Hello everybody! Let the earth be green for us to be clean. Here is the thirteenth video on ‘Spinning into a Career’.
A friend of Ruchi’s father, Pandurang recommends Ruchi to a small scale firm for a job. The manager hires her straightaway without interview upon his recommendation. The small office is in Khimpoli industrial estate. There are rooms for the manager, the typist and the helper. The helper has sensed that Ruchi is a college girl. He remains standing behind her chair. She feels uneasy and quits the place. Fortunately, an advertisement has appeared in the newspaper for the post of clerks in the National Atomic Research Center. Ruchi is informed about it by her cousin from Chirgaon. He helps Ruchi fill the application form and posts it to NARC. She has put up applications for jobs in Banks. Ruchi clears a banking service exam. She is called for an interview. The interviewer asks her if she likes a political leader. Ruchi thinks, ” In what way is the political leader connected to the job?” She is stunned and does not reply. The interviewer disqualifies her. She cannot get jobs in any of the banks.
Meanwhile, NARC has sent a letter to Ruchi to take a written test at Bayrom in Chera. The exam lasts for six long hours; 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3p.m. to 6p.m. Her father accompanies Ruchi. He spends his time sitting under the tree while Ruchi is taking her exam. Ruchi likes the strong female prime minister of India. In a written exam for a job in NARC, she writes well, appreciating her. After some days Ruchi is called for an interview which she clears. She is appointed as a purchase clerk in the Department of Purchase and Stores. Since Ruchi joins the office midterm, she goes to the college office, seeking permission to appear for the B.A. exam externally. Permission is granted. Ruchi attends lectures whenever it is possible. She goes to the house of Susan who helps her with the study material.
On the first day, her brother accompanies her to the office. She drapes a saree for the first time. The pleats come off while she is climbing the staircase. Her brother who is embarrassed, gets annoyed with her. She washes her clothes on Sundays. Ruchi stitches many blouses for her saris. Her mother comments that they are too small and appear to be stitched for baby monkeys. Going to the office becomes part of her routine. There are Deedhar fast and slow trains up to Bhimpoli. The trains go up to St. Thomas Gate. The arrival and departure of trains are announced every five minutes. The train halts for one or two minutes at stations. At Bhimpoli, being a terminal the train halts for more than five minutes. Many office goers, laborers, teachers and students board trains. It is not difficult to seat oneself in the train. Some save seats for their friends who board from the middle stations. There are two ladies’ compartments. During rush hours, even the first class ladies’ compartment has standing commuters. It is vacant during afternoons and late nights.
Fast trains stop at Kaveri, Sanders, Sagar and Sharnai Central. The crowd enters the train from Kaveri, Sanders and Sagar. Some of the commuters get off at these stations. Many get off at Sharnai Central. Some commuters get off at Karnai Road, Shorine Lines but majority of them get off at St. Thomas Gate. Local trains are terribly crowded in the evenings. One has to wriggle to board the train. Many jump into the moving train. People cling on to the footboard of the train. Some take a train from Shorine Lines and return by the same local. During rush hours, railway bridges are so crowded that people move very slowly. Many of them push through.
Thanks for listening. We meet again for the next video. Till then, enjoy your weekend.
( Video can be viewed on You Tube by typing, ‘Spinning into a Career’ by Usha Raman )
