Let me rededicate this website to my ancestors , particularly to the six brothers of 14 th generation : please watch the movie
25 Dec,2012 : Chattogram city Bus Station(saudia): thanked stars to reach there
in time, as our bus from Cox’s Bazar broke down at Midway Inn. Quarrel/refund at Counter, no
vacant chair..overcrowded, people on upper floor sat braving foul
smell of toilet. Our Volvo Bus (with multiple injuries on glass panes
tamed by cellotapes) to Sylhet started around midnight..took almost two hours to travel 10 km within the city..highest
traffic density & jam..the well dressed smart Bus Courier was told more than 5 times to unload us at
Shayestaganj railway station. Volvo
seats are good, but no sleep. Thick fog & no street light..close your eyes
& pray.
26
Dec,2012 : Bus stopped at Chouddagram
(Kumilla) inn..a huge modern building ..toilet and tea, dark due to fog at
6 am...Then Kumilla
–Brahmanbaria-Madhavpur- shayestaganj bypass, We jumped out of the bus. Asked a
person on road whether it is Shayestaganj and whether Hobiganj is near. After
confirmation, pulled out our bags from
the belly of the bus. 3-wheeler…
18 km to Habiganj at Rs. 230. Still semi-dark at 8 am. Braved chllled wind to
look at the route through which my
parents with 4 children,youngest one being 8 months old, escaped on
horse drawn Tomtom from Hobiganj house to Shatestaganj railway station 65 years ago. Driver called out “ Murubbi(senior citizen)..don’t lift the
plastic sheet, otherwise you’ll catch
cold.” Tears rolled down my cheeks remembering the exodus from Hobiganj and suffering of my parents.. ..referendum , partition
of Bengal and threat to life from the other community as communal feeling was fanned by politicians.
I did not know where to
check in; after a brief search we checked in a motel “Sonar Tori” around 10 am.
Leaving Dipali in the toilet I asked a pan
shop (Satyen Ghosh).. where is Puratan
Munshefi ? He said..this is the place. I looked around to fit the landscape
in the framework of my 65 year old
memory…yes.. this’s the tank with cemented embankment! And that's the road towards my
house and river! I almost ran ..hardly
300 steps and my house at the corner on my right with high walls in place of bamboo fencing connecting dozens of
tall & smart supari trees
encircling the house. Another 300 steps in the same direction and you will find the river Khowai…..BUT
THERE WAS NO RIVER.
.
.
Dejected and tired I went to Kalbari
facing my hotel. The place seemed
familiar, I could spot where a sacrificial buffalo was kept days before DurgaPuja. Asked an old man to help me. He stopped somebody on
the road who took me to one Bidyut Roy living near the tank. Two Roy brothers
with their children and grandchildren
are a happy joint family . The senior brother recognized my late father Promode Chandra and his elder brother late Purna Shastri. Even he could copy their style
of walking. He could also remember Chandreshwar Chowdhury ,our next door
neighbor, his servant Chorai who used
to run and jumped into the river along
with his cow. He also talked about Anath Kar(next to Chowdhuri’s house) Tea, breakfast followed. His son Bijon took me to my house..called out..”.Budhha..
achho ni ?”and entered a living room. Now I learn that the river was
reclaimed and the colony is so dense
that hardly any open space exists today.
Portion of my house occupied by Buddha Mahajan(today’s house no.4186) and the portions(4185) occupied by two other muslim families
comprise two –third of the then house
while one third is still vacant (
surrounded by wall)
I remember every space of house. Sketch “A” shows the location
and “B” shows the plan of the
then house : 110 ftX180 ft, E1(entry/portico),E2.. gates , 1..Father’s(advocate) Chamber, 2,,5..bedrooms,3..puja room4..living.
K..Kitchen,T..toilets, HP..handpump and bath. G1 &G2: lemon bush & fruit trees..A shiuli tree and a Dalim tree at the puja room. Entry E2 used
to open to the river ..hardly 300 steps.
. Firm lines conform to the then house, dotted lines show today’s position.
The Video
shows the route to my house from Kalibari Road. The corner where Dipali
and Bijon take right turn housed my
father’s chamber. Buddha’s portion today housed our bedroom1 and long verandah ‘V’. The open space shown in
Video was our inner uthone. The sheds(
cow and outhouse) at the end of the open space remain almost same during last 65 years. The
last portion of video shows the then river front ; Mintu Choudhuri (stage actor
& singer) who is singing with his back at our cow shed and E2, lives in the third house. He
asked for my identity when I was
videoing.I said.. ‘I am a bhut with a
human body who was born here , left the place
at 5 and revisits it after 65 years,’ He became emotional, respectfully requested me come to his rehearsal room..songs, tea, snacks.. introduction to
others.. talks on cultural trends followed..
