DURGA PUJO – comes in every year to bring in the gift of life.

~ Sondher Aalo te, Misti Hashi, Ekta Sugran, Shankho Dhwani Te Bore Eelo Ma’er pran
Ponchami er bela te, mon ta ma’er jone osthir hoye othee.

Today, is panchami, as the Bengali community gears up to welcome the mighty Durga Ma, this year too would be special just like others. I’ve learnt with whatever little experience I have of living the grand festival that each Durga pujo brings in something new to life, a meaning or even a new beginning. Every time when Ma comes she brings in a miracle for everybody. For some it’s the sheer joy of celebrating this epic festival with families and friends, for some it’s the reconnect with the holy deity, some enjoy the glamour and the grandeur associated with it, some the simplicity, some are bowled over with the appearance of Durga ma, and some just lose themselves in her devotion. The list goes on.

But with years I’ve realized whenever Ma comes she brings in a small gift, at least that how I see it. Be it be strength to live a new life or the experience of the mystical Shimla Durga badi, the manifestation of the seed of photography or the realization of being responsible, gift of hosts of friends, the memoirs of those four-five days, adda and cha at 2.00am in the morning, sitting on chairs, saying nothing at all , dozing off but still not heading home, reuniting with school and college mates, surprises about their lives and realizing so much time has gone by yet the friendship continues like the fragrance of sandalwood. The long lists of dresses, what to wear when, coordinating with friends making sure no two people turn up in the same dress, hanging out in large groups and becoming the central point of discussion for the people around, trying out food from every stall, serving bhog, returning at 4 in the evening to step out at 7 again. No rest, no sleep just adda and fun. Underlying this lies the hidden facts of forgiving enemies, meeting lost friends, making new ones, starting new relationships, planting new memoirs, looking at your past as a bad dream and stepping forward for the new one, waking up everyday with the fragrance of Ma, dressing to welcome her, bowing in front of her with folded arms and feeling her warmth and love filling up your soul. Souls getting cleansed with the aroma of dhunochi and the melody of the dhak. Dancing for Ma, to express your affection, slowly losing yourself in the devotion, losing you rhythm, your rhyme to her song. The feeling of losing yourself to ma is so effervescent and enormous; it’s difficult to describe it in words. The glow and the aura makes you speechless, it’s divine.

Durga Pujo comes every year to bring in the gift of life with dhak er awaaz, dhunochi er sugran, misti khawa, sidhur khela.. And many more. Durga Pujo was special every year; let’s see what Ma how Ma makes it special this year.

The lonely road, not so lonely anymore.....

It’s been sometime that I’ve walked the lonely road. Set amongst the millions of colonies in Delhi, the road seems ordinary, starting from a bent leading to another world. By the looks it is a regular road. Enduring the test of time, some would say it sure is never lonely. Surely it might sound a little absurd that a road can be lonely. But if someone decides to meet the road post 8’o’clock, it’s a different story. Lined by variety of houses on one side, some big, some small, some has children some has songs, some has memories and some just stand along. Lined with trees on the other side, trees which become his pals, trees which help him play; trees which make him feel less lonely. As you walk along the road, the silence of the night might surprise you. The night, a very silent and peaceful night, displaying the songs of the stars and the dance of the moon. Together with the road I notice the changing tempo of the glamorous performance of the heavens. A performance which takes place everyday, but we are so busy in our lives that we hardly get to notice it. It was as if it was just done for the road. To bring up that smile, to make it feel loved, to make it less lonely.

The road welcomes each and everyone with open arms every morning. Wanting nothing in return. Cars, scooters pass over, dogs laze around. It plays the game of hide-and-seek with the shadows of the trees. Moring is always fun, with people bustling with the joy of life, but it’s the night which becomes lonely. As the road waits for someone.

As I walk passed the trees mesmerized with its story. A thought crossed my mind; today the lonely road wasn’t really lonely. I was there, there to share the mystical experiences of the night, there to listen to its whining bright, there to acknowledge the beauty of it all shinning bright.

The lonely road, not so lonely anymore.