ASHTAMIR PREM- by Dhiman Dey

Ashtamir prem
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Durga pujo manei kemon ekta anondo. Thik ki anondo, ba keno ta jani na but tao khub anondo. But ebar ami khub dukhi. Durga pujo manei to mon kharap. Na na amake bhul bhebe niyo na, amar mane chhilo kolkatay thakte na parar mon kharap. Er age kokhono kolkata-r baire Durga pujo kataini to tai.Ta ebar pujo ta katabo Minneapolis-er bengali community-r shongei. Ta se je jaygai hok, Ashtami bole kotha. Ektu hoi hullor na korle chole?Ami r Sourav or garitei chollam Durga pujo dekhte. Ebarer pujo ta hochche Ekta school-e.Sunechhi ekhane pujo gulo hoy weekend-e. Sobar to weekdays-e chhuti mela bhaar. Tai weekend gulo jomiye anondo korar ekta sundar sujog ke durga pujor naam dewa hoyechhe. Ta bhaloi, weekdays hole amrai hoyto jete partam na.

Pujo-r location-e pouchhe ticket kete bhitore dhuke dekhlam je prochur loker somagom hoyechhe.Sabai besh khishi khushi bhaab niye ghure berachche. E jeno sobar pujo.Besh bojha jachche je jeans trouser chhere ei ekta din saari porbe bole meyera jeno mukhiye chhilo.Baar baar sarir anchol, paad eshob thik korte korte ekbar jeno chokh buliye dekhe nichche nijeder kemon lagche, R meyeder kemon lagche seta mapar ektai jontro kotojon chhele tomay dekhche.Chhelrao kom jay na, ekhaneo uttoriyo pelo era? Besh rong berong-er kurta, punjabi, sherwani porechhe.Ulte amra shirt pant pore esechi bole amader-i jeno ektu kirokom kirom allien lagche.Kintu oi dike pujor ghot-er pashe kake dekhchi?? Ota Sonali aunty na?? Dekhei ami chomke uthlam.Nah eta hote pare na. Sopno na to!Onyo dike chokh ghuriye abar odike cheye dekhi Sonali aunty thik thakur moshai-er pashei bose achhe. Onyanyo bouder moto sonali aunty-o help korchhe, thakur moshai ke.

Hutt kore mathay chepe uthlo agoon. Mon ta chole gelo 40 yrs age.

He he, tomra bhabcho ami tokhon kothay? Nah ami satti-i chilam na. Amar to shobe 26. Tokhon chhilo jar thakar kotha. Amar baba.Baba tokhon precedency te porto. Baba jokhon 2nd yr tokhon 1st yr-e fresherder group-e ekta meye esechilo.Naam chhilo Sonali. Uff she naki fatafati. Sobar nojor chilo tar upor.Aamr baba chilo tar shob theke boro premik. Tobe ekpokkher prem ke jadi prem bola jay to. Karon sonali se bishoye kichui janto na.Edike baba chhilo besh lajuk. Aar chokhe take dekhto r emon ek ek kkhana kirti kore boshto je sobai heshei kuti kuti.Ekbar to sunechi je college-er natok korte stage-e uthe audience-e soyong sonali boshe achhe dekhe mukhe r kotha nei babar.Droupadi-r bastraharan hoye jawar jogar kintu judhisthir mane baba naki ektao kotha bole na.Seshe naki Shuklal kaku mane natok-er bhim uthe naki samal dewate se jatray beche jay baba.Library te naki sonali-r rekhe jawa boi guloi abar tulto she. R ekekbar naki ekekta book mark-o peye jeto tate jeta sonali-ri rakha.Jemon mathar clip ba oi jatiyo kichhu. Eshob dekhe babar bondhura meye somporke khoj niye elo.Se meye nmaki khub dambhik, maati te paa pore na. Onek senior tar dike nojor kintu keu-i khaap khulte pareni serokom.Ebar baba ke sobai besh tatate laglo je book mark rakhar naki ektai karon je meyetao signal dichche.Sivtaru da abar khobor niye elo meyeta naki ghonishtho mohole ei boleche je meyeti baba ke ektu ektu chay na ta noy.R dekhe ke. Ghritahuti ekei koi! Ta bolbi to bol ektu style niye bol.Ta na. Ediek je final yr-o pray sesh hoye gelo.Tai deri na kore, Hutt kore naki ekdin baba college-er pujotei Ashtami-r din ekgada student-er samne sonali ke deke boshlo.Charidike college-er chhele pule ra.Tar majhei baba ek kobita pore shonalo take. Se kobita naki jemon temon noy. Ote Shelly ba Rabindranath-er standard-er theke kichhu kom material nei. Addition abar ekjon premik-er dil-e-dastan.

Kintu hay re pora bangla! Talent-er jemon daam nei. Bhalo prem-er-o morjada nei.Meyeti kobita ta mon diye shunlo. R tarpor emon ek haashi suru korlo je ashe pasher shob meyerai tate jog dilo.Se haashi-r khobor naki cheleder group-eo choriye porlo r baba hoye uthlo oi college-er ekta common joke character.Sardar ji wala shob joke guloi naki babar name-e versionized kore cholto.Sei opoman baba shojhyo korte pare ni. Oboshyo sei pujotei dadu mara jay r baba ke sonsarer haal dhorte chakri niye ahmedabad chole jete hoy.Meye ti naki pore jigesh korechilo je baba kothay ba ki hoyeche. Kintu Sorry bolar kono soujanya bodh dekhayni.

Re-cap sesh. Ami abar minneapolis-er Durga pujo tei achhi.Ami ei shob kotha sunechi babar-i bondhu Kamal kaku-r theke.Kamal kaku amar sathe ekdom bondhur moto meshe. Nije nishontan bole amakei nijer cheler moto dekhe.Babar arek bondhu Shuklal uncle-er chheler biye te Kamal kaku dekhiyechilo Sonali aunty ke. Tarpor-e bolechilo ei shob ghotona.Ami pore shunei eto raag chepe giyechilo je shob khobor niye felechilam.Je jar sathe biye hoyeche se ekta IT company tei ache. Besh uchu post-e. R ekhon USA te settled.Hmm, ta r jayga pele na ashar!Mone hochche giye ek chod lagai. Hochche ta ki?? Ekjon bhalo cheler prem-er kodor korte shekhoni??Ei bhebei ektu ektu egiye jachchi ami.
"Shreya, ektu edike aay." hothat prochondo nyaka golay deke uthlo Sonali Aunty. Ekta amar-i boyoshi meyer dike takiye ei daak.Prochondo nyaka ekta suur jeta sunlei raag ta aro bare.
"Yes mom, coming" Aro nyaka golay meye uttor dilo. Ei mayer r ki meye hobe? Jani na baba koto cheler mon bhenge eseche e meye!Ekta long ghagra style-er skirt r ekta short kurti porechhe. Dekhte? Ta sotti bochhi mondo na. Mane besh bhalo. Mane khub-i bhalo.Kintu eto nyakaami r eto attitude. Uff. Oshojhyooo.
Tar maa take kachhe deke bollo,"Babar theke handycam ta niye aay to"
"yup" uttor diye amar pash ketei berolo meyeta. Kintu pattao dilo na. Uff amar matha theke paa obdhi jole gelo.Keno re! Tui kon president-er meye je emon ohonkar tor!
"Kire Anuron, Tui ekhane ki korchis?" Sourav-er daak-e sombit firlo. Nah, pujote mood kharap kore laabh nei.
"Are kaachh theke thakur ta dekhlam. Bolchhe kumartuli theke anano. Genuine kina verify korte hobe na?"
"Oh ok. Soil test korli? Ki bujhli? Kumartuli na? Shyamnagar theke ana?"Ami bolte jachchilam kono ekta kotha sourav badha diye bollo,"Are odike Indranil, Shayan shobai esechhe. Chol sala!"
Wow! Ei holo probasi bangalider durga pujo. Sabai ke eksathe fire pawa.Amra sabai eksathe ekta group hoye ekta jaygay gol kore boshe chutiye adda dite laglam. Ta ektu adhtu je jhaari taari marini ta noy. But amar bondhura oi meye ta ke dekhe emon kore uthlo jeno opsara dekhche.Amar raag ektukuo kome ni.Tar phone no nite hobe jekono chutoy. Jante hobe kothay thake. Kichu kore ekta protishodh nitei hobe.Kintu ki-i ba korbo ami? Tao info gulo jogar kore rakhte hobe. Jadi possible hoy to kichu ekta kore bujhiye dite hobe.

Lunch-er por ekta cinema dekhabe bola holo.Shobai mile dekhte boshlam bote kintu eto boring bole half time-er agei uthe shobai mile beriye gelam. Ektu edik odik ghure ashi.Sharat kaal-e USA te ghurte kemon lagbe setao jana dorkar.Ekhane naki USA-r shob theke boro shopping mall achhe. Mall of America. Setai dekhalo Sourav amader. Sourav ekhane pray 2 yrs hoye gelo, tai o shob-i chene.Bhagyish oke eshei ami peyechilam. Nahole prothombar eshe eka thaka ta satti boddo chaap-er.

Amra kichhukhon porei fire elam kintu eshe dekhlam je besh deri hoye geche.Movie sesh. R as per shedule antakshari suru hoye gechhe. Sekhane ekta round abar sesh-o hoye gechhe. Ebar second round suru hobe. Ami r sourav-o naam diye fellam.1st round-e naki ekta team jiteche. Ei round thekeo ekta team jitle final round suru hobe 2 to team niye. Amader ke niye ei round-e total 12 ta team achhe.Judge-e ra achhe. R ekhane sudhu gaan janlei hobe na. Seta besh onek ta gaite hobe. R gaan-er sur, gola er nirikhe mepei judge ra point debe.Ei bhabei jitbe ekta team.Prothom dike ektu sohoj bhabei chollo bote tobe amar gaan shuntei judge der mukhe ekta tripti dekhlam.Ha ha, era to jane na. Ami college band-er best singer chilam. Sudhu tai na ekhon office-eo naam kora gaiye.Ta she Indian idol-e sokal sokal giye dupurer modhyei bari pathiye diyechilo to ki hoyeche. Sabai bole amar gaan-er gola daruun.

Dhire dhire khela ta jome uthlo. Audience-eo dekhlam ekta chanchollyo chhoriye porechhe.Seshe amra matro koyekta team-i chilam. Bola holo Raj Babbar r Jagjit singh-er combination-e ki gaan ache?Ami hothon se chulo to gailam R bujhlam je amrai ei round theke jachchi. Sudhu judge na audience-o ektu kupokat.Satti tai holo amrai thaklam.Ebar ager round theke je group ta jitechilo tara uthe elo stage-e.
Abar. Oi meyeta. Shreya. Ekta bachchar sathe uthe eseche. Bachchatar boyosh 8 yr hobe maximum.Sure nijer ba karur bhai ke niye utheche. Ekai jiteche.Hothat audience theke bole uthlo ekjon,"Shreya, ebar-o jeta chai kintu!"
Uff! Bodla newar emon sujog aashbe bhabio ni. Aaj toke ekhane shobar samen bodh kore tobei jabo. Moen mone sopoth nilam.
"Sraboner dharar moto poruk jhore" diye suru korlo meyeti.Kintu kichukhon-er modhyei bujhte parlam je nah hobe na. Ei meyer gola r suur amar theke onek duure.E ekhane ki korche? Uff bhogoban ki amader family te haar-er mala ta parmantly poriye namiyechilo?Ami tao apran chesta korlam, but meyetar stock-o serokom.Amrao oder ke chharchhi na r orao na. Hothat last round-e eshe bola holo oder ke je "Ati rahengi bahare" ei gaan ta je cinema-r setar title song gaite hobe.Nah meyeta mone hoy joke korchhe. O parchhe na type-er ekta acting korche.Edike count suru hoyeche, 1, 2, 3, ... Majhe abar judge-der modhye ekjon bole uthlo?
"Ektu jol debo naki Shreya?"
"Nah mone korte parchi na!"
"Tui parchis na?" Anchor-o obak!
"Hun, parbo na. Pass"
Bujhlam shobai er bhalo gaan korar sathe obogoto. Audience theke ekjon bole uthlo,"last 3 bar3r chamion kina ebar letke jabe? Shreya haal chharish na."
Kintu counting sesh holo. R amader kache elo gaan ta. Kabhi Kabhi cinema-r title song ta geye amra porer tao pere gelam r amrai champion holam.1st prize chhilo ekta $100-er gift card r 2nd prize chilo ekta $50-er gift card.

Bhogoban achhe. Durga pujo aaj theke amar jiboner best pujo.40 yrs age amar baba ke ashtami-r din je opoman ta sojhyo korte hoyechilo seta aaj firiye dilam. Ashtami tei. Keu janlo na bote kintu ami jani.Prize ta oboshyo tokhon-i dewa holo na. Pore dewa hobe bola holo.Er poreo naach shuru holo.Amra niche neme sobai tai dekhte laglam.
Hothat dekhi je judge hoyechilen jini amake deke bollen je,"Anuron, Besh bhalo gao to tumi. Amader ekahne program-e gaite parte to?"
"Ami ei just 5 weeks holo esechi."
"Oh ok ok. Thik ache, tomra eknoj koro. But Saraswti pujote kintu ... we need you. Ok?"
"Sure. Thakle sure ashbo. Ekhane toilet ta kothay?" Onekkhon chepe rekehchilam mairi.
"Oh! Ei Shreya oke ektu bathroom ta dekhiye de na."
Aabr sei meyeta. He bhogoban.

Meyeta amake dekhiye niye gelo besh lomba corridor diye. Amake bollo,"You just finish and come... ami ekhane wait korchi!"
Ei re! Ami kaaj ta sere eshe dekhi satti she sekhane dariye achhe. Odiker stage-er alo ta dorjar faak diye or mukhe poreche, ki mishti lagche. Mone holo je meye ta ke joto ta kharap bhabchilam totota na.
Ami oke jigesh korlam,"Tumi bhulle ki kore oi gaan ta?? Ota to sohoj chilo"
"U know what? Ami tomake chini. Ami jani na tumi cheno kina? Tumi Anirban kakur chhele na?"
"Haan kintu mane ...."
"Ami tomake Shuklal uncle-er chheler biye te dekhechilam. Tomar baba r amar maa ek-i college-e porto. Maa ekbar toamr baba ke sobar samne emon bahbe insult korechilo .. she sould not forget that. Maa tomar baba ke khojar try koreche onek.Sorry bolbe bole. But could not find him. Amar maa amar best frnd and amio maar. So aamke maa shob boleche. Tomar baba ek torfa prem bole college-ei r ashlo na ... but ota ek torfa chhilo na. But ma thik bojheni je ..."
"Mane tumi stage-e ichche kore .... ???"
"Meye ta heshe uthlo. Ekhon or nyakami gulo-o or smartness lagchhe jeno. "Ami ekhono shob kota gaan gaite parbo. Amar shob gulo mone ache. Tomar babar sathe to amar maa-r dekah howar chance nei. So tomar through take sorry ta pouchhe dilam."
"Tomra ekhane kotodin achho?" R kono kotha khuje pelam na. Tai bokar moton jigesh korlam.
"5 yrs. Tumi to recently esecho na? Kono problem holei amake janiyo. Contact rekho."
"Kintu amar kache to tomar contact no nei."
"224-321-6059. Weekends hole problem hobe na. ok?"

Ekhon boshe achi driver-er pasher seat-e. Sourav drive korche. USA-r road-e koto accident ghote sei niye alochona hochche.Kintu amar jibone je accident ghotechhe setai bhabchi sudhu.Ekbar mobile-er dike takiye Shreya-r save kora number r name ta dekhe nilam. Mone porlo ektai kotha. "Weekends hole problem hobe na"
"Ei saturday amader wisconsin Dells jawar ache na?"
"Haan." Sourav bole uthlo.
"Ami jabo na." Bole takalam shoroter akasher dike.
Bangla-r buke keu uriye diyechilo ekta prem-er fanush, 40 bochhor age, aaj USA-r buke neme esechhe. Sei sharat kalei. Ashtami te.



by
Dhiman Dey