COVID19 pandemic it looked out of place for me. My friend the driver, told me, sir, life must go on for these people. Without going out and trying to earn some money, their family will starve.  We talked about the thousands of people who were returning on the special trains. He talked about many who were jumping out of trains before the end point, to escape quarantine. He talked about the many who were not allowed back into their villages. I remembered the BDO sharing with a colleague of mine, a few days prior to this, that their quarantine centers were overflowing with people returning.

Carefully protected and safe, I was in Delhi soon. Though there was very careful assessment as I entered the fight, as I left the fight and airport, there was a feeing of freedom. No questions asked no temperature checked; no quarantine requested.  In newspapers there was a home quarantine that was reported, which I obeyed. There was a vehicle waiting for me. I reached home safe within 8 hours of leaving home. No one seemed to have known that I had reached Delhi other than my family and friends who knew I was traveling. And now it is 2 weeks since I reached. Delhi is struggling with increasing numbers of infection. I am privileged to have a home where I can stay during this raging pandemic. And zoom calls and online engagement keeps me busy and active.

My friends from the location I left, keep me in the loop of what is happening there in the villages around. Many are still struggling for daily food and sustenance. Some of my friends are doing a listening exercise among those who have returned home. 46% of those who have gone home, want to return to the city as soon as it is safe – because there is no job at home. 30% are unclear if they will ever go back. They do not want to go through such an experience again. 14% will wait for a year and see how the situation is. 10% are still waiting to get home!

I and they have returned home. I read recently, “We are all in the same storm but not in the same boat!” There are some are still looking for boats.  I am one of the privileged travelers, for whom boats came much easier and faster!