Prologue:
There was a time when I used to convert long notebook pages into multi coloured, thematic letters addressed to a few chosen ones. And I didn’t require a PC and a printer for that. That was half a decade ago. Now my hands shiver & the words remain incomprehensible when I attempt to fill the Black board in my new role (part-time) as a Teacher. But that doesn’t bother me. I have started typing well. I write long, crisp, grammatically correct mails & scraps to chosen ones, friends & foes. Yet, I feel empty and the hollowness echoes back the dreaded words – You dimwit, you can’t think! You can only write English. What about the content – GAS! And you’re also growing fat!
So, I am back to the drawing board. And I start ruminating…
Chapter 0 – The Chance:
I entered my office cubicle exactly at half past eight in the morning – a rarity! It has been 20 days since I returned to office from a month long CAT-exile and the same since I have even exchanged a word with my Manager. It has been 22 days since I realized that not knowing the meanings of ‘besides’ & ‘censure’ can bring down my CAT dreams crashing. My Sametime dialogue box pops up & I am asked to come to the long unnamed conference hall. Little did it occur to me that these were the moments that would take me to a different plane altogether. A huge order from a utility customer paved the way for my first international official tour! Well, how much ever close it maybe, Bangladesh still is a foreign country to India & ensures my allowance in Dollars. I was thrilled as it ensured my maiden visit to Kolkata as well. However, ever since I puked in front of Victoria memorial, I started wondering how much the thrill got translated in reality.
Finally the D-Day; my manager & I have skipped breakfast and are in the Dum-Dum airport. It’s in a sorrier state than few of the airports even in Indian towns. A family vacation to Bangkok & Singapore has me prepared for the cross border travel formalities. Finally we board in. It does bother me a bit that the crew outnumbers the passengers. Bangladesh is nowhere close to being a place of dreams for many. But this is what makes it even more special. I am flying…
Chapter I- Up, up & away (I wish I were grounded!):
As you land in this country of Aktel & Grameen phone, be prepared for warm greetings from cramped & heavily guarded airports. A few hours prior, you might have flown in by leaky National Airlines Crafts or swanky Private crafts. Dhaka enjoys fairly good connectivity with India, Gulf & parts of Orient but lacks the same with the Occident. One can see the westerners virtually swearing due to the humongous effort to reach this misunderstood destination.
Now supposing you wish to travel within Bangladesh. For an unsuspecting outsider, all the basic available modes of transport may seem convenient. But a closer look will demand discretion. The domestic airports with comparatively less security guidelines, the aircrafts that flip-flop sufficiently to make one go dizzy (especially when Mother Nature is at her furious most tempers) and fully Non A/c, old and flaky Train Coaches don’t inspire great confidence within the traveler. But then, I think it’s only a matter of getting adjusted to the situation & being a bit brave. After all even the most prosperous nations experience unexpected flight crashes & train derailments.
Chapter II – Two, Three & Four:
Once in Dhaka, you will soon be on the roads (Don’t worry; only literally not figuratively). Motorcycles are conspicuous by their absence (Though I did spot a Bajaj Pulsar and a Honda something); Buses aren’t even as good as Indian State Transport buses and lack variety. Autos are nearly funny (Atleast to the unknowing tourist). The driver is en-caged in a metal grill whereas the passengers sit behind enjoying the breeze. Any guesses why? To protect himself from getting thrown out & having the Auto stolen! There fortunately aren’t any hand-rickshaws unlike the way they are in Kolkata. I don’t recollect having seen any cycle-rickshaws. But let us safely assume that even if they exist, they aren’t much different than what one is accustomed to.
But it is the four wheeled auto-mobilis that will never remain out of your line of sight. There are possibly no local brands for the passenger cars. All are swanky imported models and are mostly used ones. Originally sold in Singapore, Hong Kong etc. they are brought into Bangladesh after refurbishment in Malaysia; a business avenue I wouldn’t have imagined to be so prominent. Very few people own fresh vehicles, as they cost a fortune when compared to the used ones.
Chapter III – Cultural Potpourri:
This is one of the factors that come out as being comfortable & pleasant to any eye. Knowing that it is an Islamic country, you might be tempted to believe that it will be in major parts, as orthodox as few of the Middle East Asian countries. This is far from reality. One of the prime observations to even a casual eye is the freedom & equality the fairer gender enjoys. And this is not just because there are more Hostesses than stewards in the aircraft. But then, it is a bit obvious isn’t it? With both the major political players in the country being ladies (Though enjoying a good share of controversies) there is little doubt that woman upliftment wouldn’t have been a natural thing to happen.
In general, the Bangladeshis may appear as a humble, courteous, fun-loving, dollar-loving, garrulous lot. Spend a few hours with them, and you will find what proud beings they are! Just flip a few pages from the history texts and you may get to know why! Bengali Language movement (~1955) protesting the declaration of Urdu as the national language of East & West Pakistan which resulted in significant sacrifices from the student community (there is an impressive memorial installed to commemorate this incident), the independence struggle against West Pakistan with India’s aide and other similar incidents speak much about their pride for this twice partitioned country.
If you thought working on a Sunday was torture galore, then better be prepared. Friday-Saturday weekend can be as skewed as 30 hour days; adjusting to the cycle can be a task! It is interesting to note that their national language is Bangla and only a miniscule proportion speaks Urdu. As is the case with the country North West of India, a ‘Not so negligible’ proportion of Hindus inhabits Bangladesh. Mathematically speaking, it will be around 83%, 14%, 2% & 1% for Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists & Others respectively. Like India, Bangladesh boasts a sizeable population of youth & working age individuals, which is always a pre-requisite for any country’s progress.
One shouldn’t be surprised by the absence of ‘Burkha’ usually worn by Muslim women. Attire is similar to the Indian style, Salwar Kurta & Saree being the commonly observed ones. Fortunately or unfortunately they are yet to be hit by the latest fashion trends that Indian women have so tightly embraced. What the gents wear, I am sure is not of great interest to many, yet their styles are similar to that of the Indians. They are additionally seen wearing Coats (Ragged woolen) or blazers. One may wonder why so, when the Tropic of Cancer usually keeps the country warm.
What discussion is complete without a word about the Expats? There is visible involvement of UN, Red Cross & similar such organizations in BD. Also being Numero Uno city, Dhaka is loaded with Embassies. And then again, with almost all the major engineering projects being handled by international agencies, you observe foreign nationals buzzing around government offices. I must mention that it was awkward being termed as a foreigner in Dhaka. Don’t we always imagine a foreigner as a fair skinned, tall, well-fed, perspiring traveler in T-Shirt, shorts, slippers & a straw hat? I didn’t classify in any of these categories!
Chapter IV – Gastronomy:
For a South Indian vegetarian that I am, travel to a 100% Halal meat eating Muslim country can be as frightening as to enter a battle-field with a fork & knife. Now that I look back, I feel livid about those who misguided me totally about the cuisine patterns in Dhaka. What else to do, having been warned about the severe meat serving tendencies of the cooks, you actually end up in a restaurant serving 150 varieties of Dosas-vegetarian of-course! And it is actually delicious. And I don’t limit this comment to the Dosas alone. Anything & everything like Vegetable Pakodas (Bhajie), Achari Aalo, Kadai Paneer and the likes served at fairly premier restaurants like ‘Sajana’ is a treat to a gourmand. These do cost a bit, but when you are on official duty & paid in dollars, there is little to bother about. And then I hit upon a buffet-serving place titled ‘Sambhar’ (Under renovation these days). Yes, the Superb South Indian dish served with rice inspires the name. But again, limiting ones imagination to this is a big mistake. I remember multiple portions of 8 different salads constituted more than two-thirds my lunch and I am 25 on the BMI scale.
The reason is so simple that it works like Boolean algebra. If you don’t know that these restaurants employ cooks from West Bengal & Jharkhand you will be groping in the dark wondering how & where-from the locals learnt to prepare such delicacies. Otherwise, you know it all. But I must assure you the initial apprehensions aren’t totally meaningless. The gentle sniff of the air reminded me of lanes with butcher shops. Hotel Swiss Park’s buffet breakfast being super sumptuous (English Breakfast with some Indian Poori, Curry & Cutlet) helped me pass the day without Lunch. It was a great relief considering that the Bangla-German bakery 3 floors below my work place would only serve Sandwich, Biscuits, Pastries & Pringles! For Dinner, I had Rice with Mixed Vegetable curry in the Hotel so often that it reminded me of college Hostel dining (No wonder they are called Mess).
All this is irrelevant if you like Non-Vegetarian food. Welcome to Heaven; the leg pieces await you.
Chapter V – Energy Naturally:
Bangladesh seems to have been blessed with abundant Natural gas, which happens to be its prime source of energy. Almost all the cars run on CNG & use Petrol only for ignition sake. Now, this is what we call a good green initiative. Pity, they equally or in a greater proportion pay for the ecological damages that the developing & developed countries cause. As with all resources, Natural Gas is getting depleted in serious proportions. Also, extracting further Natural gas will mean more purchase of intricate & expensive machinery that will leave the coffers further depleted.
The picture has to be declared grim when even the capital city suffers from both scheduled power-offs & erratic power supply; not a great incentive for industrialists. This leads to substantial dependency on Diesel Generators & Inverters and there goes all the good effort to protect Mother Nature in drain.
Chapter VI – Technology (Tech-No-Knowledge):
Herein lies the greatest flaw in Bangladesh’s plan to become a developing and eventually a developed country. They are, as has possibly been the case with the country across India’s northwestern borders, heavily dependent on ‘Outsiders’ for the want of both technology & expertise. By ‘Outsiders’ I mean, foreign agencies, countries etc. For a country that boasts one of the highest population densities, to adopt & eventually to adapt to standards & solutions of countries with a totally different set of challenges, can spell serious trouble. There is this something that Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru did, for which most of the future generations continue to be supremely thankful to him. This is an exemplary case of foresight & planning. The ‘Indianization’ of International technical standards and creation of high quality centers of learning helped an India that was barely recovering from serious surgery & eventual amputation! The country across India’s Northwestern border missed out on what Pt. Nehru envisaged.
An over dependence on ‘Outsiders’ affects any country in two ways. One is the unwavering & necessary adherence to the ‘Outsiders’’ terms (Which most significantly includes Prices) that the ‘Outsiders’ find easy to thrust upon, considering their expertise & supposed technical supremacy. Second is the lack of belief & opportunity that the local industry enjoys due to this blind adherence to International standards. All this is not to rob away the significance & quality from International standards. All we need to appreciate is the need for customized solutions where problems may be of a different & graver sort. It all depends on how we define our Factor of Need & Factor of Luxury. It is to say that whereas a Rolls Royce is the best in class of transportation, even a Maruti 800 can help you ply necessary distances. Similarly, when a country is struggling to provide electricity at any rate more than 12 hours a day for domestic & industrial purposed alike, it should not make investment to install high precision & high quality equipments when practical & cheaper substitutes exist. By promoting consumption of domestic goods, countries enable local industry to expand both commercially & technologically.
Chapter VII – ‘Cricket’ Anthem:
There is little I can contribute here. I am not a great traveler, so little exploration did I do and little did I manage to see. But I did manage to visit the International Cricket Stadium to witness India-Pakistan league match of the Kitply Cup. What Gambhir & Sehwag did to the bowlers I never saw, but I did enjoy the spectacular catch of Salman Butt by Yuvraj and the duck of Younis Khan by Praveen Kumar. Being a neutral match, there wasn’t a massive crowd. The press claims that demand for Indo-Pak matches has declined & I think an over-dose of cricket also has something to do with this. I was with a confused lot (Never knew whom they were supporting) who enjoyed playing ‘Who can blow over my bald patch’! We tried waving flags, screaming Indo-Pak brotherhood chants, basically everything to catch the attention of the Camera crew. Wouldn’t it have been awesome to catch some friend back home off guard & boast about it for a lifetime? I was lucky to have missed the finals, which India managed to lose.
It is true what they say; not just India, the entire sub continent is crazy about Cricket. I wonder why we don’t have a ‘Cricket’ anthem, the way we have national anthems! Unlike many other sports, Cricket has had its versions equally enjoyed by the devotees! For instance, in Dhaka, taped tennis balls are preferred over regular tennis or rubber balls. They are actually good; bounce is like that of seasoned balls but not hard enough to cause injury. I so very much wanted to play alongside International players (BD & Pakistan) & even would have, had it not been for my meek colleagues who were under the constant fear of getting mugged!
I cannot comment much on local art forms, dances, movies and the likes. I wasn’t there to conduct a survey after all.
Chapter X – Phased Out:
I spent two disconnected weeks in Dhaka. On both the occasions, Lord Indra allowed the precipitation of water vapour only to the extent that it rendered Mother Nature even more beautiful. I regret for neither having been to the Sunderbans nor to the Cox Bazaar. Alas, it is too late now. Sometimes I feel that we transcend onto higher levels too quickly to admire the beauty of & enjoy the benefits of what is at hand. I wish I hadn’t…
Epilogue:
I am home. I am at a new place. My week days are spent much relaxed; so much that I can even sleep. I had committed to finish this assignment after having come home. I think I have succeeded - how much ever delayed it may have been. I am so thankful that I can work numerous Saturdays as Compensatory on for this unexpected free day.
I look back at this work once more. I think I yearn for more…
Acknowledgements:
We always thank the givers first – URS and BB. True realizations often hit late.
Then we thank home – PR & PR. Without one, I wouldn’t have learnt what patience really is. Without the other, I wouldn’t have had the command over this foreign language to even write a paragraph.
Then we thank the host – HU. His demeanor remains unparalleled. A true gentleman.
Then we thank the Co-hosts - TH, SD & team was friendlier than many back home.
Then we thank the extended host – CK. He was as available to me as my eyes in Kolkata. I can only hope to extend back similar hospitalities.
Then we thank the reviewers & critics – SSR & SRB. They redefine many terms in my dictionary.
There was a time when I used to convert long notebook pages into multi coloured, thematic letters addressed to a few chosen ones. And I didn’t require a PC and a printer for that. That was half a decade ago. Now my hands shiver & the words remain incomprehensible when I attempt to fill the Black board in my new role (part-time) as a Teacher. But that doesn’t bother me. I have started typing well. I write long, crisp, grammatically correct mails & scraps to chosen ones, friends & foes. Yet, I feel empty and the hollowness echoes back the dreaded words – You dimwit, you can’t think! You can only write English. What about the content – GAS! And you’re also growing fat!
So, I am back to the drawing board. And I start ruminating…
Chapter 0 – The Chance:
I entered my office cubicle exactly at half past eight in the morning – a rarity! It has been 20 days since I returned to office from a month long CAT-exile and the same since I have even exchanged a word with my Manager. It has been 22 days since I realized that not knowing the meanings of ‘besides’ & ‘censure’ can bring down my CAT dreams crashing. My Sametime dialogue box pops up & I am asked to come to the long unnamed conference hall. Little did it occur to me that these were the moments that would take me to a different plane altogether. A huge order from a utility customer paved the way for my first international official tour! Well, how much ever close it maybe, Bangladesh still is a foreign country to India & ensures my allowance in Dollars. I was thrilled as it ensured my maiden visit to Kolkata as well. However, ever since I puked in front of Victoria memorial, I started wondering how much the thrill got translated in reality.
Finally the D-Day; my manager & I have skipped breakfast and are in the Dum-Dum airport. It’s in a sorrier state than few of the airports even in Indian towns. A family vacation to Bangkok & Singapore has me prepared for the cross border travel formalities. Finally we board in. It does bother me a bit that the crew outnumbers the passengers. Bangladesh is nowhere close to being a place of dreams for many. But this is what makes it even more special. I am flying…
Chapter I- Up, up & away (I wish I were grounded!):
As you land in this country of Aktel & Grameen phone, be prepared for warm greetings from cramped & heavily guarded airports. A few hours prior, you might have flown in by leaky National Airlines Crafts or swanky Private crafts. Dhaka enjoys fairly good connectivity with India, Gulf & parts of Orient but lacks the same with the Occident. One can see the westerners virtually swearing due to the humongous effort to reach this misunderstood destination.
Now supposing you wish to travel within Bangladesh. For an unsuspecting outsider, all the basic available modes of transport may seem convenient. But a closer look will demand discretion. The domestic airports with comparatively less security guidelines, the aircrafts that flip-flop sufficiently to make one go dizzy (especially when Mother Nature is at her furious most tempers) and fully Non A/c, old and flaky Train Coaches don’t inspire great confidence within the traveler. But then, I think it’s only a matter of getting adjusted to the situation & being a bit brave. After all even the most prosperous nations experience unexpected flight crashes & train derailments.
Chapter II – Two, Three & Four:
Once in Dhaka, you will soon be on the roads (Don’t worry; only literally not figuratively). Motorcycles are conspicuous by their absence (Though I did spot a Bajaj Pulsar and a Honda something); Buses aren’t even as good as Indian State Transport buses and lack variety. Autos are nearly funny (Atleast to the unknowing tourist). The driver is en-caged in a metal grill whereas the passengers sit behind enjoying the breeze. Any guesses why? To protect himself from getting thrown out & having the Auto stolen! There fortunately aren’t any hand-rickshaws unlike the way they are in Kolkata. I don’t recollect having seen any cycle-rickshaws. But let us safely assume that even if they exist, they aren’t much different than what one is accustomed to.
But it is the four wheeled auto-mobilis that will never remain out of your line of sight. There are possibly no local brands for the passenger cars. All are swanky imported models and are mostly used ones. Originally sold in Singapore, Hong Kong etc. they are brought into Bangladesh after refurbishment in Malaysia; a business avenue I wouldn’t have imagined to be so prominent. Very few people own fresh vehicles, as they cost a fortune when compared to the used ones.
Chapter III – Cultural Potpourri:
This is one of the factors that come out as being comfortable & pleasant to any eye. Knowing that it is an Islamic country, you might be tempted to believe that it will be in major parts, as orthodox as few of the Middle East Asian countries. This is far from reality. One of the prime observations to even a casual eye is the freedom & equality the fairer gender enjoys. And this is not just because there are more Hostesses than stewards in the aircraft. But then, it is a bit obvious isn’t it? With both the major political players in the country being ladies (Though enjoying a good share of controversies) there is little doubt that woman upliftment wouldn’t have been a natural thing to happen.
In general, the Bangladeshis may appear as a humble, courteous, fun-loving, dollar-loving, garrulous lot. Spend a few hours with them, and you will find what proud beings they are! Just flip a few pages from the history texts and you may get to know why! Bengali Language movement (~1955) protesting the declaration of Urdu as the national language of East & West Pakistan which resulted in significant sacrifices from the student community (there is an impressive memorial installed to commemorate this incident), the independence struggle against West Pakistan with India’s aide and other similar incidents speak much about their pride for this twice partitioned country.
If you thought working on a Sunday was torture galore, then better be prepared. Friday-Saturday weekend can be as skewed as 30 hour days; adjusting to the cycle can be a task! It is interesting to note that their national language is Bangla and only a miniscule proportion speaks Urdu. As is the case with the country North West of India, a ‘Not so negligible’ proportion of Hindus inhabits Bangladesh. Mathematically speaking, it will be around 83%, 14%, 2% & 1% for Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists & Others respectively. Like India, Bangladesh boasts a sizeable population of youth & working age individuals, which is always a pre-requisite for any country’s progress.
One shouldn’t be surprised by the absence of ‘Burkha’ usually worn by Muslim women. Attire is similar to the Indian style, Salwar Kurta & Saree being the commonly observed ones. Fortunately or unfortunately they are yet to be hit by the latest fashion trends that Indian women have so tightly embraced. What the gents wear, I am sure is not of great interest to many, yet their styles are similar to that of the Indians. They are additionally seen wearing Coats (Ragged woolen) or blazers. One may wonder why so, when the Tropic of Cancer usually keeps the country warm.
What discussion is complete without a word about the Expats? There is visible involvement of UN, Red Cross & similar such organizations in BD. Also being Numero Uno city, Dhaka is loaded with Embassies. And then again, with almost all the major engineering projects being handled by international agencies, you observe foreign nationals buzzing around government offices. I must mention that it was awkward being termed as a foreigner in Dhaka. Don’t we always imagine a foreigner as a fair skinned, tall, well-fed, perspiring traveler in T-Shirt, shorts, slippers & a straw hat? I didn’t classify in any of these categories!
Chapter IV – Gastronomy:
For a South Indian vegetarian that I am, travel to a 100% Halal meat eating Muslim country can be as frightening as to enter a battle-field with a fork & knife. Now that I look back, I feel livid about those who misguided me totally about the cuisine patterns in Dhaka. What else to do, having been warned about the severe meat serving tendencies of the cooks, you actually end up in a restaurant serving 150 varieties of Dosas-vegetarian of-course! And it is actually delicious. And I don’t limit this comment to the Dosas alone. Anything & everything like Vegetable Pakodas (Bhajie), Achari Aalo, Kadai Paneer and the likes served at fairly premier restaurants like ‘Sajana’ is a treat to a gourmand. These do cost a bit, but when you are on official duty & paid in dollars, there is little to bother about. And then I hit upon a buffet-serving place titled ‘Sambhar’ (Under renovation these days). Yes, the Superb South Indian dish served with rice inspires the name. But again, limiting ones imagination to this is a big mistake. I remember multiple portions of 8 different salads constituted more than two-thirds my lunch and I am 25 on the BMI scale.
The reason is so simple that it works like Boolean algebra. If you don’t know that these restaurants employ cooks from West Bengal & Jharkhand you will be groping in the dark wondering how & where-from the locals learnt to prepare such delicacies. Otherwise, you know it all. But I must assure you the initial apprehensions aren’t totally meaningless. The gentle sniff of the air reminded me of lanes with butcher shops. Hotel Swiss Park’s buffet breakfast being super sumptuous (English Breakfast with some Indian Poori, Curry & Cutlet) helped me pass the day without Lunch. It was a great relief considering that the Bangla-German bakery 3 floors below my work place would only serve Sandwich, Biscuits, Pastries & Pringles! For Dinner, I had Rice with Mixed Vegetable curry in the Hotel so often that it reminded me of college Hostel dining (No wonder they are called Mess).
All this is irrelevant if you like Non-Vegetarian food. Welcome to Heaven; the leg pieces await you.
Chapter V – Energy Naturally:
Bangladesh seems to have been blessed with abundant Natural gas, which happens to be its prime source of energy. Almost all the cars run on CNG & use Petrol only for ignition sake. Now, this is what we call a good green initiative. Pity, they equally or in a greater proportion pay for the ecological damages that the developing & developed countries cause. As with all resources, Natural Gas is getting depleted in serious proportions. Also, extracting further Natural gas will mean more purchase of intricate & expensive machinery that will leave the coffers further depleted.
The picture has to be declared grim when even the capital city suffers from both scheduled power-offs & erratic power supply; not a great incentive for industrialists. This leads to substantial dependency on Diesel Generators & Inverters and there goes all the good effort to protect Mother Nature in drain.
Chapter VI – Technology (Tech-No-Knowledge):
Herein lies the greatest flaw in Bangladesh’s plan to become a developing and eventually a developed country. They are, as has possibly been the case with the country across India’s northwestern borders, heavily dependent on ‘Outsiders’ for the want of both technology & expertise. By ‘Outsiders’ I mean, foreign agencies, countries etc. For a country that boasts one of the highest population densities, to adopt & eventually to adapt to standards & solutions of countries with a totally different set of challenges, can spell serious trouble. There is this something that Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru did, for which most of the future generations continue to be supremely thankful to him. This is an exemplary case of foresight & planning. The ‘Indianization’ of International technical standards and creation of high quality centers of learning helped an India that was barely recovering from serious surgery & eventual amputation! The country across India’s Northwestern border missed out on what Pt. Nehru envisaged.
An over dependence on ‘Outsiders’ affects any country in two ways. One is the unwavering & necessary adherence to the ‘Outsiders’’ terms (Which most significantly includes Prices) that the ‘Outsiders’ find easy to thrust upon, considering their expertise & supposed technical supremacy. Second is the lack of belief & opportunity that the local industry enjoys due to this blind adherence to International standards. All this is not to rob away the significance & quality from International standards. All we need to appreciate is the need for customized solutions where problems may be of a different & graver sort. It all depends on how we define our Factor of Need & Factor of Luxury. It is to say that whereas a Rolls Royce is the best in class of transportation, even a Maruti 800 can help you ply necessary distances. Similarly, when a country is struggling to provide electricity at any rate more than 12 hours a day for domestic & industrial purposed alike, it should not make investment to install high precision & high quality equipments when practical & cheaper substitutes exist. By promoting consumption of domestic goods, countries enable local industry to expand both commercially & technologically.
Chapter VII – ‘Cricket’ Anthem:
There is little I can contribute here. I am not a great traveler, so little exploration did I do and little did I manage to see. But I did manage to visit the International Cricket Stadium to witness India-Pakistan league match of the Kitply Cup. What Gambhir & Sehwag did to the bowlers I never saw, but I did enjoy the spectacular catch of Salman Butt by Yuvraj and the duck of Younis Khan by Praveen Kumar. Being a neutral match, there wasn’t a massive crowd. The press claims that demand for Indo-Pak matches has declined & I think an over-dose of cricket also has something to do with this. I was with a confused lot (Never knew whom they were supporting) who enjoyed playing ‘Who can blow over my bald patch’! We tried waving flags, screaming Indo-Pak brotherhood chants, basically everything to catch the attention of the Camera crew. Wouldn’t it have been awesome to catch some friend back home off guard & boast about it for a lifetime? I was lucky to have missed the finals, which India managed to lose.
It is true what they say; not just India, the entire sub continent is crazy about Cricket. I wonder why we don’t have a ‘Cricket’ anthem, the way we have national anthems! Unlike many other sports, Cricket has had its versions equally enjoyed by the devotees! For instance, in Dhaka, taped tennis balls are preferred over regular tennis or rubber balls. They are actually good; bounce is like that of seasoned balls but not hard enough to cause injury. I so very much wanted to play alongside International players (BD & Pakistan) & even would have, had it not been for my meek colleagues who were under the constant fear of getting mugged!
I cannot comment much on local art forms, dances, movies and the likes. I wasn’t there to conduct a survey after all.
Chapter X – Phased Out:
I spent two disconnected weeks in Dhaka. On both the occasions, Lord Indra allowed the precipitation of water vapour only to the extent that it rendered Mother Nature even more beautiful. I regret for neither having been to the Sunderbans nor to the Cox Bazaar. Alas, it is too late now. Sometimes I feel that we transcend onto higher levels too quickly to admire the beauty of & enjoy the benefits of what is at hand. I wish I hadn’t…
Epilogue:
I am home. I am at a new place. My week days are spent much relaxed; so much that I can even sleep. I had committed to finish this assignment after having come home. I think I have succeeded - how much ever delayed it may have been. I am so thankful that I can work numerous Saturdays as Compensatory on for this unexpected free day.
I look back at this work once more. I think I yearn for more…
Acknowledgements:
We always thank the givers first – URS and BB. True realizations often hit late.
Then we thank home – PR & PR. Without one, I wouldn’t have learnt what patience really is. Without the other, I wouldn’t have had the command over this foreign language to even write a paragraph.
Then we thank the host – HU. His demeanor remains unparalleled. A true gentleman.
Then we thank the Co-hosts - TH, SD & team was friendlier than many back home.
Then we thank the extended host – CK. He was as available to me as my eyes in Kolkata. I can only hope to extend back similar hospitalities.
Then we thank the reviewers & critics – SSR & SRB. They redefine many terms in my dictionary.
