While i wait to go home.

This time it was different. I was not going back to join office or for a project or for a training, nothing any sort of official work. It was all personal. Year 2013 I booked the apartment but till now I didn't own it. Builder and buyers were in agreement that registration process will be done only after it is handed over to buyers.

After two years of that scenario we were still waiting for the possession of the flat. Then it changed. I got a chance to travel back to India. Well, chance is not a correct word here; it was more or less planned. I was getting married. A month long holiday is nothing less than a dream come true for software professional who works on client location directly with the customer. But here I was on a four week long leave plan.

‘I am in India for 15 days. If possible can we opt for registration of the apartment’ was exactly my words to the executive sales manager for the company which is responsible of the project. I was assured of not getting any positive response as there were still six to seven more months in completion of the project and possession might take even longer. ‘Yes’ was the answer. Surprising as it was also it had added one more task to my ‘to do’ list in India before traveling back to US.

‘This is more important than a honeymoon trip’ suggested my just one week newly married wife. I was stumped already on her statement. Next day tickets were booked and I was all set to visit, once my base location for almost two year, city of migrants, city of Bangalore, which was now, called Benguluru.

It takes complete two days by train from my place to Bangalore. Since I had all the time in world I booked a train ticket. My roommate, who is married now offered me to stay with him but I preferred guesthouse provided by the builder which also included a cab to take me to places required to visit for the registration process, which included trips to banks, registration office, apartment location, company office and so on. Staying with friend would have prevented me from availing such a mouth watering offer, greedy I am.

If you have never registered a house or a plot before, believe me you will be tired as hell. Long queues, thousands of signatures, greedy eyes of government employees, bribes, long waits for authorized signatures, people everywhere but not on their desks and what not. Difficulty level of all these tasks increases by two points if you do not know the native language kannada.

Best part was the evening with my roommate, rain in month of March made already pleasant weather soothing and refreshing. And on to that I met another friend who was there with me in US. Small world it is, just two months back we were having lunch in Chicago and suddenly dinner in Bangalore. When we three came out of the lounge it was already 12:40. An evening well spent.

Next day was more queues, more signatures and more waits. And then the moment of joy came. 

‘Congratulations, you are now the owner of this apartment’ said the registrar. For me it was more like ‘Finally this horrible process is over’.

Now back to home. After two long years I will be spending the festival of colors at home. While I write this last line, I hear ‘boarding’ announcement for my flight to Lucknow. Can’t wait…happy holy.