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| Chhutki and her groom |
The Wedding
I Like all weddings in the para, Chhutki`s wedding too would be a
community event. It would be like during Durga and Kali Puja – a gaggle of
self-appointed volunteers would instantly appear in the weeks before the event, staking almost God-given claims to certain duties. Chhutki`s family didn`t
have much of a say in these matters. It was always how these things were done
in the para.
First among these, would be Raja babu, the “purohit” [1] of the Kali shrine next to the CSTC garage, he spent most of his time jealously guarding what he considered to be his turf as “ghatak”[2] or broker. It didn`t matter where the proposal actually originated; as long as it involved a para resident, Raja babu had to be involved. From his strategic perch next to the paanwallah`s shop beside “Annapoorna Sweets”, he would keep a watchful eye on the pubescent girls in the para, like a farmer assessing the state of his jackfruit trees, deciding which ones would be ready for harvesting this season, and which ones would have to wait a year or two.
Another person who had “zamindari” rights in connection with functions in the para, was Kamal da. He had the “exclusive” rights to erect pandals[3] in our para. Kamal da was the enterprising owner of “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS”. His family had come from Khulna during 1947, and Kamal da and his twin brothers, Bipin and Bidhan had started “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS” in the fifties. Due to their hard work and ruthless ways, the enterprise was already a formidable one. Just how successful “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS” would one day become, can be judged from the firm`s future publicity material:
First among these, would be Raja babu, the “purohit” [1] of the Kali shrine next to the CSTC garage, he spent most of his time jealously guarding what he considered to be his turf as “ghatak”[2] or broker. It didn`t matter where the proposal actually originated; as long as it involved a para resident, Raja babu had to be involved. From his strategic perch next to the paanwallah`s shop beside “Annapoorna Sweets”, he would keep a watchful eye on the pubescent girls in the para, like a farmer assessing the state of his jackfruit trees, deciding which ones would be ready for harvesting this season, and which ones would have to wait a year or two.
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| Chhutki |
Another person who had “zamindari” rights in connection with functions in the para, was Kamal da. He had the “exclusive” rights to erect pandals[3] in our para. Kamal da was the enterprising owner of “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS”. His family had come from Khulna during 1947, and Kamal da and his twin brothers, Bipin and Bidhan had started “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS” in the fifties. Due to their hard work and ruthless ways, the enterprise was already a formidable one. Just how successful “MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS” would one day become, can be judged from the firm`s future publicity material:
“Most eminent and prestigious contractor
in the field of decoration in West Bengal for over five decades. Pandit
Jawaharlal Nehru's meeting with Bulganin & Kruschave (sic) and
the rostrum for the historic mass meeting of Smt. Indira Gandhi
and Mujibar Rehman at Brigade Parade Ground / Jubin Mehta's concert,
function during the visit of Pope John Pal (sic) II at Calcutta, Mother
Teresa's funeral to Dreams marriage of Mittal's at Victoria and the recurring
event like Durga Puja mandop eg., at Santosh Mitra Square. Where astonishing
mandop depicting the Vivekananda Rock at Kanya Kumari and many more functions
of Govt. Of West Bengal and India also the Corporate Houses eg.,Webel, Bata,
Indian Aluminimum, (sic) many more!”
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A few weeks before the event,
Kamal da would present himself to Chhutki`s mamu: “aapni sinta korben-na... aami aasi to... sob kissu lotun nagabo...sobuz, holud, naal, tubenaayeet...sob aasey aamar kaasey...Kanpur thekey lotun maal pathaiyasey..." (“Please don't worry...II'll take care of everything …Make sure that all the light fittings are brand new….Green…Yellow…Red Tubelights, I have them all…Just took delivery of a brand-new assortment from Kanpur”).
(Like his lights, when Kamal da
spoke, he positively dazzled).
He would then pocket the advance and disappear for the coming weeks, and there would be no sign of him or anyone else from 'MODERN DECORATORS EVERYTHING ELECTRICALS', until just four days before the event. One of the twins, Bipin or Bidhan, would then appear, usually late in the evening, with a gang of diggers. They had an uncanny knack - with the first strike of the long iron rod they used to dig holes in the 'kuchcha' or unmetalled road, they would rupture a water pipe, immediately flooding the area. Further mishaps would follow: non-fatal electrocutions or electrical lines sliced neatly in two; telephone cables disrupted, and so on. No matter, the residents of the street subjected to the assault of 'Modern Decorators Everything Electricals' would take it stoically, in the spirit of good neighbourliness.
[1] A Hindu priest.
[2] A broker, who among other things, mediates wedding alliances.
[3] A temporary, tent-like structure, often elaborately decorated with
lights and chandeliers, to house events like weddings or community festivals.
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| Sampradan |
II By the time Pandey the “paperwallah” had begun his
route in the morning, the skeleton of the pandal would be looming over the
narrow street. There would be just enough space on both sides for people to
squeeze through, otherwise it would be a “one way” thoroughfare for the next
few days. Kamal da was a pioneer and his pandals had a number of innovations.
For example, the platform for the 'shehnai'
players had its own air supply, enabling the troupe to carry on playing without
fainting. Under the raised dais, provision was made for extra bedrolls that
might be needed by those valiant members of the wedding party who might
wish to take forty winks during the 'basor raat'.[1] The
giant fans in the guests` area in front of the pandal had extra netting on
them, this after several unfortunate guests had had their fingers cut off at
previous functions. But Kamal da was not an extravagant person. Even a cursory
look at the “West Bengal Fire & Emergency Services (Conditions for Erection
of Temporary Pandals / Structure)” showed that the rules would be observed more
in the breach than in the observance:
Extract from W.B.F & E.S.
(Conditions for Erection of Temporary Pandals /
Structure)
1.There must be minimum 20 feet
clear open space from fencing boundary wall or any other
permanent
structure. No temporary pandal/ structure shall be erected beneath any
live
electrical
line or adjacent to electrical transformer or hazardous installation.
2.The choice of materials for such construction shall be of non-combustible nature, viz. C.I. /
Aluminium sheets, Asbestos sheets, Flame
proof tarpaulin, Fire retardant, Heavy type
synthetic tarpaulin, Conventional tarpaulin
treated with fire retardant paint etc. Whenever
materials of combustible nature are used
such as ordinary Decorative clothes, Canvas,
Hessian etc. they shall be treated suitably
with a fire retardant solution as mentioned
below:
-Ammonium Sulphate : 4 Parts by mass
-Ammonium Sulphate : 4 Parts by mass
- Borax : 1 Parts by mass
-
Ammonium Carbonate:2 Parts by mass
-
Boric Acid: 1 Parts by mass
- Alum. : 2 Parts by mass
- Water: 35 Parts by mass
The materials to be dipped wrung out and
dried.
All type of wood including plywood used for
decoration must be painted with fire
retardant paint conforming I.S.
specification.
3.The main structure shall be
made of tubular steel frames / sal or strong wooden members
(sic) properly nailed and fastening (sic) with fire retardant rope or metal
wire to make the
structure
sufficiently strong TO WITH STAND ANY NATURAL CALAMITY AS WILL AS
IN FIRE SITUATION (sic);
4. etc. etc.
4. etc. etc.
Editor`s notes:
-Ref. "wooden members" in (3) above,
no pun intended.
- UPPER CASE FONTS IN (3) above by ed.
- UPPER CASE FONTS IN (3) above by ed.
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| Biswajit 'Mithu' Rakhshit, Organizing Sec., Yuvak Sangha. |
In lieu of which, the Yuvak Sangha would ensure that:
- There would be a strict watch kept on all incoming and outgoing traffic as well as pedestrians on the lane leading up to the pandal.
- Any suspicious miscreants, beggars, stray dogs etc. would be kept at bay.
- All regular traffic i.e. peddlers,
postman etc. would be diverted.
- Visits would be made to the thana [5], the fire brigade, the local M.L.A.`s[6] office, the Chhatra Parishad [7] and CITU [8] offices etc. and the necessary “formalities” completed. An imprest account would be opened for these and allied expenses and the senior male of the family would be given a written set of accounts of the transactions and the remaining cash handed over, the day after the function.
- Yuvak Sangha members would perform “arati” at the Kali shrine next to the CSTC [9] depot on behalf of the family (the latter would be too busy visiting Kalighat[10]).
- More importantly, they would take sari and sindoor[11] to the Sitala[12] temple in the Gobindapur basti[13], again on behalf of the "karta"[14] of the family conducting the function. This was a tradition that had been followed in the para since as far back as residents could remember. This was mainly at the insistence of the maidservants and 'other ranks' who would be carrying out duties associated with the festivities. But no 'bhadralok' [15] would set foot in the basti, hence the need for volunteers from Yuvak Sangha to take care of this crucial detail. Apparently, long ago, there was an instance when this custom had been neglected and the bride had been struck down with small-pox the night before her wedding, and since then nobody in the para would take any chances with Sitala maa.
- Bandobast would be made for the elderly and the infirm to be escorted or carried to the pandal and back to their residences. Some very elderly para residents would be too frail to attend and Yuvak Sangha volunteers would deliver the wedding feast to their bedsides.
- Similarly, Yuvak Sangha volunteers
would take care of any V.I.P. invitees, ferrying them to-and-from the
venue in Major Ghosh Dastidar`s (retd.) jeep, which they would “request”
to be allowed to use on all such special occasions.
The goddess Sitala Maa
[1] Yuvak Sangha, 162/A/6, Lake Gardens, Calcutta 700045- ‘Members Only’
[2] Arrangements, related specifically to traffic management and
keeping order.
[3] The chewing of “paan”, or a betel-leaves filled with areca nuts and
flavourings, is a favourite pursuit among Indians. Paan shops are
ubiquitous and their owners, the
paanwallahs double as the locality`s clearing agents for gossip on the goings
on in the area.
[4] Country liquour, cheaper than IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor).
[5] The local police station.
[6] M.L.A. or Member of Legislative Assembly. The elected politician
representing the inhabitants of the locality in the state legislature and a de facto invitee at all large private
and public functions held in the area.
[7] The students` wing of the Congress Party.
[8] An umbrella organization of trade unions.
[9] Calcutta State Transport Corporation, responsible for running the
fleet of public buses in the city.
[10] The location of Calcutta`s most popular Hindu temple, dedicated to
the Goddess Kali, for whom the city is named.
[11] Vermillion, used often as an offering at the temples of Goddesses
in India.
[12] The goddess of small pox and disease, more popular among the rural
and working classes than among the bourgeoisie.
[13] A slum.
[14] Male head of the family.
[15] A Bengali gentleman.
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| 'Aparna' in 'Apur Sansar' |
The sound of whirring from the giant fans, the
buzzing gnats and the squeals of the children running around would descend into
a hush, as finally, Chhutki, looking suitably demure would do the “Saat
Paak”, [1] around her Forest Officer
beau.
Just then, as if on cue, the heavens would open up, unleashing a thunderstorm and Kamal da`s tarpaulin would spring a leak in a dozen places, sending the assembled adults scrambling to save their precious dhutis and Benares silks. For us kids though, it would just be the start of all the fun!
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