RATHA YATRA

 

When I was in class VI I, being totally unaware, experienced a new lesson from  one of my friends. I was the first time in my life that I realised something strange with him.The incident was the day on which the festival Rath yatra was celebrated.I could very easily remember the day just because of the fact that it was my first outing with a friend and I had to beg the permission to my father for going to that visit as I,on that particular days never went to the Rath Fair without holding my father's fingers ever.I was  a little bit excited and felt something adventure in ourselves compared to no less than any detective heroes like Byomkesh & Ajit or Sherlock & Watson of their famous respective adventure stories.We both knew when the chariot would be pulled along the main road of the market.There would be a massive crowd giving company the Goddess Subhadra and her two elder brothers, Balram and Jagannath on their way to Sbhadra's Baper Bari as much as I knew from my Mother. And one more thing I had just forgot to mention  was that it was the open place just beside our house regarded as the Baper Bari of this respected Goddess & Gods,so in a way I was fortunate enough to see the Rath temple over eight days after leaving bed in the morning each day and then while washing mouth made a quick visit to count the iron wheels whether they were in the right order.

 But the question that was always in my mind was that-   " Why so much people to give company them!" Creating troubles for almost all the shopkeepers at that short market place and for the visitors as well in the same way! Subhadra is not after all a child who may have lost the one way road to follow which I used to do twice a day and if that is so then what is the use of her two elder brothers Balram and jagannath sitting both sides of her all the way! I felt disgusted when I with my father had to stand still for more than one hour at any narrow small  jalebi stall or any toy shop or any other shops selling sweets ,papads,ghugni ect. while the chariot would haveṣ been pulled out by the countless visitors with the chains tied to the Rath vehicle.The slogan was.. ” Jay baba Jagannath!” ,and I did not find out why was this preference for the god Jagannath as there were two figures more in the vehicle pulled out? and it might create quarrel in the Goddess or gods themselves I was quite sure for that! Sometimes the excitement of the devotees went on to an extent that if some one happened to be run over by the chariot no one was there being ready to pay attention to that guy at that moment! So many of them had witnessed to that brutal experience too! 

By the way I was to visit the fair with my friend then.at 4 O’clock we started walking towards the market place. Our first priority was to visit a jalebi stall and the next visit was at a fast food centre just beside the main road on which the chariot was to be pulled after some time.I was little interested in all that was going to happen next and my interest  was rather in the “ CHAW” we ordered to the shopkeeper who was cooking for us.My friend also did not elicit any sign of interest in pulling chariot rather he time to time kept pinging me on saying “ taratari kheyenis kintu ekhuni rath chole asle r khaoa hobe na bujhli? I said “ok I will try”. But when we were served the dishes I noticed that it was never possible for me to have the dish in short order as it was too hot!

It was only when we just began to eat CHAW we heard  the enchanting slogan “ jay baba jagannath”.The shopkeeper  was busy with other customers and took hardly any heed of us .My friend  being stand,I noticed ,was about to finish the half of the plate given to him. I couldn’t understand how  could a boy have so fast,taking a mouthful of CHAW,and almost devouring them in at once! I felt it unnecessary for a moment rather I was relishing the plateful of CHAW,I was given, as much as possible, sitting on a bench.When I was just able to finish half of the plate I noticed my friend was gazing at me without blinking his eye lids and chewing very slowly, eating almost nothing though on his plate there was still two or three spoonfuls of CHAW left.I did not quite understand what was actually going to happen with him as well as me too.When we had made eye contact he was furious-faced in his appearance.I still had half of the dish and I could hear continuously the chanting slogan ‘ Jay baba Jagannath!’, getting louder in every moment.The more it was approaching near  the greater was its enchanting slogan leaving us almost deaf for a while.Added to it there were beating of drums and the instruments like ghanta with shanka and the mixed sound effect of them was so loud that one could feel them at the core of one’s heart.I was left a complete deaf too amid the demonic  sound celebration.Suddenly I felt on my back an extra beating with a pain but when I turned around , found my friend vanished into the moving crowd, a wave of people gesturing with the drum beats and ghanta. I got confused for a moment as I would be unable to give any excuses to the shopkeeper of my disappeared friend and without thinking anything I myself started running  towards my house. I did not know why I continue to run but it was only when I saw him standing beside the road near our locality my feet stopped at once.Now my brain began to respond in itself.I could see my friend , I went to him and asked him, “Why did you leave hurriedly without paying your bill like a thief ?”. He answered “you fool ! do you think I am going to pay him off? I never ! that was my trick to cheat him!HA..HA.”  I replied “I am going to pay off the bill. And you too should!”. “ You are a coward! You got afraid...HAHAHA...!!! “ he said. “Neither I am a coward nor am I a fool and nor a thief like you.I am going to the shopkeeper. I will give him my payment and tell him your name too if he asked me about your disappearance.I must tell him your father’s name and the address if it is necessary.” I said.

I started walking towards the market and after reaching there once more I found the shopkeeper still busy with other customers.I kept thinking what I should say to him. By the way, I gave him the payment and when he just asked me “ where did you go ? and where is your friend who came with you?.” “ I have lost him in the crowd passing by  at that moment.I tried to find him but he was nowhere .I would like to pay off the cost of his dish too.”I said and paid off the bill but knew that I told a lie.and I had just turned around to come back and saw my friend was there to give the payment to the shopkeeper .”your friend just paid off the bill so you needn’t. “ He had already seen me and there was once again another eye contact between us but this time I was smiling and he was smiling too...!