I was in the Gazeebo( that’s how they spell it, I think).Its the ‘official’ smoking zone for the Infosys employees(or slaves). I was just grabbing a bite from the 24-hr local CCD out there….gorging on a plate of chicken sandwiches,with appy and smoking.I was alone.Three other guys were sitting in front of me.Just in front of me.They started speaking in Bengali.I don’t get to meet much people from Bengal.
T: Porikha’ta bhalo holo naa re.
S: Jaani,sala,pod mere gelo bigtime.
T:Abar sala re-test’er jonno boshte hobe.
The third guy was busy hogging on his veg pizza.And then suddenly everyone was quiet.Busy eating.Concentrating a bit too much on eating .There were some other guys in the Gazeebo.They were talking in the typical delhi-ish hindi accent and criticizing Infosys for being partial to certain employee batches et al.
“Behenchod saale maa chud gayi hands-on ki paper dekh’ke…..madarchod,samaj mein nahi aa raha hai ki behenchod perception mein kya hoga”
….I always wanted to speak hindi in that tone.It sounds cool.Really.The other Bengali guys acted as if they heard nothing.
5 mins later.
T: Ekta jinish dekhechish,bangali’der kintu hindi bujhte beshi oshubidhe hoye naa.Maane ei je ekhan’kar lokeder dekhbi….english bhanga bhanga bhabe bole aar hindi bujhtei pare naa…nijeder mallu bhasha chaara aar kichui bolbe naa.Ekdom’i hindi bujhtei pare naa…..
D: Haa onek chaap hoye thaake oder jibone.Ora ekdom kono hindi environment’e boro hoye naa..tai oder bujhteo oshubidhe hoye.Aar jaraa bojhe oder dekhbi ora kirom ekta odbhut accent’e hindi bole.
S to T:Tor kaache cigarette aache aar?
T: Aache.Kalke obdiye cholar moton cigarette aache.
S: Tai naki?komiye diyechish naki re.Amader toh berei cholche.Ki kore thaamabo bujhtei paarchi naa..
T:Arrey bara onek komiye diyechi.Hoyoto kalke ekta packet kinte hobe.Kintu aajke chole jaabe.
S:Shunechish Sunny’r baba’r khub kharap oboshta.Kidney’r oboshtha khub kharap.
T:Taa ota’r sheathe phoka’r ki shombondho.
S: Arrey bara shon naa……daactaar boleche ki ekhon phookle’e kidney’te infection baarte pare.aar shob kichu joldi shesh hoye jete pare.aar kichui naa korle maximum ek bochor aar.aar tar pore dialysis’e chole jaabe.aar dialysis mane shob shesh….kichu’i korar nei.
S: Haa shei’ta thik.Shunlaam Nipith’er maa’ro khub kharap oboshtha.
T:Shunechi,tirish bochor’er aage cigarette chere dile normal non-smoker’der moton hoye jaaye.Or por’e chaarle aashte aashte lungs affect korte shuru kore.
D:Maane amader ekhon’o cigarette enjoy korbar moton shaath bochor shomoye aache.
S:Heheh…haa re,ta bolte paarish.kintu chaara’tai chaap.
T: Kintu paarlei chaara jaaye.
A pause. I give my usual smirk. Ki fun. I remain silent and try and hum the tune of “chal chaale”. But I was too dry to do that.
D:Bara…Dada’r opor eto jhaat jole aache naa….ki bolbo.Eto aasha chilo.Sala…3 kore out hoye gelo.Eto bhalo opportunity chilo.Baal’ta team’e firte paarto.
S: Haa sala…ki je korlo naa.emnitei eto gand marani khaache.ektu bhalo score korle team’e abar chance peto.
T: Dhur sala…eto media’r pressure’e khela jaaye naki.shob focus toh ori’i opor.Maal’ta ektu nijer moton khelte de.Emnitei self confidence low.Tar opor sala….nijer pod’ta nijei mare eijob baal’er bowl’e out hoye.
S: Boka choda,sala….abar bangali’der ijjot ferot aanto.Emnitei sala shobai eto khisti maarche.
And suddenly his cell rings.He fishes out a nokia 1100.
S: Haaalo.Haa bol.Shubho bijoya re.Kemon aachish.Joining kobe………..Oh bara bhaloi toh,Wipro’r training bhaloi hoye…….aar kemon kaatlo pujo……Arrey ,Amar kotha chaar,Ami toh eikhanei gand mere pore chilam.Sala oshtomi’r din’o porchilaam.Eikhan’kar Boka choda’gulo’r aar toh kono kaaj nei…………………………………………………….Blah blah blah!
T: ke re??
S:Arrey amar mamato bhai.BP poddar’e je porto.Jadavpur theke MTech kore ekhon Wipro’te chance peyeche.Or chhoto bhai ekhon IIT’te porche.
T and D : Oh! Achha.
D:Dara ami ekta frooti niye aashi.
I finshed my mini snack and my smoking.My brain was debating on the fact whether or not I shud smoke one more. I uncrossed my legs and ask S and T.
Me: Tomra kotha’kar?
S:Amra shobai Kolkata’r.Netaji shubhash’e portaam.Ami tollygunge’e thaaki.O behala’te thaake aar O Bashdroni’te thaake.Tumi?
Me: Ami Calcutta’r. Shei aar ki…..Aashi.
I left. Deciding not to shmoke aar ekta ceegaarette.
Oh! And Sourav Ganguly still remains one of the best one-day players and India’s most successful captain ever. Yes, EVER!
"chal chaale....apne ghaar...aaye mere hum safar.............."