Chapter 3: Time Gone by

It has been a year or so when the Calcutta trip happened to my life. I have cribbed the whole story to my friends. They were as much much amazed as much amused by my depiction of the experience.

Now it's time to introduce my team:

Partha: a guy of medium height, medium complexion, high energy, superb skills (in games).

Utpal: cousin-cum-friend of mine, too dark to find in darkness (to mock we used to ask him to smile in dark).

Bhairab: a guy who bears all the pains of the world, often beaten by parent

Raja: My best friend, fair complexion, too clever too wicked, can do anything putting the gun on your soldier.

We never planned for any picnic or sort earlier as our everyday life was quite full of excitement. We used to play a lot, study a bit and enjoy whatever cometh our way. We used to taste raw pulses from the field, ripe fruits from the tree. We did not have any park in the village but natural colours were abundant in the vicinity. Also a small river passes aside our village.

So this time finally we decided to go for a picnic in Kalajhara (Jhara means fountain and due to its location in coal mines, probably it has got the connotation). we made a list of take away and packed ourselves up next morning for a morning stride to the place. It was roughly 5 kms. away.

At 6 in the morning we started and by 9 we were there. Walking on the red soil was a bit pleasant but there is always a fear of Adhabagha (I did not know that it was Hyena - it looked like wild dog with white-black tiger like stripe on the body). In the jungles of the village on the way to Kalajhara there is also another rare species - black panther, although it had been watched by only a few and deadly tarantula (a type of spider, if it spread web over you the part of the body will melt down). There were several cases already. All these put together, you can imagine how tough it would have been to get permission from parents. With moderate disagreement, we somehow managed it.

Reaching the place we realised it worths our efforts. The serenity of the place was so pleasant that we almost started feeling in tandem with nature. The four of us had managed breakfast with breads and eggs and them on walkaway got some fruits nearby to treat ourselves.

Then we played a bit of cricket and then gone for a shower under the fountain. The water was real refreshing - we swam across and dive from the rocks into the pond below. Finally we got ready for our packed lunch. We ruled out the option of cooking as we were neither expert nor we wanted to kill time in doing so. Sharing food and knowledge are always enriching - I was not not sure of the latter but the first one is incomparable.

After the lunch is over, we got into the jungle to watch Adhabagha but to our dismay  none were visible. As the afternoon was trudging, we had to get back against our will, but the experience that day will remain afresh in memory forever.