Cocktail In The Rainbow - Chapter - 13

 

Chapter – 13

 

Samuel Biswas raised his melodious concerto on accordion for an unforgettable musical composition of Lara’s theme from Dr. Zhivago, the book I had read twice and the film I saw thrice.

Though I was having chats with Nandi, I could not resist my desire of listening the music.

I was so much obsessed in Lara’s theme, I could not afford to stand like that in a party. So I moved on keeping glass in hand with Nandi and passed Atanu who was having a nice get-together with a group of medical representatives. We went further and I asked Nandi, “What’s about Atanu’s wife? I find him single in the party.”

Nandi’s smiling face changed to some extent and he said, “Atanu does not bring his wife to office party. Has he not told you anything during these days?”

“No. Atanu did not tell me anything about his family. Sorry! I was also busy and did not ask him.”

Nandi said in low voice, “Rikta, I mean Atanu’s wife is blind.”

“What? I almost shouted.”

“Yes Sir! She is totally blind. Can not see anything.” Nandi said.

“Oh my god! Since when?” I said.

 Taking a light sip of Sherry Nandi said, “Not long. She lost eye-sight on the day of her scheduled marriage ceremony in a car accident.”

“So Atanu married the blind girl?” I said.

“Yes Sir. But not on that day. Rikta was betrothed to some other boy and was scheduled to marry him on the day of her accident. But the boy’s family ignored the betrothal and denied to accept the blind girl. Atanu married her long after and that’s also a long love story.” Nandi said. He could not proceed further as Gauri Chatterjee came to me and said, “Sir! Mr. Nag calls you. He is sitting in that corner with Mr. Rozario and Mr. Kelvin.”

I moved to that direction nodding my head and waving my glass to the persons I had met before. Samuel Biswas concluded Lara’s theme on his accordion.

I reached the corner where on a big sofa Rozario was sitting with Kelvin and Gurujee. Nag was sitting on a chair in front of them and said, “Hallow Sumanta, how do you enjoy the party. Mr. Rozario wants to know whether you are comfortable in Rainbow.”

“It’s thrilling to be in this party. I feel quite homely in Rainbow.” I said looking smilingly at Rozario.

“I am very happy to learn what you said about. What’s about business? Rozario said.

“Sales are going up. I am confident of capturing the market shortly.” I said.

Kelvin and Rozario shrugged smilingly. Nag said, “Very good. What you are having in your glass?”

“Brandy” I said.

“Oh! No! Have Sherry. Steward! Sherry please!”

Nag himself replaced my glass of brandy with a glass of Sherry and raising his glass said, “Cheers! Rainbow Agro Chemicals!

Rozario and Kelvin looked at Nag with adoration. They also said, “Cheers!”

I said, “Cheers!” and left the place seeking kind permission of Rozario, Kelvin and Nag. Though they did not introduce me with Gurujee, I bowed my head towards him as a mark of respect. He smiled at me waving his right hand to shower his blessings.

I was searching for Nandi or Atanu with whom I had become much familiar within few days and moved on in the crowd. I saw Debu Dutta talking to Mandakini Nag and beside him there was a smart beautiful young lady. Debu also saw me and introduced me with his wife Sikha and Mandakini to whom Chanakya Nag had already introduced me earlier.

Mandakini asked me, “Where is your wife?”

“Sorry madam! I am not married.” I said.

I could not talk to her further as Gajendra Saha appeared before us and saluted Mandakini.” Madam! Can you recognize me? During last visit of Mr. Rozario to Calcutta I was one of the guests at dinner at your residence. I am that Gajendra Saha.”

“Oh! Yes! Yes! I remember you. How are you Mr. Saha?” Mandakini said.

Looking crookedly at Sikha Dutta, Gajendra said, “You are great madam! That’s why you remember a small man like me.” He then looked at Debu and said, “Mr. Dutta is also great! Son of a rich man having own multi-storied house at Jodhpur Park and District Sales Manager of a multinational company married a door-to-door sales girl without knowing her origin and character.”

Debu Dutta roared like a lion and said, “Mr. Saha! You are our guest tonight. Had you uttered such words at any place in front of me, I would have punctured your well-bred tummy with my single fist. Hope, you have not forgotten the weight of my fist!”

Debu and his wife left the place and mingled in the crowd. After their departure Saha shouted like a street dog after a big animal and said, “Madam! You have heard what that bloody fool said. You are my witness. I will report to Mr. Rozario regarding audacity and misbehaviour of his petty DSM whom I can export and import many times. The poor fellow does not know what it costs to his company in disturbing Gajendra Saha. No other agency house in Calcutta will distribute Rainbow Home Products if Gajendra Saha says ‘Good bye’ to the company.”

With kind permission of Mandakini Nag I left the place. I did not know what was told by Mandakini to please Gajendra Saha, a very important person to Rainbow and about whom I learned afterwards from Ramani Talukdar.

Samuel Biswas and his orchestra were playing on their instruments “La Paloma”. I was just strolling in the crowd when I heard somebody saying “Hallo Brother!”

I looked around and found Ramani Talukdar on my left smiling at me. “So by now you know the eminence of Gajen Saha in Rainbow.” Talukdar said.

“Yes I do.” I said.

“But do you know this man and his company?”

“I met this man for the first time. But I saw advertisement in newspapers of spice powders manufactured by Saha Spice and Consumer Products Company. I do not know whether he is the same man.” I said.

“Yes! You are right brother! He is the same man.” Talukdar said. “But I find your glass empty. Steward! Come here please!”

Steward came and Talukdar ordered for two Scotch, which we got immediately as the cocktail boy was just behind him. Taking a long sip Talukdar said, “I tell you brother, in drinks there is nothing like Whisky, specially if it is Scotch. By the by, let me tell you about Gajendra Saha and his company.”

He paused for few seconds and said, “This is between you and me. I will tell you the fact, not a fiction.”

I heard the story of Gajendra Saha and his company from Ramani Talukdar who was in very good mood after consuming already three pegs of Scotch and enjoying the fourth one.

Founder of his company was Rajendra Saha, his grand father. In old days, there was no office, but a grocer’s shop namely Saha Stores. Though Debendra Saha, son of Rajendra Saha used to assist his father, he was more interested in wholesale rather than retail business. He expressed his desire to his father who gladly made some space for his son for carrying on wholesale business in the same shop. In one corner of the shop accomodation was made for one small table, two chairs and one wooden cupboard for files. Within very short time wholesale business progressed by leaps and bounds. For wholesale business, initially they used to buy goods from Burra Bazaar (Big Bazaar) and Jaan Bazaar. With the rapid progress, Rajendra Saha negotiated with some soap and talcum powder manufacturers for direct agency. He was successful and renamed the wholesale department of Saha Stores as Gajendra Saha and company after the newly born grandson Gajendra. Name was further changed to Saha Distributing Agency in course of time.

So long Rajendra Saha was alive; he used to look after only retail business. After his death Debendra Saha rolled up the retail business and shifted his distribution office to Trade Centre of Biplabi Sarani. With the help of good interior decorator and fabricator he made a modern office of Saha Distributing Agency. Old shop of his father was initially converted into a godown and thereafter a small spice powder factory. Demand for spice powders grew up day by day and Debendra Saha could not manage production in a small area. So he acquired bigger space in north suburb of Calcutta, set up a big factory for spice powders and marketed both in small and big packings. Since Gajendra was still a school boy, Debendra got to shuttle between his office at Trade Centre and his factory at Dum Dum to manage all by himself. Within another four or five years Debendra became terribly sick with asthma and heart problem. By that time Saha Distributing Agency became one of the leading Agency houses for consumer goods in Calcutta. Even Kipling and Kingsley Company used to indent Rainbow cosmetics and home products from Rainbow International specially for Saha Distributing Agency. When Gajendra could not pass the School Final Examination three times, Debendra decided to place him at his office at Trade Centre to look after the agency and wholesale trade. He concentrated mostly in supervision of his spice powder factory at Dum Dum. But Debendra did not live long like his father. One day in the factory he started coughing and sneezing until his lungs and heart stopped functioning forever.  He was declared dead by the Doctor.

Gajendra Saha became all in all of the company. Though having a bulky body like baby elephant, he was a regular visitor to night clubs and massage clinics with his friends. However, under any circumstance he did not neglect his family business. He would attend his office everyday from morning till late evening excepting Sundays and holidays and expanded agency lines. Sometimes during the day he used to visit his spice factory which was kept under the supervision of a wholetime factory manager. Spice powders as manufactured by his company were moving well though formula was changed. During lifetime of Debendra Saha, he never mixed adulterants with his spice powders. But Gajendra Saha made the formula fifty fifty. Original spice fifty percent and adulterant fifty percent. So he could reduce the prices of his spice powders and captured the market. Since his adulterated spice powders did not cost anybody’s life he did not bother for complaints received time to time from the retailers. He used to compensate the retailers with much higher discount than his competitors and satisfy the Food Inspectors to their heart’s content. These gentlemen did not lift anytime, samples of GS brand spice powders from the market dealers for laboratory test. GS was the brand of spice powders manufactured by Saha Spice and Consumer Product Company and marketed by Saha Distributing Agency.

“So brother! Get some idea of GS, I mean Gajendra Saha? A multifarious genious!” Talukdar finished his Whisky in one sip and said, “Let me see how others are progressing in drinks! Ok! We will meet again.” He left.    

to be continued....

 

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COCKTAIL IN THE RAINBOW - Chapter –12

 

Chapter-12

 

“Good evening!” Welcome to this evening party!” I greeted the VIPs and shook hands with Kelvin, Rozario and Nag who whispered “Well said Sumanta. I am proud of you.”

Nag suggested Talukdar to stand beside me to welcome few more very important guests of the company as being almost new in the organization I was not expected to know them. Though being vexed to some extent as he could not stay with the VIPs, Ramani Talukdar stood beside me and said, “It’s my pleasure to be with you. Don’t worry, you will know everybody and everything very shortly.”

A middle aged tall, handsome, robust and fair complexioned gentleman in blue coat and trousers wearing crimson bow-tie and handkerchief of the same colour peeping out of the chest pocket came before us smilingly along with a beautiful lady, slightly bulky, dressed in blue chiffon georgette and blouse matching her escort.

“Welcome! Welcome! Mr. Bhatia! How are you? How are you Mrs. Bhatia?”

Talukdar received the couple and requested them to proceed further. Nag came forward and accompanied them to the spot where Kelvin, Rozario and other head office bosses were chatting.

“Have you heard of Bhatia and Sons pharmaceutical distributors of Lord Clive Street, now renamed Biplabi Sarani?” Talukdar asked me.

“Of course! I know. They are very big pharmaceutical distributors in Calcutta like Kipling and Kingsley of bygone days.” I said.

“You are right.” The man you met is Om Prakash Bhatia, key-person of this pharmaceutical distribution company who are super stockist of Rainbow ethical products for Calcutta and suburbs. His wife Manju Bhatia, one of top socialites of Calcutta and active member of Venus club.” Talukdar said with a crafty smile.

“Hallow Mr. Saha! Welcome! Welcome! Both Tarit Ganguly and Ramani Talukdar shouted together.

The man who got such a warm ovation from both Talukdar and Ganguly, was of short stature having enormous bulky body and large tummy vibrating under his glossy silk kurta. His over-oily hairs were parted from the middle and teeth were blackened for chewing betel and tobacco leaves. With the exception of two thumbs and two little fingers, other six of his two hands were decorated by gold, silver and copper rings studded with fortune stones of different colours subjugating major planets. Ganguly escorted Mr. Saha to the spot where the VIPs had been waiting for more wanted guests to join the inauguration of the cocktail party.

“He is Gajendra Saha, sole proprietor of Saha Distributing Agency, a division of Saha Spice and consumer products company. SDA, I mean Saha Distributing Agency are the sole distributor of Rainbow Home Products for Calcutta and greater Calcutta. Not only Phuchkanwala and Rozario, Anderson also used to visit the office of Gajendra Saha, whenever he was in Calcutta. So you can well understand the importance of this hippo in Rainbow.” Talukdar said. “I am expecting another important person, oh! He has come.”

“Namaste! Namaste! Gurujee! Welcome to Rainbow! Hallow Rakesh! How are you? Please escort Gurujee to that side. Mr. Rozario and others are awaiting him eagerly.” Talukdar said.

Seeing Gurujee from distance, Nag came forward and welcomed Gurujee. He then escorted him to Rozario and Kelvin.

Gurujee as addressed by both Talukdar and Nag was also a man of enormous size both in length and breadth. He was having long hairs and beards with matching thick moustache and cloaked in long silk kurta and pyjama of deep orange colour. With round vermilion mark of almost one-inch diameter on his forehead above the eyebrows and half a dozen necklaces of wooden and glass beads hanging down his big tummy, he looked like tantrik monk, one of the self-made saviours of mankind.

“Very very important person to Rainbow. Gurujee is from Darbhanga of Bihar state and discovery of Rakesh Tiwari, our Institutional Executive for ethical products in Bihar. Through Gurujees’s influence over state and central ministers, Rainbow got business of several lakhs of rupees. I will tell you more about him afterwards. Talukdar said.”

“Good evening Mr. Khan! Welcome to Rainbow. Please go that side, Mr. Nag and our big bosses are waiting for you. Oh! PK! Please escort Mr. Khan.” Talukdar said.

After Mr. Khan had gone inside with P. K. Sanyal, Talukdar said, “He is very powerful senior police sergeant and good friend of Nag and mine. Khan looks after the traffic regulation of our office area. Rainbow cars always escape penalty for traffic violation only due to courtesy of Nawab Khan.”

Nawab Khan was really like Nawab in appearance. He was tall and handsome having well shaped muscular physique. I saw him twice on the road junction controlling traffic in his white uniform. This evening he was clad in casual dress i.e. half-sleeved printed shirt and black trousers.

“Good evening Dilip! Where is Mrs. Sen?”

Talukdar asked Dilip Sen, sales tax consultant who was accompanied by a middle aged gentleman.

“Sorry! She is not well this evening. Meet Mr. Mondol, commercial tax officer of our area.” Sen replied.

After they had gone inside, Talukdar said, “We do not bother for sales tax problems as Dilip has got tremendous hold with the department.”

Binoy Bhusan Bhar escorted one gentleman and introduced him with Talukdar and me. He was Mr. Pal Choudhury, superintendent of excise vigilance.

“Good evening Sir! You are most welcome to Rainbow. Bhar! Please look after Mr. Pal Choudhury.

“Here comes Chotan Dastidar, our local guardian.” Talukdar whispered to me.

“Good evening Mr. Dastidar! You are most welcome to Rainbow.”

“Where is your Nag? Hope Rozario has also come.” Dastidar said in his hoarse voice.

“Oh yes! Everybody is there. We will meet them right now.” Talukdar escorted Dastidar to the VIPs and came back immediately.

He said, “Have you heard of Chotan Dastidar anytime?”

“Yes! I saw his name in the newspapers.” I said.

“He is the same man and local don of our office area. Any transaction regarding house, flat, construction of new building, demolishment of old building or opening of a new office, Chotan must be informed, as his approval is necessary. You know, our office area was once a purely residential area of well-to-do families. Old palatial buildings are being demolished and high rise buildings are coming up. Private companies and government departments are shifting or opening their offices in these new buildings. Some old buildings are renovated and housing offices of big companies like Rainbow. So, persons like Chotan Dastidar are making their fortune. Without being member of state assembly or parliament, he moves like a minister with red light on his car and gets salute from the traffic police. He is personal friend of senior police officers and trusted person of a powerful minister who always protects him from rape and murder cases.

Without support of Chotan Dastidar, candidate for assembly or parliamentary seat will never win the election from the constituency.

Such a man like Chotan Dastidar is a patron of Rainbow. Besides Scotch whiskey bottle time to time, Nag has arranged a permanent monthly levy for Dastidar and Rainbow is free from all local problems including staff agitation.” Talukdar paused as probably another VIP appeared before us.

“Hallow Sir! Good evening! Welcome to Rainbow.” Talukdar said and without knowing his identity I also smiled and said, “Good evening Sir!”

A middle-aged man with square-cut stern face and hairless scalp was a senior officer of the local office of defence store and supply. He was escorted by Uttam Das, Institutional Executive Rainbow Pharma Division. By courtesy of this officer i.e. Major Batra, entire order for multivitamin tablet and cough syrup comes to Rainbow. Though officially, Uttam Das is under Ramani Talukdar, DM of Pharma Division, for all matters i.e. commission and gifts for government officers, the former discusses directly with Chanakya Nag. Talukdar does not know anything about such transaction and also does not dare to know either from Nag or from Uttam. “This is the system of Rainbow.” Talukdar said. “Majumdar wanted to know the reason for anomaly of the system, and so, he got to leave the company.”

Without waiting for the direction of Talukdar, Uttam went inside with Major Batra. I looked behind and saw Nag coming forward to receive Major Batra and Uttam Das.

“Bose! Be very careful of the hypocrites.” Talukdar whispered.

“Sirs! Please do come to the inaugural ceremony of the cocktail party.” Gouri Chatterjee requested us.

Rozario, Kelvin, Nag, Mrs. Nag, head office managers, various honoured guests as received by us were standing in semi-circular form with Rainbow office and field staffs, some with their wives behind them.

Rozario was wearing a full sleeved casual printed shirt having pictures of the wild animals of African jungle. Kelvin was wearing white sports banian with a red heart printed on the chest pierced by a green arrow. All other head office managers were in the same dresses, only without their neckties. Nag and Talukdar changed dresses in their cabins like me and were wearing casual shirts and trousers.

Chief service steward of Tiny Tavern was standing nearby. Nag looked at Rozario and getting his signal told the chief steward, “Gentlemen! Service please!” Within a minute half a dozen steward came forward with drinks on their trays. As per direction of Nag, the chief steward himself handed over the glasses of Sherry to Rozario, Kelvin and Gurujee. Head office managers and other important guests got Scotch. Kelvin inaugurated the cocktail party by raising his right hand with the glass and said, “Cheers!” From all sides and corners of the roof there had been reverberation of ‘Cheers’ for few minutes.

 “Che Sara Sara – what will be, will be”, Samuel Biswas and his orchestra started their melodious music on a very popular old song. Twisting legs and shrugging his shoulders Kelvin said, “Thrilling! I feel at home!”

Most of the field staffs dispersed with their glasses like the bees of the pierced honeycomb to different corners of the roof. Sky was absolutely clear and the bright stars could be seen atop with the glorious moon. That evening, was also the fourteenth of the light fortnight, ‘Sukla Chaturdashi’ as is said which I could learn from Binoy Bhar. He told me further that he had personally collected information from Alipore Meteorological office that weather would be favourable for an open-air party and there was no possibility of rain or thunderstorm till next morning. So the decorator did not cover the whole roof by canopy. However to remain on the safe side some emergency folding canopies had been kept at one corner of the roof beyond anybody’s view. All sides of the roof along the parapet were fenced by six feet high plywood sheet decorated gorgeously with magenta red velvet and primrose yellow satin.

Opposite to cocktail service counter and on the other side of the roof there was long buffet service counter table covered by milk white linen. On the table there were silver trays containing various items and slowly heated by brass stoves fitted below. Behind each tray there was a service boy standing like a statue in his red and white uniform. On the starting point, glass plates, forks, knives, spoons and napkins were heaped side by side. There were small plastic slabs placed before each tray on which names of the food items were written in bold letters. Vegetarian and non-vegetarian items were separated by the sweets kept in the middle of the long service table. So vegetarians and non-vegetarians would meet at the middle starting from opposite ends. Plates, knives, forks, spoons and napkins were kept at both the ends of the service table.

Though there were so many ladies and gentlemen scattered here and there I was moving alone with glass of brandy. Excepting the managers, I did not know much of the office and field staffs. Field staffs of pharma and home products division coming from Bihar, Orissa, Nepal, North Bengal and North Eastern states were absolutely unknown to me. There were many coloured plastic chairs and sofa sets placed along the parapets on two sides of the roof. But nobody was sitting on the chairs; some were standing or strolling with glasses in their hands and chatting amongst themselves. Some formed groups like honeycombs and were discussing about latest national and international events.

Nandi came beside me with his glass and said, “Sir, please don’t mind. I saw you moving alone and that’s why thought of giving you company.”

“So nice of you Mr. Nandi. What’s there in your glass?”

“It’s Sherry. When the big bosses went to other side, I requested the cocktail steward to get me Sherry.” Nandi said with low voice.

“Why should you be shy in choosing your drinks? In a party you can have anything as per your choice.” I said.

“You are right Sir. But I heard that Sherry, Champagne and Cognac were specially reserved for VIPs. Just to have a taste of this Spanish wine I managed to have one.” Nandi said.

“I am sorry Mr. Nandi to learn about such discriminating arrangement. But how could you know about that? I think service of drinks started only few minutes back!” I said.

Nandi almost whispered, “One medical representative wanted to have Sherry from the cocktail steward after he had served to Rozario, Kelvin and Gurujee. Gouri Chatterjee asked him to go for Scotch Whiskey, Rum or Beer.”

I did not ask him further regarding this matter as I had already developed distaste for such arrangement. Colours of Rainbow seemed to have lost brightness, that’s what I felt at that moment.

to be continued........

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