SMALL ADS = BIG GAINS

SMALL ADS = BIG GAINS

I spend a lot of time in reading newspaper and reading "Small Ads"  in CityLine section of Hitavada,  is no exception. Though I am no more employable for  reading these small adds, I  have curiosity to feel the pulse of young people seeking jobs in and around Nagpur. 

Once my nephew was discussing with me about facing shortage of technical staff in his Engineering Consulting Firm. He also told that he has absolutely no time to put an advertisement in newspaper for calling candidates and interview them to select the right one. I agreed to help him . 

I went to the Advertising Section of local daily and was explained nicely by the staff to properly adjust the words so that in a minimum amount I can place a small ad. As the office address was a big hurdle to accommodate in the matter I suggested him to write my "Whatsapp" phone number for posting applications by the candidates. He cautioned me that I may be flooded with number of applications reaching over my Whatsapps number and could create problems for me. I  still agreed and finally posted the Small Add in Hitavada for (3 +1)  days.

Next day I could read the Small Ad in Hitavada including my Whatsapp phone number. Immediately thereafter my phone started ringing with the message tone having received application. Beautifully designed CVs with coloured photos of job seekers started landing over my smartphone. I was extremely happy to receive these and enjoyed reading the applications in PDF formats.

 How easy it was for young jobseekers to post their CVs over a Whatsapp phone number. Some of them also tried to talk to me about job description and place of posting. I had no difficulty in explaining them the nature of jobs in Hindi,Marathi and English.

I told my nephew (Director & Employer) about the overwhelming response I got from that Small Ads in Hitavada. I further told him that "Let entire process of interview and selection be Green, meaning paperless" ! He readily agreed and Interview letter was drafted giving the date time address and also a "Net-link of place over Google Map" was attached  so that the candidate could reach the place without any difficulty.

I was asked to be present and participate in the interview at the screening level . On arrival of candidate in the room ,  their CV/Application was displayed over a large screen and that was unique for everybody present there .That was also  a rare occasion for me of meeting the young jobseekers of the city and around. I could see the anxiety over the face of unemployed youth and could talk freely with them including few  suggestions for writing a CV in a proper manner. After each interview I handed over the candidates a "Piece Toffee", showing gratitude for having attended the interview. 

The screening process was over and then the discussion about final call and negotiations for salary and terms & condition of the job. I cleverly opted out at this stage for obvious reasons  and posted the Final Call letters to those selected via my Whatsapp number. 

I was happy that entire process was Green meaning paperless and further learnt that even putting a Small Add in Hitavada is a Green meaning Paperless Process ! 

Thanks to Internet Connectivity, Smartphones and awareness of young jobseekers. 

I cannot end this without mentioning a fact full of humor that I started receiving phone calls from other newspapers advocating putting the Small Add in their newspapers too and also from some Placement Agencies of Nagpur for getting any business from me ! Of Course I politely denied doing this and fully enjoyed this venture !,

AVINASH GOWARDHAN 

#9422147584

Panchayatan,Laxminagar

Nagpur 440022.

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Epiphany: To plan or not to plan?

Epiphany: To plan or not to plan?

My favorite “Flower-Auntie’s” Wedding

Enjoying summer holidays at grandma’s place at Khandwa was a yearly ritual, but this time (summer of 1955) our visit to Khandwa (a sleepy town famous for actor Kishor Kumar) was a special one. We reached Khandwa Railway station by Pathankot- Express via Bhusawal from Nagpur.
Journey from Rly. Station to the Deo’s Bungalow (grandma and mama’s residence) used to be a memorable one by the Tanga (Horse driven cart). We saw that Deo’s Bungalow was shining bright as it was newly painted for the Wedding of our ‘Flower-Aunty’.
She was a team leader of we total eight nephew-nieces ,the "Octave” and since her name was Suman we took it as our right to call her as ‘Flower-Auntie’ (Fa). We could also attribute that, She being the youngest of four sisters, the name “fa” also tallied with the ‘fourth note’ in sol-fa notation… (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, si).
For us marriage of favorite aunty was not a good news as we had seen in the movies about a daughter leaving her parents after marriage in a sad mood. We imagined that we shall miss her forever and envied the lucky man of her life.
The bungalow was packed with relatives and we were about ‘fifteen’ in the age group of 5 to 19.The upper floor of bungalow was kept reserved for the Baratees (Bridegrooms Party). We all wanted to spend last 2-3 days with our Flower Aunty (Fa) and  preserve the memories.
Next morning at the tea time, our ‘Fa’ threw a surprise with an announcement. She declared that “We all shall get what we want” as a gift from ‘Fa’ that evening from a famous Gift Shop of Khandwa. We couldn’t believe as no one could imagine ‘Fa’s gesture. We all started planning and making a long list of gifts from Mouth organ, Football, Hockey-stick up to Cricket bat. I was however thinking as how could she be so generous for all of us? Yes, She was almost like “A God for we the small things” and gave full credit to her surname “Deo”meaning God itself. After whole day of planning and frequent changes in the long list of “Gifts of our choice” was finalised. The evening was memorable at the Gift Shop that too without the interference of our parents. We all returned jumping with joy. At night I got awakened at the thought of losing our Fa after marriage. Everyone was skeptical about the lucky groom, who would take away our Fa after marriage.
The Baratee’s arrived next evening and a small wonder ! The bridegroom needed no introduction as we had seen him before at Nagpur with ‘Fa’ number of times and even had a chance to enjoy Ice Cream with them together. My elder sister told all of us that it’s a Love Marriage. I was particularly  happy that she will be near us at Nagpur.
In no time we became friends with Baratee. The wedding was a grand show with special band-party from military town of Mohow near Indore. We were astonished to see the band party playing old and new film tunes and also some English numbers. Their dresses in spotless white was our major attraction. Our group was given job of serving pan,betel nuts , flower-sticks and sweets in trays. Cigarettes were kept separately in tins of 50’s over a decorated tray.
We found some difficulty in serving cigarettes, as it was not in proper manners to serve cigarettes to our elder relatives. We immediately solved the problem. The Band-Party was our target. We offered them the expensive cigarettes from the tins of 50’s and they readily accepted the ‘smoke’ and were ready to play the ‘songs of our choice’. After the marriage this became hilarious comedy for all of us amongst elders.
The wedding was memorable in all respect. For our grandmother “Aaji”, this was her last responsibility and the only son’s (our mama) marriage was immediately after this. The name of bridegroom was “Pandharinath” and we started teasing him with the famous song of Lata Mangeshkar… ”Pandharinatha zadkari aata… Pandhari soduni tula vinavite Rukhamai Vithalla” and even dared him to change her name as “Rukhumai”
The memorable wedding of our dear Flower Aunty ended over a sweet note as our dearest mama got married next week with a beautiful bride and the new ‘mami’ became our next team leader.

A Mistery of Politeness

Pramod, A mystery about Politeness

 While going for a morning walk from our flat scheme, I heard someone honking a scooter horn at the gate just behind me. I was perplexed, as I couldn't imagine a scooter driver inside the courtyard honking at me. That  was a newspaper vender rushing his bicycle through the gate, carrying a heap of newspapers over the carrier. I almost shouted at him at this early morning gesture. He was so ashamed of the act that rather in a very low voice apologized and asked to be forgiven. Next morning at the crossroad, I again heard same honking sound and found same boy cycling very fast for delivering the newspapers in time. In a rather different tone now I shouted and stopped him to listen the honking from his mouth and then we two laughed merrily. Soon, Pramod, the newspaper vender became one of my morning friends, entertaining me amongst others by honking. He used to speak in a very low tone, full of respect, a rare gesture these days by strangers. I admired his behavior. He was also amongst the first to enter our housing complex as such readily gave him the job of vending two newspapers at my place. Overjoyed at this, Pramod couldn't stop himself ‘honking’. Soon he told me that he was treated badly by his father and elder brother for reasons known to them. One morning I found Promod in tears, he told me that he was going to commit suicide that day. I immediately took him inside the house and explained him about futility of his plan. I told him to look at the unfortunate street urchins, boys at Dhaba and of course the disabled population, all of them wanted to live with dignity & earn with pride, despite odds. God has given him enough strength and with his two hands and commitment to work hard, he can win over the situation. He agreed and thereafter became very close to me. Pramod became popular amongst young & old with his art of “honking by mouth”. Next Sunday I was waiting for both newspapers till 8 in morning and became worried about Pramod, rather than newspapers. After half an hour, Pramod, sweating profusely knocked my door. He was panting and told in a rather low tone that his father& brother have thrown him out of the house. Overnight he stayed with a watchman in next building. Got up early at 3, to fetch copies of newspapers from the wholesale Agent. By the grace of God, he got all the copies on loan and was now vending them by walking all through the 91 odd houses he had. I stood up in silence and offered my bicycle, but he refused firmly & politely. His politeness always surprised me. No one ever found him quarreling or shouting all these days. At last he told, that too politely "Sir, this is my weakness, I cannot speak loudly or shout, as my vocal cords are damaged and Doctors have told that I can never-never speak loudly". The mystery about his politeness and honking on the street was now solved. Rather weeping like a child, Pramod told me that he was found unfit for the jobs of a police, Army-Jawan, taxi driver, & even as a night watchman, as he could not speak loudly. The politeness on his part had became a vice rather a virtue. I told him "One day he would find himself as a “wholesale Newspaper Agent”, distributing heaps of newspapers to the vender boys and I shall always stand behind him at this venture.

Within few days while on a brisk-walk, found Pramod chasing me, honking & telling me that somehow got his Bicycle back and was working in a hotel for whole day till 11pm. He gets up at 3am to collect newspapers for vending till 7am. He was happy to have a shelter i.e. bed-breakfast & two square meals in the hotel itself and a salary of Rs.1500. He politely invited me for a breakfast at his new place & I readily agreed. He was now going to Ambazari Lake for a fresh bath, then to the temple and then ready for the duty at the Hotel. Pramod exhibited this by his victorious ‘Honk’. We two laughed & laughed with joy, while others watched this early morning ‘honky-tonk’ over the street.

Avinash Gowardhan
B03, Panchayatan, RPTS Road, Laxminagar