When you have a mobile lifestyle, adaptability is what keeps
you going. But then there are ‘sounds, sights, and smells’ that you distinctly
associate with certain places. When you come back to these places, your senses
start noticing these ‘sounds, sights, and smells’.
I am currently back at my hometown Asansol.
While driving down from Kolkata Airport to Asansol, we were
on NH2 (or what was previously called G.T. Road – supposedly more than 500
years old).
Slowly I started getting re-adjusted to seeing swarm of
trucks/lorries on the road. NH2 always has been a trade/industrial route. It runs
from Kolkata and provides connectivity upto Delhi. You see more trucks than cars or bikes on this
road. There are stretches in between where you will see scores of trucks lining
the road on either side – taking a mid-journey break. Sometimes you see these clearly overloaded trucks
and you wonder how long they will manage to chug along before breaking down. Thanks
to NH2 being a long distance transport heavy route, there are a string of
roadside dhabas – you can’t give a miss to ‘bharer chai’ (tea in earthen cup)
chai and roti –rajma at these dhabas.
Back at home, I started noticing familiar sounds and
feelings.
Right outside window of my room there stands a huge tree. In
afternoons, you can hear birds chirping while sun streams in through the
window. It’s difficult to do anything then but lie down and gaze outside the
window during afternoons.
Concept of late afternoon and evening undergoes a bit of
shift too. During summers, sun sets around 6:15/6:20 p.m. During winters it
sets around 5:10/5:15 p.m. These times are very different from corresponding times
in western part of country – a little post 7/6 p.m. in summers/winters. This
time around I realized why I am more of an early morning person. During my
growing up years I have been used to waking up and sleeping early. Those days,
my day ended by 5/6 p.m. – and that’s what I am carrying forward even now.
In Bengal, ending of day is officially ‘sounded’ by sound of
Sankha (which usually women of house sounds at dusk). This time around when I heard
sounds of Shankha, I started thinking - ‘what
is equivalent of Sankha in our city lives – something which tells us every day
that day has ended?’. I find none. Maybe that’s why we find it so difficult to
switch off.
-
Yesterday I saw these old music records lying at home. In midst
of technological advances (cassettes, CDs, and now I pods) we hardly use music
record players anymore. But are these record players really outdated? I hear in
parts of Europe music record players are back in vogue – it seems music connoisseurs
find music quality much better in these record players compared to new age
technology music players.
-
No trip back home is complete without talk about food back
home J.
From kitchen, smells of fish on frying pan waft all over
house. Sometimes you heard sounds of ‘jeera’ crackling on hot oil. While Bengal might be known for fish, it also
has a plethora of green vegetables available. During normal days, a 3 course lunch
awaits me. It starts with shaag (saag in Hindi)/posto bata (paste of poppy
seeds), etc. It then moves on to dal and at least 2-3 vegetable preparations.
It usually ends with a fish/chicken dish. And yes – rice accompanies each
course.
Given that I am very particular about fitness, my friends/colleagues
sometimes are surprised when they see amount of rice I eat. My usual retort is ‘If
I don’t eat rice/rice based preparation every day, I don’t feel psychologically
that my day has ended’.
-
Asansol and Durgapur are 2 adjacent cities – hardly 50
kilometers away. But when you visit them you might feel that you have visited two
cities poles apart.
Asansol feels like a commercial and industrial city. It’s a bit
cramped for space and is buzzing with activity.
While Durgapur is also a city with industrial roots, it feels
more planned and open.
The only difference I can fathom is that while Asansol started
in 1800s (when coal was first found in this belt), Durgapur was converted into
a planned industrial city in mid 1900s – by the then Bengal Chief Minister
Bidhan Chandra Ray.
I find Surat and Baroda (in western state of Gujarat)
similar to Asansol and Durgapur. Surat and Baroda are hardly 100 kilometers away but they give you a
completely different feeling. Surat (textile industry, diamond industry) feels
akin to Asansol. Baroda (wide roads, well planned, gardens, etc) feels more akin
to Durgapur.
-
But be it Asansol, Durgapur, or Kolkata – the sights, sounds,
and smells of a Durga Pujo pandal usually stay away with me long after
festivities have ended.
Peace you find during pushpanjali (prayers to goddess Durga),
sounds of Dhak, adrenaline pumping ‘Dhunuchi Naach’, the junk food you can
feast on, and the artistic creativity you come across - are experiences/feelings
not to be missed!
-
Sourav
