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Monsoon and Bengalis

ll of us have noticed that the weather is, of late, playing truant weather is

known to be unpredictable, but the current trend is really a matter of grave

concern, especially where monsoons are involved. Ours is a country which isdependent on agriculture, which, in turn, relies on a good monsoon to make the

farmers smile but one year there is excess of monsoons and floods spoil the crops,

in other years it is scanty rainfall and droughts which, again, means unsatisfactory

crops. It was not always like this.

Monsoons to me and to any Bengali other conjure up visions of Tagore and

khichudi both are inimitable. This year we are celebrating the 150th

birth

anniversary of Tagore who penned innumerable poems, two-liners, songs, dramas,

stories, travelogues and novels to cater to tastes of one and all; there is a Tagore forany and every occasion. Yes, including the monsoons. The khichudi, on the other

hand, is something that no Bengali can forget. By definition, khichudi is hodgepodge.

In reality, it is a concoction of several ingredients like rice, a couple of varieties of

lentils, whole onions, potatoes, green chilies and a few spices the preparation is

served piping hot with fried brinjal (eggplant), or potato or onion and, at times,

omelet. The combination is a heady one and, with rains raging outside, sets an

admirable backdrop for a sound afternoons sleep. Whoever dreamt up this recipe

knew that when it rains cats and dogs in West Bengal, markets usually do not open

and one has to do with innovations andkhichudi

is one of the outcomes.

While on the subject of monsoons, my memory goes back to the 50s yes,

many of my readers would not have lived through those days when the seasons

followed a pretty predictable pattern summers would be hot and stuffy, monsoons

would be wet, winter would be cold and spring and autumn would be pleasant.

Everyone used to be ready with protections like sweaters or raincoats or umbrellas

depending on the season. Not like today, when you have to face showers in winter.

That day in 1954 (or was it 1955?) was a terribly rainy day. When my three

brothers and I left school, the rains were not pouring but the roads werewaterlogged. Our school was in Bowbazar Street and we stayed in Shyambazar we

used to take a Route 2 double-decker bus. But, that day the buses were overcrowded

and the trams had already stopped because of heavy water-logging at the

Thanthania Kalibari. I was at my wits end; how would I go home with my three

younger brothers?

Suddenly one of my school friends provided the solution we will walk, he

said.

A

Prabir Ghosh

8/8/2019 47 P10 Essays Prabirghosh

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o http://calcuttans.com/palki

He had his brothers and sisters in tow there were nearly a dozen of them.

They were the Balachandrans. It was that period in history when family planning was

unheard of.

So the whole gang kept wading through the muddy waters with our bags on

our shoulders we were not afraid of snakes but there were plantain leaves and sal

leaves that would get in or way.

Their house was a sort of half-way mark.

I vaguely remember that when we reached their house, it was nearly five in the

evening we had been walking for over an hour and were famished.

It was then that we came across real South Indian hospitality their mother

forced us brothers to take off our wet clothes and gave us her sons clothes. Then she

made some South Indian snacks which she served along with hot glass of chocolate

milk. We spent another hour there and then left for our house.

In those days telephones were few and far between and it was a long drawn

process to contact someone.

By that time my mother had got into a real panic my father had returned

from office and immediately ran to the police station to lodge missing person

complaints. Then he, accompanied by a police officer in a jeep, set out in search of us.

They located us near Hatibagan four totally famished children.

By the way water logging in the Kolkata of the 50s used to be confined to the

Thanthania kalibari area. That tradition has remained today even after more than halfcentury several new and relatively modern and supposed-to-be-posh areas have got

added to the list. Some blame it on the outdated drainage infrastructure; others

blame it on the environment pollution due to the excessive use of plastic bags.

Politicians are dying to bring about a change in the mindset of Kolkattans let us

hope for the best and, be prepared for the worst.