Sudipto Halder Writings

  Today is Kali Pujo. The school is on holiday. The preparation for the only pujo in the village has been going on, at our house since morning. The people of the village are helping as much as they could. For the first time, it is raining in the morning of Kali pujo. What misfortune! Yet Pujo's excitement is quite extensive. The dullness at Durga Pujo seems to have cleared at Kali Pujo. But, today's sky has no resemblance to the sky of Durga Puja. Today the face of the sky is sullen and not only the sky but many others have sullen faces, I am one of them. Because since morning, Mr. Akhilesh Bhattacharya has come to our house to be a part of only Kali Pujo in the village. He was one of the guests. All the students of the school are present, and their faces are full of sorrow today. It started raining profusely outside by the afternoon, but it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the villagers. Even in this rain, they are ready to worship the goddess. As the night progressed, the r...

  It has been two days since the dark clouds in the sky had cleared. The bright beautiful blue sky of the autumn is visible. Clouds are floating like fluffy cotton balls. Sometimes they’re covering the sky completely for a moment and again clearing out the next moment. Kansh grass flower has started blooming in the distant fields. The southern breeze has started blowing. The scent of Alstonia and night flowering jasmine has begun to waft through the distance. The beautiful golden sun began to scatter gold everywhere; Pujo's instrument sounded. The world danced with joy to the beat of the drum. Around the sky, in the air, in the water, in the trees, as if the news of Pujo was echoing. The whole village was overjoyed. But the shadow of sadness came down on the school. Where is the joy of pujo in school? Not a trace of exhilaration entered, or was allowed to do. It was heard that after Pujo our mathematics Sir would retire and go to Calcutta; in his new home. A new young teacher i...

  The main road of our village was named after the father of the Jamindar; Abinaswar Kumar Path. And, the other less important roads are named after other well-known people of the village, who were known as the friend or advisor of the former Jamindar. One such path was also named after my grandfather, which proves that my grandfather too, was a friend of the former Jamindar. Perhaps my father was a friend of the present Jamindar and I was a friend of Jamindar's son, probably, to maintain that tradition. There was no one else in the village; with I had friendship or acquaintance. My father was a well-known person too, in the village. We were not the Jamindar but we had a well-spread business. We had different businesses, but we mainly had rice mills. In fact, the whole rice of the village was supplied from our warehouse. We used to import rice from various places. But I had no interest in these businesses. How much land is being cultivated! Where are the new shops opening! What...

  The clock strikes six and a half. 'Amal, It has been too late. We will not get any place in the Down Gobardanga Local today', I said. ‘Can’t get a place? Hey, Kali Pujo's shopping is going on, they'll push us off the train', Amal replied. Both laughed at our impending crisis. He has a little knowledge about this crowd because he travels by train from time to time. I have none; I have only heard about the crowds of Bongaon locals, well I will get to see it today. I am Sudeb, and this is my friend is Amal. We work together in the engineering department of a multinational electronics company. We have special work to do. If a buyer buys a new item and it breaks down, we go to the buyer's home to have it repaired. With acquiring an engineering degree, I thought it would be an honorable job, but that's not happening. Disrespect is more we receive than honor; If people buy something with their money and it breaks down in a few days, they will get furious ...