CHAPTER 1. NEW JOURNEY
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~ A new chapter unfolds, like gange's stream,
As I leave Allahabad's familiar dream.
Calcutta's unknown streets , a canvas wide,
I wish for laughter, love and adventure inside.
May this journey shapes me, like the river shapes the shore,
And may my heart remain open, forever more.~
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18th September 1890
Allahabad, U.P.
DARSH POV ~
"Bhaiya!! I want to sit on the window seat "Riya whines as I sit by the train's window seat.
I smile, looking at my adorable little sister, Riya.... she is 4 years old… a very talkative one with thousands of questions.
I slide over a bit, giving her some space to sit on the window seat.
“Don't take your hands out of the window ! Okay Shona” maa warns her so she doesn't get hurt. Riya nods attentively replying “okay maa!.....But why??” She asks, showing us her big eyes, piercing our souls with her answer seeking gaze.
I sigh knowing it “ Her questions start again” thinking to myself.
“Shona, kyon ki agar tum apna haath bahar nikalogi to ek bandar aake tumhara haath le jayega…!!!”
Maa explains to her with her hand gestures and with her big eyes to show how serious the matter is.
[ SWEETHEART, IF YOU PUT YOUR HAND OUT, A MONKEY WILL COME AND TAKE YOUR AWAY…!!! ]
“Monkey!!!!” Riya exclaims in shock and fear, quickly clinging to me while nodding her head in understandment.
Maa always tries this “MONKEY TRICK” to discipline Riya, or else, use it when her questionnaires won't Stop.
So close to laugh out at my goofball’s scared face, I catch Maa’s famous big eyes looking at me, boring my soul. Gulping down my saliva, I stifle down my laugh.
I turn and gaze out of the window, looking up at the sky.
"Will I be able to adjust in the new town?" I wonder, as my family is migrating to another state due to my father's business...... from Allahabad to Calcutta.
My thoughts break as someone appears beside our cabin. The T.C uncle approaches us for the tickets and identity verification, and my father shows the tickets to him.
"What are the ages of your children?" The T.C uncle inquired and my father answered "my son is 10 years old and my daughter is 4 years old."
Right now, we are sitting on a train at Allahabad junction, which will go to Calcutta circular railway station located in Dumdum, Calcutta.
Baba and my grandparents are sitting in the front seat and Maa, Riya and I are sitting together, opposite to them.
I heard the train chugging and see Riya bouncing in her seat and clapping her hands cutely, in excitement.
As the train starts moving, I too, smile along with Maa, listening to my sister's giggle, who's clearly engrossed in enjoying the beautiful serene scenery outside.
It's her first time sitting on a train so she's the most excited one.
“Bhaiya!! How is the train moving?” Riya questions me, curiously.
“umm… it's uh..” I pause, scratching my head, unsure how to make her understand.
“Itna bhi nahi pta! Kya padhte ho vidhyalaya me ?!!”
Baba mocks me.
[ YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT MUCH! WHAT DO YOU STUDY IN SCHOOL?!! ]
“The train is moving with the help of the locomotive engine that pulls the other carriers with them” Baba explains it to Riya, and she just blinks at him, trying to absorb the unknown words.
“Bhaiya, what did papa say?” Riya turns to me, whispering to my ear, making me chuckle softly.
“The train is moving with the help of big wheels and a machine named engine… just like you pull your toy carts with the help of string… same, the engine is you and the boxes of the train in which we are sitting are your toy carts… which are moving” I explain to her very calmly and slowly to let her mind absorb my words.
“Ooohhhhh!.... So I'm inijini !!?” Riya says with a broad smile.
“Yes! And It's an engine!... Not inijini” I chuckle softly correcting her wrong pronunciation.
“En–engine…Engine!” She happily cheers pronouncing the name correct.
I smile softly, ruffle her hair and praise her “ That's correct!! You’re a fast learner, Shona!” Making her giggle.
“Then where is the string?” Riya questions me again, way too curious to know about the trains.
“She and her questionnaires….!!!!!” I cry mentally, but smile at her. I glance at Maa to see her covering her mouth to stop her chortles.
“It's… it's between the engine and the carriages… but it's made of iron” I explain to her in a calm tone and she listens to me attentively.
“Bhaiya, you explain better than papa!!” Riya cheers in mirth. Maa bites her lips to control her giggle but a Snicker escapes her lips.
I look at Riya, stunned, and bite my lips too, to stifle my laugh after hearing Maa’s snickers.
"How long will it take us to reach Calcutta?" My grandfather questions and my father replies "it will take us around 5 days baba."
Listening to their conversations, I turn to my goofball when she calls me, giggling "bhaiya! Bhaiya! Look!! There are buffaloes swimming in the lake. It's beautiful !!"
I smile seeing her so joyful and say "yes shona, that's beautiful". Mentally sighing " 5 days huh!. 5 days of silent journey and then I'll be in a new town…"
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LATER THAT NIGHT—
Maa put some kadhai paneer in a small bowl and chapatis on an old newspaper, to feed us.
“Shimla mirch nahi!!!”
Riya scrunches her nose, turning her face away, seeing the capcicum.
[ NO CAPCICUM !!! ]
“Are!! Dekho apne bhaiya ko, kaise ache bacche ke tarah kha raha hai!... Tum bhi kao, warna takat kaise aayegi or phir lambi bhi ho pougi…sab hasenge”
Maa warns her softly, as always.
[ ARE!! LOOK AT YOUR BROTHER, HOW HE IS EATING LIKE A GOOD BOY!... YOU SHOULD EAT TOO, OTHERWISE HOW WILL YOU GAIN STRENGTH AND THEN GROW TALL... EVERYONE WILL LAUGH ]
“Maa you don't have to feed me! I'm grown up now… I can eat myself ” I cheer with pride, taking my portion of chapatis from her hand.
“I know you can beta, but I love to feed you both” she warmly says, caressing my cheeks and taking back the chapatis from me.
“Give me a chapati !!” Baba asks Maa, and she hands him another chapati from the paper.
“How much does he eat!!? Already eaten 7 and now 8 ! Is he human or a Kumbhkaran ?!” I wonder to myself.
Maa puts her hand with a morsel of chapati and kadhai paneer in front of my mouth and I open it to let her feed me.
While feeding Riya and me, she feeds herself too in between.
“Kanika, give me one more” Baba again asks her for chapati.
I see her sighing softly, handing him her untouched chapati.
I tear a bite from my portion and raise my hand in front of her mouth, making her smile instantly and she opens her mouth to let me feed her this time. I beam, seeing her smile and eating with my hands.
Seeing both of us feeding each other, I see Riya too trying to raise her little arms to feed us.
I lean down to her comfort level and eat with her tiny hands, Maa too lean down and eat with her little hands. Meanwhile she giggles softly, maybe feeling ticklish on her fingertips.
With dinner finished and laughter still lingering, night begins to settle around us.
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"What a beautiful moon!" I whisper as I gaze at the moon high in the sky, glowing over the entire landscape and the beautiful glittering stars adding up the beauty.
It's midnight. Everyone else has drifted off to sleep after dinner, but I am wide awake, not feeling sleepy at all. It might be because of the upcoming excitement and anticipation.
For now, I'm loving the soft night sky with the shining moon and stars, glittering silvery glow over the stunning landscape.
"Looking at the moon is so calming and tonight…. It's a full moon" I murmur softly, not wanting to wake anyone, especially my father.
The gentle cool breeze that touches my face feels so soothing.
The night envelops the train as it halts, leaving us in the heart of a shimmering grass field under the moonlight. The grasses are shining in the moonlight and are swaying gently as if whispering secrets to the night breeze.
I lean over the window, seeing the fireflies dotting all over the grasses and illuminating their yellow-golden light, as the grasses are swaying with the smooth breeze.
I can’t help but feel the world around me come alive, dancing in the soft glow of the full moon.
The grass shimmers under the moonlight, and a faint, earthy scent rises from the dew-kissed soil. I hum softly, letting the refreshing scent of nature fill my senses.
Small ponds, which are made in the intervals for irrigation, are glistening with the moonlight, the pond's surface reflecting the moon's beauty in them.
I giggle softly, glancing at the ponds, as I'm able to see fishes porpoising across the surface.
“Will these stars and the Moon be the same in Calcutta as they were in Allahabad... and now, here” I wonder, looking up at the sky, covered with uncountable stars and a glowing Moon.
“Calcutta! I have read and heard a lot about it, and it's said to be an amazing town…. but how will I adapt there!?. I don't even know their language, even though maa reassured me that they talk in hindi too... but I doubt it” I ponder, remembering Maa’s words.
“Will I be able to make good friends there? Well, it's not like I had good friends back at Allahabad, but I really want at least one best friend in my life. What kind of town will it be? Will it be colorful and Vibrant? Or perhaps Clean, Dirty or Dull?” My mind starts to swirl with numerous questions and thoughts. Thinking of so many new faces and places is making my heart race.
Despite the nervousness, I am still excited to explore that new town with different languages, beliefs, scenery, festivals, traditions and cultures.
“I miss my old town, but I'm excited to see the new town. I will try their famous dishes first, especially ‘rasgulla’ which is the pride of Bengal's cuisine” I exclaim softly in happiness, my mouth already watering with the thoughts to savor the delights.
Totally lost in my own random thoughts, I sit up folding my legs and hum in a little louder tone than I intended, forgetting for a moment that my father is just sleeping across from me on the seat in front of me.
When I sense him stirring, my heart jumps in fear. I quickly lay down straight, pretending to be asleep.
I’m tempted to peek up to see if he went back to sleep or not but I stay still, not wanting to risk getting caught by him.
Soon my pretend sleep starts becoming real sleep. I feel my eyelids getting heavy as drowsiness starts overtaking my conscious mind.
Yawning, I murmur "I think I should sleep now….. I don't know what awaits me in Calcutta, but I hope for an amazing journey" and drift to sleep after a few minutes.
~ A new chapter starts today , I wish it to be the best chapters of my life.
჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻.✾.჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻჻
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Love you my readers
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