Different Strokes

This picture wasn't clicked by me. I just reworked on it a bit. Cropping it, adjusting the tones, blah, blah, blah. It's not a great piece of work or photograph. But there's something in it, which I fail to convey in words. There are somethings which aren't perfect and because it's so imperfect it's beautiful. Much like a the smell of smoking hot kichudi on a cold winter afternoon. My grandpa always says, "Shiter dupure rodey boshe kichudi khabar mojai alada." Yes, in bangla we use this expression a lot - otar ekta alada moja aache, ekta alada byapar aache (there's something different and magical about it). There are so many things jegulor mojai alada. Be it the smell of wet grass after a heavy downpour, or jumping of the terrace to grab an unripe mango which fell in the storm. Or taking a walk down the entire stretch of southern avenue just for a cup of tea. Today, it's Saraswati Puja. As they say it's the bengali valentine's day. In actuality, we are suppose to offer our prayers to the goddess of education - Saraswati, so that at the end of the year when the results come out, we can run back home and say - ma pass kore gechi (mom i've passed the exam). Every nook can corner in Kolkata would be adorned with small, or mid-sized pandals. there'll be music playing. Kids will rush to schools to grab their share of dodhi-korma, a delicacy generally prepared in Saraswati Puja. And of course teenagers can be found hanging out in groups all over the city. The guys in their traditional pajama-punjabi and the women in sarees. And most importantly, you are excused from all academic exercises. But the preparation is also something of an experience. You will find little kids spoiling your precious afternoon siesta, coming and asking for chanda (a small monetary donation for their Puja). Then you'll find your much loved plant-pots disappearing mysteriously only to reappear in the neighbourhood Puja Pandal. No stone is left unturned in appeasing the Goddess of education. People refrain from having anything tok (tangy) especially kool, a seasonal fruit. It's considered a bad omen. Anyone breaking the norm runs the risk of flunking in the annual exam. Groups of boys, hound the alleys of Potu para, a place which is famed for preparing Saraswati idols, haggling and bickering only to ensure that the best idol finds a place in their pandal. I used to go to lake market with my mom and grandmom to select an idol for our household puja. And no idol could be finalised without my approval. I even remember, once their was a shortage of pandits and the Puja hour was coming to a close. So, me and my grandpa and two other groups of neighbourhood boy-gangs were chasing a pandit, popularly known as thakurmashai on a cycle in order to pursue him to conduct our household puja before theirs. All in all it's a fun affair. And there's something different and magical about the entire experience; ekta alada moja aache.