A sunset, a dolphin, and no photos

"Dolphin!"

Roshni said with a childlike joy.

The Ganges is known to have dolphins but rarely do they make an appearance.

Both of us stood silent for a minute and there it was. For a brief second, the brown-backed dolphin peeked through the afternoon water.

A cloudy and rather disappointing day was no more there.

As I prepared the camera to get a photo of it, a flock of egrets flew by making a white V against the orange sky. I might be visibly upset as Roshni looked through her big yellow glasses and said: "Some things are just meant to be seen."

I put the camera back.

No clicks, not a single frame to immortalise the beauty of that afternoon.

There we stood on the New Jetty in Diamond Harbour, silent. I enjoy these comfortable silences.

I close my eyes today and remember every moment of that sunset — the orange sky getting purple, the glittering water, the breeze, the dolphin, and her smile.

Some things are meant to be seen and remembered on a pensive afternoon, without any support.

Dry Riverbed

“Bling!”

Another uninvited message from my girlfriend got ignored as I waited for the perfect shot. “Splash”, and it was gone. The moment, for which I had been kneeling down on the ground, flew past my shutter. 15 minutes gone in vain. Paltoo, my local acquaintance might have noticed my frustration as he offered another cup of tea. I realised that not answering unnecessary texts had become a challenging task so I switched it off. 

“Paltoo, let’s head for Khoyai (dry riverbed). Enough with the riverside.”

Paltoo nodded and pushed the worn-off paddles of his rickshaw with his firm calves. It was excruciatingly hot. Palm trees, little huts, vast fields- the abundance of nature seemed to suffer from blisters just like me. The scorching heat of May was glittering on Paltoo’s sweaty shoulders. Surprisingly, the 20-odd guy showed no sign of exhaustion.

“Bhai (brother), don’t you get tired of pulling this? Why don’t you work at some factory or shop? It would be better for you.”

Paltoo wiped his forehead with a Gamucha hanging from his left shoulder and replied: “Food dada (big brother), my maalik (owner of the rickshaw) gives me two meals a day and 1200 rupees a month. In the shops, who will give me food?”

“You can always buy food. You will get paid at the shop.”

“I am not allowed to enter the bazaar, dada.”

“What? Why not?”

“I am a Baishnav dada. It’s a Hindu market. Baishnavs are not allowed to go there. I was a Baul myself, dada. I had to do this for my stomach.”

“Don’t you have a family?”

“They abandoned me. I had leprosy two years back.”

It took 30 minutes for us to reach Khoyai through Santalgaon and it was sunset. A group of Baul singers were chanting some romantic lines. The sun decided to call it a day and have mercy on us. I took out my camera and clicked a random portrait of Paltoo.

“You are wasting it over this black-faced slave, dada,” he said with a grin.

“Here, have one.” I pulled out my cigarette pack, handed one over to him and lit one for myself.

An eagle flew over a palm tree, crossing the sun, and headed towards the woods.

I took out my phone and texted my parents and my girlfriend: “Am alright. In Shantiniketan. Will call you later.”

The red dry riverbed bore long palm tree shadows as I shared a puff with Paltoo, my bhai.

Disgusted time-traveller

Rain disgusts me. Trees look like witches. Roads look as if some drunk guy forgot to stop peeing. I hate it.

“Stop it, you fool!” I yelled at the sky. Why? Why do you people look up to complain? Who’s up there? Up… above… why would I want someone above me? Humans are so self-loathing. They subjugate to ideas.

“Hey you… you there. Yes you. What’re you looking at?”

“Nothing Sir. I am trying to find my way home. Please help me.”

“Listen boy. This street leads to the graveyard. You go straight… and…What are you doing? You go straight I said. Straight!”

“Relax Sir. Let me calm you down.”

“No! Get your hands off me.”

“Please Sir… please let me calm you down.”

“No!”

I started running. The alley seemed longer. At the corner of Phalgun Das Lane and Creek Row, I stopped.

The walls were red. Those drunk bastards… puking all over the place. Ah!

I closed my eyes.

The alley was so dark. I couldn’t see my hands but I knew they were sweaty.

Am I lost? Impossible!

“Run you bastard!” I told myself. My voice echoed.

“Run all you want… I can see you… Sir.”

“Nooo…”

I did not say a word. Trust me. I did not. I did n…

“Please, go way… I mean no harm… why are you doing this?” I asked. Yes it was I.

For that silent minute, I waited for my voice.

“Hello…”

“Hello…”

“Hello…”

“H-hello…”

“It won’t hurt. I assure you Sir. Calm down… yes. Good man, sit properly. Haven’t you learnt anything at school?”

“I don’t remember going… I did not go to school. Please let me go.”

“Rubbish! Did you not take up that one lesson? Or the morning you went there fully dressed to be enlightened, to serve His purpose?”

“No. I do n… go away you fucking maggot! Or I …”

“Or you what? Kill me? Kiss me? Slap me? Trap me? Ask me to kneel down at your altar? Put that candle inside me? Fill me in?”

“Go away... have mercy.”

“Relax.”

I got out of that alley. It was cold. January can be harsh at times. The moon shone high above the NRS Hospital. I turned to say thank you… Sir.