Selvaraj Duraiswamy

When I went to India last time, I traveled via Dubai. After reaching Dubai, I realized much difference in the way people behave and in the way people were treated while in the airport & flight. The reason is: Most of them were low-wage-class people working in a mass and most of them were ‘imported’ from India. Some slept in the airport floor, some roamed endlessly which was irritating to others (not leaving any way for the ones who come behind) and ‘many’ smoked blocking the pathway before smoking zone. Even between this, the airport had good looks and maintenance. Somehow, I managed to reach my Chennai bound flight staying among the crowd who were gushing out once the terminal gate was opened. Nasty!!

I went looking for my seat (window side) but found somebody else was sitting in that. I asked him in tamil (I can see that he is a worker) whether that was his seat and asked him to show his ticket. It was not his seat. Even after I told the same to him, I didn’t see any movement from him. So, I told him – Ok, neenga aen seatliye ukkarunga, naan pakkuthula ukkandukkuraen (you be seated in mine, I will sit besides that). He said ‘ok’ and I went ahead to sit.

Emirates airlines had some good in-flight entertainment – a good interactive software system to track the current place, position, altitude, wind speed, temperature, local time etc., a good collection of Hollywood movies, Wi-fi and good food too. The software was very interactive, catchy and responsive which grabbed my attention. I was getting to see at the various options provided in it. All the time, I was being watched what I was doing by the ‘unknown’ who was sitting in my seat. I realized that he was not knowing to operate the in-flight personal computer system and that made him to watch what I was doing. He never spoke with me and I too didn’t. In between there was some heavy wobbling due to turbulence. It was announced that we must have seat belts fastened due to the turbulence. Even then, some guy who was sitting some 3 seats before me.. stood in the pathway leisurely, raised his hands and was relaxing! A flight attendant came running towards him and made him to sit after having a talk. It’s because most of the passengers were workers and they didn’t understand English. Emirates should know to make the announcements in local languages – maybe Tamil or Hindi.

An hour before landing they gave us the immigration form to fill. The ‘unknown’ sitting in my seat gave his passport & unfilled form to me (signaling me to fill it for him). I readily accepted that and started filling. While doing it, I got to know that his name was Selvaraj Duraiswamy and I thought of giving a talk with him

Me : Selva, Neenga aenna.. Chennai-ah?
Him : Illanga cuddalore-uh.. Neenga?
Me : Naan trichyla porandu valandaen, appa amma vellorela ippo irukkaanga, but most-ah Chennaila daan iruppaen..
Him : Oh ok..

Between I gave his filled form to him.. He got that and continued..

Him : Aenna panna, English Aeluda padikka theriyaadu..
Me : English padikkuradu periya vishayam illanga.. Sila book irukku.. atha neenga vaangi dinamum konja neram padicha podum.. kathukkalaam.. officela vela ungalukku romba illana neenga panlaam..
Him : Hmmm.. Aana pasangala, oru nalla English conventla sethu padikka vaechuttu irukkaen.. Oru vela patni kooda irunda parava illa thambi.. nalla padichidanum..
Me : Oh, ungalukku kalyanam aageeducha?
Him : Rendu kulandainga.. Varushathukku 10,000 rooba kuduthu oorla English mediumla padikka vaechuttu irukkaen..
Me : Nalla padikraangala?
Him : Hmmm, nalla padikkraanga thambi..
Me : Neenga aenna vela paakreenga dubaila?
Him : Naana.. paint vela pa.. konja naalu kadal-la vela irundadu.. apram paint thayaar panra vela..
Me : Oh..
Him : Periya periya paintuh boxah anda aeriyra veyil-la aeduthu vaekkavum vendi irukkum.. Apdiya aellam karinju poiruvom anda veyil-la vela senju.. Mela irundu verthu.. kaal nananjurum.. anda veyil-la vela paakanum.. (a small sad grin)..
Me : Ungala aenna consultancy moolama aalu aeduthu anuppunaangala?
Him : Aamam thambi.. Oru latcham rooba kattunaen anuppuradukku..
Me : Ohhhh.. Aematheettaana aenna panni iruppeenga????
Him : Theriyla pa.. Anda timela aedo thonuchu.. pannanumnu pannaen.. aepdiyo ippo naanum aen kudumbamum nallaah munnaadi vida vasadiya irukkom.. adu podum..
Me : Aeppo neenga dubaikku poneenga.. aethana naala vela paakureenga?
Him : Naanaaah.. kitta thatta naalra varusham aachu..
Me : Oh.. Ponadula irundu ippo thaan India vareengala? 4 ½ varushama.. hayyo..
Him : Aamam pa.. Aen kooda veetla thangi irukravununga aellam, aenna thitteetu irundanunga.. aenna loosu pudichuducha da unakku apdinnu..
Me : Aen, aenna aachu?
Him : Oru kadasi 15 naala naan sariya saapudala.. thoongala.. thaniya sirichuttey irundaen..
Me : Aen, aenna aachu?
Him : Aamam.. aevlo naal kalichu aen pasangala paaka poraen.. thookamey varala.. adaan.. ‘pongada naan oorukku poraen innum konja naal-la’ apdinnu solleetu naan paatukku loosu maadiri sirichuttu iruppaen.. ippo aellarum aenna paakurathukku airport vandu iruppaanga.. (a big smile)
Me : Inimey oorla thaan iruppeengala? Dubai poga maatteengala??
Him : Illa pa.. innum 3 maasam inga iruppaen.. aprom marupadiyum poganum..
Me : Aeengaaaaa.. anga poi kashtap padrathukku ingiye unga kudambathoda irukkalaam illa? Aedavudu chinna businessah aarambichudlaam illa..
Him : Aenakku aeduvum business theriyada thambi..
Me : Aellamae therinjuh porakkuradu illa illa.. therinjukka vendiyadu thaan..
Him : Hmm.. Kadavul puniyathula oru alavukku aen kudambatha mela kondu vanduttaen pa.. illaina romba kashtap patruppaen.. marupadiyum dubai povaen.. innum oru pathu varusham angiye irundu.. sambarikkanum.. aen pasangala nalla padikka vaechu mela kondavarradukkaagavavudu naan poganum thambi..

Me : (was surprised at his words.. the pace at which he told.. the way he told.. his thinking.. moreover the dedication and focus he has got to bring his family up.. though he works in such hot conditions in dubai.. he was wanting to go back and work endlessly to earn for his family.. even at the cost of leaving his family in india.. was really astounding.. pulluh arichuduchu aennakku appo)..

For a while, I was dumb.. thinking his words.. recalling everything whatever he said.. I stood up to go to the restroom. I was able to get a complete view of all passengers. Most of them were low-class workers. It made me think that ‘a whole bunch Selvaraj Duraiswamys are sitting in the flight’ and I’m the one ODD person sitting among them. I’m nowhere near Selvaraj in terms of ‘perspiration, the way to live & urge-to-do-more mentality'.

That’s how the low wage workers from India in dubai are.. Away from India without knowing much about the foreign land.. Working in horrible conditions of dubai.. extended work timings.. family pressure.. kids.. wife.. parents.. separation.. without able to go back and see them.. Shrugging off all these things, they want to work even for many years to bring their family up.. that makes them really great!!

After the flight landed, Selvaraj helped me in pulling my luggage out of the conveyor belt. Then, he suddenly disappeared. Hope he should have seen his family eagerly waiting outside and went running towards them.

The whole incident put me in shame showing me that I’m nowhere near Selvaraj and the whole bunch of low-wage Indian workers in Dubai.