The DC office that was

Padma Jha

It was the glory of Solan — the huge building which housed thee administrative greats but not that huge that one had to ask one’s way about or get lost in the maze of verandas and rooms or use a lift. Some friendly face would always be there to inform if ‘saheb’ or ‘madam’ was in office. It was right on the middle of the Mall Road and so became a strong destination/address. The home or the institution could be ‘near DC office’, ‘behind DC office’, ‘in front of DC office’ or ‘five minutes from DC office’, and there would be no problem in locating the place.

What a meeting place it was! ‘Come near DC office’ or ‘wait near DC office gate’ was quite usual. There were two benches near the entrance, not only for seekers of ‘audience’ but also for tired limbs carrying kilos of groceries. Also, for those wanting to soak in the ambience of a small town trying to mimic a city. Often a grey-haired septuagenarian would be seen resting before he/she continued the evening walk. What a welcoming place.

The pedestrian path which skirted around it was a boon. After crossing innumerable cars, trucks, two-wheelers, carts, etc., when one would reach this walk, one would heave a sigh of relief for that iron stretch of security.

And then, we heard it was shifting! How could that be? Can the Taj Mahal be shifted to a more ‘convenient’ place? Can Jantar Mantar be shifted to Noida? Can Race Course Road be shifted elsewhere? We were indignant. The access to mandarins would now be denied to senior citizens. Taking an auto-rickshaw and facing the ordeal of a bone-shattering ride to the new DC office, where we suspected we would not see a single familiar face... and then, using a lift. A lift! So, this was the change! Yes, it was imposing, it was chic, it had class, but the familiarity was missing. It would come back in due course, we sighed, accepting the inevitable.

But what of the majestic building? There were pictures in local newspapers of some elderly reclining in easy chairs — a new place for senior citizens. Other pictures showed some students studying diligently — a reading room! Fine, let people benefit from this benevolent place.

The wall outside the complex was brought down; a jarring feature. Now, vehicles could go right inside the parking of the old DC office; endangering the life and limbs of pedestrians waiting to cross the road. The old, side entrance is locked; such stench rises from it that one has to rush past it.

There was a game we played in our childhood, which ended so: ‘Purane ghar gire, naye ghar uthe’. This is what it meant.