The Hands That Create - Frames From Everyday Walk of Life

Life flows on, often in a great gusto. Here is my attempt to capture the frames from everyday life, as I see them unfolding. Ordinary people, ordinary practices, something to think about and perhaps smile...

This montage is for people from various walks of life.

A for Autorickshaw!! The ubiquitous life line of Mumbai! The standard black-yellow built and the drivers in Khaki! Circa Dec 2018

C for Chop!!!! Badal da .. the chop seller at Uttarpara. Chop in Bangla means fried fritters. As a child, I always used to wonder at how do these chop sellers keep running their business running? Do they ever feel to sneak out and gulp couple of their own creations?? Badal has lots of recipe in his repertoire. P claims that Badal has neither lost nor gained weight over the years!

D is for Dhaaki!!  The ones clad in Dhoti and carry the BIGG Dhaak for the autumnal festivities! Some of them carry a festive feathery outfit, which is a sight to see! Circa: Oct 2021

D for Dhunuri!! Dhunuri are the people who carries a big sword like fixture. People would ask them to fluff up the cottons from pillows and duvets. I somehow feel this trade is going down. I do remember the sound which comes from these Dhunuri- it is a very typical plucking sound. Dec, 2025

F for Flags!! Girl selling Indian flags, pre Republic Day, Vashi, Jan 2023

K for Key Maker!!! Key maker lane, near Shivaji Chowk, Vashi. There is a lane in Vashi which is entirely dedicated to make duplicate keys and locks! I have now lived on and off in Mumbai for the last 25 years. And like me, if you talk to any other Mumbaikar, the chances are they will tell you the story that they got locked out from their apartment at some point of their lives. They will also tell you, that they were not properly dressed at that time. But somehow they had to borrow clothes and money and get the business sorted out!! I have faced this situation TWICE in my 25 years, the first one I own it, second was NOT by me!!! Jan 2023

K for Key Making Key-making machine, Vashi

R for Rice!!! Women harvesting rice,  near Kamshet, Pune. A very common picture in rural Maharashtra. This picture sings song of Western Ghat, rains, lush greenery, simplicity, community, hard work and what not!! Aug 2007

S for Sabzi Mandi!!!My long lost "Taai"s. In a world which is increasingly getting dominated by Blinkit, Zomato, Swiggy, there is a different kind of charm which rests in a Sabzi Mandi. The world which looks more greener, neatly stacked veggies and herbed. Loved this moment from my recent trip. Jan 2025

U is for Uber!! Sometimes the app doesn't work seamlessly across international locations. Booking a cab/pick-up location has significantly changed for all airports across the world. For Mumbai International, one has to walk to P7 to catch a ride. I chugged my luggage to P7 - but the app gave up on me :( The eternal wheel kept rotating and I became anxious, what if if I cannot book a cab? Do I need to get out of this area, walk up to the side walk and catch a ride? Then I saw this girl. She is perhaps an Uber employee who lent her phone to me and I booked (on cash). Simple joy! 

A walk through the old house

 This October I went home, after almost 2 years. It was a long wait. Sometimes it feels that I have lost the perception of time/date/day. Is it due to COVID or due to the February winter storm or simply due to age?? I don't know..

 The journey took more than 36 hours with long transits, but I finally reached home and I am very thankful for that. Thankful for all the people I have in my life, thankful for all the conversations that I can have with my family and friends..thankful for all the memories we make together.

It was a short trip for about 12 days. The Autumn sun and some late splashes of Monsoon made my days. And in between the Durgapuja festivities, I made couple of trip to the embassy to renew visa for Maa. As we were ferrying from North to South Kolkata, one of the days, we decided to visit Raja Ram Mohan Roy's House. 

A day at Sarat Kuthi, Samtabere

I have long harbored the desire of visiting the homes of my favorite authors. To me this is a sort of pilgrimage. To be in the house where those masters lived and to get soaked in those atmospheres is a timeless unique experience.

Till now I have visited mansions of Victor Hugo, Rabindra Nath Tagore, Ernest Hemmingway, Bibhuti Bhushan Bandopadhyay, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Last year I had the opportunity to visit Samtabere, a small quaint village in Howrah - where Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay resided in the last decade of his life.

Although Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay does not need an introduction, but I cannot resist the temptation to introduce him to my readers. Sarat Chandra is a master story teller. His novels and short stories are equally famous among young and grown ups. Many of the novels have been converted to films across different regional languages of India. Different people have their reasons for liking Sarat babu's writing. Sarat Babu lived in the time when caste system was quite predominant amongst the society - but his writings had a humane touch, they are tales of compassion and tales of valor. His canvas lacked any overt agenda, but it had subtle messages.
 Many of  the characters of Sarat Babu have a shade of his personality. Be it Ram or Srikanta or Sabyasachi or Ramesh - the characters  have always raised voice against social oppression, communal conflicts.

Sarat babu was quite sensitive to the struggles and aspiration of women. Although on a first glance the women protagonists look very simple, their lives are tied to daily household chores,  but deep inside they all exude strengths of empathy and courage. 

It was a wet winter morning. As we started our drive, mist engulfed the windscreen. Samtabere is 70 Km South East of Dumdum. Shortly after crossing Bagnan, one of the offshoots from NH 2 goes towards Samtabere. 

I was keen to explore his home. The house built in 1900s has a huge Burmese influence. Sarat babu had spent part of life in Burma ( currently Myanmar).The two storied building has all 4 sides open. 

Manna babu, a veteran ( third generation to serve at Sarat Babu's house) takes care of the house. Although Manna Babu is old, but he was very patient to show and explain the house.  The entrance of the house had encryption from the novel Mahesh. The lines read like this : 

"Allah, punish me as much as you like, but Mahesh died with thirst on his lips. Nobody left the tiniest bit of land for him to feed on. Pray never forgive those their guilt who never let him eat the grass nor drink the water you have given."

Those who have read Mahesh, they know the story still serves a mirror to the society. The love between Gofur and his Mahesh still exists and embarassingly, the hatred between man to man still exists as well.

The two storied house was originally made up of mud. A huge sprawling garden lies all around the house. As the wind caressing the stem,the bamboo shoots was carving out a music. Long back,the river Rupnarayan used to flow next to the house, but now with time, the river has drifted away. A small pond lies in front of the house. Life in Samtabere is still very simple - villagers often come down to wash their dishes or fish in the pond. Manna Babu told us that Kartik and Ganesh, the famous fishes in "Ramer Sumati" used to reside in this pond. Also the Guava tree which was mentioned in Ramer Sumati, lies at the entrance to the house ( a replica at the original position).

On side of the long verandah at the ground floor, lies Sarat babu's writing room. The desk, long arm chair are still there. A small window opens to the garden. I could conjure up a hot summer afternoon and Sarat babu at work on his desk. The living room features some of the items used by the author - his bed, book shelf, medicine cabinet, family deities. The wall clock still works faithfully.

On the back side of the house, there is a granary and a small kitchen. 

Sarat Babu used to be president of Indian National Congress, Howrah district. His house was an important meeting place for the freedom fighters.

As we thanked Manna Babu and went down the red path, I realized how much this trip meant to me. Deep down inside me, there was a sense of happiness and peace. As we passed through the dusty roads and negotiated our way past thundering trucks, the mind kept wandering back. To the world where Sabyasachi, Indranath, Ram reigned. To the house where Subhash Chandra Bose , Chittaranjan Das used to pay visit. Silently I paid my tribute to Sarat Babu.

Bordharan - The hidden gem at Sahyadri

Serene and tranquil ... this is how I felt during our recent family trip to Bordharan. 

My association with Maharashtra (or Marathawada) has been long and fruitful. My first school excursion was at Nagpur. During my undergraduate studies, I did couple of field trips in Ramtek, Mansarovar, which are small villages close to Nagpur.  I also completed my graduate studies from Mumbai. My first job was also in this city. It is no wonder that half of my soul belongs to this state, while the other half belongs to West Bengal!

 Every year when I visit my brother's family at Nagpur, we try to undertake a small day trip. And since we have a toddler and a teenager in the family, we try to visit places which doesn't require long commute. This January we ventured out to Bordharan, a small village which is 60km  South West of Nagpur. Highway 6 which connects Nagpur to Wardha, goes across Bordharan. We cruised along cotton fields, maize fields. Have you ever seen cotton fields? Cotton ( or Kapas in local language) looks like snow during full bloom!! This part of Central India is made up of fertile black soil, which are  the byproduct of erosion of Deccan volcanic.

Bordharan is not a typical tourist place. It is a gentle forested gateway in the Sahyadri hills where the wind whispers incessantly throughout the day. Bor's wilderness unfolds across 120 sq. Km of dry decidious forest and grassland. The area hosts a sanctuary which is the home for tigers, bears, monkeys, three - striped palm squirrel and many more. At one end of the Bor reservoir lies small fishing village.

 We had reservation at the MTDC guest house. The guest house opens towards the Bordharan dam and the back side is protected by the mighty wall of Sahyadris. There is a open courtyard where one could sit and enjoy beautiful sunset against the backdrop of Bor reservoir. It was already quite late, we settled for a quick simple lunch and decided to take a stroll outside. The lake front was covered with a whole assortment on ground plants like, wild watermelons, wild roses.

 As the evening descended,  we took out our barbeque gear. After a long time we had a barbeque party under the starry skies. The wind became chillier and the barbeque pit provided the much needed warmth!!! 

 Next morning I woke from sleep with the sounds from jungle erupting around me - Langurs were calling. After a hearty breakfast at the resort we made our way to the Huen-Tsang retreat center. Situated at the top of a hillock the temple the road to the stupa is paved with Ashoka and Shaal trees. The stupa offers a chance to  meditate and reflect. The grand prayer hall 4 statues of Tathagata. As we prayed, the echo followed the sound, it provided a multiplying  effect, soothing our souls.

Just when I thought I have finally found a spot to unwind, it was time to go, leaving behind the small cocoon of contentment. 
While going back to Nagpur, I wondered what is in store for 2018? Like the previous years I want to continue my search towards a better me, I want to spend time with my family and near ones and I want to visit places like this. Places which are rustic , offer a space to unwind and to dream more!!!