Kolkata - the old haggard

I meet Kolkata every morning. Through it's smoky winter outlines crawls up the ghastly remains of an old city.

The old woman, sitting idle on the footpath with a shapeless-colurless bowl in front of her looking up at the shining black trousers and swift green skirts passing by represents Kolkata for me. With her face and her hair completely filled with dirt and a tattered sari, she probably succeeds in melting a few citizen's hearts. Five rupees? Enough for her to pounce upon the biscuits and a cup of tea at the tarpaulin covered tea-stall. Where did she come from, I often try to imagine. From the villages? where once, a few decades before she might have had a thatched-roof house, a drunkard as a husband, a few acres of land belonging to her landlord which they were allowed to plough on. Five hungry innocent faces waiting for her to finish cooking, the husband becoming a regular monster at night. Then one day as if the misfortunes were not enough and the husband had an accident - lost a leg. Somebody told them that "Kolkata" could probably save them, everybody gets something or else to eat there. A jam-packed vendor compartment one morning, the complete and utter horror of watching the hoardes of people at Sealdah station, the beggars community, the regular insults. A new life.

Once it used to hurt, once she used to think if it was a human life she is leading but it was not long before the thoughts vanished and the habits kept her going. She became less and less human everyday. Her husband died one day much to her relief, the children flew one by one. But she lived. She is not completely sane now I suppose, not that she would remember any human language apart from a few sharp insults and her regular "boli". But she will probably stay on that corner of the footpath much longer than I would imagine - looking at me with her blank eyes - too tired to extend her hand. And I would zoom past her, jump into a swift cab, flip my hands through my new touchphone menu to hear some sweet voice rendering on the other side.

But she will keep coming back on the ghastly nights - with her almost white eyes she would stare at me - unblinkingly.


To me she is the right metaphor of Kolkata. The old, lost, insane and dying city which to my utter surprise, still breathes.

Amra jerom korey bachi

Khachar pakhi baro cliche upoma, borong school bus-er "lal fite sada moja" meyer mukhta notun. Sohorer gayok mugdho, aha! duronto urey jawa holud bus-ey sobuj pan-patar ki mohini binuni. Sotti, morer mathay daraley, aram korey ekta dhoraley, rod porley, ektu hawa jodi thakey - holud bus chomkey dey boiki. Bukey aka hoye jay pan-pata; kalo dhwoa-ta miss korey jai ekbar. Kintu camera, crew, soundsman, light sobkichhu niye jodi holud bus e dhuke pori ekbar, jodi aro khanikta uttor-adhunik hoye dhuke pori amader pan-patar hridoye, taley jeno khub onyo chhobi photey, alo kom hochhey money hoi, eto dirghoswaser sobdo aschhey keno!


School jawa sei kishori janlar goradey haat rakhey sara rasta, tar agey janlar dhar tar jonno jhogra korey phele Paromita-r songe, tar-o agey, class kortey kortey, tar chokh choley jay barbar - baganey hutoputi kora neri kukur-er duto bachhar dikey. Bari pherar somoy, bus theke namar por bari obdi kajer masi-r sokto haat-ta hat-korar moto kosto dey; pas diye ekta football dhup-dhup-dhup korey drop khawatey khawatey choley jay pachta hasimukh chheley, rongin jersey pora, paye fot-fotey hawai choti.


Kishori bhabey, ar tin-te bochhor, madhyomik-er por college-e dhukbo, "tokhon" - tokhon swadhinota asbey, tokhon hyan korbo, tyan korbo. Kintu amra jara camera tamera sob niye uthechhi, tara jani je kichhu hobey na. Sudhu jailkhanar naam bodlay, bodlay bondho kore rakhar ochhila-ta. Ora ajkey chailey boley, "Tumi hariye jabey, sona", kalke boley "Porchho to kagojey, chardikey kisob ulto-palta byapar hochhey", porsu boley "It's your responsibility to finish the job, plan your weekends accordingly", tarpor din hoito arekta kichhu. Bolar lokgulo bodlay, bhasa-ta, boyos-o bodlay; sudhu boktobyo ek thakey, ek-i.


Ar sara jibon dhorey, suru theke sesh obdi, sei kishori sudhu samley thakey, sudhui domiye rakhey ichhey-gulokey, hoito bodley ney akankhagulokey, paltey ney paristhitir sathey, sikhey ney maniye choltey ar lokey bole je baro hoye jachhey.


Tai bolchhilam, khachar pakhi baro cliche upoma, borong school bus-er "lal fite sada moja" meyer mukhta notun.

Oh! taholey e sob-i upoma chhilo! dhan bhantey siber gajoner moto? To asol manushta ke? Sotti golpo-ta kothay?


Asol manush to chirokal sei ekjon-i. Sei ek ebong odyitiyo, pranadhik priyo, jiboner sob golper hero, sokol onubhutir jonmodata - probad protim sei Ami.


Sukno kajer sokto dori khub aste-pristey bedhechhey. Mon-ta oi pan-pata mukher moto gaal thekiyechhey janlar gorad-ey. Bhabi majhey majhey, rongin kagojer jonno, nijer namer pasey kota otirikto sunyer jonno amra sob kichhu chhere ditey pari? tai na? sob kichhu....

Agra Clippings

1 - Autowala

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Agra-y nemei je jinista pawa jai seta taj-taj hawa noi, seta holo autowala. Auto khuje nebar kosto to durey thak, auto-y je chortey hobey sei realisation ta howar agei auto-wala ra hajir. Ekta pre-paid booth chhilo auto book korar, setar gaye landmark onujayi ki ki trip hoi ar koto bhara porey sesob lekha achhey, seta portey debar kosto-tao keu kortey debe na, otar dikey takatei ontoto 5 jon eksathey boley jachhey

-"sir, only taj and agra fort 100 rupees sir, with garden, market 200 sir, for Itmatidullah...".

-"don't take auto sir, auto don't go to fatehpur sir, take car sir, new indica, fatehpur, sekendra within 900 sir"

kichhui bujhtey parchhi na, chart-tao portey parchhi na eto-gulo matha topkey, last ey ami dhoiryo harai,

-"mujhey parna ata hai bhaiya, dekhney do mujhey"tateo rehai nei,

-"ok ok sir, no disturb sir"

-"come this side sir, i explain sir..."

-"one day or two day sir?"

ami janai je pordin ferar ichhey amar.

-"ok ok sir, good hotel sir, come with me, no extra charge, you get fresh then we start sir."

-"I will take prepaid"

-"arey prepaid is same sir, same cost with me, come here, no queue"
Ogotya, no queue tei raji holam, raji na hoyeo bodhoi bisesh upay chhilo na, uporontu chachamechi ta thamano gelo eta ekta kajer kotha. Chepe boslaam ekta auto-tey, jeta puro trip-ey konobar ekbarey start hoyni, ebaro holo na.Seshmesh seta chharley alap holo Anwar er sathey...

-"Where you from sir?"

-"Kolkata"

-"First time in agra, sir?"

-"yes"

-"Tajmahal is the best sir"

-"I see."

2 - UP handicrafts-er dokandar

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-"Good Afternoon sir, please sit, sir, hindi samjhtey hain aap?"

-"haan ji."

-"ok sir, let me explain sir."

Eder je sobar ki eto explain korar thakey bujhi na, somosto kothakei pellay moglai rokomer baro korey na felley sukh pay na. Traditions.

-"Basically Agra mein paanch chhese-ey banti hain - marble ke handicrafts, baans ki fibre se bani hui sari, banana ki fibre se bani sari, super warm blankets aur mosquito repellant bedcover.Baans ki fibre se bani hui sari to itni smooth hai ke wo muslin ki tarha ek anguthi ki andar se chali jati hai, hamara banana-fibre saree to Rashtrapati Purashkar jiti hai - aap Rashtrapati Purashkar samajhtey hai na?"

Takey bollam je rashtrapati ar purashkar dutoi ami bujhi. Tatey se resume korlo...

-"Yahhan ki blanket to itni garam hai ke ek anda uskey nichey rakhhi jay to wo chowbis ghantey ki andar murg ban jayegi"He he ta ar boltey... amakey rekhey diley aro taratari murgi boney jabo.

-"Boliye sir, pahele kya dekhenge? Banana fibre ki saree dikhaoon?"

-"How do you make it? from banana peals?"

-"nehi sir..."

O ja bojhalo tatey bujhlam je kola-gachher kando-ta diye amader moto thor-bari-khara na baniye, thor theke ora fibre-gulo bar korey ta diye saree banay. Ar ei kaaj-gulo naki Agra prison-er kayedi-ra korey thakey, tar pholey egulor upor tax porey na ar sosta hoi. Je haat ratey sid kat-to, se haat ekhon diney suto katchhey - aha, ei na holey reformation!

Ta sei dokaan theke sesh-mesh ma ar pisir jonno dukhana bamboo silk er sari nilam, banana-ta sahos korey nitey parlaam na, rong pochhondo na holey jodi ranna korey feley taholey prestige puncture hoye jabey. Amar chirokaaler sokh ekta chotto neat taj-mahal er model er - jeta ekdom perfect ekta replica hobey, with real delicacy - ta ekhaney khoj korlaam, jegulo dekhalo segulo ahamori kichhu noi. Aro chhoto chhoto marble plates chhilo with semi-prescious jewels embedded - bisesh bhalo lagchhilo na kintu ami jani je khub bhalo bhalo items o hoi erokom. Ta dokaandar ke jigges korlaam je er cheye better quality-r kichhu nei, tatey se amar dikey takiye 1 second mepe nilo jeno; tarpo bollo :"aayiye saab".

Boley paser ekta bondho dorjaa khuley niye gelo bishal ekta ghorey ar sei Alibaba-r guha-y dhuke jemon legechhilo, serokom jeno money holo amar. Chardikey ojosro chhoto boro white marble-er jinispotro sajano. Konota marble table-tops embossed with semi-prescious jewels, konota pathorer jafri kora bibhinno size er masala-kouto, jewellery box, elephants, birat birat wall hangings, carpets - ar sob kota sada-r opor lal-neel-sobujey jholmol korchhey.Se bodhoi amar haal ta bujhtey parchhilo, ektu somoy dilo amay dhatostho hobar, tarpor amar chokh-ta jokhon opor theke nich ar dandik theke ba-dikey bohubar ghure haal chhere or mukher dikey firlo, tokhon se bollo "boliye ji..."

Ki ar bolbo, amar to first kothai chhilo ekta 6 by 3 marble ar stone er table top dekhiye - "yeh chisey sell hotihey?"- "bilkul saab, 30-35 thousands mein bikti hai woh"- "ok." bujhlam. Tarpor bollam-"woh chhota-wala plate dikhao to. Nehi woh nehi, jaafri wala nehi, uskey bhi pichhey. haan. issey chhota kucch milta nehi naa?"

3 - Jumping boy

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-"Yeh hai samrat Akbar ka banaya hua kuan, Fatehpur Sikri mein pani ki bohot crisis thi, isliye samrat Akbar ne yeh kua banaya. Yeh pura fort ka sara pani is kuen mein aa kar jama hoti hai."-Fatehpur Sikri -r guide bojhachhilo amay Buland Darwaja-r thik samney dariye. Robbarer sokaal, sobey 10ta ki 10ta15 bajey, roddur ta tokhono temon joralo hoyni ar ei tilar mathay ekta furfurey hawa dichhey.

Kuo-ta gate-er ba-dikey, chouko shape-er, basically ekta deep water-reservoir. Laal pathorer opor syaola jomey kalchey hoye gechhey jaygay jaygay. Dekhlei money hoi sei medieaval age-ey koto na gopon hotya-r sakkhi roye gechhey kuo-ta....
-"saab saab 10 ruppes saab, jumping jumping"Je chheleta bollo se bosey achhey main fatak-tar pasei, gaye ekta check-check jama, mathar chulgulo sodyo chan korey otha manusher moto. Ami obak hoye takai, "jumping" maney? Ami takatei chheleta aro utsahi hoye othey, boley

-"only 10 rupees sir"

Guide khub seriously bojhay,

-"Aj bhi log is kua mein kudte hain, wo kella ki upar se. Aap dekhna chahenge? only 10 rupees he takes."Ebar amar bodhogommo holo, hay re! etao taka rojgarer ekta rasta?Chheleta tokhono ashanwito mukhey amar dikey takiye, ami sommoti dilei kellar pachiley chorbey jhap marar jonno. Ami hese feli,

-"Kahin se kudna nehi parega tumhey, baithey raho, ek picture lene do tumhara."

Chheleta ar pattao dey na, samner dikey takiye thakey next customer er asha-y.
Ke jeno sedin afsosh korchhilo India-y kothao Bungee jumping nei, ke jeno...

4 - Old musalman

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Fatehpur Sikri-tei. Ar ek jon. Selim Chisti-r chardik-ta jurey typical mughal style-er tham ar khilan er pattern. majhey onekta baro phaka jayga, tatey ekta chotto badhano pukur, ekdik-ta white marble-er darga - Jahangir-er somoy banano, pichhon dikta gorosthan.

Ei sob lomba sari dewa tham er pattern, tar opor terchha bhabey pora suryer alo, lomba lomba sariboddho chhaya, lal-pathorer odbhut sitolota amay taney bhison. Ami tai poromanondey ghurey berachhi, khujey berachhi kothay chhaya gulo ektu lomba hoye ekta mayabi chhobi toiri korechhey, ar sarakhon bhbachhi, iss arektu sokaler dikey ele aro sundor lagto.Jaygata jehetu muslim-der kachhey khub jagroto dhormosthan, prochur boyosko musalman, paka chul, lomba sada dari-goph niye chhariye-chhitiye bosey-dariye royechhey edik-odik. Erokom-i ekjon, tar dari-ta bodhoi ektu besi rokom lomba, mukher chamra ulo ektu besi-i kuchkano, chokhey ektu besi purono ekta mota power-er chosma ar chehara-ta ektu besi-i pakiye jawa - amar samney esey daray dhir paye. Nijer dikey angul dekhiye boley

-"Picture? picture?"

-"aan?"

Ebar se lomba thamer chhaya-gulo jekhaney uthoney pattern toiri korchhey sedikey angul dekhiye boley,

-"I sit there, 10 rupees"

Amar 1 muhurto besi lagey bujhtey. Tarpor bujhi. Sotti buro lok-ta okhan-ta chupchap bosley ekta bhalo chhobi hoi botey. Hoito hoyeochhilo konodin, kono utsahi photographer-er hatey, tarpor theke ei lok-ta nijer ei chehara-takey candid photo-r namey bechey ektu upori rojgaar korey ar ki.Janina, manush ki obosthay porley etokhani sohojey bechtey parey nijeke. Globalization, consumerism naki sohorer manush gulokey ponyo korey dichhey. Ekey ki bola jay?

5 - Beggar at Station

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Agra station. Dudin prochur ghure klanto hoye bari firchhi. Train achhey 2 ghonta por. Bosey bosey pa dhorey gechhey. Station ta ritimoto nongra, machhi bhon bhon korchhey chardikey, koyek minute ontor ontor ekjon korey cha-ola kimba juto-polish kimba bhikhari cha kimba polish kimba durdosa bikri-r chesta korey jachhey.

Bag ta station er bench-ey rekhey, line er dhar diye ektu paychari korey somoy katachhilam, emon somoy dekhi ek buro bhikhiri - tar kacha-paka dari, hatey ekta bakano lathi, pithey ontoto tin-tey putuli niye line cross korchhey. Tar soru liklikey paye abar dukhana Power-er sneaker. Koyekta line periye se jokhon ediker platform-er samne-tay ese daralo, tokhon bhabchhilam lokta uthtey parbey kina. Amar samnei pray chhilo lokta, hater putuli gulo chhure chhurey fello platform-ey, tarpor lathita chhurlo, ekta amar paye theke jawaw ami birokto hoye ektu nak sitkey sorey elam khanikta. Money money bolchhilam "jottosob, keno je goveernment kichhu korena eder byaparey!"

Lokta ekta chotto hater chapey sohojei uthey porlo platform-ey. Sobkota putuli kurolo, lathita-o, tarpor dhir paye amar kachhey esey khasa english-ey bollo

-"I am sorry if i hit you. I had no intention to do that. Please excuse me."
Ami stunned.

Ki bhasay jobab debo bhebe pelum na.