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s a Management student,
I learnt the importance of team spirit and team dynamics in any organization.
Then, it seemed pretty theoretical to me. I wondered if team spirit really
existed or was it just limited to Henri Fayol’s ‘14 Principles of Management’
which he wrote in 1916. To me, the meaning of team was only constricted to our
group projects where one person working for the entire team was a common
picture. In other words, there was ‘One-for-All’ and not ‘All-for-One’ concept.
In a business law parlance, it used to be a nightmare when I used to have a
bunch of dormant or sleeping partners in my group, who hardly contributed
anything towards the project. I used to be skeptical when our faculties used to
randomly divide us in groups. Sometimes, to my misfortune I used to have a
majority of dormant partners. Our teachers always said, “At work you cannot
choose your boss or colleagues, you have to work with them the way they are!” They
were right after all.
As an amateur in
corporate world and in my organization, I soon got a wonderful opportunity to
bond with my team, disguised in the form of a vacation in Hyderabad. Our
textbooks would explain the qualities of a leader or a manager, mentioning that
‘developing team spirit’ is one of the qualities that a leader must possess. My
team leader gave us the opportunity to understand that. Amicable that she is,
she invited our team for her son’s first birthday in Hyderabad, followed by
sightseeing in the city of Nizams. It was a trip worth looking forward to, as I
could explore yet another city of our diverse nation.
The day of our journey
finally dawned. Wading through the daily phenomena of traffic in Mumbai, my
colleague and I finally reached the airport. As expected, Mumbai airport was
bustling with people everywhere, some in hurry and some at leisure. Life moves
at a lightning speed in Mumbai. Our flight was delayed by 40 minutes, but my
excitement to go to Hyderabad prevailed. After our plane landed in Hyderabad,
one of my colleagues booked a cab to reach our desired destination. In the
entire trip I realized that how smartphones and cab service companies have
joined hands to serve people better. Such business models not only generate
profits, provide livelihood but also provide comfort to the travelers when it
is most needed. Such businesses hold customers at high regard, ensuring
efficient and timely service.
We reached our hotel
and got dressed for the birthday party in the evening. The party had a jungle
theme; therefore the party hall was decorated in green, brown and blue with
famous cartoon characters like Mowgli and Lion King, just how children would
love it. The birthday baby was smartly dressed and he smiled at the guests as
if to welcome them to his first birthday. The evening was frolic with some
games and lots of laughter. We clicked a number of pictures to treasure our
moments. The sumptuous dinner at party had specialties of Hyderabad – Biryani
being the most famous one. We relished every dish over a nice chat. It was one
of my first encounters with colleagues in an informal occasion. I realized that
they were jovial and full of wonderful thoughts and ideas.
Next morning we decided
to the visit the most celebrated tourist attraction of Hyderabad – Ramoji Film
City. It was half an hour drive away from our hotel. It was literally another
gargantuan, glamorous city within Hyderabad. We were provided a map at the
entrance so that we could watch the scheduled shows. The first show was a
pantomime stunt show. It was truly a show proving that ‘Actions speak louder
and effectively than words’. The next show called ‘Spirit of Ramoji’ displayed
the amazing dance and juggling skills that the performers possessed. The show
‘Filmi Duniya’ was a train ride to visit the beautifully stationed puppets
representing different parts of the world. ‘Lights, Camera, Action’ was another
show demonstrating various genres of Hollywood in a hall clad in darkness. The
bright props used by the performers exhibited their talent and dispelled the
darkness around. The performance was a treat to eyes. As if to reminisce the
days of our innocent childhood we went for a show which was meant for children,
yet we could enjoy and laugh there till heart’s content. The last show that we
attended was ‘Space Yatra’ which could give us a life-like experience that we
were in a spacecraft, closer to the earth. Technology does marvels, doesn’t it?
To feel chills down the spine, we visited a devil’s house which was made with
such lights and objects that it was capable of shaking people with fear. We
clicked a lot of pictures in that haunted, brightly illuminated house. We had
lots of moments of laughter there as well. Since the rides in amusement parks fascinate
me, I was eager to sit in one of the rides to see the world go ‘upside down’.
One of my colleagues joined me in that ride. I felt a childlike excitement once
again. The ride lasted for 2 to 3 minutes, yet it was exhilarating. Ramoji is
known for its sets resembling reality and many Hindi movies have been shot
there. Through a bus ride we saw the sets which were used in various movies
like Jab We Met, Bahubali etc. I left from Ramoji awestruck, wondering the
depths of creativity existing within people.
After resting for a
while in our hotel, we headed for dinner at Chutneys, a famous restaurant in
Hyderabad. I was astonished to see a wide variety of Dosas and Idlis. Each bite
of them tasted like heaven. Food becomes more enjoyable if you have a good
company to dine with, and I just had the kind of people with me with whom I
could relish the food. After having a wholesome dinner, we went on a long walk
to Hussain Sagar Lake, in the centre of which Lord Buddha’s refulgent statue
stands. The cool breeze around the lake was soothing. As we walked, my colleagues
and I had interesting discussions, be it about the society or Bollywood. I
always find it interesting to ponder over people’s opinions, to understand how
human minds work. It was late at night by the time we reached our hotel. The
city was fast asleep by then, but for us Mumbaikars it was quite usual to be
awake and fresh even at that hour.
Next day was our last
one in Hyderabad. That morning after having a delicious breakfast of Paneer Dosa,
Idlis and chutney, we drove to Salarjung Museum. To get an experience of local
transport of Hyderabad, we decided to reach Salarjung in an auto rickshaw. To
travel in an auto without a meter fare was a unique experience for me. Haggling
for cheaper fare is justified as tourists are often swindled by auto drivers.
Salarjung Museum is a
repository of art objects around the world, stretching from Europe, the Middle
East to ancient India. The museum is named after Mir Turab Ali Khan and Mir
Laiq Ali Khan, the Salar Jungs who belonged to an illustrious family which
served as prime ministers to the Nizams. We hired a guide who explained us the
significance and origins of the artifacts around. Some of the paintings and
statues were mesmerizing, showing us yet another glimpse of imagination and
creativity. All the art objects belonged to the ancient times, yet their
colours looked fresh and nascent. What intricate art meant, I understood after
watching these manmade epitomes of beauty. I stood in admiration for the
cognoscente Nawab Mir Yousuf Ali Khan, Salar Jung III who was mainly
responsible for the collection. He made it possible to bring the entire art
world under one roof, where people could get acquainted to the multifarious
forms of art and culture.
As Hyderabad is famous
for pearls, we went shopping for pearls. We reached the market area near
Charminar, which seemed like a hub of pearl jewellery shops. Charminar was
horded by people, making it a busy market street. The shops we visited shone
milky white. The varieties in pearl jewellery could put any woman in dilemma!
The prices ranged from reasonable to exorbitant and we spent a long time
choosing the ones that were worth the value. My two male colleagues too thought
of buying some pearls for their loved ones and we three ladies were happy to
help them in selecting the right ones.After all, women not only love to shop
for themselves but for others as well!
Having bought the
special gems of Hyderabad, our shopping spree would not have been complete
without visiting Karachi Bakery, whose confectionaries are mouth watering. Tempting
aromas of biscuits and pastries wafted in the shop. I had heard from one of my
friends that Karachi Bakery served finest confections. Gauging from the huge
crowd that was present in the shop, I agreed with my friend. A plethora of
biscuit flavours were available, making the place a heaven for persons having sweet
tooth. We left the shop carrying a number of boxes in our hands.
My team leader,
extending her hospitality further, invited us at her home for dinner. Her home
is a beautiful abode of two floors. Her baby boy playing a good host with his
mother greeted all of us with his endearing smile. He had recently started
walking and he exhibited his walking skills, astounding us all. The dinner was
a gourmet’s paradise with homemade Hyderabadi dishes. My team leader and her
husband, truly living by the adage ‘Atithi
Devo Bhava’ served us the splendid meal. That day she was only a warm host
and friend for us irrespective of the echelon she held in our organization. I
savored every dish. It is true that no food other than home cooked food can
truly satisfy our hunger. Our hearts were filled with gratitude and contentment.
The next morning we
headed back to Mumbai to return to our busy lives. Similar to the sentiments at
the end of every vacation, I felt morose that this exciting vacation had come
to an end. The moments spent, the jokes cracked by my colleagues and their
amazing company was worth cherishing. After this trip, I realized that I now
know them a little better than what I did earlier. They are not only good
professionals but also good persons. This excursion taught me what the word ‘kennenlernen’ in German i.e. ‘to get to
know someone’ truly means. This experiment in team spirit and team bonding was
a successful one!
