ALTERATIONS

ALTERATIONS

It has just been announced, we will be landing at Kolkata Airport shortly.

It was twilight the Sun was spreading its dimmed soft crimson hue over the city and its skyline. October ending, little dusky rather smoky affected by pollution. Aircraft hovered and took position over the illuminated runway.         

   Avirup was being nostalgic as it was nearing his landing time, he was somehow tensed and rapt in reminiscing his childhood and, teenage days of Dooars and early youth days at Siliguri. Reminiscences of those days were passing by one by one rapidly like the train was running and glimpses of sceneries were evanishing. Sometimes he was frowning and sometimes giggling which was expressed in his countenance.

 Avirup was immersed in reminiscing, the day when he went to America thirty-six years back, then his mother and father were with him and now his wife Sudha and daughter Samridhi. Then he preferred a window seat now he is on the alley's side as a guardian then his parents were guardian now he is. Parents spent their last days in America. Meanwhile, Avirup couldn't return. Avirup got Sudha as a classmate there and a life partner later.

Sudha's father was Bengali from KOLKATA and mother was from Kerala, they had also not returned to this country after migrating to USA. Avirup decided to take his daughter and spouse to his birthplace in Dooars and visit his ancestral home in Siliguri. Acquaintances and relatives are still living there, Mejokaka and Kakima departed about ten years before, and Chotokaka and Kakima were staying at home there. Mejokaka's two sons and Chotokaka's one son and one daughter. Mejokaka's elder son Anurup and younger Atirup both were living in their patriarchal house. Choto kaka's son Bishwarup also residing at their patriarchal house, daughter Manideepa got married in Siliguri. Mejokaka's elder son is four years younger to Avirup and grew up at the same time.Chotokaka got married two months before they left for America.

 These long thirty-six years must have been changed everything. People are living in this milieu. It does not stop, it continues at its course, as the river flows, changes its course, destroying its bank's habitations creating new banks and habitations like a continuous process. Misery and felicity don't come alone both reciprocate each other and changes are inevitable. How he will witness these changes? Avirup's thoughts were ruptured by the jolt of landing.

 After a long thirty-six-year gap, Avirup was feeling something different, a nostalgic and excited that he could not express. Anurup was waiting outside, most probably he was also feeling something same. However, Sudha and Samridhi have not yet introduced with Anurup  face-to-face But they are known to each other through intermittent video calls. It was the days when they did not have any other communication except physical letters with a long gap and telegram or highly cost ISD calls on emergency requirements only.

 Avirup waiting to pick up their luggage near the conveyor belt, he was thinking, his father described how was this terminal building when his father first flew to Bagdogra airport from here, then it was a tin shed terminal building and the sides were open with a steel fencing not even like the new terminal building of thirty-six years back. And now it has got a new terminal building of international standard, totally different from when they flew to America.

 Two brothers embraced emotionally each other. After a while, Sudha commented from the side;

 "what happened? How long will you continue for ?" Everyone laughed, Anurup bowed and asked, "Baudi how are you"?

 " Yes, brother, I'm fine, Are everyone in the house fine?”"

 "Yes Boudi, everyone is fine".

 Samridhi quickly touched her uncle's feet and Anurup blessed her keeping his hands on her head.

“Boudi,at last you have managed time to step in your motherland.”

“But I am not to be blamed alone. So many interruptions and obstructions of the situation, so it's late, maybe late but we have stepped in, but you? replied Sudha, you could not find any way to go out, what were the reasons? We invited you for a honeymoon trip, and even your Dada told you that he would send the tickets, but you are so a big businessman that you didn't manage your time.”

“Oh no! You two are wasting time with an altercation at the first meeting?” Avirup commented.

 Everyone burst into laughter.

 Sudha added, that “our relationships are hot, sour and sweet means, at first altercation that is hot, then sour which means understanding and last of all sweet, meaning ending in friendship.”

 “Yeah, yeah”, seconded Avirup and all of them enjoyed the situation, Samridhi touched everyone's feet. She had been taught Indian cultures to touch feet to pay respect of every senior person present in the place. Samridhi was really attractive and elegant, all good teachings had been taught to her. It was her grandmother's teachings. Even she has learned Rabindra sangeet from her grandmother.

 Avirup said "Actually Ma earnestly desired to visit, at least once again after the demise of Baba, Her in-law's house at Siliguri. Her birthplace and ancestral house in Dooars, we also arranged and finalized everything but suddenly the situation disrupted, scattered everything left us undone. That morning she finished her pujas asked Sudha to arrange breakfast, Samridhi was studying there, Ma was coming out from the Oratory, suddenly she stumbled on the floor and called first me, Khokaaaa! Momentarily, Samridhi and Sudha rushed to her, they tried to ask how she stumbled on the floor, Ma replied, “I don't know, call Khoka”, Sudha and Samridhi screamed and called me, “I reached immediately but there was no time to allow us to do anything for her, even Sudha called the Ambulance to take her to nearby hospital for treatment. She told me, take care of yourself, Su and Sami. She used to call Sudha to Su and Samridhi as Sami. This is also one of the main reasons. We have nothing to do at our wish except to do all our possible work in time. From then I felt depressed for long days. I questioned myself why I wasn't able to do anything for Ma? At least some medical care but that was not possible, within ten minutes everything was ended.” The situation became a little sombre to turn it light..Avirup said, “let us start for the destination”

Anurup called the app cab, that reached within two minutes and started for the Sealdah station, from there they would return to Siliguri, via Sealdah by Train.  In this way, they came before thirty-six years. Thirty-six years before there was no app cab service, there was a taxi stand outside where taxis were available. Avirup was asking with gusto continuously and looking around to understand the changes.

Changes were evident everywhere, roads were illuminated with LED lights, more or less all the roads were smooth, high rise sky scrapers were flaunting their conceit, long nonstop serpentine queues of varied vehicles, some of those were luxurious enough to prove the status of the citizens, roadside cafes, shopping malls, hotels, nursing homes. Dazzling busy living of cosmopolitan metropolis were evident everywhere. Glow signs were flaunting their presence smart expressions of changes everywhere. Sometimes he was asking about a building, place, or anything else whichever was new to him, sometimes Anurup was answering, or sometimes driver, actually everything was also not known to Anurup. Avirup was expressing his feelings or sometimes keeping quiet, upto Rabindrasadan everything was new to him, but from there it was as it is as it was thirty-six years before except for the addition of flyovers, lightning, decorations, gardens, shopping malls and skyscrapers encroaching the sky. Somewhere not even left a space to take a breath of fresh air. Anurup  planned the journey route contouring the city to show as much as possible. He planned the way from the Airport to Sealdah via bye-pass MA flyover, Rabindra Sadan, Dalhousie through Terity  Bazar, everything was at their position. It was a weekday, office goers were returning home, long queues of people and vehicles were continuing, hawkers had opened their shops, many office returning persons were buying their necessary things, food stalls were packing their utensils.Tea and snack stalls were still open. It is said that everything you need in your daily life you will get in stalls of Calcutta boulevards. Anurup wanted to show a little glimpse of the hustling bustling over populated atmosphere of the city, especially for Sudha and Samridhi. Durga Puja was about a month from now. Avirup decided to acquaint his daughter and spouse with the cultural and social activities as much as possible.

They reached Sealdah long before the scheduled departure, the train had not yet been staged on the platform. But another train was on the next platform which was a DMU coach. They had never seen before this type of train. It was plying from Sealdah to a nearer nonelectrified station.

    Avirup saw a group of teens clad in dirty clothes were swinging and hanging to handles, some of them had big dirty plastic sacks on their shoulders, and some of them fighting and pushing each other. Some of them were bloating and inhaling some plastic packets in their hands and others were snatching from their hands and pouring something from a tube after that they were trying to stanch that particular packet from others. Avirup couldn't understand what was happening there he was really trying to differentiate the differences that he had seen thirty-six years before. Yes, there were lots of differences so many developments, renovations and remodeling of the station. But in these ambience, it was looking very odd to match. He hadn't seen any beggars or vagabonds yet which was very common thirty-six years before, but what was that, who were those children and what were they doing there? He asked, Anurup replied,"Dada those children are living in nearby slum areas they are using different types of inhalants which makes them addicted".

 "Addiction" ! Avirup cried, "Oh my god! These children are addicted to poison, it's a social disease, can't anybody save these children? Can't anybody help to eradicate this disease?" Anurup replied, "Several NGOs tried and continued, but failed. Without awareness and proper planning and support from administration, it would not be possible".

 Samridhi and Sudha were sitting on the bench watching around and discussing the differences with America. They were enjoying the ambience. Avirup called them to come nearby. He wanted to discuss the matter, and Avirup asked Samridhi to join them.

Samridhi was doing her Ph.D. on social changes and deteriorating ethical values in developing countries, main chapter is India. Anurup cautioned them not to come both, one has to keep watch on luggage otherwise could be stolen.

" Yes, it was common in our time also Avirup replied."Samridhi was astonished.

Avirup told Sudha, "You stay there, Samridhi you come and watch those children who are on the opposite side platform's coach, and your uncle will tell you in detail which could be a subject of your research."

Samridhi took snaps from her mobile and listened interestingly from her uncle. The details of those children, are not only in Sealdah Station but it could be seen more or less all over India in all terminus stations or big stations. It is a contagious disease spreading all over the world. It is recorded that more than thirty lacs children and teens between the age group of eight to twenty are severely being affected day by day, mostly in developing or underdeveloped countries, not only inhalant but other addictions also. Several NGOs tried to rehabilitate them but these children are not interested to change their lifestyle. Very few of them could come out of this conspiracy.

Samridhi frowned and exclaimed

" Why? What conspiracy"?

 "There are vast interests of benefits involved. These children are used as human weapons. They spoil their future, they are used in criminal activities and many of them die young being too much addicted and having several infectious diseases". Samridhi shied with grief and asked.

 "Is there no way to overcome this situation"?

The train was coming to the platform, but the heltering-skeitering of the passengers started as if the train will return immediately just touching the platform. They boarded the train after the majority of the passengers boarded. They sheltered at their allocated coup. The train departed right on the scheduled time.

 Avirup uttered, "Oh! It's perfectly on scheduled time, then we could assume Indian railways have developed themselves, very good". After departing Avirup went to the toilet and returned immediately.

 Anurup asked, “What happened dada?”.

Covered his face with a hanky and replied, "tremendous bad smell moreover there is no water, so I could try the other side". Avirup returned after a while.

 Anurup asked, "Is it OK there?"

 Avirup replied.

 “No, both of the sides are dry but the next coach is OK. If this is the condition of a first-class coach then what is for the other lower-class coaches, god knows. These are the services we are availing of, not only that all, the coaches have been decorated with laminates but there is a sticky filthy layer of dirt that means it is not cleaned regularly, the freshener is empty, the fan is fitted in the wrong position, sticky smell is erupting. Let the TTE come I will lodge the complaint".

 Anurup went to the coach attendant he immediately tried to solve the problem. With a lot of hard work to prove his efficiency but could not succeed. He reproached incriminated technicians and the supervisors of the car shed, actually due to their remissness and irresponsible attitude  this harassment occurred. He tried his utmost to prove his efficiency. At last, he left his endeavours and said "Let the TTE come lodge the complaint to him. But I think he also won't be able to solve this problem".

 When the TTE just stepped into the coach the passengers were ready to complain, the TTE answered diplomatically, "Oh yes it is very bad I must solve this but the train has started let the next stoppage come I will solve this problem and I am reporting to the Burdwan station manager immediately, they will attain the coach, before that there is no scope to solve this problem, and please cooperate and use toilets of the next coach". They all placed themselves at their allocated coups grumbling and remarking some odds.

 Technicians came to the Burdwan station, to attend the coach but couldn't able to solve this problem, declared "there is some severe mechanical fault which could be solved from the car shed only remarking these they left the coach".

The vital question is, who will bell the cat? It's our vast country to make the people responsible for and sincere about their jobs, duties and responsibilities is not an easy job. To feel them, their minor irresponsibility may cause so many problems and difficulties and not only in this incident. It is evident in all spheres of life which is affecting and obstructing the growth of our GDP. Avirup is immersed in deep thought. He is really worried about his country he feels, wants to return but not being able due to familial issues which is the main impediment to return back.

 

 

 

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continuation

ALTERATIONS, 2ND PART

 

Avirup woke up before entering Malda Town Stn. The train reached before the scheduled time, but no one came further to solve the problem, Some passengers showed their grievances as if, if they could get in hand, the railway  Administration they will immediately suspend them from their duties, replacing them with suitable persons according to their own choice.

Somebody has given references to their own activities, when such incidents happened with them earlier in another state at the distant station. And some bodies have just excused the authority on humanitarian grounds, considering the railway staff and their families, otherwise, they have such power that they could sack the authority with a phone call only. Excused them with consideration. Avirup is silently watching and listening to all these happenings.

Avirup and Anurup were friends at their teen, but this long gap of years has created a parapet of respect and unseen undesirable distance. Anurup  has a deep respect and affinity for his elder cousin, It is due to their position and status, not in respect of finance, Anurup also earned huge wealth from different businesses. His complex due to his academic carrier, he had to face a lot of turmoil when he was studying HS. His father got seriously sick, affected by kidney problems, His father could not manage financial requirements properly to maintain everything. There were a lot of medical expenses, family maintenance with three children, his wife and himself, and children’s education, so all in a word, calamitous conditions. So Anurup was bound to take care of the business and family in his own hands, but nobody was there to support him at that time.

His education stopped after passing 12th grade and leaving college from 2nd year high school, and he had  taken  responsibility on his own shoulders. Whereas Avirup is a senior professor at an American university, half of the year he tours as a guest professor throughout the USA and Europe. They both feel  a subtle affinity. They look alike a similar in their physiognomy). When Anurup just entered college, Avirup departed for America with his parents, his father joined as a senior scientist at an American multinational corporation.

Avirup was roaming on the platform, looking here and there and finding the changes as far as he could memorise his old memories.   Train blown whistle in time. The passengers loitering on the platform were in a hurry to board the train, a flabby white complexioned woman with a young handsome boy along with a heavy trolley came running towards the coach, The lady asked the boy to come sharp, and she boarded, Avirup was on the side of the coach, so no one noticed him in a hurry with tension, Avirup helped the boy to load the trolley inside the coach.

He commented that it's too risky to come late. The boy thanked him and replied, "Uncle, actually, we came before time and were waiting on the right platform where this train comes every day, and we enquired several times, and they replied, Yes, we will announce. But there was no announcement, eventually we got to know that the platform had been changed and the train was standing there, so haphazardly, with lots of turmoil and effort, we were able to catch the train.” The train departed, and the boy's mother called him “ come inside Babu."  The flabby, whitish woman only once looked back to the trolley and asked her son if it was properly taken, after that, she did not notice who was behind there. Babu, the boy, most probably a nickname, courteously took permission from Avirup and moved inside.

Their coup was on the east side, and in these morning hours, lights were appearing and disappearing inside the coach. Over the fields, farming lands, small earthen hillocks, brickfields, drying trays of silk chrysalis, and famous Malda mango groves Trains were crossing over the bridges. Catkins were waving as if to welcome them, water  hyacinths were stuck to small dinghies anchored in the canals and rills. The nature of fields was changing, gradually. After Aluabari Road, stn  appearing pineapple gardens, tea gardens, and many other cultivations which are not seen in other parts of West Bengal. The weather was also changing  Constructions, highlands, and hills are being visible in the distance. Trains are crossing over the bridges. They have to cross four large bridges over the Rivers before entering NJP. Avirup was nostalgic, reminiscing all about his yester days at Siliguri.

Avirup just woke up from slumber, hearing the hustling of the passengers. Passengers were getting ready, on the passage, he met the lady and the boy in front of him being ready with their large trolley. The young boy smiled and thanked him once again for helping at Malda Stn. His mother never looked back and just called her son, Babu, come, your father will wait on the outside, but never lifted her face. Babu replied, "Ma, the train has not yet reached NJP, standing on the outer.”  Avirup could not understand why the lady did not look back or lifted her face; somehow he was suspecting the lady was very known to him but could not recognise properly who is she could be? And from where she was coming at Malda stn? They have not yet met face-to-face, and it is not possible to ask any lady. Would you please show your face madam? I want to recognise you. What a ridiculous idea. Once he had a doubt of Sunayna alias Modirakhee to him only. At last, the train reached NJP fifteen minutes late due to standing on the outside. Most of the passengers were in a hurry, as if the train would start immediately before their deboarding. The boy said, “Bye, uncle, may be we will meet you again at Siliguri."

 ” Avirup replied, “Definitely, ,where do you stay? Uttorayan complex,” “Ok, where it is?” “It is near Matigara.” “Oh! I have not seen before.” The boy’s mother further gave him a reminder: Babu, come hurry. From inside the coup, Anurup was getting ready to come with their luggage, and Sudha was calling him to help and deboard..There were so many passengers in front and back of Avirup that he could not move hurriedly.

Avirup was not even able to ask the boy about his name or introduction. Within a minute, the passage was full of trolleys and luggage with passengers. Avirup tried to ask, but they wended in the opposite direction. Once he tried to see the passenger list, but that was not stuck on the coach’s wall, either that was waved away or it may not have been stuck at Malda stn. Sudha and Samridhi asked him, “Have you lost anything?” Replied fumbling Avirup, “Something in doubt I have lost, but it is not momentous at present.” Despite that, we may know, What was lost, trivial anything?”

Avirup replied in enigmatic whiffling, “Yes, but no.” “What is that, How ridiculous an answer." I thought, later I discovered no, it is with me, ,in front of my eyes, on my face. Actually, I lost my spec, They all laughed at, and Samridhi told her father; "Baba, you are frequently doing this, it is not appropriate for you. You should have to be more careful before searching.”

Biswarup, the younger uncle's son, and his driver also came to receive them at the platform, They have good Communication and interactions between their families, and they are going to rejoice and united further after a long long gap of thirty-six years, though Biswarup had not yet seen them before physically.

Avirup is overwhelmed and could not express properly himself of an inexpressible feeling, a day that he dreamed of, an obsessed feeling, which he has never witnessed before. Exchanging their dialogues and courteous reverences, they left for their home.

Further, Avirup saw the same scenario, which aggrieved and heart ached him, the same age of teens with polysacks and collecting empty bottles fraying mockingly among themselves, snatching the inflated poly packets filled with inhalant addictive from others' hands. Further recap of the same scenario in a distant station really astonished Avirup. When they were climbing the stairs, a young boy at twenty to twenty-five in dirty clothes begged to him, Avirup could not understand what was happening; actually, what is this? And what is the proper scenario, who is this boy, and why is this young chap begging? Anurup called him "Dada, please come hurry, don't stay there,".Actually he pulled Avirup when he stood there and questioned that young boy, what the reason is why he is begging? Anurup explained that boy is addicted, and also he could harm you or may snatch anything from you before realising anything, so it is better to avoid them and keep your safe distance. They reached on the overbridge. A cool breeze was waving as if  ushered on them, and catkins were flowering on the outskirts of NJP Stn. Avirup stopped there, took a deep breath of fresh air, and deep exhilarating shy as if to relieve his suppressed feelings of grief. He looked towards the north, he was expecting and waiting for this part of his nostalgic feeling. "Oh! It is still there as it was earlier, nothing even snatched, stolen, or encroached. It is still remaining there with its conceit and grandeur. Nothing could deprive, above all anything else mundane.

The great crown of the Himalayas is still shining and sparkling with golden rays over his crown. So gorgeous, glorious, and glamorous as it was before, same with height and grandeur. Avirup asked Sudha and Samridhi to look at this magnificent moment and environment. It is still unchanged, amazingly, among so many changes and unchanged. Avirup prayed to the Kanchenjunga, Please stay as you are, and you were among so many changes and unchanged.