Maa Ashchen

Maa Durga ashchen.
Agey bojha jeto sarat kaal, shona roddur, mathe-ghate cheye pora kash-ful, rod’e ekta pujo-pujo gondho – ei shob theke.
Ekhun scene ta ektu palte geche. Jekhane-shekhane road block kore rasta sharai’er kaaj, shopping mall e thela-theli, rastay barte thaka traffic jam, jaygay-jaygay re-route kore dewa rasta – karon pandal bandhar jonne amader shohore road blocking besh common byapar – police er beshi kore checking – ei shob I holo Durga pujo’r prostuti’r oti-aboshyok lokkhon. Ohho!!!! Boro ekta syndrome miss kore jachilum arektu hole – jokhon-tokhon, bibhinno size’er power-cuts!

Din-kal bodleche, manusher priority’o bodleche, Kajei Durga pujo’r lokkhon gulou je bodlabe, ete ar ashchorjo ki!!!!! Kintu loker shubidhe-oshubidhe na bujhei ei je power-cut gulo hoy, eta ki rajya sorkarer Durga pujor jonne bijli-bachao-samitee’r kaj? Amar to tai mone hoy! Shara bochor je shob jaygay kono power-cuts hoyna, ekhun dekha jachhi je shohorer shei shob elaka teo raat-bhor load-shedding cholche!

Ami ek shomoy ekti mafashshal jaygay thaktam. Shekhankar obhigyotao besh bichitro. Thik Panchami’r din theke din’e 12 ghonta kore load-shedding, on an average, jotodin Durga pujo cholche. Ki byapar? Erom keno hoy? Jana gelo je Durga pujor din guloy boro-boro shohor gulo jate aloy jhol-mol kore, bola jay alo’r bonyay bheshe jay, tai shubidher jonnie ei byabostha. Bojho byapar! Bechara chhoto shohor, tar chotto-khatto anondo gulo, jar beshir bhaag tai Durga pujor shomoy hoy, upobhog korbe bina kono badhay, tao hobar upay nei. Maa’er ei ki bichar? Tini ki tobe taar shob shontaan ke shoman chokhe dekhen na? Ki jani. Maa hoyto dekhen. Kintu ei democracy’r jugey Maa’er ichhe bodhoy mati tei mishey ache.

Tarpor dhorun amader police dada’ra. Tader kache to bodhoy Durga pujo ek dushwapno! Hyan, upori paona ektu hoy bote ( tao shobar noy ), kintu shonge khatuni ta bhabun to? Atandra praharay thakte hoy Durga pujo’r mash-khanek agye theke, ebong mash-khanek por obdhi. Ektu edik-odik hoeche ki byas – janata khepe laal! Maar’I kheye gelen hoyto dada’ra. Kajei enader o pujote nana shomoshyay porte hoy, amra eka noi.
Ar roj office jawar ar office theke ferar shomoy barte thaka traffic jam – shey jeno ek dushwapno!!!! An ideal test for patience. Je ei test e matha thanda kore utrote parbe, shey ekta achievement bole dhorte pare etake.

Ei shob niyei amader Durga pujo – mondo’r shonge valo meshano. Mondo dik gulo amader bicholito kore thik’I, kintu ei shob badha periye Maa Durga jokhon finally eshe poren, tokhon mone hoy, shob koshto sharthok! Tai ashun, shobai mile boli “Durga Maa ki – Joy”!!!!!!!

Don't tell me what it's all about

What do you get when you fall in love?
A guy with a pin to burst your bubble
That's what you get for all your trouble.
I'll never fall in love again.
I'll never fall in love again.

There's this lump, stuck in the throat, that refuses to budge. An emptiness inside. A cynic at full throttle, gurgling from within.
Consumerism is good, I argue with my friends, while promoting it towards the growth of Indian economy. But deep inside the recesses of my heart, a Voice echoes, “but consumerism has promoted packaging…..putting things ( of any quality ) into gay and brilliant drapes and fooling people”.
Me : “But what’s wrong with presenting things nicely?”
Voice : “Nothing. It’s just that packaging often takes the consumer’s mind off from the contents.”
Me : “Well, the consumer has to be careful and conscious!”
Voice : “That’s what I’m telling you! Consumers are lead astray by Packages. Consumers are not matured enough, yet”
Me : “In that case they have to attain maturity by means of trial and error……..simple”
Voice : “Is it so simple really?”
Me : “Yes. Most of the products come with a warranty/guarantee these days.”
Voice : “Most, but not All”
Me : “Those things that are not covered can be changed. You can always buy a new piece”
Voice : “But all things in life are not replaceable. If you are not careful while acquiring them, you may have to do with a faulty or damaged piece all your life”
Me : “Why should I!!! I will surely get a new piece”
Voice : “What about Love?”
Me : “What about Love?!!!!!!”
Voice : “Can you exchange it. Or buy a fresh piece?”
Me : “Ideally you cannot. But these days Love has become rather stale. Moving from hand to hand; rather heart to heart J “
Voice : “Right. A commodity, shall we say?”
Me : “Well, we may”
Voice : “And Love has not escaped the clutches of consumerism, you’ll agree, I suppose?”
Me : “Things have to be in sync, you see. Economy and Humanity run hand-in-hand. One cannot bypass the other.”
Voice : “You are indicating that Love is also controlled by Economy?”
Me : “And why not! Empty pockets are no good breeding grounds for Love. It produces under-nourished crop which cannot survive for longtime purposes”
Voice : “So, Love is not Love that breeds in the fallow lands of heart. The heart has to be cultivated to fertility, which can be achieved through money and consumerism AND packaging”
Me : “Now you are getting the drift of the times, my dear Voice. Packaging is of utmost importance. It can change the taste of the food, the smell of the perfume, the …………”
Voice ( interrupting ) : “……the person you are loving, the heart that would have been otherwise unworthy of your Love”
Me : “(ahem) I hope you are not playing me for a fool?!”
Voice : “ Oh no! Dear me! I’m only appreciating your insight into our current social, and consequently inter-personal, phenomena. Thanks for sharing with me. And I was living in a fool’s paradise, thinking how Love can cure all Ills. And not knowing that actually all Ills cure Love!”
Me : “Oh, you flatter me. You see, one only needs to keep the eyes and ears open.”

What do you get when you fall in love?
You only get lies and pain and sorrow
So for at least until tomorrow
I’ll never fall in love again!!!!!!!!!

My New Experience!!!

Amar latest experience – Nimtolla Maha Shmashaan.
Mrityu khub kach theke,in fact barir bhetore theke dekhechi. Kintu Shmashaan ei prothom darshan holo jibone.

Onek golpo shunechilam agey, shmashaan niye. Ei ekta abhigyata dekhechi loke besh gambhirjer shonge, athacha tariye-tariye bole thake. Mane jahir korte chai je shey jiboner ek abhinna anga ke dekheche. Bojhate chai je shey jibon ke ultimately bujhte pereche.

Shey ek besh jayga. Amar Maa’r oboshyo ichhe chilo na je ami jai, kintu shesh-mesh ek mesho maa ke bojhalen je “or to life er practical jinish gulo dekha uchit”. Ta ami onar kache kritogyo thakbo.
Khulei boli. Amar dida mara gelen. Prochondo ekta active life lead korar porey, besh 7-8 mash bhuge ebong shojja-shayee theke, obosheshe tini biday nilen. Ek Monday morning blue laden mon niye office jachhi, emon shomoy khobor elo je uni ar nei. Kajei office er kachh thekei gari ghurie ghotona-sthole pouchute holo. Prochondo ekta uneasy feeling hochhilo. Bhaggish Saturday te dida r kache gechilam. Noile to ar dekhtei partam na! God is there. He makes sure that everything happens in good time.

Let me come back to the actual point I want to make. Or is there a point at all? I don’t know. Let me proceed…
All relevant people were informed. And almost everyone came down to pay my dida a last visit. I guess her PR skills are to be praised!

Amar dida khub organized chilen. Agey thekei janiye rekhechilen je onake jeno Nimtolla’y niye jaw ahoy ( jehetu amar dadu keo okhanei niye jawa hoechilo- 29 years back). And that she should make her final earthly travel in one of those modern glass hearses. So Be It! Etao ekta dekhar bishoy chilo, je sheba shangasthan theke amra gari bhara korlam, tader kormi der utshaho. After all this is their bread n butter! Etao ekta profession! Agekar diney paray kichu “faltu” chele thakto, jara ar kono kaje lagto na, tara erom parapokar kore thakto. Ekhun shetai ekta organized professional service e rupantorito hoeche!

Jai hok- shmashaan jayga’tar kothay ashi. Shey ek jayga – Ganga’r dhare, purono Kolkatay. Ekta not-so-chowra rasta, jar du dhare dokaner line- cha’er dokan, pujor jinish er dokan,ityadi. Shob theke interesting, dokan guloy ganja’r kolke thore-thore shajano!!!! Baba Bhootnath er mondir tao besh laglo. Shey din ta Srabon masher shesh shombar chilo, tai shob chele-meye ra Baba Taraknath’er ( ba onno je kono shib thakurer) mathay jol dhalbar jonne okhankar dokan thekei banke kolshi boshiye, ganga theke jol bhore paye hete rowna dichilo. Aro ekta odbhut drishyo dekhlam. Ek mohila dondi kete rasta diye jachhilen ar tar shonge besh boro ekta group uthshaho dite-dite jachilo.

Amar Maa’r kora nirdesh chilo amar cousin ke “shon, o jeno eka kothao na jay. Or shonge-shonge thakbi.Shmashane nana-rokom lok thake!” – tai amar bon r ami almost sharakkhon haat dhore ghurlam. Shudhu tai noy, onnoder pechone theke guard o dilam!
Dida ke niye diye giye electric chulli’r shamne mati’te ,ekta bansher frame er opore rakha holo. Tarpor jotha-bidhi pujo holo ebong amra opekkha korte laglam shomoy’er. Tar I modhye abar ek jhamela – dom er prapyo taka. Sheta niye’o dor korte holo! Oder kache amra customer. Ora daam hakbe uchu dor’e, ar amra sheta ke ekta reasonable rate e anar cheshta korbo – etai niyom! Fortunately, amder line dite hoyni ( o yes, ekhaneo queue system ache). But amader por-por I onek gulo body eshe gelo. Tader modhye ekjon der kanna dekhe amar mone holo era bodhoy hindi-bangla cinema dekhe practice kore esheche. Amar udyeshyo tader emotions ke aghaat kora noy. Kintu kanna’r shonge tara je dialogue dichilo, tate ami erom na bhebe thakte parlam na. Amake khoma korben.

Ek shomoy amader bola holo je ei baar ashol kaj hobe. Dida ke chulli’r dike niye jabe, emon shomoy hothat dekhlam kotha theke ek gada chele-chokra’r ekta dol eshe hajir hoe gelo. Eder ke etokkhon kotthao dekhini. Tader ke bhed kore chulli ta dekha’I amar kache ekta challenge hoe daralo. Yes,amar besh interest chilo chulli ta dekha’r. Kono idea chilo na amar byapar ta kemon hobe.
Chulli te time lagey 45 minutes. So went to have tea and biscuits to kill the time. Ami ar okhanei biscuit khete parlam na – khanik’ta unhygienic bhebe, ar khanik’ta ichhe korchilo na khete.
Shob shesh hole, Ganga’y asthi bishorjon diye shurjasto dekhlam. Drishya’ta khub mon chhuye gelo.

Apnara hoyto bhabchen je shmashane giye ami eto objectively ei shob ki kore notice korlam. Especially jokhon amar nijer Dida chole gelen. But the point is that, okhane jawar minute khaneker modhyei amar modhye shmashaan boiraggyo eshe giyechilo. Amar khali mone holo “ei khanei tahole ashte hobe.”.Full-stop. Er modhye kono argument er jayga nei. Kono choice nei. Kono size nei. Kono discount nei. Kono options nei. Kono exchange offer nei.

Itsy-Bitsy-Pet

Kukur-chhana, kukur-chhana kothay tui geli
Kukur-chana, kukur-chana amar bari eli...

A sudden streak of creativity in composition brutally thwarted by the only other inhabitant of my home........my Maa!
“ Again you have started off about the puppy! If you bring one, make sure it travels with you, wherever you go….be it office or vacation”.
Alas, unlike many organizations in the occidental world, Indian companies can barely give place for their employees to sit. Never mind the pets!

But what is all the fuss about keeping a pet? Why doesn’t a parent understand that a pet can play a vital role in bringing up a healthy and mentally fit human being!

It is a tested and proven fact that children who grow up with pets are more sensitive towards their behaviour with other living creatures, including fellow human beings! It actually helps a child to develop his/her social skills. It is an aid to building up their self-confidence, non-verbal communication, compassion and empathy.

Sometimes a child (like me) tends to become lazy and inactive. Having a pet can induce the same child into physical activity.

A single child is very common these days. In such cases also, having a pet of their own instill feelings of brotherhood, love, loyalty and affection in them. What they miss in terms of a brother or a sister, can majorly be polished over in the form of a pet! Having a dog or cat, taking care of it on their own, also tantamount to building a sense of responsibility and ownership among children. After all these children grow up to be men and women who make up the society. So if as a child you lack basic brotherhood qualities, how can we be expected to become responsible adults!!!

As far as I am concerned, personally, I feel that having a pet is as essential as going to school of studies or getting coached for music or martial arts. It’s a pity that my mother feels otherwise. In fact, she herself could have reaped the benefit of taking care of a pet –going on walks with her pet could have helped her to a great extent to beat her high blood pressure and blood sugar, besides keeping her company when she is all alone at home!

May be another day, another time, another life – parents/family members would ultimately realize the importance of having a pet in the family.

And talking about pets – I am not only talking about keeping exotic or foreign breeds. Think of all the homeless and hapless puppies and kittens on our streets – many of whom encounter untimely death due to lack of proper nourishment or road accidents. So don’t just talk about being “soft hearted” or “compassionate” – take a real step towards it – the street animals need us.

Ekti binidro rajani

Kaal shara raat load-shedding chilo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kono maney hoy?????????
Sharadin gelo, shara shondhye gelo……….think manushe shute jachhe, shei shomoy power-cut.
Besh khushi hoe uthlam jokhon chollish minute pore power eshe gelo………..kintu hay, shey shudhui bhuo asha. Tokhono WBSEB tar ashol uddyeshyo lukiye rekehchilo. Thik jemon golaap tar fool tai dekhei, kaanta noy.
Ar etai promanito holo jokhon - ( ami thik shomoy ta jani na coz ghori dekhini ) tobe andaaj 1am nagaad abar fan er hawa bondho hoe gelo abong ami realize korlam je abar power off hoe geche. Little did I know je this time it was for good.
To add to the woe of being power-less in a summer’s night, the weather was as grim as it could be. Ekta gacher ekta pata’o norchilo na – just bhebe dekhun bondhugon!!! Thhom-thhom korchilo akash, no hawa, no batash – mon ta amar hoe gelo bilkul hotash L
Tobe hyan, bhagwaan ke ghar me der hai, par andher nahin – no mosquitoes!!!! Ki Ashchorjjo!!!!! Ektao mosha chilo na, ektao mosha kamralo na. Kaner pashe ektao mosha bhon-bhon korlo na!!! kirom ekta odbhut kritogyota bodh holo amar – kar proti, ami tokhon thik realize korte parini. Ekhun bhabchi – bhogobaan na mosha – who should I be indebted to???? Ek kaj kori, ami dujon kei pronaam janai. Je kalker durbishoho raat ta ke ektu holeo ujjwal kore tolar jonne.
Raat egiye chollo tuk-tuk kore. Amio adha-ghum ebong adho-jagorone’er ek dolachole ghire roilum – kokhon gheme-neye, abar kokhon shojaag jege.

Sheshe alo fut te shuru korlo, pakhi rao eke-eke jege uthlo, akash ektu-ektu kore forsha hote laglo, ar ami shei shob drishya ebong shonbo ke anubhab korte thaklam ja aj obdhi amar ojana ochena chilo.Shesh’e ar thakte na pere janla gulo shotaan khule dilam raat 4 ter shomoy. Kintu nah, bhorer hawa bole je ekta bostu ghora-fera korar kotha, tar kono pattai pelam na L
Ogottya shei jegei shue roilam. Oi shomoye ar parchilam na. Shorir er shob shokti furiye esheche raatri jagoroner fole. Chokh chaiche pran-pon gobhir ghum e mogno hote, kintu uttapta deho – fan na ghorar jonne- takey allow korche na.Emon shomoy hothat!!!!!!! – fan ghurlo, hawa dilo, abaaaarrrrrrrr shob nishchup. Ghotona ta du-bar repeat holo. Arthaat du bar khoniker jonne power esheo chole gelo abar.
7AM e finally jokhon power on holo, tokhon na ache ghumonor time, na ache mood. Ei bhabei glanite, dukkhe, koshte katlo ekti binidro rajani!!!!!!!!!