Nostalgia resurfaces

A good 4 days away from blogging. And No, I had not disappeared. I was on a short trip to Farakka - a much needed vacation. For people who do not know me, Farakka was the place where I was brought up. Everlasting memories of my childhood are etched in my mind and would stay like that forever.

Where-from should I start: The lush green field in front of our Govt. quarters, the flowing Ganges, the evening cricket, the lazy stroll on the streets, the fall of dusk and the birds flying off to their homes, my school, the respectable and loving teachers, my friends - some of whom I might not ever see again, my first crush... I miss them all. I miss the morning prayers, the fierce competition amongst different houses, the sharing of tiffin in the recess time, the running around on the corridors, playing hide and seek and doing a big 'dhappa' after catching the hider, playing dumb-charades, doing skits and debates, participating in march past, playing 'antakshari' with our teachers too joining in. And how can I forget gazing at someone I liked so much, with rapt attention and still, pretending to be an idiot (probably, I really was!). I wish I could go back to those days, again get admitted in Class 1.

All said and done, it is not possible any more. So that was a small glimpse of what Farakka was, is and will be for me.

Back to the trip:
Those who have seen Farakka would admit that it is beautiful. Away from the hustle and bustle of the pollution stricken Metros, it is a place of great peace and tranquility. We stayed over at Bharat Sevashram Sangha and I, personally, was bowled over by the kind of charity and work that the Sanyasis out there do for the society, for the poor, the needy and the deprived. I found 40-50 children, most of them, orphans, who would stay in the adjacent hostels, study in the school that the Ashram has, and chant hymns day in and day out. They were also provided with appropriate clothing, food and study materials. Probably, few of them would aspire to become successful in their respective careers and others would hold high the flag which the Sanyasis have so far held aloft.

After staying for 3 days, we reached in the morning today and yes, last night I met 3 of my old teachers while waiting for the train at the Farakka railway station. They were as much delighted as I was. Nostalgia resurfaced once again as we chatted for minutes on end!




Picture: My alma mater- DPS, Farakka