An Excursion with Esprit de Corps

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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!