The Day Airport Security Stopped Me!

Imagine this: it's your travel day. You're unloading bags from the cab and walking into the airport terminal. You check in your luggage, collect your boarding pass, and head to the security checkpoint. You place your hand luggage on the X-ray belt—and suddenly, your bag gets flagged. Your heart skips a beat. You start overthinking, wondering what could possibly be in there. And then, something completely unexpected happens.

This happened to me in October 2023, when my family and I were travelling to Kolkata. It was a calm, pleasant morning. We reached the airport, checked in our luggage, and proceeded toward security. All the bags passed through smoothly—except mine, of course. For the fourth time, my bag was pulled aside. I scratched my head trying to remember what I could’ve left inside. Usually, it’s a forgotten charging cable or my AirPods.

But this time, it wasn’t that. The security officer opened my bag, and I asked to see the X-ray image. What they had flagged was my flute. Yes, a simple Indian bamboo flute that I always carry with me—light, portable, and something I never travel without.

To my surprise, the officer asked me to play something on it. Curious, I asked him what he wanted to hear. He told me he was from Himachal Pradesh and used to play the harmonium at religious gatherings in his village. He missed those moments deeply, and asked me to play something in Raag Pahadi. So, I did.

Whenever I play, I tend to close my eyes and lose myself in the music. Little did I know, my dad was recording the whole thing. The video captured the officer's face—his eyes reflecting nostalgia and joy. He was moved, and it was a beautiful moment.

Afterwards, I was cleared to go, but that interaction stayed with me. Honestly, airports should host concerts—the acoustics are surreal, and the music echoes with a strange serenity through the terminal.

That small musical moment turned a routine security check into a memory I’ll cherish forever. Here's the video, if you'd like to watch it:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzVJTKXvtv-/

P.S. I still think back to that moment, and secretly hope something like that happens again.

Me playing a tune of Raga Pahadi at the airport