This story took place on Jan 1 2010.It was a great occasion to finally go out for a nice day picnic after 2 years.When I said 2 years,I am pretty sure you have understood that my wallet contained just a "Fly" the last few years.The people who expected a penny never mind!.Now,let me come down to the occasion.Actually, I was always down but the occasion demanded the fireworks to go off and set the night ablaze.I reflected the above statement because we are always among those lights that erupt in the sky that night aren't we?.Off course it was new year's eve what else did you expect Diwali at an mid winter.Anyways our course of action was planned but our place of action ahhhhh! uncertain.Since,my brother went off to have a ballyhoo of a time with his friends .My mother decided we should go to a place very serene and soothing.Totally distinct from this part of the world.Whenever she said that, from a very young age I guessed which place we were after and knew that my body hairs will stand up.In other words I used to have the goosebumps.I am certain you know how a child feels when he gets out from his cozy home to look into a world that is totally apart from his living.Does he imagine to venture out someday to visit the adventures waiting for him.Off course not we get to know things through watching,interacting and engaging.It is always during our adolescence phase.Meanwhile,ahhhhh!Annie has whispered behind my back,"Stop lecturing and tell them what truly happened that day".I replied not to you but to her,"getting onto it".Just before I get into the real part of my story I am sharing let me tell you I whispered to her as well.Yeah,It was a foolish thing to write.Anyways,the place was Kolaghat.It is a census town situated on the banks of the Rupnarayan River in the Midnapore East district of West Bengal. It is 54.4 km from Kolkata and one of the drive by's or resting places If you are on your way to Digha by road. I don't know that much about the railway facilities but you can make a halt and if you are eager,you can proceed by road from there.Its a long journey and especially a traffic congested journey.Still one can face anything on there way to a holiday and looking forward to a fresh air from the "Bay of Bengal".So,we planned our form of transportation and It was certainly not a car as we did not have one.Not to mention we even couldn't take one for rent because our pockets replied,"I am empty you fool".It was a train,not too fancy one i.e but efficient to get us to our designated location.It was not an A/C but a sleeper-class where everyone could venture.For not so much of a hefty sum.You might ask,"Now,what in the blue heck is that"."Its just an average man's local train",will be my answer.I had something for trains that is what my mother told me.I don't know it was just that when the train whistled.My aorta providing the blood facility tweaked and started to provide services much faster,I have chronic anxiety and on boarding a train I never forget to use the loo first.
Thus,we were off.I thought after a long time we were going to enjoy this "after-a-long-time-picnic"but things got from bad to worse and at the end saddened everything.Meanwhile,all of that later after I came and sat beside my father on the window seat not before using the loo that is.As we approached each station I enjoyed the scenic beauty and serenity basking on the outskirts of Midnapore some of it being,"A farmer grazing a cow for his feeder","unique birds resting on a tree and with a minutes distraction flying away","A Kingfisher hunting the only fish that can provide food for a day to its bairns" etc.These were few instances I have provided but things I don't know how became warmer by the minute.As the crowd started to seep in.Sooner,from a comfortable seated position I became an abstract art of "The late M.F Hussain".Even though my parents offered me their seats.I refused as I had this tendency to hold onto what is mine and I had to get-up to avoid myself becoming a squashed tomato.That the vegetable seller was showcasing putting the basket on his head.I also got to experience one of the dirtiest scenarios of all time like "A man spitting his pan masala and its flavor making my face red " not before ricocheting on to a window railing,I also hurt myself badly after slipping onto a psycho's urine who laughed and ushered,"god,knows what".Hmmm! you tend to wonder how come people like these enter trains.Well,simply sometimes it happens only in India.After which finally reaching our destination and crash-landing onto the platform by trudging on the corner of the entrance."Wow",I thought what a heck of ride it was.
We started our picnic by going to the outskirts of the place.Well,there was not too many things to see, but enough for one day.My mother's favorite Temple was not too far away.When we visited the "Arati" ritual was going on.We got to see many local devotees and especially the pandits who were dressed in their orange robes and showcased three lines of vibhuti(we can see them in Shiva's forehead).They gave us a tika each before we went near a enclosed shade and relaxed.My sister Annie sat waving a dress for herself.She was quite good in those,My parents went to shop from the nearby stores.While I was alone throwing stones at the Rupnaryan river.We were progressing into the worst boredom phase until two children one smaller by my age and the other bigger the way I assumed it asked me,"Can,you please bowl to me" and gave me the cricket ball.The smaller one said, "actually everyone is out to wet their feet on the river and our bowler has fled as well".He continued,"We,only have a batsman and a fielder".After hearing that I helped them out.Sometimes when they exchanged the bat.Both of them hit the ball so hard it almost went into the river until I made a valiant attempt.In the meantime my parents had arrived and asked me to come for lunch since it was nearly 2 o'clock
.I had to obey their demands.I gave them the ball back and went to a local Bengali hotel.This was the best part of the journey,It was the last thing you will consider the cuisine.To share with you a fact,"I never liked the food my mother made".That is why these dishes made me lick even the plates and to make it much more cherishing. I saw both the boys back again in the restaurant sharing a table beside my family.Their family were also there to have lunch on this fine day.Their family had a girl not too aged than Annie,but she liked her and engaged in a conversation with her.While my parents engaged with theirs and the boys introduced me to their elder brothers and friends.We all had a brief chat after which we enjoyed the remainder of the day together it involved," they showed me how to ride a bicycle","I taught them how to bring a fruit down with a stone", "we also enjoyed feeling the winds in our faces near the river" etc and finally ended the noon period with nice cups of hot coffee after which we got to know that they lived also in Ultadanga road(which is the same road where our residence is).When suddenly my father said,"We have to leave,its a package related to work I have to receive it on time and it is 4:00 pm already".We had no choice but to leave as quickly as possible but not before bidding them goodbye and wishing them to take care.They urged us to go out with them for boating on the river but we hardly,had any time left.Their requests fainted when we said,"Next time if we meet".
While we were on our way home I looked at the phone number they gave me and cursed myself for not asking their names.As we were in a hurry I missed the chance to ask their names and wrote the numbers like a fool not to rule out the fact they carried eight children.A 18 member family is hard to find nowadays. I asked my father,"He had a forgetful memory but remembered their title.He said it was,"Singh".I wrote alongside their number,"Mr.Singh".Even though the return journey repeated the same hectic disorder for me.I only remembered how kind they were to let me share their stuff.In a droopy and dozy state we came back home finding ourselves into the soft wonderland "The bed".I was very eager to get the rest because I couldn't wait to call them.I switched on the T.V.While I was resting and landed on a channel never expecting such horror to be unfolded.It was a local Bengali news channel star ananda now(ABP Ananda).They headlined:
18 drown in boat capsize: KOLAGHAT/KOLKATA- Eighteen picnickers from Ultadanga Road, including at least eight children, were feared drowned this afternoon when their overloaded boat capsized on Rupnarayan river, some 80 km from the city. Rescue operations has just started.There names have been recognized from their title"Singh"
To my surprise I witnessed one of the gruesome,dismay and baleful incidents unfolding in front of my eyes.Same reactions drove my sister and mother mad as well as my father when he came home with the package.On and from that day on wards we prayed to save them if there was any lord upstairs,but the lord has to do what a lord has to do.We witnessed days giving us one body each.Thereby providing only 11 or 12 out of 18 while the rest sunk in the alluvium.We had nothing but to grief and mourn but many will not believe because its truly a loss for the family that has lost.Later,as a remembrance I kept the chit that contained their phone-numbers.Today each time I look at those digits,I find on my head number of bodies that were recovered from the place.The boatmen was arrested and accused but after speculating on the matter.I didn't believe it was his fault.It was natures demand for them.
Even though we just met them we knew them.
