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A sudden break and screams of ‘chai wallahs’ were enough to disturb the quiet slumber of that early morning for Mr. Raghuraman. The cold morning breeze coming through the window of CHENNAI-HOWRAH-MAIL was caressing his whole body even while his wife LAKSHMI was warning him that KARAGPUR station had already reached. A quick glance over his watch flashed the time as 4-30AM. In a fraction of a second Raghu jumped out of his bed and peeped through the window and passed his eyes through the longest platform in India. It was already busy with preparation of puris and even vadas. The ever chattering sound of Bengalis was music to his years. Also the tea served in typical earthen pot of BENGAL added the much needed THAL to that music. He felt the safety and comfort of lying in his own mother’s lap. Why not? That was the city of Calcutta where he had spent major portion of his youth and also the cream of his energetic life as a single man and also a married, with children and even grand children. In these 3 to 4 decades spent in and around the city he had not left any area unexplored having traveled through his faithful bicycle and also by all varieties of transports available including man drawn rickshaws, and boats across river Hugly. All the streets, buildings, bridges, parks, monuments, lakes, markets and even aged trees are so familiar to him like lines on his own palm. In spite of not owning any immovable property over there he felt that it was his moral right to call the city his own. That kind of possessive attachment to a city that is thousands of KM away from your own is possible only if the citizens of that city were of loveable nature. Yes! Apart from the enchanting earthly objects of this city the sons of that soil are sociable, artistic, cultured, politically conscious and also more human with broader outlook. Even after a decade Mr. Raghu fondly remembers the heart rendering send off scenes on his retirement day when colleagues admired him for his personal qualities and took him as their DADA (brethren).

The day had already dawned even at 5-00AM when Raghu and his wife were thrilled to see the station SANTHRAGACHI was slipping through the windows. They could get the glimpse of the water tank of the Press quarters where they lived and 2 of their offspring were also born. Immediately after coming out of the station Mr. Raghu had a strong desire to avail the TRAM for reaching south Calcutta. The idea was when the tram snails through the roads at a slow pace they could watch the buildings, and roads of the city with nostalgic memories. They were greatly disappointed to learn that trams had been with drawn from Howrah as it was a bottleneck over HOWRAH BRIDGE. But beyond that and including other artery roads it is still the mode of transport for poor with their heavy loads. Their next choice was a minibus that had not changed much with their style of operation. Raghu was thrilled to hear that metallic sound with fixed modulation even when it was rolling over that fantastic bridge. This is the sound which he had heard thousands of times and its unmistakable rhythm and resonance are permanently etched in his memory. This is a typical bridge working on canti-lever system for more than 100 years and a standing testimony of the skills of those engineers. The calmly running waters of HUGLI and the silhouette of temples and buildings along both the banks of the river were visible through the thin veil of early morning fog. As the bus reached the end of the bridge which is CALCUTTA, the banks were bordered with temples and also AKADAS where wrestlers were practicing and flexing their muscles.

Basket loads of varieties of vegetables and other commodities were easily carried over the heads of men and women from the station to BADA BAZAR. The minibus was curving over the fly over and entered the narrow BRABOURNE ROAD with the gigantic head quarters of almost all banks situated. The historically famous WRITERS BUILDING with the brick red color was as busy as it used to be on the one side of DALHOUSIE SQUARE. At a distance the dome of the head post office was visible. The design and architecture of this building along with a few others are marvels of building construction of that period with limited resources. The minibus was taking around in front of HONGKONG BANK where at the third floor his eldest daughter SHYAMA was working at BHARAT PETROLEUMS until a few years back. She used to come all the way from her BUDGE-BUDGE QUARTERS –first by her 2 wheeler to the Budge-Budge station-LAKE GARDEN STATION TO METRO RAILWAYS-and lastly from Esplanade station to office by minibus and the same modes repeated for return journey. Mr. Raghu had the privilege of meeting her quite often and enjoy the menus at their canteen. The luxurious RAJ BHAWAN was in sight and in no time the bus reached DHARAMTOLLA where METRO RAILWAY was passing through the heart of the city. The prestigious and famous Calcutta maidan with its green carpet of fresh grown grass was a treat to watch. The mounted police were busy in their morning round on their shining horses of black, brown and even white. After their retirement from the racecourse they have taken a lighter assignment, with their graceful movements still intact. The endless green maidan was busy with foot ballers practicing hard to get enrolled to one of MOHAN BEGUN, EAST BENGAL OR MOHAMEDAN sporting clubs. Athletes and health conscious citizens were jogging with colorful costumes. Much beyond that the majestic VICTORIA MEMORIAL with its well designed dome was shining in the morning sun with its proud Italian marbles. The bus was now crossing CAMAC STREET and PARK STREET where his last daughter SWEETY was working until her marriage. After Nehru Museum, Bhowanipur, Hazra, Rashbehari mode and Deshapriya Park Mr. Raghuraman and his wife Lakshmi reached their temporary residence. Actually their visit was for a marriage of their relative which has been utilized to see other relatives and friends and more importantly to revive the memories of places. Both of them decided then and their to visit the govt. quarters in which they had lived for more than 20 years and also the ever green RABINDRA SAROBAR LAKES of Kolkata. The sight of the quarters at PURNA DAS ROAD was the most thrilling when they refreshed the memory of their 4 children literally grew with that ground in front of their residence and it won’t be an exaggeration to state that the whole family of Mr.Raghuraman had fully extracted the juice of the comforts from the near by gymnasium, dancing and music school, South India club and lastly but not leastly the enchanting RABINDRA SAROBAR LAKES of this CITY OF JOY. The lakes were giving them the maximum amusement with facilities for swimming, rowing, jogging and also Karate classes.

Well! Mr. and Mrs. Raghuraman emerged out of the gate and entered the famous VIVEKANANDA PARK where the whole family had plodded through its whole length almost on all days during their entire stay at the quarters. This time also when they walked, the scene was almost similar to that of earlier with athletic activities and soccer training dominating the entire ground. The Southern Avenue was retaining its original charm with well laid out flower gardens at the middle strip of that broad road. However a few old buildings had been replaced by multi-storied.

At last they entered the lake area that is called famously as RABINDRA SAROBOR LAKES along with an athletic and indoor stadium situated at one end. The revolving gates were retaining the same old iron structure and the very touch of it took Mr.Raguraman to his youth full days. The three different pools of lakes that existed at that nature’s paradise used to be from time immemorial with one lake entirely devoted for rowing with national and inter national championships held at regular intervals. It is needless to say that Raghu’s family had utilized it to the maximum with his son MARTYR MAJOR P.SHYAM SUNDAR (SENA MEDAL) and daughter SWEETY having won a few cups. The bigger stretch of lake was housing all the 4 famous swimming clubs of the lakes by the name CALCUTTA SPORTS, ANDERSON SWIMMING CLUB, LAKE FRIENDS CLUB and THE CORPORATION’S FREE SWIMMING CLUB. Though they were one stretch of water, they were separated by floating drums connected by thick nylon ropes. All his 4 off springs were regular members of the Calcutta Sports where they used to compete and get medals. Even at the advanced age Mr. Raghu picked up confidence and courage to learn swimming at the Lake Friends Club. The entire family used to jog around the lakes at the morning hours enjoying the fresh air and vibrant smell of flowers.

Just when they were at the corner of the rowing club Mr. Raghu was in desperate search of that concrete bench when his mind galloped towards his romantic days as a bachelor with his wife Lakshmi. Yes! The bench was very much there and also the massive tree of ABIZZIA LABBEK with its twisted branches with one of them running parallel to the lake water and also touching it. Only the tree has become more voluminous with its girth and also very much enlarged. There was a momentary change in the face of the old couple with spark like expressions radiated from their eyes and meeting in the atmosphere. Even in that fraction of the second they communicated silently and sharing those joyful and memorable days spent on that bench for which they didn’t have count. There was a sudden craving for both of them to occupy and feel the bench and dwell on those sweetest days of their life. But they had to wait for its vacation by a couple of lovers. The bench and the tree must have been the silent spectators of countless lovers for a number of decades out of whom good many of them must have become grand parents and perhaps even great grand parents. But age has no effect in preventing from and rejoicing over the romantic days of any body’s life as long as you are humans. At last when that bench that was in a strategic position of seeing others-but not to be seen by others- was vacated the aged couple rushed for its occupancy much to the hostile and hatred look of yet another pair waiting to get possession. Much against the advice of his wife Lakshmi Mr. Raghu dare occupy that much coveted chair for a few seconds only with his wife, with nostalgic memories of their younger days even while their palms were locked together. However both of them vacated it in no time and much to the delight of that couple. In a sudden spur of the moment they gained grace and strength in their walk and felt like any other pair of young couple over there that lasted for at least over the period they were in the lake area. In his inner most heart Mr.Raghu was amply satisfied with that expensive trip to Kolkata from Chennai as it was worth it considering the joyful period spent over the lakes area.

As Mr. & Mrs. Raghuraman demand that this story should stop at this juncture instead of narrating their further engagements in this city of joy we are ending it here then and there. Perhaps they are also justified in that a good feast should always end with sweets only and any narration about them after the lakes episode won’t be appealing to the readers.

BY J.PANCHAPAGESAN FLAT-11,130 GILL NAGAR EXTN STREET CHOOLAIMEDU CHENNAI PH-044 23744963 EMAIL id- jpanchapagesan@yahoo.co.in