বনভোজ

It is one of the first three days of January, 2009. One of those rare days where you woke up early. The bitter cold is suddenly feeling chilly, a positive emotion engulfs you. The Tata starbus has arrived before time and waiting at the mini field near your house. The tune of " Kinu Sawonire " from NK production casette is playing on the two giant black AHUJA speakers. A Muffler and cap is not enough, you need the warmth of your friends who aren't ready yet. Elders are arriving slowly and chatting as they comment on the slow progress of development projects in the town. They don't seem as excited as you, probably due to losing out on Sunday morning sleep. Your bus starts an hour late and yet manages to leave the city without much traffic. On the way, you encountered fellow groups of travellers who had booked the force vehicle, tata mini bus and omni vans. Some even had a flex poster on front detailing their group's plans to visit a site somewhere near a beel. An hour later, the site is on an embankment on the right, downstream of the Disang, a tributary of the mighty Brahmaputra. An old dilapidated road bridge and a weak metal rail bridge along with two new bridges garnish the site that had dense sap green vegetation on both sides. The extroverts have managed to bring everyone along for an extravagant meal. After a brief trek up to the embankment and nearby fields, you set out tents and discuss menu, music, cricket and start to run like a vagabond around till that thorny bush takes you down. You played until your knees had bruises and your faces tanned in the winter sun that was brighter on a Sunday. The overcooked rice, dal, pitika and meat was a delight at 3.30 pm after everyone is super tired. Nobody dared to ask about the salad that was in the menu. It's dark early these days at around 4.45 pm and the destination home feels like a luxury now. The escape from the reality of school-job-money cycle is now over and you gotta wake up at early for the monday morning with bags packed with holiday homeworks and lots of memories to share.

life is good. fin.

(বনভোজ)

#Nostalgia #picnic #january #2022 #newyear #lifeinassam #upperassam #storiesfromassam #storyteller