Chhotomashi and I
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| Chhotomashi (right). |
The person who lived on the first floor of 'Lalbari' was Deepak da, “Bobby” to his friends. He was a bachelor, had no known family and lived a seemingly islolated life. He was a purser with Indian Airlines and had the looks and build of an Adonis. His tight white shirt and slim black uniform tie only accentuated his bulging biceps and thick neck. I would watch him, when on some week-ends, he would be on his ”chhad”, [5] while I was up on mine, kite-flying. He would be exercising with his 'Bullworker', his body glistening with sweat in the early morning sun. In my eyes, he was a close match to the blond, improbably-muscled man who appeared on 'Bullworker' ads in 'Readers' Digest' magazine.
I would also see Deepak da running around the Lake, and playing cricket on the pitch outside Rabindra Sarovar stadium. But he was unlike the other dadas [6] in the para. First of all, he worked irregular shifts and when he was not working, he would keep mostly to himself. He would not hang around with the other dadas in the park. Most of all, he was different because he was invariably polite; his friendly behavior was in stark contrast to the other dadas with their foul mouths and volatile tempers.
We lived opposite “Lalbari” and
I had known him for years. Whenever he passed me on the street, he would tousle
my hair affectionately. He called me “Laurel”, because, I presume, I presented
such a skinny picture to him. Sometimes he would give me sachets of wet towels;
small, white, sealed sachets with the faint smell of eau de cologne and 'INDIAN
AIRLINES' printed in orange on them. At other times, he would press a couple of 'Indian Airlines' toffees into my hand: “Eyi
ne Laurel! Kau ke bolbi na” (“There you go, Laurel! Mind you don`t tell
anyone”). I would be thrilled at the implied conspiracy
in the transaction, and bowled over by the attention I got from him! I would
send up a silent prayer that I would become an Indian Airlines purser when I
grew up, just like Deepak da.
Now that I come to think of it, perhaps it was not accidental that Chhutki`s chhotomasi picked me to deliver the container of “mouli” (of course, being curious, I opened the box and peeked before delivering it!).
Now that I come to think of it, perhaps it was not accidental that Chhutki`s chhotomasi picked me to deliver the container of “mouli” (of course, being curious, I opened the box and peeked before delivering it!).
[1] Younger maternal aunt.
[2] Fish steamed in coconut milk and flavoured with mustard.
[3] Potol’s sibling. He had six male siblings, all elder to him: Tatai,
Bubai, Bultu, Bappi, Jhontu and Narkel.
[4] The sacred thread ceremony at which a Brahmin boy is initiated into
the scriptures.
[5] Rooftop terrace.
[6] Older, male residents of one’s para. Usually bachelors. Married
older members were usually referred to as kaku, dadu etc.
II Chhutki`s maternal grandparents were very fecund and
had continued to proliferate long after Chhutki`s mother had been married off.
The result was that Chhutki had a number of masis[1]. Chhutki`s chhotomasi was married and her husband
was a powerful bureaucrat posted in the Dooars [2] but he
rarely visited his wife. There were some rumours in the para that Chhutki`s chhotomasi
was unhappily married, that her husband was a cruel man with a violent temper,
and that soon after their wedding the “unpleasantness” had begun. Whatever the
truth, Chhutki`s chhotomasi lived
with Chhutki`s family.
Over a period of time, I became a regular courier between Chhutki`s chhotomasi and Deepak da. I would deliver consignments of “bhaat”,[3] “chingri malai”,[4] “cutlet”, [5] “dimer jhol”[6] to Deepak da and carry back the empty containers. But the containers would not be entirely empty. There would be small notes in them, a sheet of paper folded repeatedly, until it was no larger than a postage stamp. I would deliver these notes unopened most of the time, but I confess, curiosity got the better of me and I opened some of them: “aamar tomake pranay patra”… (“This, my note of endearment to you…” ) "tomar ashadharon pratima aamar ratrir sunyatake nishchhol korchee"...(“Your enchanting image is agitating the stillness of the night before my eyes”) ”aami prattikhyaar gangaagy bhenshey gelam"...(“I am torn away in the torrent of expectation”)"jibonta jodi konto kagoj hoto"...”(“If life were but a blank page…”)…"eyi sondhey belai aami tomar pod-dhoni sunlam"... (“I heard your foot-steps as evening came”) "eta ki swapna? naa, aami ekhono kailashey phirey jaayee nee"... (“Am I dreaming? No, my feet are firmly planted on this earth”).
Sometimes, he would hand over one of his uniform shirts to me: “ete botam khule gechhe …okè bol, laagiye ditè”. (“The button`s loose on this one, tell her to fix it for me.”) Chhotomasi`s eyes would light up when I would bring her the shirt. She would hold the precious garment to her ample bosom and her eyes would close for a moment or two, a faint smile across her lips. She would then say to me: ”jaa! okè bol, baar baar botam lagaatè holey baaditè dorji raakhtè hobè”. (“Go! Tell him to keep a tailor at home if his buttons keep coming lose.”) But she would not return the shirt before stitching a new button, for the umpteenth time.
[1] Maternal aunt.
[2] The region at the Himalayan foothills, comprising the northern
districts of West Bengal and parts of Assam state.
[3] Steamed
rice
[4] Prawn curry in coconut milk
[5] Fish or mutton patties, covered in breadcrumbs and deepfried.
[6] Egg
curry.
III That year, at the Durga Puja, I
overheard her telling the other ladies : ”O”
sigarett naa khele bhalo laage naa”…(“A cigarette between his fingers only
makes him look handsome”.) and “Dhormendor
ke dekhechhish…”O” aro sundor dekhtey”, (“Have you seen the movie star
Dharmendra….”He” is even more handsome”). All accompanied by peals of laughter
from the assembled flock of boudis.[1] Deepak
da excelled at dancing, and was a big draw during “sandhya arati”,[2] especially among
the ladies. They watched mesmerized, as Deepak da danced, bare-chested in his
dhuti, his every move showing off his rippling muscles to best effect under the
spotlights and chandeliers. There was no doubt from the heaving bosoms and
sweating foreheads among the young boudis
of the para that more than one of
them would like to have dried him off with her “anchol” [3] when
finally, Deepak da put down the “dhumi”[4] and ended his “nritya”.[5]
But I had a feeling that evening, as the rhythm of the “dhak”[6] reached a frenzied climax, that Deepak da wasn`t
paying attention to the
serried ranks of female admirers before him, their eyes openly lusting for him.
And I was right. He nodded imperceptibly to me through the crowd and indicated
I should meet him behind the pandal. I went around as discreetly as I could,
making sure I wasn`t followed. He had a small velvet pouch for me. “Okè diye deesh, aar shon, eyi baar lukiye
khule dekhbi naa!” (“Give this to her, and remember, this time, don`t peek inside.”)
I peeked, of course, and inside were two pairs of “shakha” and “paula [7] bangles.
When I went back to the pandal, and discretely slipped the pouch into chhotomasi`s hand, she didn`t look at me
but stared straight ahead at the Durga pratima[8]. But I remember
thinking there was a mixture of triumph and satisfaction in her eyes. Not
unlike in Durga maa`s eyes.
But I had a feeling that evening, as the rhythm of the “dhak”[6] reached a frenzied climax, that Deepak da wasn`t
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| Deepak "Bobby" da, dancing at Durga Puja. |
On the “chandnatolla”,[9] the “sampradan”[10] had just got over and the sonorous tones of the chief priest wafted over the babble of excited invitees, as the “yagna”[11] got under way:
"Om Bhoor bhuva Suvaha:Thath Savithoor Varenyam, Bargho Devasya Dheemahee; Dhiyoyo Na: Prachodayath.”
“Om Hrim Klim Chamundaye Vichhe!”
Chhutki`s family priest had
come from the family`s native place, Piplun [12] and was
a celebrated Sanskrit pandit. He was a stickler for detail and would not be
rushed. It was going to be a long evening for those who were impatient to see
Chhutki receive the “sindoor daan”.[13]
And so the evening dragged on in the pandal. The assembled guests helped themselves to the generous platters of “meetha paan”.[14] The women gossiped and showed each other their latest purchases of gold ornaments from P.C. Chandra Jewellers and compared the brocade on each other`s “benarasi” and “patola”[15] silks. Meanwhile the children ran around the pandal`s interior, creating a din, shouting and chasing one another, and tripping over Kamal da`s wooden folding chairs, each one carefully painted on the back with the sign: “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS”.
The giant circulating fans on their pedestals did their best to provide some relief, but the oppressive air in the pandal began to take its toll and some of the guests started drifting out to puff on their cigarettes and take in the bracing winter air of the para. In the meantime, the dining tent had been declared open, and some of the guests, especially the older ladies and children started coming in to enjoy the culinary delights prepared by Potol`s father.
And so the evening dragged on in the pandal. The assembled guests helped themselves to the generous platters of “meetha paan”.[14] The women gossiped and showed each other their latest purchases of gold ornaments from P.C. Chandra Jewellers and compared the brocade on each other`s “benarasi” and “patola”[15] silks. Meanwhile the children ran around the pandal`s interior, creating a din, shouting and chasing one another, and tripping over Kamal da`s wooden folding chairs, each one carefully painted on the back with the sign: “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS”.
The giant circulating fans on their pedestals did their best to provide some relief, but the oppressive air in the pandal began to take its toll and some of the guests started drifting out to puff on their cigarettes and take in the bracing winter air of the para. In the meantime, the dining tent had been declared open, and some of the guests, especially the older ladies and children started coming in to enjoy the culinary delights prepared by Potol`s father.
[1] Married ladies of the para.
[2] The evening obeiscence to the idol which is a central part of the
ceremonies during the community festival of Durga Puja.
[3] The part of the sari which hangs from the shoulder.
[4] An incense-burner, often held by those who dance in front of the
idol during arati at Durga Puja.
[5] Dance, originally Sanskrit, but also used in Bengali.
[6] Traditional drums played at festivals in Bengal.
[7] Bangles made of shell and red coral, worn by women as symbols of
marriage.
[8] An idol.
[9] The ceremonial dais on which the wedding ceremony is held.
[10] A ritual during the wedding in which a senior male member of the
bride`s family places her hand in the groom`s.
[11] A ritual sacrifice in which oblations are poured into fire,
invoking the blessings of the gods.
[12] A place in Burdwan District of West Bengal state.
[13] The ceremony during which the groom places vermillion in the bride`s
hair parting.
[14] Betel leaves filled with areca nuts and condiments.
[15] The cities of Benaras and Patan in Gujarat are famous for their
traditional silk weavers.
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