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I am talking about our Namchi Trip. Finally I have managed some time to move on to the next chapter (hope final chapter) of the trip. Reaching the deserted place gave me the much desired break. Though I was very hungry by the time we reached our cottage, I forgot everything after discovering that the place was much more beautiful than we have imagined.

I was lost in my thoughts when my friend reminded me that we need to get fresh as soon as possible and go for lunch. Well, food was nothing unusual. But the dining place was nicely decorated, simple yet beautiful. The use of materials like bamboo, wood and cane ensured that the local flavour doesn’t get spoiled. You can also enjoy swimming in the pool just beside the dining area. Abundance of flowers is another thing that I liked about the cottage.

All of us were so overwhelmed that we decided to enjoy the beauty of the place and asked Vikram daju to leave with his car for that day. Sitting by the river was refreshing. The cool river waves touching my feet, the rustling leaves whispering in my ears and the air kissing my cheeks… transported me to an utopic world where nobody is aware of words like sorrow, anxiety or stress. Those few hours were unforgettable. Taking strolls by the river, collecting pebbles, running after butterflies and sometimes simply drinking the beauty of the setting sun – we could hardly realize how time passed away.

Gradually night came to cover the valley in its dark veil and light went off. But I was not at all upset as the candle light made the place even more mysterious. The feeling is hard to express. It was a mixed feeling. Probably eerie and ecstatic will be the right words to express what I felt at that moment.

Despite of the tiredness, I was thrilled enough to spend a sleepless night because I was eagerly waiting for dawn to grace the valley with its soft light. On one hand I was sad as time was passing away fast. On the other hand I was excited to discover what the next day has to offer us.

It was a lovely feeling to get up at the chirping of the birds, the warmth of the soft sun rays and the bubbling sound of the river. We roamed around aimlessly for some time. The river, the valley and the autumn sky filled my heart with joy.

Our first destination for that day was Samdruptse, a monastery. The huge statue of Guru Padmasabhava, the silent prayer hall, the flags, the candles and beautiful flowers around left us spellbound. We took many snaps and I am sharing some of those snaps with you in this collage.

Then we moved on to Namchi Central Park. It was the heart of the small hill station housing lots of shops and restaurants. On our way to the central park Vikram Daju suggested that we pay a visit to the Namchi Rock Garden which offers a panoramic view of the entire town. Dotted with various flowers, the rock garden itself was also a nice place. I was eagerly waiting to reach the Central Park as I was dying to have the tasty momos prepared by the locals. Other than the food what I liked the most about the food kiosks is that they served the food in very colorful crockery.

Our next destination was a place called Char Dham which is home to the replicas of the four major Hindu sanctums of India. Though the architecture was good, I could hardly concentrate on it. The surrounding was breathtakingly beautiful and I was completely lost. I am sure you will feel the same after seeing these snaps.

Helipad was the final destination for that day. When we reached the place the dusk sky was beading good bye to the valley. The pink rays of the setting sun made the sky look like a canvas painted by the Creator. We were speechless.

We came back to our cottage from Helipad and I was keeping my fingers crossed so that the night doesn’t pass away quickly. But time has never stopped for anyone and our trip to the dreamland came to an end.

But as it is said “end is a beginning”. So my search for a new dreamland begins…

His good name was Pitambar, but we used to call him Peet. Now let me tell you a little about him. As I have said before Peet was very sincere, though it is a different story that he never took any notes the way we did. I think it was because he had a sound memory. He could remember everything said in the class. At times he used to sit right beside the table of our teacher and used to look at the teacher with an “expression” on his face as if he was internalizing each and every point made by the teacher. Peet was a little moody. At times he used to sit or even lay down on the last bench. He gave it a damn to what our teacher had to say, he hardly noticed the black board. But yes, he was very particular about one thing, about attending the class no matter whether he was in a mood of listening to the teacher or not.

At times Peet used to join us at “Bedi”, the famous tree shade of JU. He didn’t participate in any discussion but yes, he gave us company. He also used to accompany us to the canteen and we used to miss him a lot during holidays. I think the teachers also felt the same way.

Peet’s name was not there in the register but the teachers were simply impressed with his dedication. I remember what Epsita di, my favorite teacher used to say right after entering the class “Peet, achis to baba” (Peet are you there in the class). So you can imagine his popularity among teachers and students.

Now let me introduce Peet to you. He was a “street dog”. We used to call him Peet because of his yellowish color (Pitambar in Bengali means someone who is wearing yellow dress). So that was Peet, our most sincere classmate and companion. :-p

TAI TOMAR ANAND AMAR POR

Tai tomar ananda amar par,

Tumi tai esechho niche -

Amai noile tribhubaneswar,

Tomar prem hoto jey michhe.

Amai niye melechho ei mela,

Amar hiyar cholchhe rasher khela,

Mor jibone bichietro rup dhore

Tomar eechchha tarongichhe.

Tai to tumi rajar raja hoye

Tobu amar hriday lagi

Phirchho kato monoharon beshe-

Probhu nityo achho jagi.

Tai to probhu hethai elo neme

Tomari prem bhakto praner

Murti tomar jugalsamilane

Sethai purno prokashichhe.

How trivial the stories are, yet how fantastic? Each story means a lot to the story teller and I am not an exception. The memories are so fresh. I remember when I was only 3 or 4 years old, my Puja used to begin as soon as I could see the vans bringing bamboo sticks for building the pandal. Can you imagine, my days used to begin and end by seeing the pandal? Yes, it is true. Even before brushing I used to ask baba to take me to the pandal so that I can see the progress of the project. After dinner once again baba used to take me to the pandal. Those were golden days of my life. I could derive happiness from such small things.

When I was in class five, Paresh Uncle, one of my friends father and a member of the Puja committee, asked me whether I would be interested to participate in a cultural programme after puja. I can’t explain what I felt at that point of time. For me it seemed to be a golden opportunity and I wanted to spread my arms to grab the opportunity as soon as I can. I asked my friends and they agreed to join me. Oh my God! We were so happy.

As years passed, we got more and more involved in Durga Puja. Ghosal Dida, (Lina Ghosal) that’s what we call her, took the responsibility of organizing the cultural programme. Rehearsal was another exciting affair for us. We used to wait like anything for the rehearsal. Our mid-term exams used to take place just before Puja and I could never concentrate on my studies when all my friends were busy in rehearsing the drama or dance. Naturally my mid-term results were never up-to-the-mark and I was not at all sad about that. Rather I remained depressed about the fact that I had missed rehearsal for a few days. Rehearsal still holds such a special place in my heart, because it was in a rehearsal that I found my best friend Shompi. Love her a lot. Both of us were or should I say are equally exited about Puja.

In our club, Samaj Sebi Sangha, the idol comes on the auspicious day of Mahalaya. Many times it happened that idol came at mid night and on that day I could never sleep until I saw the idol being taken to the pandal. I used to pray to God that the night soon comes to an end so that the next morning I could go to the pandal an see the Idol. Sri Krishna Pal was the artist of our idol and I still wonder how he could make the idol come to life. The face smiling at you… the eyes watching your tears… and maa listening to your silent prayers. It’s an amazing feel. Whenever I saw the idol I could feel that I am not alone, I am not weak, I am not just a girl. Just like all other human beings on earth I am a part of that divinity, that eternal power.

We were involved in everything related to Puja. I remember how we used to rush for Anjali in the morning and Arati in the evening. These were things we couldn’t miss at any cost. Serving Bhog in the afternoon and eating in the last batch when most of the items were finished was a pleasure in itself.

We used to sit in the pandal till 4 or 5 pm, go home, get ready quickly and come back to pandal by 6:30 pm. Our neighborhood was like a family. We used to sit in the member stands along with the seniors. They used to treat us everyday. It was fun, having end numbers of cold drinks, ice creams, watching people and sometimes managing the crowd as well. Most of the years, Samaj Sebi Sangha used to get first prize for such a good environment.

Another interesting that I remember is that, initially the Dhakis used to stay in a small pandal right in front of our house. Every morning I used to have a chat with them and request them to tell me stories about their village, their lives and their families. I remember one Dhaki very clearly. His name was Arjun and he was a damn good story teller.

Each and every moment is still so fresh for me. Bringing idol on Mahalaya, the coming of the Dhakis, Inauguration on Panchami, Bodhon on Sasthi, Kala Bou Snan on Saptami, Sandhi Pujo, Hom, Mangal Arati, Sidur Khela, Bhasan, Bijaya Samillani (get together), Cultural Programme – I miss the moments. These things take place even today. But somehow the old charm is lost. Things have become more commercialized; I can not feel the warmth any more. It’s the outward show that has replaced the hearty behavior of the same old people.

I am still hopeful that someday, someway we will get back our golden days.

Rabindra Nath Thakur

Jani Banglay lekha hoyto anek onyo bhasar manush porte parben na. Tobu khub ichche korche Banglay likhte. Ichche ta ke aaj r badha dilam na. Aaj 25se Boisakh, amader Kobi Guru’r Jonmodin. Sakal thekei tar abhash pelam. Ghum bhanglo Rabindra Sangeet sune. Kono ek protibeshir bari theke bhese asha gaan sakal take khub sundor kore dilo. Office aste eto tukuo ichche korchilo na. Maa’er khub ichche chilo aaj Thakurbari jawar. Kintu office fele nie jete parlam na. Mon kharap laglo. Tobu aaj ami sotti khub khusi. Karon aaj pray 2/3 bochor por abar ek anusthane nachbo. Majhe koyek ta bochor 25se Boisakh kono anusthane angsho grohon kara hoy ni. Ei din ta elei mon kharap hoe jeto eta bhebe je kothao perform kora hobe na. Emon ki kono anusthan dekhte jawao hoy ni. Mon kharap tai khub sabhabik. Kintu ei bochor sei afsosh r nei.

Chotobela theke ei besesh din ta ke udjapon korte sikhechi. Mone ache parar more more, kothao ba stage kore, kothao ba emni anusthaner ayojon hoto. Arombor bisesh chilo na. kintu pran chilo tate, bhalo laga chilo anek khani. Amar besh mone ache jodi kono bar paray anusthan na hoto, amra bondhura mile karo barir chade ba hall ghore abusthan kortam, nitanto sada mata bhabe. Rabindra Nath er chobi ekta table e rekhe, mala r ful die saji, samne dhup jele dewa hoto. Maa der sari die stage er screen banano hoto. Age theke rehearsal kara thakle bhalo. Na hole jar ja ichche tai korto sei bohu porisram e banano stage e uthe. J Koto bar emon hoeche sakale thik kore bikele anusthan korechi. Kintu tar modhye eto antorikota chilo, eto anondo chilo je bole bojhate parbo na. Barir borora sob somoy utsaho dito. Koyek ta din porashuna fele ei sob nie mete thakay jibon e boro khoti hoe jabe e katha aaj kal kar baba, maa er der moto tara bhaben ni. Bhable hoyto amader soisob tao harie jeto. Tader utsaho, tader anuprerona chilo jiboner anek khani jure. Tai amader khudro prayas gulo mulyoban chilo.

Kal Star Jalsay ekta anusthan dekhlam. Mela prostuti, anek jak jokom. Kintu eto kichu koreo sesh rokha holo kina jani na. Bairer arombor jekhane hridoyer anubhuti chapie jay sekhane sundorer sthan boro ekta hoy na. Chitrangada dekhe to mone holo TV ta bhengei feli. Juger sathe taal milie egie chala bhalo. Kintu kichu kichu jinisher mohotyo tar chironton abedone. Kobi gurur gaan o hoyto tai. Tai take jokhon remix kore notun projonmer kache tule dhorte hoy, tokhon sotti khub kharap lage. Mone hoy Nil Dutta type er manush der bedhorok mara uchit.

Jokhon dekhi choto choto chele meyera, amar bhai, bonera keu esob bisoy agrohi noy, Rabindra Jayanti palon tader kache sudhu somoy nosto, bhari abak lage. Parashuna to amadero chilo. Kintu tar jonye konodin Poila Boisakh, 25 se Boisakh ba Pujo te anusthan korbo na eta amra bhabtei partam na. Tobe dosh sudhu chotoder die labh nei. Je sikha amra amader baba maa’er kach theke peyechi sei sikha poroborti projonmo jodi na pai tobe sei day khanik ta amader oporei bortay. Khub abak lage jokhon dekhi baba maa era obolilay bolche amar chele meye osober oto kichu jane na, tachara oder bangla ta temon ase na. Je katha bolte lajjay matha nichu hoe jawa uchit sei kathai jokhon tara eto gorbo kore bole, tokhon thik ki uttor debo bujhi na. Engreji sikhte gele je matri bhasa bhule jete hoy emon dharona amader mone amader baba maa era konodin toiri kore ni r tate je Engreji ta thik thak sekha hoy ni tao mone hoy na.

Jak se katha. Kichu socheton manush hoyto aaj o ekirokom utsaher sathe ei din ti ke palon koren. Kintu age jemon bhor hotei prabhat feri ber hoto, aaj kal temon ta r chokhe pore na. Prabhat feri theke fire ese hoy Akashbani suntam na hole TV te anusthan dekhtam. Bikel hote na hotei abar anusthan er prostuti suru hoe jeto.

Aaj prabat feri te jawa holo na. Tobe sakal sakal maa TV chalie diechilo. Beronor age jetuku hoy, setukui dekhlam. Office er kaj mitie, aaj ektu taratari bari firbo. Tarpor sei bohu protikhito muhurto….

Namchi, Sikkim

Sikkim, whenever I hear this name, it seems that I belong to this small state of North East India. Though I am born and brought up in Kolkata, I don’t know why it feels like home every time I visit this ‘wonderland’. Yes, it is a wonderland, for me atleast. I am simply crazy about the Himalayas like many other mountain lovers. But what makes a difference is probably…. for me, it’s not only about appreciating the beauty of nature, but it’s about feeling safe, feeling myself. Whenever I go to the Himalayas, it feels that I am not an outsider, not an intruder but a small baby who is secure in her mother’s lap.

I feel, places like Namchi, which is clam, quite and unspoiled is far better in comparison to the popular hill stations like Darjeeling or Gangtok, crowded with lots and lots of tourists from all over the world. I feel the flavour of the mountains is lost in these places, may be because of commercialization.

Any way let me move on to my story. Initially we planned to go somewhere else. But suddenly I discovered this place while browsing the Internet. I told my friends about it and they agreed to visit this place after doing a little bit of research themselves.

The Journey Started

Waiting never seemed to be so exciting. I was going back to the Himalayas after two years. As soon as we boarded Darjeeling Mail from Sealdah station, my heart skipped a beat. It was not a dream. I was really going to get a glimpse of the majestic mountains once again. What made the journey even more enjoyable, is the company of my friends.

Night passed away quickly and we reached NJP at 8 AM. Train was an hour late. We had breakfast at the station and set out for our final destination. Namchi was a three and a half hour drive from NJP. Our driver Vikram daju (a local dialect for elder brother) was quite an expert but he wanted to reach the spot as soon as possible and didn’t really appreciate our request to stop at regular intervals. But we couldn’t help it. Nature around was so beautiful that a glance was not enough.

On Our Way to Namchi

It was autumn and the bunch of Kash Phul (reed flowers) welcomed us as we entered the mystic world of the mountains. I had been to the Himalayas in monsoon. The rainy season though unsafe, has its own charm. But the clear blue sky and the white floating clouds were gorgeous. Occasional rains made the journey even more beautiful.

Kash Phul

I wish it could have been a never ending journey. The way through the valleys took me to a different world. Each turns kept on unfolding splendid views of the Himalayas, as if I was watching a flawless painting of the Creator. No matter how many miles you travel and how many turns you take, river Teesta will not leave your side. The green hills, the autumn sky and the meandering river came together to take me to the dream world.

Tista

Within 3 and a half hour we reached Jorethang, one of the major towns of West Sikkim. I am familiar to this town as I have crossed it twice before while going to Barsey and Renchengpong. It is a common point from where you can take different routes. Shared taxi is available from NJP. It will drop you in Jorethang, from where you will have to hire a car or avail another shared taxi (if available) to your final destination.

Green Field

By the time our car reached Jorethang, we were hungry like anything. Thankfully, it took only 10 minutes to reach our final destination. We had booked the Sheperd’s Vacation Home, but we couldn’t see any hotel or lodge where our car dropped us. Vikram Daju told that we need to cover the rest of the distance on our feet and we moved on like obedient students.

Within a few seconds we were standing infront of the hanging bridge that was built over river Rangit. Our driver said that we need to cross the bridge in order to reach our cottage. For me it was exciting while for some of my friends, it was a nightmare. But there was no second choice.

The Hanging Bridge

We crossed the bridge (some happily & some unhappily) and reached our cottage. It was a pleasant surprise as none of us expected the cottage to be located in such a beautiful valley overlooking Rangit. It was nestled amidst of the peaceful woods and the only sound one can hear is the sound of the flowing river.

Our Cottage

But luck didn’t favor us completely. Though it was an isolated place, the ongoing hydel project stood as a reminder of “technology”. But one thing pleased me that ours was the only tourist group staying in that cottage. I decided to ignore the presence of the hydel project and delve into the utmost serenity of the place. My heart filled with joy because I have reached my dream destination.

To be continued…

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is doing awesome!.

Crunchy numbers

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has 296 steps to reach the top. This blog was viewed about 1,200 times in 2010. If those were steps, it would have climbed the Leaning Tower of Pisa 4 times

In 2010, there were 2 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 10 posts. There were 12 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 10mb. That’s about a picture per month.

The busiest day of the year was September 13th with 51 views. The most popular post that day was One Morning in Kumortuli: Realizing a Childhood Dream.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were twitter.com, chandrabali.wordpress.com, search.conduit.com, google.co.in, and facebook.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for sandakphu trek, sandakphu trek blog, sandakphu blog, kalingpong, and manebhanjan.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

One Morning in Kumortuli: Realizing a Childhood Dream September 2010
4 comments

A Journey to the Dreamland: Sandakphu Trek August 2009
11 comments

Ghatsila: Exploring A Known Land or Facing A Changed Reality August 2010
8 comments

The Journey Continues… August 2009
2 comments

Long Way to Go… December 2009
2 comments

I remember how we planned round the year for those few days when our parents allowed us to go anywhere, eat anything and stay in the pandal till 12am. Every year our club organized cultural programs and we started rehearsing 2 months prior to the puja.

Years have passed and things have changed a lot except my excitement about the puja. As a child I wondered how artists could make such beautiful idols. I always wanted to watch idol making but no one bothered to take me to Kumortuli.

Finally this year I decided that I will visit this place and see how the artists make the clay idols come alive. So, I went to Kumortuli with two of my friends Koustabh and Moon Di.

We met at Shovabazar metro station and took rickshaws from there to reach Kumortuli. We boarded a hand-pulled rickshaw, which is rare to see on South Kolkata streets these days. In my childhood we used to ride such rickshaws often. After years I relived my childhood once again.

When I reached Kumortuli I realized that what I have heard about this place is absolutely true. The narrow lanes took us to the area where the artists were busy making idols.

Idol Making, Kumortuli

Since the next day was Ganesh Chaturthi we also got a glimpse of numerous Ganesh idols as well. Let me share a snap with you.

Last Touch

More pleasant surprises were waiting for us. I went to the studio of the famous artists Mohan Basi Rudra Paul to see the beautiful idols of Goddess Durga.

Durga Idol by Mohan Basi Rudra Pal

We got an essence of typical North Kolkata in Kumortuli. I wondered how they move out    such big idols through such narrow lanes. I was happy to roam around and capture a few snaps. At the same time I was sad to realize how difficult life must be for the people who live in such unhealthy places devoid of enough light and air.

Kumortuli

We were taking snaps suddenly I was overwhelmed to discover an idol which was absolutely awesome. The face of Goddess Durga was so beautiful and so lively I stood there mesmerized. It will be unjust if I don’t share the snap with you.

Ya Devi Sharbabhuteshu Matri Rupena Sangasthita

Since it was Friday and we were getting late for office we had to leave the place reluctantly. But one more pleasing experience was waiting for us on our way back office. We were planning to take a bus to Bagbazaar. Suddenly we saw a tram and didn’t hesitate a moment to board the tram without even knowing which way it was headed. After years we got a chance to take the joy ride which used to be a part of our childhood. Kolkata has lost some of its wonderful features and tram is one of those. We really enjoyed the journey and I didn’t miss the opportunity to take a few snaps.

Joy Ride, Kolkata

Visiting Kumortuli was a life time experience and I am so happy that finally one of my childhood dreams came true.

I was excited when I boarded the train to Ghatsila, a small town in Jharkhand, India. At the same time I was scared too. Since the route of Steel Express is through the “danger zone”, I was worried whether my brother and I and the other passengers of the train would be able to reach the destination safely? The Maoists have disturbed the nation so terribly. The way they have troubled ordinary life was right in front my eyes as the destroyed compartments of Gyaneshwari Express were lying beside the train line, bearing the proof of the tremendous pain and the horror the victims of the accidents must have gone through. So the journey was devoid of the usual excitement of going back to nature that I have felt each time I have visited this picturesque place.

I was pleased to see my aunt after years but I knew from the beginning that this trip was going to be different. The next day three of us (my aunt, my elder brother and I) went to see Burudi, a beautiful lake surrounded by green hills.

Way to Burudi Dam, Ghatsila Photo by Deblina

As soon as we reached there, for a few minutes I forgot everything, forgot all the pains, all the troubles and the unresolved problems of my life. I was drinking the beauty and the serenity of the place.

Burudi Dam, Ghatsila Photo by Deblina

Suddenly something caught my attention and it was nothing but the unusual silence of the place.

Sunset at Burudi Dam, Ghatsila Photo by Deblina

When I visited Burudi for the first time there was no one else other than me, my brother and my elder sister. But it was because, Burudi was not a very popular tourist spot then and we visited the place in the month of April. It was extremely hot there and not the time for a tourist to come over there and appreciate the grandeur of Mother Nature. But I have visited this place several times afterwards and each time I have found it crowded with people from different parts of India. There were small food stalls. The local people have also made some boating arrangements for the tourists.

But this time there was nothing, neither the stalls nor the boating arrangements. I have visited the place just a week ago. It is monsoon and the weather is not unfavorable. Neither is the place infamous any more. The reason that people have stopped visiting this once popular picnic spot are the Maoists who are fighting “for the right of the under privileged people!”.

There is a lovely fall named Dharagiri just a few kilometers from Burudi. Nobody is permitted to go there these days. The armed polices don’t even dare to go to this place because a month back the Maoists have blown away a police jeep that was going towards Dharagiri.

Initially I enjoyed the peacefulness of the place.  I enjoyed being there ‘alone with nature’. As soon as I realized the reason behind such “quietness” I was shocked. People will no more be able to roam around this place freely, without fear. The worst thing that I could think of was the condition of the local people whose economic life was dependent on the tourists to a great extent and it reminded me of all other places like North Bengal, Kashmir, Assam and the endless names that can be tagged as “danger zone”.

And the questions ringing in my mind remained unanswered…. How long are we going to live with these threats? How many lives are to be sacrificed to BUY PEACE?