Next morning I walked down to the Old Distillery building – that is where HAL Nasik had its offices. It was an imposing building of the British era made of stones and resembling the interior of castles of yore – I expected a knight in shining armor to suddenly step out from behind a pillar to block my way.
I met the people of the personnel department and then the staff of the nearby medial department to clear the formalities. And then, after lunch, I was directed to my section.
It was nothing but one corner of a room where some dummy airframe structures were kept and the employees worked on them – some drilled holes, others countersunk the holes while others riveted the joints. They were all learning and, among them was their teacher. A very serious looking gentleman who had come from HAL Bangalore.
I was introduced to him and he asked me where I was staying. I told him and he directed me to another person who stayed in a nearby place called Deolali – it seems the place he stayed was rented by HAL from a shipping firm based in Mumbai. Well – he took me to his place, I saw it and loved it – the terms were super. The building was three storied and its total rent was Rs 422 which would be divided among the boarders. At that point of time there were around 24 boarders and I became the 25th.
Most of them were Malayalees and there was also a man of all seasons – he stayed in the outhouse with his family and did odd jobs for the residents.
I took a bus, returned to the hotel, paid off my dues and came back to McKenzie Bungalow in Deolali – why a three storied building was called bungalow was a mystery. (to be continued …)
Another interesting blog - Violence and atrocities
Another interesting blog - Citizen Journalist
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