Muralida’s office is near the Tempu stand on Bazar Road in Barisal. Whenever I go to Barisal, I have to visit Muralida’s office at least once. Whenever I go, she gives me Rang tea. She smiles sweetly and says, “Dada, I’ll have a Chikon!” Chikon means easy cigarette. Muralida forgets that I’m not much of a smoker. I met Muralida through Kamal Bhai. This time too, I saw Muralida sitting on the same chair as before. The poultry business is their family’s. It’s an ongoing business. She smiled when she saw me.
I was very interested in knowing how Muralida was doing in the changed situation of August 5. Hindus in Bangladesh are given an Awami tag. This idea is not right at all. It’s not like everyone has Awami love. There are a lot of Hindus who support BNP or other parties. I jokingly told Muralida, “Dada, I didn’t think I would meet you.” Muralida said why! I said, I have some Hindu friends abroad, they think there are no Hindus left in Bangladesh. They have all been cut up and floated in the river. Grandfather laughed out loud.
Yesterday we went to Pirojpur Muralidar’s brother Sameer Das’ daughter Shaili Das’s blessing ceremony. A Pakka Katha ceremony with Sourav Das, son of Gaurang Das, a Banedi family of Pirojpur. We went with a convoy of about a hundred cars. I had not been to Pirojpur before. There were many small districts and upazilas on the way. Barisal is really beautiful. Not only Barisal, but every town in our country is beautiful. It captivates my mind.
I returned to Dhaka from Pirojpur with Kamal Bhai and Dolan. I had to come to Dhaka from Gopalganj, broken. We had a great time at the wedding. Food and drink at Hindu weddings is a big event. First, they served fruit, then four types of sweets. Special sweets. All homemade sweets. Gaurang Das’ father Dulal Das is the founder of this business. The most popular sweets in this region. Then the main food and drink began. In addition to roast, pulao, and khasir curry, there were four types of fish, rupchanda, lump shrimp, aed and cuttlefish. All brought by special order. And there were vegetables. Finally, it was okay if there was no curd!
Once upon a time, I attended weddings in many Hindu houses in Barisal. I remember how much fun we had at Shukla’s wedding in Amanatganj. Shukla was the most beautiful woman in the world. She liked me a lot. She used to listen to songs in college humming… I don’t remember whether she remembers it or not. Every now and then I come to your door, singing songs for no reason… One day he suddenly said, Jasim, I am getting married. I am surprised. Right now! Shukla became sad and said, Hmm, I am beautiful so I am getting married. Barisal is a Hindu-dominated area and many of my childhood friends are still there.
I am visiting Barisal a lot now. It may be that I will return to Barisal again. How can that not happen! It may be. So I am renewing old contacts. That day I went to Udichi’s office. I used to go there a lot. I met many old people there. I saw many of the people I had once played with in our area who had grown old. Oh, long beards, teeth have fallen out, cheeks have become sallow, diabetes, blood pressure, heart block. I smiled to myself. I told myself, you are also getting older.
Toronto, Canada
