Isn't it strange that a punctuation mark that is used to denote a pause or a temporary break, is actually my usual way of ending phrases. I wonder what that means? Does it mean I think only in part...or that I like to leave things open? Or maybe I haven't thought it all through...or theres more to come when I think of something substantial enough. Oh look! I've already used it twice in this paragraph without even thinking about it!
Maybe it makes us look smarter than we actually are - like i've kept some immensely intelligent or witty part...well secret. Oh I did it again! Or maybe not.
A pause in thought? So that the reader reads it exactly as I have thought it? Hmm...that makes sense (there it is again). So that we are on this literary ride together, hand-in-hand ... literally. Ha! A tool for comic timing! For those who can stomach bad puns anyway.
So much versatility in the hands of the writer. Easy. Free. Effective. Now if I could only remember what I set out to write about ...
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Applying for passport...again!
Today we finally submitted Ishi's passport application along with hubby's passport renewal application. We applied for her passport on the basis of my currently valid passport, her birth certificate and a declaration from both parents. She needed to apply her right hand thumbprint in the signature space. We had to re-do the first page at the passport office, because her thumbprint was not valid (we had applied it twice as the first one was smeared, plus I had countersigned it, which I was not supposed to in this place). But I'm getting ahead of myself...
First, we needed to get the application together. Since hubby's passport had expired, we planned to do both applications together. 3 months went in deciding whether to do it directly or through a concierge. Then, around the end of June, hubby got a list of requirements from his concierge, and asked me to get the documents together. Then the whole process went on hold when in the first week of July, the newspapers reported the plan for a Passport Seva Kendra in Gurgaon, which would revolutionize (and shorten) the application process. However, a fortnight later, we were no closer to getting any information on when such a facility would be available and decided that we may as well go through the tried and tested route.
I was keen on going personally (with both hubby and Ishi) so that everyone was at hand to ensure the application went through smoothly. Hubby's initial preference was to get it done through his concierge, but subsequently agreed to do it himself. Today was chosen as D-day. We would be using my parent's place at Netaji Nagar as our base, since it is very close to the passport office. Initially, hubby planned to leave us there and proceed to CP office when done, but being a weekday, my preference was to come back. We discussed many options, taking both cars, taking my car and dropping hubby to the metro, staying back at Netaji Nagar, taking a cab/auto to home/office. In the end, hubby decided to come back and work from home, barring any major crisis at office.
The night before, we sat down, got all the papers in order (I had already filled in both application forms the week before), packed Ishi's bag and tried to sleep early. We weren't completely sure on how early to leave and queue up outside the office, then hubby suggested I look up my blog, where I had written about my passport application process two years back. Much to my surprise (and hubby's amusement) I had indeed written a fairly detailed account, with timings, that helped us quickly refresh what to expect. I also realized, that like last time, I didn't have a covering letter with the applications yet again! All in all, it was an illuminating read, and most importantly, allowed us an extra hour of sleep in the morning!
A thunderstorm kept Nero and me awake part of the night, but we were all up by 6am. Everyone got ready and we were out of the house by 7:45am. At Netaji Nagar well in time for breakfast and some quality time between Ishi and her Dida, with Ishi fascinated with her Dida's pendant (which she insisted on pulling continuously!). We left Leela and Ishi with Tuki to go queue up. Tuki would drive them down around 10am, when the passport office opened, just in time to get in. We queued up by 8:50am. There were already about a 100 people before us. Unlike last time, this time there was no separate token counter or double lines. Just one long queue, snaking around the building. And the wait begun.
Around 9:50 am, the line started moving and we called Tuki to bring over Ishi and Leela. They arrived as we were nearing the main gate, where Leela took Ishi in her pram towards a waiting area outside the building while we remained queued up for a token table outside the door. At the table, Ishi's form got rejected due to invalid signature. Luckily we had brought a blank copy of the application form, and re-did the first page.
Once inside, it was utterly chaotic. I was shocked to see the state, when just 2 years back, it had all looked so organized. The electronic counters were not working, people were willy nilly lining up in front of counters, lines were backing into each other and disappearing into a mass of people...in fact very typical of the Indian stereotype of some strange order in chaos. While it is not unusual, it was unexpected, because just 2 years back, I had seen the same office run in a far more orderly fashion. But then I thought, I had been in the passport lost/damaged section, which did indeed seem a bit more orderly..primarily because the crowd was smaller. Still...it felt a bit of a letdown.
Luckily, we managed to get into a queue that was only 7 people deep at that point, mostly because it didn't actually look like the end of a queue, but more a group of people milling about! The counter official was reasonably fast and we reached the counter without much trouble. Ishi was in her pram, playing energetically for a while, but when we were about 2 people from the counter, she started getting a bit cranky and fell asleep when hubby took her in his arms. At the counter, hubby struggled with trying to get her thumbprint on the application form, while she was fast asleep. He managed the feat, with a huge mark that when out of the signature box! Thankfully, the official okayed it. He checked our other documents, clucked a bit at hubby (because the only address proof he had was my passport - which the website said was acceptable, but the official said that it was seen only in the absence of other documents...well whatever!). After a few minutes of official perusal of our documents, they were deemed worthy and we got our receipts.
Since hubby has a change of address, his passport will take about 2.5 months. Ishi's passport should get done a bit sooner. However, both will go through proper police verification. Oh well! At least they are 'in process' now!!!
First, we needed to get the application together. Since hubby's passport had expired, we planned to do both applications together. 3 months went in deciding whether to do it directly or through a concierge. Then, around the end of June, hubby got a list of requirements from his concierge, and asked me to get the documents together. Then the whole process went on hold when in the first week of July, the newspapers reported the plan for a Passport Seva Kendra in Gurgaon, which would revolutionize (and shorten) the application process. However, a fortnight later, we were no closer to getting any information on when such a facility would be available and decided that we may as well go through the tried and tested route.
I was keen on going personally (with both hubby and Ishi) so that everyone was at hand to ensure the application went through smoothly. Hubby's initial preference was to get it done through his concierge, but subsequently agreed to do it himself. Today was chosen as D-day. We would be using my parent's place at Netaji Nagar as our base, since it is very close to the passport office. Initially, hubby planned to leave us there and proceed to CP office when done, but being a weekday, my preference was to come back. We discussed many options, taking both cars, taking my car and dropping hubby to the metro, staying back at Netaji Nagar, taking a cab/auto to home/office. In the end, hubby decided to come back and work from home, barring any major crisis at office.
The night before, we sat down, got all the papers in order (I had already filled in both application forms the week before), packed Ishi's bag and tried to sleep early. We weren't completely sure on how early to leave and queue up outside the office, then hubby suggested I look up my blog, where I had written about my passport application process two years back. Much to my surprise (and hubby's amusement) I had indeed written a fairly detailed account, with timings, that helped us quickly refresh what to expect. I also realized, that like last time, I didn't have a covering letter with the applications yet again! All in all, it was an illuminating read, and most importantly, allowed us an extra hour of sleep in the morning!
A thunderstorm kept Nero and me awake part of the night, but we were all up by 6am. Everyone got ready and we were out of the house by 7:45am. At Netaji Nagar well in time for breakfast and some quality time between Ishi and her Dida, with Ishi fascinated with her Dida's pendant (which she insisted on pulling continuously!). We left Leela and Ishi with Tuki to go queue up. Tuki would drive them down around 10am, when the passport office opened, just in time to get in. We queued up by 8:50am. There were already about a 100 people before us. Unlike last time, this time there was no separate token counter or double lines. Just one long queue, snaking around the building. And the wait begun.
Around 9:50 am, the line started moving and we called Tuki to bring over Ishi and Leela. They arrived as we were nearing the main gate, where Leela took Ishi in her pram towards a waiting area outside the building while we remained queued up for a token table outside the door. At the table, Ishi's form got rejected due to invalid signature. Luckily we had brought a blank copy of the application form, and re-did the first page.
Once inside, it was utterly chaotic. I was shocked to see the state, when just 2 years back, it had all looked so organized. The electronic counters were not working, people were willy nilly lining up in front of counters, lines were backing into each other and disappearing into a mass of people...in fact very typical of the Indian stereotype of some strange order in chaos. While it is not unusual, it was unexpected, because just 2 years back, I had seen the same office run in a far more orderly fashion. But then I thought, I had been in the passport lost/damaged section, which did indeed seem a bit more orderly..primarily because the crowd was smaller. Still...it felt a bit of a letdown.
Luckily, we managed to get into a queue that was only 7 people deep at that point, mostly because it didn't actually look like the end of a queue, but more a group of people milling about! The counter official was reasonably fast and we reached the counter without much trouble. Ishi was in her pram, playing energetically for a while, but when we were about 2 people from the counter, she started getting a bit cranky and fell asleep when hubby took her in his arms. At the counter, hubby struggled with trying to get her thumbprint on the application form, while she was fast asleep. He managed the feat, with a huge mark that when out of the signature box! Thankfully, the official okayed it. He checked our other documents, clucked a bit at hubby (because the only address proof he had was my passport - which the website said was acceptable, but the official said that it was seen only in the absence of other documents...well whatever!). After a few minutes of official perusal of our documents, they were deemed worthy and we got our receipts.
Since hubby has a change of address, his passport will take about 2.5 months. Ishi's passport should get done a bit sooner. However, both will go through proper police verification. Oh well! At least they are 'in process' now!!!
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