Page 167 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

48. Diwali Festival at Hong Kong

First Diwali with staff was so special
I joined the branch in September. Diwali festival was just ahead the next
month. We were told by our senior batch that the Indian customers
celebrate Diwali with great fervor and invite bankers to their offices for
Pooja and Prasad. They also send gift hampers to all Managers and staff
once a year on this occasion and second time to Chinese staff during
celebration of their Chinese New Year around February every year. Banks
also reciprocated by inviting customers for a Diwali Drink and Dinner
Party. We also invited a select gathering of high value customers
whenever any senior boss form India would be visiting Hong Kong.

The bank also used to arrange one dinner party for entire staff and special
care was taken of Chinese staff of the bank by booking 'Mahjong' game
tables for them to play along with Chinese sea food and drinks. Mahjong
was a card based game that originated in China during the Qing dynasty.
It was commonly played by four players and was similar to the Western
card game rummy. Mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation
and involves a degree of chance too. I found they enjoyed it very much
and would book tables positively every year.

The other popular activity besides dinner was singing "Karaoke" that was
a craze during those days. It involved a music system playing the music
without voice and the singer would hold a mike and sing in lynch with
the music played.

In the end of the program, they would hold a lucky draw and offer some
electronic or electrical item of some household use, one each to the staff.

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