Part 2- The impromptu stay

A few months back, while travelling for a video shoot, we met some captivating people who ran businesses in these areas. I could not help but share these experiences in this series while I did take the liberty of changing their names. It is inspired by the values demonstrated by the people of rural India. Their approach got me thinking of the customer service values in small towns and villages. 

It was day two of our journey when we entered a small village called Chitkuli. We had travelled quite a distance. The village was silent, as most people had retired to their houses for the night. Most houses had a veranda or front lawn, and a porch. 

A few people in groups of five or six gathered around a makeshift campfire. We could hear laughter. We stopped to ask if there were any lodging facilities nearby. A boy no more than fourteen years old eagerly responded, "Yes! You can stay over at Sarpanch Khaitan's residence." Just then, an old man with a walking stick in his hand and a saffron coloured turban walked up to our car. He leaned through the window and gazed at our faces, seeming to judge our appearances. He then informed that there were no lodging as such nearby for another two-hundred kilo meters. He then introduced himself as the Sarpanch of the village, and invited us to be his guests. The village was a popular stopover for travellers, so he had arranged a few cottages at the heart of the village for their comfort. He got into the car to guide us. 

We entered through a blue door, noting the floral painting near the entrance. We removed our footwear and dropped our luggage in a dimly lit front room. The Sarpanch led us to a common room with a veranda at its centre. There was a sofa at one end, and a swing at the other. Two rooms were connected, and one boasted a fully functional kitchen. We all made ourselves comfortable. Then Mr. Khaitan handed over the keys and introduced us to Chinna, the caretaker. Once he departed, we went to our beds on the terrace, which were outfitted with mosquito nets. 

The next morning we woke to birds chirping and the commotion of villagers beginning their daily chores. We decided to explore the village a bit before continuing our journey to the shoot. The breakfast spread was already arranged for us in the dining area next to the kitchen. The smell of hot dosas and ghee tempted our stomachs. 

After our breakfast, Chinna took us for a quick village tour in his tractor. All around the village, we were greeted with big smiles and indulgent delicacies. 

Hand looms were the primary business, practised by many in the village. The designs were so intricate and beautiful that we could not stop ourselves from purchasing a pair or two of scarves. In the end, when it was time for us to leave, a few of the craftsmen gifted each of us with a scarf as a souvenir. As we had already purchased a few scarves from them, we questioned, "Why again?" To which they replied, 

"This is our way to thank you for appreciating our craftsmanship," they said. "You could gift these extra scarves as a souvenir to your loved ones and share our stories with them."

When asked about the lodging fee, we were told we could give a donation of our choice, and all the money collected would go to the upkeep of the place and the welfare of the village.

As we departed, I once again considered my question from the Pampri village, my previous encounter that I talked about in my other blog. During our stay, I had forgotten that I was a customer. I wondered, what is quintessential for ensuring customer satisfaction? In this case, it was the humility of the villagers that had touched our hearts. We would cherish the memories of our stay for a long time to come.