Roaming Round the Land of Tea || Episode-3

Grand Sultan resort is undoubtedly a charming accommodation for travelers where natural beauty & aristocracy mix together. Night sight of the premises of this resort is really gorgeous. My kid Aafiq was wondered to see the ‘Hariken’ shaped light there what was very much useful source of light at our childhood during loadshedding time.

Actually, lighting arrangement inside loan of this resort is beautiful indeed.

Next morning, we have haired a new CNG and was going to fill up our thirst of keeping ourselves inside the green of tea garden. CNG was moving through mountainous high low curved road to a well-organized tea state named Nurjahan Tea Garden. Reaching there we became speechless for a while watching natural beauty of tea garden and hearing melodious chirping of bird. We walked inside tea garden. Then we felt thill when some wild monkey & Ulluk were shouting tea garden nearby us!

My kid has a dream to wear hat of tea plantation workers. Some female tea workers were collecting leaves inside tea garden who were very much cordial and one of them gave a hat to Aafiq to wear it and his dream came to true!

There is only one private zoo of Sreemangal. But the authority was disagreed to say that place as zoo, they mentioned the zoo as animal Sheba Ashram. Renowned hunter of Sreemangal Mr. Shitesh established this living place for wild animal and local people call it as Shitesh Barur Sheba Ashram.

When we entered inside the zoo premises, ticket issuer warned all to be keep silence otherwise wild animal may be restless! The cage of the zoo seemed us very thin, Tushnim, my wife, feared if captive animal would break them!! There were many local forest animals, like as, monkey, Ulluk, snakes, cats, birds etc. we saw them in various cages. 

Suddenly we heard a sharp roar! Oh my god! What happened! Didn’t any animal break the cage? We looked at exit door with in a hurry. But nearly exit door, we saw a Ulluk inside cage was shouting continuously!!

Already I mentioned about he beauty of our three days living palace Grand Sultan. Small tea garden, long trees and the sun shine creates enormous opportunity for us to be refreshed under green natural blessings!

Not to say that kids play zone is very much impressive for any kind. Our boy kid Aafiq fall in deep love of it and wanted to stay there forever!!!

[The End]

At The Land of Tea & A Horrible Experience|| Episode-2

Then after ending up a delicious breakfast session, our car was again on her way heading to the land of tea. The more our car was moving forward, the more natural beauty of rural Bangladesh came to us more visible with a wide range of greenery. 

Yellow-green paddy field or village house surrounded many trees fall us in nostalgia of our childhood Nanu Bari or Dada Bari. Brahmanbaria- Moulvibazar high way was not so busy as like other highways of nearby Dhaka. Quantity of moving vehicles was not too high to be stuck to create traffic jam. 

Most the moving vehicle were processed rice carried tractors. Actually, there were lot of small and big rice mills seen both sides of the high way. We know rice is the staple food of our country and huge paddy converts to rice here in many rice mills.

About 1.5 hours later, we entered at the land of the tea Sreemangal that is designed with a nice natural combination of small hills and wide tea gardens. As far as our eye can reach, we can see only millions of tea trees of same size and color! What a beauty it was! I couldn’t look back my eyes!

Grand Sultan Resort authority welcomed us warmly with a tasty welcome drink and opened us way to experience extreme beauty of nature inside premises.

Sreemangal is a small local town where density of living people and vehicle is not so high. At the afternoon we haired a local CNG and started roaming there inside tea garden. Tushnim, my wife, told me, “Let us have a trip to Monipuripara.” Actually, she has deep fascination of Monipuri Saree & Shawl. Hearing our conversation, CNG driver told us that he would reach us actual Monipuripara that is in Radha Nagar. We told him, “Ok, let’s go.”

At the entering gate of Monipuripara, there was a small tea cabin that is called Adi Nil Kantha Tea cabin what is country famous for seven-layer tea. Aafiq, my kid, wanted to see that tea. Its wondering for us when we got served layers of tea in a cup where our eyes were happy to see them but not the longue!!! 

Monipuripara is a local small market area having mostly about 25 shops run by tribal Monipuri people who are usually seller of traditional Saree, Shawl, Fatua etc. designed & made by themselves. My wife was enjoying a lot and stepping every shop to find her favorite Monipuri Shawl & Saree. We purchased some shawls and were looking forward for better. As it was early winter season and hilly tea garden area, dark sight of winter night came faster with unexpected silence but we didn’t notice it earlier. When we started our journey to back our resort, suddenly CNG diver changed the usual route of road. Deep darkness was every where with flowing cold air. No people were seen on road. No shop, no tea stall was open. No electricity was shined. Even no chirping sound came to our ear. We just see the light from CNG headlight. Me and my wife became silent with an unknown tension as we don’t know where we are and where to go! CNG was moving though a narrow spinney road where only stars of sky were our companion. Oh My God! Abruptly the light of CNG went off!! Instantly we fall in the deepest darkness! That CNG has no protection cage what usually we see at Dhaka. So, I hold my kid and my wife strongly and remember the name of Almighty to save us from easy unexpected robbery!! In such a dark place, might be inside a wide tea garden, where no sound of human was heard and nothing visible due to deep density of darkness, no one will hear or help us if we would face any unlawful attack by unknown! Fear prickled me when I remember that scene. Thanks to Almighty as after sometimes light of CNG became On and we reached safely to our hotel and then took a decision as at unknown place we have to compete our roaming before sun set. 

[to be continued] 

A Trip to The Land of Tea || Episode-1

It was 23^rd November, Wednesday, a fine sunny day having low heat in sun shine as winter is coming. We were very much excited to start our journey heading to the land of tea escaping from daily busy life of Dhaka for two days. Tushnim, my loving wife, woke up at 5 AM that was truly early dawn and prepared morning tea for me to help me get gid of bed before the sun and meet up natural call at home to avoid those circumstances during journey. At 6 AM, my baby boy Aafiq told me with a great excitement, “Baba! Yeehh! We’re going to Sreemangal today!” Hearing his sudden joyous voice, we wondered that Aafiq got up by himself without any pushing or forcing by his Mumma and he started his morning without crying!!!  

We started our journey at mostly 7 AM from our home riding up a private car though in long route high way private car is quite risky vehicle but our driver was very skilled so took a risk!  As it was the regular working day, already roads were going to start to be filled up by thousands of passersby and moving vehicles soon to be regular stacked, so our driver took a fast drive to 300 feet way to Sylhet route to avoid traffic jam. 

Yes! We did it. Before horrific traffic jam of morning office hour, we reached the beautiful way of 300 feet inside Basundhara area. Our car was moving though the wide street of 300 feet under slightly cloudy blue sky where flowing air was dusty as construction work was not yet completed and density of moving vehicle was also less comparing to other main roads of usual Dhaka. After a few minutes we crossed Kanchon bridge touching Narayangonj district. Then rural view exploring paddy field, some factories, local bazar etc. seen both side of high way. When we passed Narsingdi, a lot of “Gamcha” (one type local made thin and soft towel) sellers were seen at various local bazars especially huge crowd was seen at Madhobdi Bazar whose Gamcha is country famous for good quality. Thousands of garments and factory workers were walking beside roadside heading to their work place on the high way connecting Narsingdi and Kishoreganj.  

After a continuous travel for one and half hour, we took a break at Bhoirab of Kishoreganj in hotel named Jannat Hotel & Resort where washroom condition is much better than any other highway restaurant on the same way. Actually, during highway travelling we prefer to choose stoppage based on cleanliness of washroom. Anyway, food quality was good in Jannat. We did breakfast there after taking a small refreshment. The taste of tea is awesome there. No one should miss it if anybody goes to Jannat hotel. One of my colleagues told me that tea and beef are the best food of there. As it was morning, so we didn’t get chance to take a bite on beef. Anyway, our turns will come!   

   

[to be continued] 

Circumcision

In our country the word “Circumcision” portrays a strange feeling of human mind where pain mixes with gain and end up with a joyous get together!  

Just two days’ ago, we have done the ritual circumcision of my seven years old boy Aafiq. When we took back him home from hospital, he wore our traditional male dress Lungi and could not work properly, just was digging for a walk. Nobody told to anyone what was happen to this distant kid who was never seen with this environment friendly male dress Lungi, but people of surroundings understood themselves and started to wish the kid, Congratulation Baba! Congratulation uncle!

After reaching home, well-wishers and relatives called us to know how Aafiq was then. Many of them talked to the little kid asking about what he wants now and after sometimes the baby boy was getting tried of expressing same things to many as what’s his favorite toy, loving food and preferable candy!!

There was also almost a common question from everybody to Aafiq, “Have you felt anything when doctor was doing circumcision?”

Aafiq replied the same answer to all, “I could not remember anything!”

Yes, it’s true! Now-a-days most of the boys cannot feel anything during circumcision as doctor use local or full anesthesia wherever it’s needed. But when our father or grandfather did the circumcision about 80-90 or more years ago, it was not so easy matter then. At that time in rural area, the person usually did the process of circumcision was called “Hazam” what was a name of true panic for kid boys in those old days. When Hazam came to any house of any village, eligible boys of circumcision hide themselves with a twinkle of an eye. Then parents found them after a strong search, forcedly did circumcision by Hazam with no anesthesia!!! At present we can never imagine the pain of that poor boy of those old days!!!

After recovery, generally a blessing ceremony is arranged where a family get together happens. But in old Dhaka, the joy and excitement of similar event is so exposing as people of outsider may be confused about the program is it marriage or circumcision!!! 

A Green Village Inside Dhaka!

The heading of today’s post is really wondering to many minds because usually we get a picture of busy moving people with sweaty face along with dust and deep black smoke of public transport when we try to portray about Dhaka, then how a green village can be discovered inside Dhaka!! But it’s true. It was a sudden official trip of me. The name of the village is Talepur that is a part of Keraniganj thana of greater Dhaka.     

Our starting point was city center, motijheel, Dhaka. As it’s early winter, we saw sky with a strange fog mixed up with dust there. When our riding vehicle crossed Babu Bazar bridge over Buriganga river, our environment changed slowly from a dust air to clean gentle breeze generated by green leaves. The magical change came to our notice during passing rohitpur, another village of Keraniganj. Green bare mud field made me nostalgic! Once I played a lot in similar field when we had had a vacation during winter at my Nanu Bari!   

In Talepur, the green village, still has a lot of various known unknown trees at every house. Most of the house has individual pond. After a long time, I saw a big pond there having huge fish farming. When food was thrown inside pond, thousands of various colored fishes were jumbling with joy there. What nice gathering it was! 

I don’t get the chance to have the taste of those fish, but truly enjoyed this real naturality of nature.

A high voltage match || Argentina VS Brazil || world cup 2022!!!

There is no football lover who doesn’t feel the thrill if he or she views the heading of today’s post!

Yes! If it would happen at this world cup then it might be the most exiting event on earth on that day.

At present there are lot of places where both end supporters exist face to face keeping fighting mode!

No doubt if such heavy weight match Brazil vs Argentina truly happens, local administration of many areas of our country may deploy 144 section to avoid unexpected result of over excited tension!

At our office there is very rare hour when Argentina supporters don’t try to criticize Brazil supporters! Similarly, Brazil supporters don’t leave any Argentina supporters without constructive protest about charismatic football!   

Ha … Ha... Ha...

Every night our drawing room seems to turn a great stadium of Qatar because of Argentina vs Brazil match everyday now-a-days where me and my kid boy are opponent party of each other and our regular audiences are my wife & my mother! My seven years old kid boy Aafiq is a blind supporter of Brazil. At night after completion of his regular study, he wears jersey and declares himself as Neymar and starts a football fight with me! As Aafiq takes the giant role of Brazil, I have to play with him as Argentina! Then my little kid with a non-stop speed starts to give me goal after goal and roars with joy … G…O…A… L!

Interestingly if I do any counter attack to him, then the kid shouts with tear, “Mumma! Baba doesn’t give me any chance of goal!”

Hearing the voice of Aafiq his Mumma usually supports the boy kid giving me a red eye look!   

As a result, last score is Brazil: 22 and Argentina: 02!!!  

We think…. we eat…. we sleep…. we dream …… Football!!!

Yes, its’ true. The heading of this post reflects our daily life now-a-days what is in touch of football round the clock. That’s really a running world cup vibe!

-Argentina is the best!

-No…Brazil is the best! Argentina has only one Messy! But Brazil has eleven Neymar!

Such debate, discussion even unexpected quarrel happens everywhere.

At public transport many professionals are seen being wore of their favorite team’s jersey, sometimes they’re having wrist band in hand & cap on head & carrying flag on bag and hanging flag on office desk of supporting team!   

Even in rural area, I saw huge excitation of world cup! Some crazy supporters hanged their supportive team’s flag on top tree of jungle as their opponent supporter couldn’t touch it!  

When a match is running, even in midnight, we hear the sound of joy, whistle, the shout …. G …O …A …. L-L-L-L! it’s seems to me very interesting as how millions of people are enjoying the greatest show on earth! It’s a good opportunity for us to get rid of our regular routine bound busy life and having a chill family get together.

My kid boy is a great supporter of Brazil. During any match of his favorite team he keeps standing before TV wearing yellow jersey of brazil! When Brazil takes any attempt to kick in goal post of opponent, at the same time my kid also tries to give a big shot on ball in our drawing room and we are having tension what may damage there! 

However, in this way our drawing room turns to a Qatar stadium!!

World Cup Football at Our Home!!

The show has already been started! Whistle, football kick, foul, yellow card, red card, roar of goal, highlights etc. are the mostly being heard sounds here and there from televisions round the clock! Yesterday I have seen some flags hanged on roofs of various houses by concern supporters inside Dhaka metro where ratio of Argentina and Brazil supports seemed to me in a position of face to face war! Some hanged flags of Germany reminded me the tricks of clean football of last world cup.   

World cup excitation seemed to me warmer outside Dhaka than that of inside Dhaka. Last week I had visited outside Dhaka where I saw most of the roof of big & small houses or buildings have supportive hanged flags. During this early winter village tea stall was resembled to me mostly hot (!) of prediction of everyday match winner! In some rural area some over trilled people are in a competition who can make highest length of his favorite team flags!! We are so lucky that load shedding is very rare now. In late nineties, when I was a child, I could remember that the angry roar of mass people if any power cut occurred during a match time! Then next morning local newspaper might publish the news of attack of nearby power house!!!  

At present, when any world cup match is running, a parallel match is happening same time before television of every home where baby kid may take the role of “Messy” and parents are in tension when their kid “Messy” may damage the display of television by kicking on football in house!! I think if it is counted the broken television number round the world during world cup football, we may be rise up with wide wonder!

Good thing is, this session makes family busy members together in at least once a sit per day that the great opportunity to improve family loving and bonding with joy and happiness.

That’s why it’s called greatest show on earth. 

Story of the tallest skyscraper of country

Yes, you are right! The given image is the tallest skyscraper of country what is named as City Center. She has 38 mighty floors where various offices are held luckily including ours. Eight automatic lifts are carrying thousands of professionals every office day keeping fastest speed that is four meter per second! Really its wondering as every mooring within few seconds we cross upper 15 floors including me because I have office desk with a wide glass wall having nice outer view of Matijheel at 15^th floor of City Center.

When I look to top upper of this skyscraper from ground, I feel that how far the sky is! How the birds fly there! So far from me! What a distance that can be measure but not having an easy way to overcome! Same feeling eternally rises in my mind when I am used to use every day crowded lift where someone may be daily labor, somebody is middle class as like me and some of them are too rich to know by themselves what the exact wealth amount they have but all are in the same umbrella for a while!

Once I reached at top floor of this building what is usually a helipad. It’s an awesome proud moment for me that I was at the highest pick of Dhaka! Blue sky seemed to me very near to me! Long distanced birds came to close me! What a mighty feeling I had!

But when I went to a corner of top floor, ground view made me afraid and unknown anxiety run me if I could fall down!

Actually, nothing is easy in life! When we are at ground, we want to reach the top. Nothing is permanent. Because when we are in top, we have possibility to fall down…… 

Mini Fiction || Bus-03

It is the vehicle having a nameplate “Bus-03” that is our office transport for pick and drop. Every office day we are used to use it morning & evening. Given picture is the partial portrait of our bus of a tired folk where most of the riders seemed to be sink in virtual world of mobile phone with a half open eye!   

Among them Mr. Manik was in deep sleep and the sound of his snoring worked as an additional horn of bus! He always expects long traffic jam to get enough time to sleep! Interesting matter is if our bus reaches early to our destination due to low traffic on road in any day, then he never goes home on time! He spends time with friends and then returns home. Wicked people told that he is afraid of his wife and to avoid household kitchen work he does it!!

Only one loud woman voice we heard during regular departing journey and that is Shima. She was effusive in management’s praise! Today morning his HOD told her very good in work, at noon Business Director gave her thanks for delicious lunch arrangement, at evening Planning Director marked her very prominent in his speech etc. etc.!! She always wants to make others understood as she has a good connection with top management and expects priority from others!!!   

Mr. Ashik & Ms. Shila sat as well as together and were continually whispering about unknown topics! Every evening there’re used to back home in the same way what they’re doing now! They’re a long-time colleague together but their relations seem to something more about colleague because vile people say when their actual husband or wife call them respectively to know what they are doing, then both of them gave almost similar answer, “Sorry!! I couldn’t receive your call first time as I was fallen in deep sleep! Darling, there’s heavy pressure on office!!!”

Mr. Bonomali, a corporate sale guy, was always looking for food but by penny of others! Frequently he told to others, “Bhai, that’s a very good PURI shop! Let’s try! Driver Shaheb, please stop. Buy PURI. Bhai will pay…!!!”

I myself like to watch and hear. That’s why I write that I see.

Sitrang at Office Para!

Country renowned Office Para (office area) is known to all “Motijheel, Dhaka” where like thousands of professionals I am one of them. Today morning I came to office inside over drizzling rain with whom gentle breeze made unseen pair & as a result after a long time we got dust free air then. But as time passed falling rain drops were growing weightier and flowing air started losing its gentleness. Moving people and vehicle got being helpless and minute after minute volume of passengers by was changing thick to thin!

Actually, that’s all about current scenario of our beloved Office Para now with effect of possible cyclone Sitrang attack. I cannot give warm welcome on arrival of Cyclone Sitrang as this upcoming monster already has fallen us into a unexpecting apprehension trauma! We don’t know what will happen tonight? How do we escape from the horrible? Especially people who are at costal area already are in life saving struggle! Even today may be a new moon day when generally river or Oscan swells up with high tide. So, all should be alert at costal location to avoid high tide if it occurs.   

May the Almighty save us all!

Motijheel......

The shown picture is one of the most familiar commercial places of Dhaka named Motijheel that is such busy during office time as frequent movement is not possible for anyone but it’s wondering that at night the severity of silence of same place make us afraid of unknow unexpected possibilities!   

It is noon when the sun shines with a hard ray to statue of Aigrette Square situated before office of Bangladesh Biman. Usually density of people movement is thin this time. Many vehicles are kept idle sidewalk of various commercial buildings and relevant drivers are passing time by gossiping or counting balance of taken fuel of his or her driven vehicle!  

  Every day thousands of workers or professionals come and go along with millions of dreams! Someone’s dream comes true, someone’s goes it in vain! But there is no other way expect retrying of professionals, that’s why every morning we come here and evening we revert back home with success or upcoming possibility of success!   

Caged childhood!

At present most of the children of Dhaka city are very much unfortunate as they have few chances of physical exercise that causes less stamina of them comparing with that with rural children! Lack of playing green field most of the children of this city pass a caged childhood! 

Being an ill-fated father, I cannot arrange good playing field for my child though he wants to walk, wants to run and wants to play. I am extremely SORRY my sweet baby! I could not show you sky touched field where horizon made us confused in our childhood as blue sky bowed and touched green grass of field! I could not show you flying kites in the sky where birds also enjoy multiple colors of kites! Even I failed to show you flowing river where sailor sails boats against wind flying red sail! I could not show you villages where small canal flows behind paddy field and in our childhood many us did fishing there with net or fishhook! You just read on book that there is a happy honey feeling creates during nor wester of Summer by on hand collection of fallen mangoes being wet rain! I could not show you that also.

Sorry my boy! 

As there is no other way, so we let your citizen childhood pass though device and at home mostly. Sometimes I tried to take you to play at play zone on payment but most the play zones are costly and frequently not affordable. 

Alas! in our childhood, during Magrib azan, our parents forcedly took back us to home from play ground,  on the other hand, we, so called modern day parents, are use to force our child to bring out side them from home omitting their concentration from device!! 

Now I am in a dispensary .....!!

Now I am in a dispensary to buy my regular taken gastrological medicine as without taking such medicine my expected sound sleep just becomes a nightmare due to chest pressure caused by internal gas created by consumed oily food! I always think that I will be determined not to take any rich food prepared by excessive oil, fat or cheese. But when I get the smell of Biriyani on street, I forget all on a sudden all addresses except that Biriyani shop and after sometimes I myself discover with hand & mouthful of Biriyani in that shop! I only get back in reality when I bite bone of meat and again, I do promise to avoid rich oily food after last time consumption of today! But the strength of my promise turns to an easy tear able lose wire when I see delivery boy is carrying pizza box to any premises of lucky guy! As a result, my tongue brutally betrays with me and I come to dispensary as usual!!

A simple scene

In the morning when the sun is rising up bit by bit, I love the red glow of autumn east sky.  The shine comes through page of white pink clouds with new hope and possibilities of thousands of dreams. That’s why Theophrastus said that the sun is new every day!    

Dhaka is such a city where it seems to me that people sleep very few hours as I cannot find street full empty ever! With 7:15 AM, most of the roads become crowdy with huge sometimes intolerable traffic jam. In public transport sweat & dust create unexpected discomfort for most of the travelers. Only self-owned cars’ passengers can get relief from sweat or dust but there is no way to avoid jam on road unless you have wings!

It’s really wondering that how some street children sale flowers or spare combs among jams or at traffic signal points tolerating dusty sweaty heat of weather! But reality is hunger what cannot be kept with any boundary. Hunger never do comprise with anything!

Every Morning Story

In my childhood I was taught as like as any other kid that “Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise”. But following that moral I never give up my bed so early in the morning most of my life. But now I am doing what I never did! Actually, in reality necessity knows no law. Now-a-days every morning I wake up at 6.00 AM when even the sun sometimes doesn’t rise only purpose is to save my job as my hard-routine bound office starts at 8:15 AM when in my office area Matijeel only few night guards and street dogs wake up as usual!

At dawn, morning tea makes me fresh and alert me that I am not sleeping at bed and already have woke up! When I bit on hard toast, the broken sound of toast clearly makes a rhythm at my premises as no one except me is only at dining table then in this half dark morning! As there is no other way so I have to enjoy it now every day. After sometimes, I have to go to office bus and will have a small gap to take a nap on bus if traffic jam is horrific but honestly speaking, I never expect huge jam!