Jun 17, 2009 05:29 PM
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When you call his number the guy’s caller tone goes “Om Jai Jagadish Hare” and somehow that subconsciously makes you feel a little reassured. A god fearing guy, you feel, will safely transport your hard earned objects of great sentimental value – from point A to point B. Sadly, to my great loss, I found out otherwise.
After just over a year in Gurgaon, we had to head back to Chennai because my husband had taken up a short term project abroad. Since we had to pay for the shifting ourselves we decided to minimize the load. We sold off all our stuff. The only things we were to pack off to Chennai were:
Our 29” Philips TV – of great sentimental value since we had dreamed of it and saved up to buy it
Our microwave – since it was relatively new
Our component Kenwood music system + Polkaudio speakers - our first BIG purchase after marriage. So many parties we hosted at home with this system – how could we sell it off? It was a part of our family.
Philips DVD – also new
Panasonic VCR – not new, but we had a strange attachment to it
A mini bar cabinet – also of great sentimental value
A tiny shoe cupboard that I had designed and did not want to leave behind!
Some artifacts that we had picked up from various parts of the world during our holidays – a mini windmill from Amsterdam, a masai warrior from Kenya & so on
Our basic cutlery and crockery
Some kitchen utensils
My kiddo’s toys and cycle
Clothes
That’s about it. When we called leading packers like Agarwal – they said they would charge us for the whole truck. And this was proving to be too expensive for us! So finally we settled on Vaishno Packers because he agreed to take our stuff at a reasonable cost. When he came to survey our stuff to be packed he sounded very professional. He assured us that crate packing would be done for the TV, microwave and all electronic items. Everything else would be neatly packed in thick cardboard boxes and delivered to us in Chennai within 10 days. He sounded very reassuring and proficient – and we signed on the dotted line.
On the appointed day they landed on time and began packing. I was horrified by the sight of his cardboard boxes. They were flimsy boxes – like the ones in which the next door kirana shop guy brings your little grocery orders. In fact – some even had oil stains on them. These were recycled boxes! And the chaps who came to pack coolly started dropping our things into them. Whatever happened to all the ‘packing’ he had promised. I pressed the panic button and told them this was simply unacceptable. I told the guys to get up and get lost. By then the owner – the chap who had first met us – landed up. He pacified me and made a show of screaming at those guys. When he asked – they declared that they had not brought any packing material! Normally they wrap every item in a special paper before they neatly stack it in a sturdy box. These guys did not have that paper at all!! I was ready to hit the roof – when the owner sent them to fetch the paper. He once again reassured me that they would pack well etc etc. Soon the guys came back with stacks of newspaper! And some more – sturdier looking boxes. At least this time they wrapped each item with paper and arranged it inside. But I’m guessing that whenever I was out of sight they merely threw things inside!
They put the TV and other electronic items inside regular cardboard boxes. There was no sign of any crates coming. We called the owner and reminded him that he had promised crate packing for all electronic samaan. He assured us that this would be done at their warehouse. Not to worry.
Finally with great reluctance and fear in our hearts we saw our things go off in a truck.
The stuff reached Chennai 15 days late! And when the truck landed our watchman came up and said he needed buckets or big bags. When I asked why – he said I need to put things into it and bring – everything is strewn inside the truck. I was horrified! I ran down to see. And sure enough – all my things were strewn all over the truck. All the cartons were torn, ripped apart with things spilling out. I felt tightening in my stomach. And I stood there and wept!
We lost everything. (And yes – they never did crate packing for anything.). All electronic items were damaged beyond repair. We had to later throw off the TV and it broke my heart to do so. Our Kenwood component system was completely damaged – the amplifier was crushed so badly on top it was irreparable. The door of the microwave had come apart. Our Polkaudio speakers were missing. I mean EVERYTHING – except unbreakable things like clothes, toys and steel vessels - came damaged.
When we called the owner of Vasihno Packers – he acted like he had nothing to do with it. We threatened to call the cops and put the fear of God in him. Finally he told us the insurance guy would come the next day to assess the damage. He asked us to keep everything as it was. For the next 3 days we lived amidst these tattered carton boxes and every minute of it was a painful reminder of losing all the things we had so painstakingly collected. No insurance person landed up. In the end the emotional pain was too much to bear and we gave up waiting.
My husband had to leave for his assignment abroad. And I tried for many days after that to call the owner – he never picked up my calls. It was hard to fight this battle alone – also because I had to run around to get my daughter admission into a school. In the end I gave up.
It pains even to write this review. I can still feel that hurt at the pit of my stomach. I cannot forget the sight of my hard earned things strewn around that truck. But I mustered courage to write this – because I felt that others must at least not get cheated like me. Please avoid Vasihno Packers, Gurgaon. Please.
