Working Womens Hostel Testimonials

It is not that I had never stayed at a hostel. the four years of Degree were spent in a hostel and today going to a new place as a Paying Guest made me a bit nervous. a new place , new girls. But no rector here.
Coming to understand from some family friends related to music that Swapnatai takes Paying Guests; my father accompanied me to her place. I being related with the film industry, people ready to keep Paying Guests generally avoid us due to the time factor. I had searched around a lot. Before going to Swapnatai I had brought it to my father’s notice. “What if the shift worked till 12 in the night or had to work in the night shift?” She might also have some time limits set. But when we met her we came to understand that she had started this activity for the working girls and for the ones with timing issues are given extra out time. All she expected was a prior intimation of coming late. She always came up with solutions for the problems faced by us.
As it is I was looking for a place just for one month and after the project was over I was planning to go home to kokan or search for a place elsewhere.
Tai was staying on the first floor and the room where I was supposed to stay was on the second floor. I went upstairs with my luggage. There were three rooms in the flat. There were three girls each in the two bedrooms and four girls in the hall. The bed rooms were already occupied so I selected a bed in the hall. I had come very early in the morning so everybody was deep in sleep. Vaishnavi alone was up early practicing music (riaz) so she was the first person I met. Somebody was sleeping on the next bed so we were talking in low voice but she awoke and Vaishnavi introduced me to Aarti who asked me “Do you sing?” When I said no she seemed relieved, changed her side and promptly went back to sleep. Wow! It just crossed my mind that if someone is singing why it should trouble you! When she got up later she explained that because of the girls doing riaz early in the morning it disturbs the sleep, later she discussed a lot on music and riaz. Aarti was the only one on job in the room so I understood her pains, but I was thinking how anybody can stay so aloof from music and the very next day when Vaishnavi was doing her riaz in the morning Aarti awoke and asked her whether it was Raag “Bhimpalas” she was singing. I was surprised. A girl who was nowhere connected to music in any context was asking about the Raag she was hearing. Then I understood that the atmosphere in the room had taught every aspect to all the residents over here.
I have a special attraction towards music as my mother is also learning music so getting to hear the riaz early in the morning and specially the violin from downstairs from Swapnatai’s Flat! It was a treat for me staying at Swapnatai’s place. I used to be away on my job the whole day so could not regularly meet Swapnatai. Early in the morning when coming down the stairs Swapnatai would be doing her riaz and not wanting to disturb her I just used to wave to her and she also not breaking her riaz would just nod her acknowledgement. This would repeat identically in the night also.
By now all the roommates had become good friends’ or rather family members. As it is all of them were together before but now I started feeling to be one of them.
Once I got late getting back home. Aarti called me “Have you had dinner?” I said “No”. So we decided to meet somewhere and get a parcel to take home. But since it was too late all the hotels were closed and since it was a month end so we could not even think of any big or expensive hotel. The place where we stay “Saritanagari” there is a small eatery nearby where we had seen a lot of girls and boys. Since we had no other option and feeling very hungry we went there to get a take away and returned back. While we were parking our vehicle in the parking, Swapnatai was standing in front of us. She scolded Aarti and told us not to go to that eatery for food! I was new to this place so I was unaware about the place so she was scolding Aarti. Aarti looked afraid and said to me “See I had told you not to go there for the parcel.” I was smiling but remembered Tai’s face and was afraid a bit. She had a authoritive stance and also a concern for our safety. She had only said two sentences but since then we never dared to go there neither at night nor in the daytime.
One month was about to be over and my stay over here was to come to an end. But I got one more project but it was to commence from the next month so I had a gap of one month in between. I started for my home and took Tai’s blessings. While leaving I asked tai “Could you please keep my place, my bed reserved for me for the next month. Please do not let it off for one month?” and Tai also agreed for the same without any ado. She just asked me to phone her when the date was finalized. All my roommates were asking me weather I was coming back? After having a talk with Tai I let them know that I will be coming back the next Month.
I was a bit surprised that Tai was going to keep my bed without letting it out for me even if I was going to come after one month. Madhura said “Tai always keeps beds reserved for her girls”. Then I understood that even though I had a very short stay at this place but Tai had accepted me as her own child.
Except Aarti all the other girls are four to five years younger to me. Their fun and enjoyment reminded me of my college days. Sometimes when I was doing some job work and the others used to be enjoying themselves and making a lot of noise I used to find it very immature of them. But apart from this whenever I have to go to some project out of town I used to miss them all.
Early morning I used to remember Vaishnavi’s sweet and mature voice in riaz, the hot cup of milk from the oven brought by Aarti and like my mother asking me to brush my teeth, ever come down with cough or cold then Gitanjali would give herbal coffee, the kiss by Madhura while waking me up in the morning and saying sweetly “now get up baby its late”. For some time I wondered who is the elder one amongst us two! When ready and about to start for my job the nanny that is the other Madhura used to keep a keen eye and start “Have you put on cold cream? Comb your hair properly! Move them out of your eyes and clip them up properly! You are going on a bike so tie a scarf! She used to give numerous instructions. Krutika used to ask “Have you had lunch?” everyday without fail. Any movie and Prajakta was always there to give company. She used to imitate Shahid Kapoor’s ‘agal bagal’ dance in her own typical style and laugh aloud. Devika was instrumental in helping to forget all the tensions of the day and Pooja was a fan of the 80’s songs like me. She always used to put on the songs on Sunday’s and holidays. Sometimes I wondered I used to find the fun and pranks very immature? Really was it?
I was very wrong, I was thinking wrongly. Sometimes I was even thinking of changing the place, maybe it was because the office was a bit far away. Maybe!
But suddenly I realized, I will not get the homely atmosphere, all my loving friends, Tai’s love for art and the safe feeling with her, anywhere else? Every time the answer was no..no..no. ultimately the topic of another room was permanently gone from my mind. Forever!!