Apurba Mondal, was my room mate of BE college, he is one of my very close friends but more than that he is my window to take a fresh air from the simple village life of Bengal. I have visited their cottage of Mahish Nagra Gram of Nadia district, West Bengal, couple of times but this experience is from my first visit to their home.
It was quite remote if not extremely remote village. We caught a bus from Esplanade, which took us to Krishna Nagar town. From there we took another bus, I think which you won’t get more that 3-4 times in a day from Krishna Nagar. Then another 1 hour ride drop us beside highway, after that ? keep walking for half an hour and you will reach Apurba’s home. Village is basically surrounded by fertile agricultural land. They mainly grow paddy but also grow different vegetables. Some lands are used for Banana plantation, growing various tropical fruits like papaya etc. It is totally a mixed bag of agriculture and as its commonly practice in remote villages of India. Not very scientific, but very natural way of utilizing what mother nature offers. Irrigation is major issue over there as in many places in India, normally they utilize the ground water by using shallow pumps. For drinking water they use community tube well. Almost every house maintains their own cows for milk and plow. All their living needs are pretty much satisfied locally, it is quite difficult to perceive totally and appreciate the lifestyle for someone, who are used to in urban life. But it has its own purity, simplicity and beauty.
Cottages build at Apurba’s house was very interesting, around their living land about 3-4 separate cottages are build. Constructions are not very sophisticated, all are constructed with mud, Darma ( some material made out of bamboo) , tin, covered by either straw or tali ( tiles made from mud then burning them in fire, same technique used in terracotta art). And floors are made of mud. None of the cottages or rooms, whatever you call, are internally connected, if you want to go one place to other you have to walk outside 10/15’ then go to the next cottage door. Normally nobody put boundary walls over there at that time, so when you out of room you are basically exposed to outside. Usually when I go to their house, I used to sleep a room(cottage) build very entrance of their land. Its almost like camping out side. After all day activities like moving around one corner to other of the village, swimming in the ponds, catching fish, collecting snail from bottom of the ponds, pluck vegetables from plants etc, I usually get so tired, I just fell asleep whenever I go to bed. That was a stormy night ( Kalbaishaki ), in the afternoon before the storm began to show any sign, Apurba told, let me to go out and check a house little far with one of my village friend. Those guys raise chicken at their house and sell some time for meat. If they have any, tonight we’ll cook chicken and do a feast out side. Sounds interesting, no reason to disagree!
But with in half an hour after he left, a bad storm with heavy wind and shower began. In the summer time of the year at Bengal, this type of storm is very common, it comes all of a sudden during after noon or evening, shakes everything for couple of hours then all get clear and you can see a sky full of starts soon after the storm gone. After couple of hot days in summer this storm is very soothing. That day storm was keep going more than its usual time of course, around 8 pm. Apurba’s mother told, I don’t think he will be able to arrange anything tonight, you better have your dinner with whatever we have at home. Aburba might have taken shelter at one of his friend’s house, will not be back before tomorrow morning. So I did so, and after my all day activities, in that rainy cool weather, I fell asleep like a baby. As I told before I used to sleep in a cottage room out side, and the door was not tightly locked also. Around mid night, I woke up suddenly and realize somebody is calling my name from outside and banging the door hard. Before I get awake properly, I just opened the door and found two figures, one just told wear you sleeper and come with us. I didn’t even fully recognize that was Apuba himself. But I just followed. After some time when I gained full consciousness, I realize I am walking with Apurba and another friend of him, though the muddy shortcut route of a paddy field. On that rainy muddy ground, very soon I realize, wearing slipper doesn’t make any sense, so I took them in hand and start walking with bare feet, no way is a good idea, just tried to be visually extra vigilant for safety. What he explained on the way is, they reached the place before storm stats and bought a live chicken after a hard bargain, and then the storm prevented them to return. But they don’t want to wait for the fun so decided to have the feast on that day itself. By that time the sky was clear, it was a full moon night, being inside the agricultural land just washed by heavy rain, was an out of the world experience, it was looking like a calendar picture. Now we are inside a paddy field far away from any villages and sign of human being. Day before we crossed similar places in daylight and Apurba told all the local ghost stories. So you can imagine, I was hoping better not to see anybody else.
Any way after half an hour difficult walk with full of emotions we finally reached at a house in the corner of a village, There 2-3 more friends have already gathered and preparation for the feast was in full swing. Menu was very simple rice and typical Bengali banbhojan ( picnic) murgir (chicken) jhol (curry). One of his friend, who gained some publicity as chef in Mahish Nangra gram in chicken preparation played the chief role for cooking. We played cards for some time, till everything was ready. I told, I have already had a stomach full dinner before going to bed, so just test little bit. But when the smell of the cooking chicken stats coming I cannot just wait to test it. If the aroma is so good how good will be to eat. There is a shloka in Sanskrit : Graneno Ardha Bhojanam…..
So after food is ready we started eating, and I am surprised with no appetite how much I ate over there. And the chicken preparation was really good, his friend truly excels this art and an absolute need to mention here, bird was not a poultry one, in modern day terminology a true cadge free bird. It is amazing to see how much difference it makes in taste. That hot chicken curry ( murgir jhol ) and rice, with that ambiance, with such a nice company, in a remote place, enhanced by a mystic night after a mad storm, a second dinner till you eat your heart full, that one can enjoy only once in a life time.
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