When Airports Had A Soul And Became Our Memory

Some places are etched into our memories and even when they are replaced by grander, gleaming structures, they can never be replaced.
We try to hold on to them as long as we can.

Till last year, Patna airport was among the last of the small airports in India.

Small airports have steadily disappeared. Patna was among the last ones standing -- as bigger, brighter and larger airports were constructed where old, humbler ones once stood.

They were basic, utilitarian and sometimes frustrating. They did not offer much, but there was an ease to them -- a simplistic charm.

The Patna airport building was distinct. The single storied structure had windows and gates made in the vihara style, drawing from Bihar's Buddhist heritage. Considering the Buddha spent so many years on its land and attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, Bihar made Buddha its very own long ago.

At the entrance there used to be a statue of Buddha, while outside was the statue of the other Bihari stalwart, Jayaprakash Narayan. The airport was named after JP.

A row of chairs occupied a congested seating area once you entered the terminal. A basic cafeteria offered thin omelets and toast along with a sparse menu and served tea in white tea cups with saucers and a stainless steel tea pot.

Visitors and passengers could wait for the 5-6 flights that arrived per day over tea, sandwiches and pakoda served at not-so-skyrocketing airport prices. Even after the airport was spruced-up and two more eating stalls added a few years ago, you could still get a half litre of Bisleri water for Rs 20.

At the new airport now -- like at every other airport -- it now sells for Rs 70.

There used to be an X-ray machine through which you had to put your check-in bags as soon as you entered the terminal.

You then arrived at the 2-3 check-in desks, placed so close to each other that you could hear the negotiations for waiving off extra baggage from the passenger at the adjacent desk.

The queues could be long, and even longer at the security check. Space was a constraint -- there would be just one queue for women and another for men. Passengers inched slowly to get frisked by the security personnel.

While airline buses took passengers to the parked aircraft; you could just hop off the flight and walk your way into the terminal once you landed.

Bags would appear quickly on the shortest baggage belts one had ever seen in the arrival hall. The compact airport imparted speed and efficiency to the baggage, ensuring a speedy exit.

In the parking lot and later along the lanes where vehicles queued to pick and drop passengers, there stood a shady tree. It served as a waiting spot in summer, winter and the rain.

It saw innumerable welcomes and goodbyes. I am not sure it stands there any more. I hope it does.

Patna's new airport is modern. It is like the many other airports that one passes through. There are wide check-in counters, including an international section even though there is no immigration facility. Passengers with international connections transiting through Delhi check in here.

At one corner is a Jivika stall selling handmade products under the state's much advertised Jivika scheme to empower women. Since it is at the far end of the check-in counters and does not fall on the way to security check, it is a blink and miss spot. That is a pity because it has interesting handmade saris, stoles, purses, toys and giftables.

The security-check is a breeze. The boarding gates are spread over two floors. It is expansive, roomy with a lot of natural and artificial light. This Monday, its lounge was finally opened. The entrance on the mezzanine was bedecked with flower garlands, but visitors were not allowed entry till around noon. I am guessing it awaited the inauguration by a chief guest.

Among the Starbucks, Dominos, Subway, Vaango!, Forest Essentials, Nykka, Hidesign, FabIndia, Pavers England, Crossword that one sees at almost all terminals, what stands out here is the local stuff.

Things you would not find at other airports.

The Bihar Emporium shop selling Madhubani saris, stoles, plates, earrings along with other Bihari craft. Other airports could follow this example to promote their state's craft.

The eating stall Gokul which says 'since 1977' on its board. Its window has an alluring array of lassi, rasgullas, rasmalai and chola bhatura etc, but the staff tells me that badam milk is their signature item. This is what they began with in 1977. Its sealed bottles can be carried on the flight.

The shop assistant at one of the beauty shops, after addressing a woman security personnel's query for a face serum, tells me that working at the airport provides a better work environment than in a city store.

The customers are polite; they end up buying rather than merely browsing and provide staff an opportunity to learn from passenger interactions.

One of the most unique and distinctive features of Patna airport are the breathtaking Madhubani paintings, stretching across entire walls. It is truly one of the best sights the airport offers -- a celebration of the state's heritage.

The new airport is better, brighter with bells and whistles to keep passengers occupied before a flight. It is expansive so you can easily complete your 7,000 to 10,000 steps for the day.

Yet, despite all the grandeur, I miss the simplicity and unassuming charm of the old airport. Maybe because some places are etched into our memories and even when they are replaced by grander, gleaming structures, they can never be replaced.

We try to hold on to them as hard as we can.

Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff