Sipra's Diary:

 

         Stages of Evolution" from Words

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Sipra Roy <sipra.roy.ny@gmail.com>	2:55 PM (0 minutes ago)		Reply
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Title of the Art-piece for#2 event for   https//:100tpc.org  

   

 

Title:   Stages of evolution through Nebulae:  Sipra Roy

 

 

 

Through churning of the ocean for purifying

With spiral forces of twin serpents.

 

From one-celled ameoba : Life origins

To its finest manifestation: Human being,

Crowned with brain in thousand-petals 

As bright as flame.!!

 

Embrace all changes ,-chaos or charismatic,

Flow   with Nature who is  the wisest mentor!!

                                                                      Sipra Roy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..

 

Sipra's Diary: "Issues of The Pickpocket".

  .......EXCERPT from the .............

They were walking towards the bus-stand . Rashmi put on her goggles from her vanity bag, partly for the bright sun  and mainly to hide her tremendous emotions for Pankaj. 

She pretended to ask casually : 

"This coming Thursday is 15th august , National  holiday . Can we  plan  some program to spend the day.....?"   

[RASHMI was extremely cautious to omit ...."together" ].

Pankaj:  Umm,  not a bad idea!   Do you like to watch Movie?

Rashmi:  Very much!  Specially, romantic  Bollywood movie.  But I rarely get that opportunity  as I don't feel good to go alone!

"OK. I will call you on 14th August to finalize the time and venue of the program.. ......

.. Oh,...my  bus is coming .....bye!"  

 After Pankaj got the bus  Rashmi walked towards home .  She felt herself  as light as feather in cheer , in exalt  ! She met Pankaj unexpectedly today  and  spent more than hours ;  also a promise to  meet again on 15 th August ! Not only lucky day but an auspicious day for her .

A little  hawker  boy approached her with a bunch of jasmine-sticks to insist her to buy .

"Didi, only Rs2:50 last bunch, please take it;... OK.... give me  only  Rs 2 only .

Rashmi   gave money to take the flowers  from the boy .  She entered her humble nest of staircase  like a happiest bird; she switched on the table fan  & kept the bunch of flowers in the plastic water jug . All the time she was murmuring  tune of a popular love-song.......

    ....."Akaser  ostorage , amarei  swapna jage"....

if translated:   [ "let my dream bloom to absorb//

                     the amazing hue of  evening sky !"

Then changed her dress to put on a loose soft maxi and perched on her bed embracing the side pillow ...

Stretching her hand to the wall calendar she marked the date in red circle with a pen kept in  coiled thread with the calendar ; her face became brighter with smile while doing ; 

... first time she noticed that there were nine small images of elephant-god in circle around border of  the calendar . She gazed minutely! Elephant god i.e Ganesh, god of success ! She got it from the small shop from where she bought a 'maxi' for herself before Bengali New Year Sale.

Rashmi dived deep into romantic thought of planning how to spend few hours in  the best way with her desired man; she shivered in romance at the thought of sitting beside the most handsome man for  three hours!

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Sipra's Diary: [Excerpt from]. " In quest of right bride."

 Bride -Hunting...... [. Excerptfrom the novel]

Next Brijj met Suraj in the conference of Chicago after three months. Brij hugged   Suraj with cheers .

"Hi.  good to see you ....now  show me the photo of your  life-partner!       .quick."

Suraj grinned. "First let me share about my  dystopian but also somewhat  fantastic experiences of those girls!" 

Brij  perched   himself on a sofa opposite to  suraj, with awe    and curiosity in his face .

"  ...go on,   my hero!'--

Suraj: "Please hold on your enthusiasm;  in fact it's a story of failure and fun, not of any hero, but umm... of Mr.Zero."

"Aha-, will you  please start now, Mr Zero-hero!"

-" please   hold on some  patience man; story is told and listened slowly and very slowly, like  champaign  or wine  with small sip;  not to swallow like bitter medicine,  understand ?"

- Brij  swallowed the vodka from. his glass in one sip and poured the second round in the  glass, while replied,"yes I understand everything                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       quickly.  Will you start now ?"

Suraj started to narrate his experience of "bride -hunting":----                    

.....Yes as I reached. Jaipur Airport, I saw a suited-booted  smart looking man was waiting with my name on the the arrival lounge .Surprisingly the man  recognized me and gave me a smile and introduced himself,'I am  Mr Gopilal, the agent of the Matrimonial,-'Bondless Bond".---------------

    Umm... hope the flight was smooth, sir?"..

Coming to the parking lot  Suraj saw a black  shiny Rolls Royce car with driver wearing   Rajsthani dress with turban like  a king.

The driver opened the door with pleasant smile; he  got into the car with the agent.

Suraj:  what time it needs to  reach....

Gopilal :  Not more than 35//40 minutes .

Suraj:  Now it is about 11:am. I must come back within12:45 because I have to accomplish  a few more appointments.

Gopilal:  Ok, no problem!... Sir,  here I have the album of  "Beauty Tejoria" with her full bio-data, hobby etc. .You can browse it and free to ask me question,   he held the album towards him .

(...So the name is 'Beauty,' and not  any of native name like  Nina, Bina, Mina !) 

 Waiving his hands Suraj replied ,"it is not necessary."I need to talk with the lady  alone about 15/20 minutes ,  after the introduction with her guardian.

Agent: Beauty's father  is the richest as well as most influential  person in Jaipur; he is an eminent figure in this area.. he lived in the habeli known  as "Marble House". 

 Once  King  (late)Jogeswar  Rathore  was  the previous owner of this  "Marble House.'

......... Suraj was  absorbed in trodding the memory lane of his bitter part of past life in his motherland  while looking outside through the window of the running car , without paying ears to the  story of the agent .

He was rocked back to the present world when the agent , addressed him with the opened door of the car., 

"  Sir, here we are - the Marble House!"

Suraj asked the matrimonial Company that  he wanted  an  ordinary graduate  girl  of middle-class family without any demand of dowry.

....So 'Rolls Royce' ,  Marble House  , two security guards in front of. the  royal steel iron gate which emit pride of money,  were  adding only negative repulsive points in the mind of Suraj.----------

He was warmly greeted by the parent as he entered with the agent in the   exhuberantly    adorned  drawing room . They all took seat  in the sofa.The initial introductory chat with drinks and snacks was running  on.

The agent announced that Suraj wanted to talk with Beauty alone. Mr Tejoria said, "Sure, sure , no problem! 

He called Meghna, the woman who served drinks and snacks.             Meghna appeared to say that Beauty  would  come back within ten/fifteen minutes from the 'conference  of  women welfare'.

As Meghna left , Mr Tejoria informed:

-- "I have to appoint Meghna to fix  programs of my daughter Beauty and schedule her calendar, to remind her!"

Mr.Tejoria said :"Beauty, my only child  is my pride". 

"She is expert in hiking, biking, swimming, horse-riding, driving  and what not; Last year she was invited by Lion's Club  in Calcutta to participate in the Vintage Rally; she is almost  my unofficial business partner...  E-he-he-he."....father gave. a.  proud but soft laugh.

....Suraj became impatient .Holding the drinking glass, he asked in a filmy style like hero, 

"I am interested to know how is she as bed-partner?

 The  parent exchanged  their stunt  looks to each other with different expression :while the mouth of Mrs Tejoria was slightly opened,  Mr Tejoria's jaw was tightened hard! Then they throw the ball towards the agent by casting  their confused eyes .

The agent also was nervous and puzzled what to answer . He rubbed  his palms and pushed them to his  trouser's pocket, to shake off his nervousness; 

"yea, --yea --, that's a good question  no doubt! umm, m-m"..he stammered,   "  y-e-s some say she is not good at all;"

 (the advance payment of Rs 2000/in the envelop  of  trouser's pocket, as if, whimpered with the touch of   finger and palm...

...  What the hell is he ! as  agent he  must add only positive quality!)

So to rectify  he promptly  lifted his body and walked facing towards     the  opened window ;

 Shrugging the shoulder he divulged - .".also  it is rumoured ,

       she is so-so; "  

Then   throwing his right hand upward  with a snap  dramatically declared,  but  some say,

      " She is fantastic!"

..........a  pin-drop-silence in the room !

With shocking  surprise  Gopilal noticed  through the window,  that Suraj was getting inside the car to leave..He turned back and saw the empty sofa of Suraj and as live statues of Mrs and MR.Tejoria.

He rushed but  the car passed before he reached the gate.

The  car was still  in slow motion near the gate;

With cracked throat Gopilal. called ,

'Sai-ear'..raising hand to stop-the car ;as he tried to rush  through the gate, he was  interrupted by a robust hand with a dagger  close   to his  center of chest ; he became pale to see the  dagger dazzled in bright sunlight!

 In a calm  somber voice  the security man  asked ,"give back the advanced money before crossing the gate."

 Like automated machine Gopilal handed over the envelope with advanced Rs,2000 as gatepass and walked towards the road like a toddler.  

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Sipra's diary: [ Excerpt from the novel ]"Spitfire.....

 

 

Chap- 3.

Spitfire: a combustible bomb

Viviana Riess joined the London office of a renowned Investment bank as senior MD, after several job-hopping in most of the world-famous corporate MNC. She was a very different and interesting character from other women. She had an unpredictable volatile temper, perfectly matched with Stalk Market of Wall Street: sometimes too pleasant, even with the genitor, and sometimes too harsh, even to the higher officials for trifling matters. But she was loved by many for her attractive personality.
She had unflinching love for the horse, Real estate, costume and perfume. By birth she was British. She owned a ranch house from her grandmother in the village Crathie near Balmoral of Scotland. Her great grandmother had a friendship with the Royal family. She bought a horse from the Shetland Isles, Scotland and owned three more,  from ancestors. She was happy to spend her holidays with her equestrian family. She arranged a company to take proper care for the horses and the ranch.

She was single. But there was gossip around her. She and her high school boyfriend went to study in the Wharton Business school in the USA. After graduation, her boyfriend joined in the Deutsch Bank and Viviana in the Lehman Investment Bank. She went on hopping from job to job, almost in all the #Number one Investment Banks.

She met a hedge-fund tycoon, Jim Carrey of Dallas during her posting in the Goldman Sack. They became very close.   Jim Carrey began to visit Goldman Sack in NewYork frequently; and show interest to buy their new product.  Viviana  got promotion  from VP to  ED quickly ;perhaps for her special calibre of hooking such a giant   client with bright prospect.  Goldman had the vigil  eye  to scan the talent from the crowd.  

                                                                                                                                                                               Soon  she shifted to  Jim's apartment in Madison Avenue leaving her rented apartment of Westerly building. in Hell's Kitchen . Jim used to come every week end; It remained  a mystery whether they were married or not  but they lived  together in the same  luxurious apartment in Madison Avenue.

She worked for  long time in Goldman Sack. She used to come every month at her ranch house in London until she met Jim. 

Jim, though from the land of Long horn, but he had no love other than money, wine and women.

During her stay in New York Viviana went every year with Jim Carrey in Saratoga(Upstate New York )or Vermont   to watch horse race, with the hope to tickle some soft feeling and interest about horse  in him.They come together  to stay in Vermont  just  to watch the grazing horses in the green ranch. In one cold winter afternoon, embracing Vivi in one hand wrapped under warm blanket, relaxing  on a love couch  and with wine cup in other hand  Jim commented,

'I never met any woman so crazy about  horse, like you!' 

There was a subtle bitterness  ,cocktail with taunting tune. 

Vivi felt a pinch in the comment; with a quick glance she scanned the message in the crooked smile; she remained silent, gazing  reluctantly at the grazing horses on the  field,  but just apparently.....

 Jim apprehended the consequent danger of his blunder from her quick icy glance ; but what to do! Once the  word slipped from the tongue can't be returned :   Just like a bullet from the gun! 

But  Jim  knew it would come back to  hit him as boomerang!

To cover up , he rubbed his nose  and lips on vivi's cheek dotingly; dragging her  closer  to his chest whispered, ' 

'look up to me, honey!... don't make me envious  of your old love for quadruped animal, please !' He looked pale, nervous.

To make the atmosphere light , he added, " See I have also four limbs ; Only thing  I lack is that I don't own any bushy tail on the back ."

Vivi didn't respond to this joke.

James became now worried.

Then with genuine romantic voice James  whispered  "listen darling , I love you so much that slightest distraction from you made me mad !" James pressed Vivi more closely against his breast .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

  Vivi still didn't reply ! 

 
 With an unusual formal smile she said,  "'it is cold ;  I am going inside." Releasing herself free from the warm  hug and the Raymond blanket, she went inside the room. Jim followed her like a pet,with  the  last hope to save the romance of  this winter  night.

 

They took bullion soup with crunchy garlic bread and pork nugget in dinner along with the swiss pudding in hot chocolate as desserts.

Vivi slipped under the quilt  on bed after the dinner ,with a financial magazine;  Jim  prepared two pegs of   ("screaming eagle,NapaValley)  wine; passed one to vivi; he  threw the magazine by snatching and leaned cozily against the pillows on bed  closer to  Vivi.  Then switched on an  old  sexy  movie of Brigid  Bardot to watch together....    'And God created woman'.

The room was warm; soup also was warm and delicious; hot chocolate  was awesome; Above all movie was super hot,  still  the night remained  cold for Jim to keep sleepless;....  and colder;.... and coldest when viviana declared abruptly in the early morning with  sipping of the bed tea  that she wanted to go back NewYork  just after the breakfast. 

 -"As  'her highness' wishes'! 

Jim replied little dramatically, shrugging his shoulder,  though the hotel was booked up to next day also. 

                         ***************

Sipras Diary: POEM> " SECRET ENEMY"

                              Secret Enemy  

               lines=25

I overhaul my life in search of secret dragon

Who keeps me restless by chasing all along 

I dissect the emotional sphere layer by layer

In the abyss of solitary lab of my mind, 

Surprisingly, detected 

the larking beasts in me: hope and fear!

 

Scary fear in thorny cactus remains embracing me

While opposite side of dark tunnel flickering

Light of enchanting 'hope' mysteriously beckoning

To allure me by dream and flame of new life!

 

Driven by failure frustration, ambition or anger,

'Bewildered  ego' sometimes aggressive but 

Mostly submissive, optioned to surrender

Like a coward. I never struggled  to win over!

 

I survived by neither courage nor wisdom, 

But surrendering to social culture and custom

To mute fear or hope: two opposites forces;

Waves of time tackles the battle to keep balance:

Like a snail I sheltered  under the shell of patience!

Sometimes surrender or patience are  best weapons 

To win over the emotional dragons !

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

       WOODEN SPATULA

Do you know who am I?

I am not just a wooden piece  

For kitchen device,as you see,.

I owe my legacy back to billion years,

 Prior to human ancestry,

I 'm born from the womb of the earth, fathered by the sun,

Wind is my fiancé, with whom I enjoy  great romance!

Rain is my consort who drenches  the soil  in season 

And roots circulate the food in leaves 

 who like  loyal vassals Cook for me! 

I inhale and exhale ,for the survival 

Of the living specie along with me; dusting off pollution.

I  can't move  as  I owe my legacy rooted on earth 

I 'm born speechless, as I'm  with ever -tight-lipped mask;

As Nature prevents us to adulterate "Words' 

But I hear and responds the message of love 

In the  whistling of wind ,through leaves and branches 

When they  prance  in joy. 

Scientists calculate my age from the texture

of  art my  body bears,   designed  by Nature.

My heart is full of love for all:great and small,

Sensitive to even subtle ethereal vibrations.  

Nature birthed me  to fulfill human needs ,

But human exploited  us out of his immense greed.

Now sensing  his  blunder  he sings for "Go Green."

My breaded donut on head contain the ancestral stories,

While Mother Earth spreads the  soft bed for "Go Green"

To welcome  in her  soft lap  the future generation! 

Sipra's diary: What is American Dream?

Friday, December 4, 2015 

What is American dream?

It is surprising     that in one hand the news flashes the problem of unemployment and at the same time declares   that there are  many empty chairs  awaiting in the job sphere of  America.
 Why?
May be new generation of America dreams or prefers self-employment rather than working  under any boss where they have less flexibility and freedom.
  Besides  gym,spa,therapy cosmetic jwellery   or costumes shop,dance music and video studio, which are actualy  unstable castles of cards on the sand,they can think of other simple but  stable business with small capital and less skill or academic qualification. I would love to convey some of my ideas of businesses though   I am far from this world and  have little understading about its key

Sipra's Diary :...",Sunrise from Columbus Circle "

    

Sipra's Diary; Sunrise from Columbus circle, Manhattan.

Yesterday I took my morning walk while it was still half dark though it was 6:40.But while I crossed Time-Warner building, lots of people were coming out of the subway like flocks of busy bees. The owners  of fruits-shop and snack-bar on t he street were  very busy to serve the commuters. I was walking with lazy step but curious eyes.All these racing feet and rushing bodies generate vibration in me;vibration of life! The throb of city-life. It rejuvinates the past when I was  also a part of this phase of life, how crazily ran after golden deer! and now  simply an onlooker.
As usual I stood some moments facing to Central Park, Columbus Circle,CNN building,Duane-Reade ,  the pharmacy  which supplies my prescribed  medicine, and at my back side the  marvelous crescent shaped Time Warner building with huge glass door bearing proudly the gorgeous images of branded Ad companies. The street in front of Columbus -Circle runs straight parallel to the central Park towards east and meets the horizon where a beautiful church  stands in the midst,as if, waiting to witness some auspicious event; yes auspicious event! 

In summer, day breaks  even before 5:30; I used to wait for the sun to come up.At first the horizon behind the church and  the adjacent sky behind the dark trees of Central park becomes little clear with  fade red halo which becomes little darker that changes into  orange and spreads more space of horizon in each step; finally  turns into  golden yellow melted sheet, too dazzling to look at,  and the sun comes up the roof-top of the church; this play of colours  takes less than five minutes only, but not long time like  in writing !
In a cloudy day the horizon is deprived of this play of multi-colour steps; it comes up late  with fade yellow sheet ,not from beneathe the horizon but above high in the sky, piercing the roaming cloud ! I always turn back for home before the sky turns  dazzling yellow. Coming near my apartment in the west, I greet the view of river Hudson......
But yesterday I didnt wait to greet the sun; I came back early as it was cold and windy.
At 11AM I switched on  TV and came to know about
the  explosive package of bomb by mail .Couple of hours ago the place which was vibrating with the throb of life is now thumping with fear and terror not only in the New york city but  it bangs everywhere,in every heart of the country.
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Sipra''s Diary : Poem> "April-Fool"

                         APRILFOOL

In early stage  of my school-life ,

Often  I was confused and  duped 

While some of my classmate cried out,

“Hey,a wasp  hovering over your head!”

 

Holding the bag on head 

Immediately I screamed !

Group of classmates jumped 

And shouted “April-fool,April-fool !”

I understood nothing!

 

Throughout my school-life I remained 

A super-Duper model of April-fool

Both in school and in neighborhood. 

Though I tried hard to be smart 

And alert, to be tricked by friends. 

Protecting me for any foolish act! 

.

Starting from my first school 

Since on each April I was a gullible fool !

Now I Search  the meaning of 

Celebrating such hoax as festival 

Throughout the world !

 

When did it origin?

What was the historical background?

Perhaps some story will be found 

By hunting the fertile  ground of Internet!

 

As ‘Month of poets’ let April 

Be ranked on honorable pole

By eloping or replacing the annex“fool”

Saving April from slandering or defaming!!

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

Sipra's Diary : ( Poem +Comment)." New York"

        ***# 

About the Poem

 

 

This poem itself  seem  a great metaphor for me . 

As a newcomer  to this land  I felt myself  a lonely sailor in the vast unfamiliar city. Many a sleepless midnight, I looked the deserted avenues; through my window  and  stared at the high rise  buildings whose structures were lost  in the dark ; but the windows  from these buildings with their blinking lights conveyed speechless message which touched the spirit that metropolis bears. I  asked  myself  who is ‘Ancient Mariner’,- me ,or this Metropolis itself  ?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 NEW YORK:   Sipra Roy

Metropolis, you always remind me 

Of the thirsty ‘Ancient Mariner’ 

Who sailing across the sea

‘Once wailed, ‘water, water everywhere 

Not a drop to drink’.

 

Here also incessant waves of people after people

But all are a nameless mass of crowd;

Not a single heart to beat for you

Or an eager ear to spare some moments for you!

Nor a thirsty eye looking for you!

Metropolis, yet we all love you!

 

What aptitude you owe to magnet

This vast crowd enchanted in you!

It is something more than the mere

Stakeholders to draw fame, fortune

Money or dream; or change of destiny. 

Though the ‘city of light ‘ never closes its eyes!

Behind the buzzing life a lonely soul cries;

By nature you tend to drift inward.

Standing like a monk on the bank of Atlantic

Letting the Hudson worship your feet;

You are divinely indifferent to what the city seeks,

You rarely care for name, fame, love or hate                                    

Everything is left on Time who awaits .

 

Metropolis! Are you only care-giver of this mob !

Who of this vast mass come out of your womb?

Who will be there to lit a candle in your tomb?

************************************************

 

About the Poem

 

 

This poem itself  is a great metaphor for  me . 

As a newcomer I felt myself like a lonely sailor in the vast unfamiliar city. 

Many a sleepless midnight, I looked the deserted avenues; through my window  and  stared at the high rise  buildings whose structures were lost in the dark ; 

but the windows  from these buildings with their blinking lights conveyed speechless message which touched the spirit that metropolis bears. I  asked  myself  who is ‘Ancient Mariner’-,- me ,or this Metropolis itself  ?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 

>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sipra's Diary: "PHISHING ON PHISH

Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Sipra's Diary: phishing on fish........ [ fugitive]

 In Norway, New York and Canada  wild Salmons are very tasty but too expensive to be affordable to buy for many. S some fish entraprenuer started to breed the same fish in artificial lake near by the sea .But these 'farmed fish' was found not as tasty as wild salmon.After research it was discovered that fish in ocean have to struggle hard  in fear to save their lives from the predators  This fear cause some hormone from  their gland which make the natural wild fish tasty. Then the fish businessman  left some baby shark in the lake so that they can cause that hormone in the gland of farmed fish to become tastier.

Whole Food is famous for the variety of fresh fish. In UsA every fish-tray bear their historical biography written over each packet with date, rate, weight and price. some fish-crushed customer bought 3 packets of wild fish onsite. 

But he did not relish it as tasty as it should be. He then took other two packets to the food inspector for verifying its genuinety.  After knowing that it was  raised as farmed  he came the manager of the whole food. with a complaint. In USA the business stand on law and  ethics ,quite  different from Asian countries  like India or China, where business model stands not  strictly on ethics but on profit.:Adulteration  is detected even in babyfood!

The man demanded justice : why fake informations were written on the packets. The man was resistant to change or taking back money  from the counter, as most customers do. So the case went on for a long time :Whole food vs fish agent. At last, the fish agent admitted that the fish was in the farming lake nearby ocean ; but somehow some of them jumped to the ocean to grew up as wild salmon; So both farmed and wild .

The customer alleged :'in that case, it should be marked on the packet "from farm to ocean" or "Fugitive."

Bravo!

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 In 2015 my brother went Puri in India .Puri is situated on the bank of Bay of Bengal.He stayed in some resort nearby the sea.  He used to walk early morning  for a walk and also to see  unloading of  the fishing boat.it was amazing to see many never-seen rare sea creatures in the fishing nets. Every time he met a man who became familiar to my brother.  He was Keralian   and worked in a fish research company in Tamilnadu  My brother noticed that man took out a small container from  his side bag  to give the fisherman  who collected something  taken out  nearby from the gills. of fish  

 Oneday my brother asked him curiously,"What do you collect from the heads of fish? What do you do with that ? 

The man replied" I work in a fish research company in Tamilnadu. I will send those collection from fish to the company .There the fish  in farms are fed  these glands ,which help the fish grow and  become heavy-weight in very short period. Calcutta is the biggest customer of this company.   These fish are at least from 10 to 15/20 "  kilos .The price is much cheaper than the local fish .   They are sold to all hotels /restaurents, big or small, marriage party and social gathering "" _ . 

  ' O,I see." 

I heard this from my brother and remembered in flash back related to this story.

My husband used to avoid fish in any party and also told me to follow him. Though  I did not know this  off-scene story in detail before , but I have seen whenever I took that fish ,I had stomach trouble.  When my elder brother was   posted as railway officer in Sealdah station, I heard from him that at midnight fish wagons from Tamilnadu are  unloaded   from midnight  and finished before 3 AM in the local  platforms .The platforms are without crowd  at that time ,but the vagabond platform   kids , both  teen sand adults wake up and wait  for this golden moment As the wagons move away from the platform after the unloading is done  they become enthusiastically active to clean the platform and the rail line . They gather a lot of scattered fish from platform and under dirty rail line which are  slipped from the porters  hands as the porters have to hurry to unload quickly; as they need  the platform to be cleaned and fresh (without fish-odor )before 3:30AM for starting of the local trains peacefully.  

The vagabond kids living on platform  have a good earning by selling the free fish .But the money are used not only for food but mostly in abusive activities.   

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Sipra's diary: [Memoir] "CHILDHOOD FEAR". [ GHOST& it's Stories]

 

 

                                          CHILDHOOD   FEAR.         W=1,323//p

 

 Like most other kids I also grew up with fear of ghost and ghost stories. Although   I love to hear the ghost-stories,  but  an orchestra of fear and  lure both used to play  simultaneously  on  my nerve-system.  

I started going  to school at the age of five or six.   An elderly girl was my companion,  

who infused this  unseen fear in me.  On the way to my school I had to cross a church, a cemetery , a football ground enclosed with wooden fencing  and an open field of some timber trees. We used to take  a  regular walk  of 15/20   minutes.

Ruby, my school companion used to spin the record of  ghost stories at the time of returning home from school.  I used to cherish those stories  as the sunlight goes off.  

 My sisters noticed that   my behavior pattern began to change as the evening set in . I remained close to them; I couldn't go to toilet alone ; There was no electricity in the town  at that time  ; There were  big kerosine lamps for  our study-room and father's table ;Those  lamps were heavy and  so  were placed    on fixed place ;they had powerful light ;there were other three lanterns( harrican )with  handle that could be  carried  from one room to another. I noticed the shadow became sometimes large sometimes small  while moving with  hanging lantern from one room to another .

Ruby told me  the shadow of ghosts   would be always bigger than that of me  and ghosts  woke up as evening  set in.  They speak in nasal voice;  but they can imitate others' voice too  to befool.  I was fully convinced with Ruby's words.   It was scary to me to see my own shadow ; If I was called by my sisters or anyone ,I didn't respond immediately .As I was told the night-ghost( =nishi-vut )  would call the name thrice .  So I responded to fourth call while  the first call always startled me.  I embraced  my sister  on  bed while lying for sleeping  and asked,  

"Why the ghosts always follow kids and not the elders ? Do they  twist the neck and suck only blood from kid's body because it tastes sweeter?"

My  sister asked ,"who said all these rubbish?  'there is nothing known as 'voot' (ghost ).' 

My father was the railway employee. There were many Europeans in the  railway neighborhood.  There were big and small  cemetery which were not very far . So we  were  afraid but interested to know about   the  stories of  "white -ghosts."

 Ruby used to tell me hair-raising ghost story while passing by a cemetery. I had some eerie feeling. She told me not to look at that side. I obeyed her.   I narrated the story to my sister as told by Ruby.

" There  is a cemetery surrounded by low wall,   on the way of  my school;  inside  there are lots of concrete graves under which the white-dead person were buried  ;they sleep at day-time but  wake up in the evening  to take revenge on  live people ! One evening while one of  Ruby's   uncle was coming home from the club ,  he sensed  the smell of strong  perfume and a white suited- booted 'sahib'(=white -skinned person)appeared before him and asked for a cigarette.

 

The uncle said,'  sorry, I don't smoke.' 

All on a sudden  the sahib-'voot' blew a slap on his cheek  so violently that he fainted on the road .  He laid on the road until  he was seen and rescued to home by a passerby.  His cheek bore  distinctly the signature of  ghost's fingers. " 

His uncle went back to his own place and never visited their house!" 

My sister giggled and embracing me, thumped  my nose dotingly.

 

 " Silly girl,  don't believe this awful stories. 

 This funny story is known  to us all.  The fact is her uncle  got the slap not from any ghost but from his friend  out of rivalry . The local boys planned to drive that 'dude' snobbish  uncle  from the town .' 

 

 'Listen to me, I'll give you some 'mantra' which will make you brave and bold.'

 "what's that ? I asked eagerly.   

"very easy!" whenever you are frightened, start on uttering 'OM Ram, Ram', .'

You will get rid of any  horror; no evil spirit can touch you !'  

My sister said so convincingly  that it worked magically on me !  I  gathered mental  strength .

It was one Saturday, half  school.  School was off at 1:30 instead of  3:30PM. As usual, Ruby started to say, '"this Saturday mid noon is very inauspicious time ; don't walk under the shadow of tree; walk through the middle of the road ; otherwise , ghost would jump from the tree on you  to capture  you .

 I countered her, " But you always. told me that  they wake up only after evening ; moreover , as my sister said not  to believe   any 'vut'.   So I don't believe.   "

Ruby screamed , "how dare are you to utter this?" And that too on the mid noon of Saturday?"

 Pointing to my shadow on the path she  said in husky voice "look down , ghost has caught your feet ! I replied in challenging voice ,"it's  my own shadow  and you  too, have your own!"

Ruby looked  nervous , irritated and confused what to say  more after this;  perhaps little annoyed to notice my new form. She stopped in the midway and said ,"if you don't believe in ghost then go and touch that tree !" 'Bramhaottiy'  occupies this palm tree."

       " "Brah-ma-dotty!"  what's that ? I asked in quivering voice . This never-heard term roused  an eerie feeling  that crawled through my spine .

 

Ruby, " hu-hum... you will know soon how terrible ! he is the ruler of  the 'vuts'(=Superior ghosts dynasty.)   A Brahmin after death becomes "Bramhadotty," more powerful than the common ghosts". 

My courage started dwindling. I started 'in fear  whispering 'Om-Ram-Ram' mantra  as safe-guard.

"Go, let me see your courage! go,go!" 

 

Though I was only 5/6 years old and Ruby was much elder than me, but I  became  desperate  to retreat as she insisted repeatedly. It was a question of prestige for me!

The tall palm tree stood on the road side meadow. I slipped down from the road to sloping meadow   to reach the tree.

 

Remembering my sister’s advice  I was meditating on "Om,Ram-Ram"continuously. I stretched the hand ;my palm was almost to touch the stem of the tree. My body became cold and freezed; my heart was beating  violently like drum to my ear; catching   firmly the stretched  wrist with other hand  I somehow  pushed forward to touch the stem of the tree,  first softly. .. ………….         

No ghost jumped upon my shoulder or strangle my neck from the tree......

I came back to my sense.

Looking at Ruby standing on the road, I said ,"Look, look  here!  I have touched the tree and nothing happened to me ! 

Bursting out of trauma I touched twice more and raised my head to seek  the top of tree but  bright sunrays  blinded me.  With joyful galloping step I came up in front of Ruby   who was stunned and glanced me with stony eyes. I felt as light as feather as I triumphed over Ruby and fear. 

 

At last, Ruby tried to spell her last attempt: 

" well, now you are saved ; but you will see what disaster will  come upon  you with the sunset   in the evening  for defying them !

Whole night I had  bad dreams of ghosts . I used to run away for escape being  chased by them, but always my feet  were stuck which made me scream to break  up from sleep.

I passed  over so many years. But those horrible dreams of ghosts from  childhood chased me long time .  They are now knocking the threshold of my  childhood  memory. Now it seems to be only matter of fun. 

  

Next time with more ghost stories.

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