Autumn in Bengal

The country side near my hometown makes me breathless ... and in autumn it just shines like a jewel. My heart starts singing as the train turns towards Bolpur Santiniketan, abode of the peace. Although it lacks a lot of modern amenities especially that of health (what else can be expected in a country where the Minister of Health is more concerned about smoking in public places and proving gay people have no rights) but I still yearn to be back.
Homeward bound the train took a sharp bend and I got this snap. I always prefer to travel non-ac as it is more fun as you can see the country side up close and personal.

Kaash phul immortalised by Ray stands for the desolation and isolation of Apu and Durga makes my weary city heart for the quiet. We do get to see splashes of Kaash phul in Delhi as well, around here in Vasant Kunj and in abundance in Noida but the charm of catching the white flowers dancing under the blue Bengal sky just ahead of Durga Puja is a joy, which never ceases to thrill me.

The image that remains in my heart is of the quite green lush paddy fields, inviting and warm. My quintessential Banglar mati, Banglar jol...aami tomay bhalo bashi. Wish you all a very happy Eid, Durga Puja, Diwali and Christmas. Let the festivities begin!!!


Comments

Srobona RC said…
Ah I can smell the "matir-gandho" in the pics. Beautiful. I can imagine the train chugging through that kind of scenery. I remember taking the train from Guwahati to Kolkata and passing by water filled paddy fields, where women and men wearing conical straw hats were cutting the green rice stalks. Wish you Happy Pujo as well. I am stuck with Bileti pujo this year.
Mirage said…
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh.... loverlyyyy.. !! I am dying o take kash phul pix... too...!! NOT FAIR!!!!
illusions said…
Thanks, thanks. As they are captured from my phone camera I am more thrilled. You should not complain Mirage, after all you captured the more rare one ...dhuntro.
Unknown said…
OK. Now I allow that A. R. waited till just before the elections before doing anything. but give credit to him. He had some sense.
Just a few statistics for you:
The revenue earned by the government from tobacco products: 27 billion Rs.
The money spent in treating tobacco related illnesses: 30 Billion Rs.

There have been experiments in the past where just changing cigarette packets to be non-fanciful have brought down the number of smokers by 10%.

I don't know how much this will be enforced. But if it is implemented, I see a lot of software engineers, BPO workers quitting the stick. For example, in my business park, you'll have to walk 250 metres to take a smoke. How many people will do that? + it will stop new people from starting to smoke.. ban in pubs is helpful...

Legalizing gays. I support it. why have a law that doesn't make sense. + it will allow the government to OFFICIALLY support NGOs that educate gays about AIDS.
Unknown said…
Legalizing gays : Well someone has the guts to care a dam for the saffron coach wagon drivers
illusions said…
True...I am at least not smoking when I am in public place. Which makes my expenditure go down a bit on the stick!!!
illusions said…
I am no way undermining the ban on nicotene here but I guess if people have the right to eat crabohydrates and get addicted to it (the case in point being samose mein aloo to dear aloo bhaate)can we smokers be cut some flak here? We are not asking all people to give their addiction such as tea, coffee, chocolates,paan etc etc why do people react so harshly towards the nicotene I wonder, may be it is the act which we would all like to enact but don't really have the courage to do so.

Secondly, building awareness in gay communities in one thing against AIDS and denying them rights to be taken seriously is altogether moralistic.

Thirdly, in Delhi cigarettes have been or rather smoking in public places have been banned but for your information every residential area and the community markets have been allowed to start liquor stores.Some beer holes. Can you get me the statistics in health adversities on that? Not only my neighbourhood market has become totally unfriendly for me (can't pick up my regular bread, milk, eggs) after sundown as people gather to have a swig, I have to ensure that I shop before sundown otherwise I amight be considered as "adventurous"!!! Or my husband accompanies me, which is an impossibility because of the schedules he keeps.

Last but not the least could you explain why does a 21 yr old gets cancer who has never touched liquor or nicotene, I will tell you becuase when he was in the womb his mother used to stay next to a farm land where heavy spraying of pesticides used to happen hence the heavy toxic entered the foetus! yes a toxin in capable of going through the placenta. So ny dear friend my point is if really we want to do something it has to be wholistic and not lip-service.
Unknown said…
> We are not asking all people to give
> their addiction such as tea, coffee
Its not about addiction. If we were to follow your ideas, we'd soon have cocaine being sold in medical shops.

> denying them rights to be taken
> seriously is altogether moralistic.
Whoever said that?

> community markets have been allowed
> to start liquor stores.
Not that I completely support this, however cigarettes pose a greater danger. The problem with cigarettes is if the guy near me smokes, although I don't want to, I still have to inhale his second hand smoke.
The only problem with booze is that you can't ban it. People had tried it in America during the great Prohibition, and all they formed were the Chicago gangs.

> does a 21 yr old gets cancer who has
> never touched liquor or nicotene, I
> will tell you becuase when he was in
> the womb his mother used to stay next
> to a farm land where heavy spraying
> of pesticides used to happen hence

OK. Just to clarify the fact, nicotine, itself is not carcinogenic. Nicotine just weakens the nerves. It is the other ingredients (more than 3000) in cigarette smoke that cause cancer. That is besides the point.
90% (or so) of the time stomach ailments are not caused by waterborne diseases, but don't you order mineral water when you go to a dhaba?
Unknown said…
BTW. I don't know if its true or not, because I never searched it on the net (even if I did, I'd still not know), but I've heard that the Kennedys made their money bootlegging during prohibition :P
illusions said…
Well, the Kennedy bit is part of lot of conspiracy theories and hearsay wouldn't really know how much truth is there, as for our interesting debate I would like to conclude by saying for the stick "I have the right to kill myself". But don't worry am not killing others by the passive smoke, I do it in my home where I still have some rights thankfully! I read a very interesting piece in Hindustan Times today that we all shall die some with herbage and some with being unruly and with lots of nicotene. I shall be the latter. :-) Have a great smoke free pujo.
Barnali said…
I have never been to shantiniketan but i have just felt the essence of the place by reading ur blog..
illusions said…
Thanks Barnali for such great compliment but I think you should go at least for a weekend soon to Santiniketan to savour the languid life...

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