An Inspiration

Women’s Day is over!!!!!!! Nooooooo Neverrrrrrrrrr

 Every girl’s mother shall always be her first inspiration whose experience cannot be expressed in words. But, besides 'ma' there are many others who are so close to one’s heart and inspire you so much that it's hard to express your feelings towards them.

I write this post dedicated to one of the inspirational personalities of my life' Panna ba (didi/elder sister)'- Miss Panna Bharali. She calls me 'pagoli-mad girl'.

                    I had met “Panna ba” on the first day of graduation, my senior and roommate.

Being the district level badminton player from Dibrugarh, Assam she was summoned as the “Stupendous sports personality” of CPMS College, Guwahati. She ran and till today runs environment awareness NGO, “Irab-Kirab” on her elder sister’s behalf who was also an environmentalist and had fought against ovarian cancer till the end. This NGO educates students on aspects of how one should love and respect the environment they live in. This NGO has undertaken various projects where they want people to understand the importance of environment in their life and ways of safeguarding it without. 

“Irab-Kirab” aims to make this environment a suitable juncture of living without exploiting it.

Presently, Hospital Administrator in National Health Mission, Tinsukia Panna ba has defeated breast cancer with utmost courage and positivity.

Miss Panna Baharali a dutiful daughter, successful women, loyal friend, a traveller but overall a real life hero indeed who never complains but always fights the obstacles of her life with a smiling face. Never have I witnessed tears in her eyes. Not that she is emotionless but she knows tears are not the solution of any problem.

I had seen her lead an utmost disciplined life which helped her to be focus always. I guess her this discipline has helped her to be a fighter and remain focussed to defeat her enemy “cancer”.

When I first heard the news about her I couldn’t believe my ears. So after gathering all my courage I called her. I asked her, “Ba, where are you?”

Panna ba replied, “I am at B. Borooah Cancer Institute, right now undergoing my treatment for breast cancer”.

I was dumbfounded and swallowed a big gulp of emotions. She was my roommate who owed the bed next to me. I was with her for almost a year. She used to wake me up in the morning every day. Bring my breakfast, lunch and dinner. Scold me when I didn’t study. Laugh hard at my idiotic madness’s spoil me by bringing the food stuffs I liked to eat. In short she treated me like a small chap, cared me, nursed me and just loved me.

I questioned myself, “Is this reality? Is this the truth? No, it cannot be Panna ba. How can God be so merciless?”

Panna Ba said from the other side of phone, “its O.k dear. I shall be alright.”

I remained silent. I was at the loss of words. I felt so helpless. There was hollowness all within me and coldness prevailed. My hands quivered and at a moment the phone slipped away. I thought, “The hospital where I go to meet patients and see them suffering everyday there among the patients one is Panna Ba”.

My mind imagined the patients whom I meet but all had the smiling face of Panna ba. I knew the pain she was passing through but why am so helpless.My heart sank and darkness prevailed in front of my eyes. Grasping the seat near me I somehow managed to sit.

Panna ba said from the other side, “Hey emotional pagoli chill. I am O.K. Your Panna ba is O.k.”

Tears rolled down from my eyes and I heard Panna ba saying, ““Crying on fate will worsen your today, better get up and fight to enjoy a best tomorrow”.

I understood what she meant and wiping my tears I replied, “Ba we shall party next time we meet”.

Panna Ba replied, “Of-course we shall”.

I wish Panna ba all good in her life and want her to know that indeed she is a strong lady who lives life on her own demand and has shown life what an awesome fighter she is.

Spring Is Here

It was a beautiful sunny morning today almost after a week of rainfall. I woke up early at 5.00 a.m.

Walking through my garden’s lawn barefooted I could see the Sun peeping its way out from our ‘Assam type Home-sweet home.’ It spread itself bright on our lawn where I stood on the lawn barefooted. The greenery of the lawn bloomed as the Sun kissed it slowly. I stood there mesmerized watching the beautiful painting on the sky formed by the blue, orange, yellow and red colour. I felt the Sun kissing the nature slowly like mother and as if whispering, “Wake up my Child; it’s a new day”.

Moments later brightening our lawn I saw the Sun brighten the veranda of our temple situated at one corner of the lawn. I walked slowly towards the temple and opened the gates of the temple and sat there watching slowly the beauty of nature.

Various beautiful flowers have bloomed all around the lawn. At one moment I supposed I forgot to wink my eyes even. Everything was so beautiful so serene. Moments later I saw ‘baba- my father’ returning from his morning walk. He walked towards me passing through the lawn and said,"The Spring is here ma, the spring is here”.

Saying so, baba pointed his fingers towards the Pomelo fruit tree (Assamese- Rhobab tenga) present at other corner of our lawn. I   tried to find out what baba was trying to show me. Through the creepers grown over the Pomelo tree I could see what baba was trying to show me it were the ‘foxtail orchids- Kopou Phool’.

 

Kopou Phool-the foxtail orchids symbolizes the Rhongali bihu-new year of Assam. After two long years I am at home during spring. I breathed in the soothing chilled air and felt that, “Spring is here”.

I rushed home took my bicycle & rode through the road. I rode through the road with tea gardens on both sides. I stopped by the tea garden and touched the tea leaves which reminded me of Bhupen Hazarika’s song “Ek kaali dwo pattiya -one bud & two leaves”. Yes it was on every tea shrub. Yes of course I thought, yes of course because “Spring is here.”

I waited there for moments to breathe in the fresh aroma of the brewing tea coming from inside the tea factory nearby where fresh tea leaves were being converted into tea powder. It seemed the fresh air too meant “Spring is here”.

I rode over the bridge under which the stream flowed. Due to continuous rain it has been transformed into a large stream. There is greenery everywhere. Butterflies everywhere.Flowers everywhere, but I didn’t stop I rode past my school “Don Bosco” and entered into a small ‘kaccha rasta’ which was leading to a village where my “Choto-ma” stays.

There I heard the beating of ‘dhols- the Assamese dhol is made of leather and tree bark and is beaten by a stick on one side and with hand on the other side’ , blowing of ‘pepa- the blow horn made basically from rhinoceros horns and whistling of ‘hutuli- a small whistler made from wood. 

It reminded me of my memories how amateur dancers like me and my elder brother ‘Jeet’ practiced bihu before Rhongali Bihu with the professional ones who were to go for performing ‘Husori- a ritual of Rhongali Bihu where dancers go to different houses to sing and dance and pray for the house-owners so that the God would shower blessing over the House’ and this reminded me yes “Spring is here”, “Spring is here”.

I returned home riding my bicycle and while entering home brought ‘garam jalebis’ from the famous jalebi shop of my home town and returned . While entering home I heard my 'ma- mother singing Rabindra nath Tagore’s song, “ Aaji Bosonto Jagroto Daaare- Today Spring has arrived at my door-step” and I  responded “ Yes, Spring is here”.

Joyeeta Talukdar

30/03/2016