From Life--An Autobiography.Chapter-5

7/31/2019 From Life--An Autobiography.Chapter-5

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Chapter V

My story

It was a tale of my cradle years on the trail of 1942 portrayed by grandma, mother and

sisters, which formed a frenzied image and remained an imperishable memory. Now at 56,

I cherished a memorable return to the fleeting childhood days.

I was born on some Sunday in the month of Falgun (February) in 1942 in our residence on

the first floor of the two storied building, ground floor of which housed the Kotowali Police

Station of Dhaka Town. My father Nabiul Huq Chowdhury was the Officer-in-charge of

Kotowali Police Station. I was the seventh child born after six brothers and sisters. As a

child, I looked like a doll with flabby face and grew up in monumental affection.

My eldest brother is Mominul Huq Chowdhury Momin, second brother Azzizul Huq

Chowdhury Bahadur, third brother Badrul Huq Chowdhury Shahadur and eldest sister Al-

mostafa Begum Buri, second sister Nurjahan Begum Tunu, third sister Nurmahal Begum

Ruju and I am Tajmahal Begum Runu. We were a bunch of tuberoses sparking splendour

all around. We constantly girdled our parents and were cradled under the vigilant eyes,

constant care and affection. My mother was a ravishing beauty known as wingless fairy

sparkling in milky pink complexion for which she was nick named Kaicha a kind of

dazzling red fruit used for weighing gold by the goldsmith though she was baptized as

From LifeAn Autobiography.Chapter-5 48


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Chemonara Begum. She was a graceful dame with waist long cascaded cloud colored

hairs and blooming flower adorning the black bun.

Our home is situated at Dulahazara ninety miles away from Chittagong on way to Coxs

Bazar twenty seven miles off our house which is a unique renowned seashore. Long before

there was no road between Chittagong and Coxes Bazar. The only means of

communication was steamer and boats by river route which took 3 days to reach the

destination. Allies built Arkan Road during the Second World War. To transport the

vehicles and war equipments Japanese soldiers reached the river Kawai of Thailand. They

could not enter Thailand as Hitler was vanquished. Road was built through the valley

called Dhalla made by bulldozing the hills. Sometimes tiger and elephant blocked the

roads. Vehicles had to wait till the elephant moved, though rattling of the vehicles spurred

the tiger to leave the place. For fear of assault by the tiger and elephants, people did not

move alone. During my fathers leave period we stayed home for 3-4 months with

grandparents, but father left after one month to join his duties. My father was then posted at

Narayangong Police Station as officer-in-charge and instructed my mother to live in village

home for a longer period and to take necessary things as that was the wartime.

Mother collected all necessary materials for going home. My father reserved a bogey of the

train 15 days earlier. Trains compartment was full to the brim with our seven brothers and

sisters, uncles and servants. Mother was appareled in black yashmak without which she did

not move. In the course of journey she ate nothing except the banana and green cocoanut

water. For us she arranged two Tiffin carriers loaded with parata (hand made round flat

bread fried in oil), korma, (sweetened tasteful meat) and sweets in addition to various food

items, sweets and basketful oranges for home.



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Things were cheaper in those days. A basket of oranges was priced at Tk.2.00. My father

was a gourmet and enjoyed delicious food and loved to serve the same to the invitees. We

stayed at the house of Begum Auntie, cousin sister of my mother at Chandanpura,

Chittagong who used to fondle us. Her caring affection was enshrined in our hearts.

After 2 days, we trekked our journey for Dulhazara. We embarked on the train in the

Chittagong railway station, crossed the Karnaphuli Bridge and reached the Dohazari

Railway Station. We liked loud rattling sound of the train at the time of passing the

Karnaphuli Bridge. We took our seats by the side of the window. We watched the stream

flowing from the Lushai hills meandering through forest and hills. The river did abound

with armada of boats, which sailed accompanied with the chorus songs of the steersmen.

The boat cruised with new bride, veil on the head, red colored full-sleeved blouse in the

body, thami (dress for the lower portion from waist to foot) and gamsa (light fine cloth

over the upper portion of the body) with floral design. The girls of our habitat Chittagong

donned two pieces of cloth like Burmese women, thami (dress for the lower portion),

blouse for the body and light fine cloth as veil for the upper portion including the head.

Blouse was buttoned dangling silvery trinkets which sparked sounds of symphony when

walking. Bangles in the legs, necklace in the neck, armlet in the hands, bracelet in the arm,

nose pin on the nose and tiara on the forehead adorned a bride.

The rich presented the bride with gold ornaments and the gold was sold at taka 22.00 per

186 grains (Bhari). When passing the Karnaphuli river we were lost in the world of fantasy.

Our imagination metamorphosed into blazing panorama.



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There is a river named Karnaphuli

A flushed fountain stream

Cradled in the forest land.

The river with rippling sound,

Tinkling bangles

Dashes turbulently unfettered

In the cradle of the forest land.

The forest princess ringing the jingling bangles

fluttering the glamoured wings of pea-cock mind

crossing the fields danced in the forest.

She crooned in melody of the rhythm

And danced by ringing the bangles.

One day dancing princess

lost the bangles, and in quest of bangles

She sailed to the cascade

And lost her ear ring.

In deep torments, the princess

returned to the ark-the kings cradle

And basked under the sunshine

Of his care and love.

The small stream in frenzy surged.



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father used to drink tea with Bela biscuits to quench hunger and thirst but for mother in the

bus we brought banana and green cocoanut water. We used to cross the river Matamuhuri

by boat. During the rains the fierce current of the flood water created devastation and

ravaged the home and properties and frequently changed course of river. On other times the

river was calm and quiet with no waves. By crossing the river Mathamuhuri we had to ride

bus again. The perilous journey did not end. Parents instructed to chant the name of the

Almighty to defend them from the blitz launched by elephant and tiger coming on the road

from the dense forest and from risk of collision and accident on the road bend. Crossing the

valley we reached Malumghat trailed by our village Dulahazra. My uncle Mozammel Huq

Chowdhury with a group of people igniting the floodlight used to wait at the bus stoppage.

We enjoyed the delight of an Eid festival. Grand parents used to embrace us and we

prostrated before all seniors. By spreading the mat (sheetal pati) cooked rice and various

curries were served. We were extremely tired. My grand parents lived in the house made of

wood with a big veranda, which was long and looked like an apartment. In the middle of

the big room there was a beautifully designed divan in which Dorma (grandma) used to

sleep and this equaled two beds of our time. On one side of this my grandma used to keep a

tin box, which contained all necessary available things. We always addressed grandma as

Dorma which symbolized our flame of affection, adoration and passion. She was the

epitome of our love and awe, reverence and piety.

For our sleep, mattress over the mat laid on the floor was furnished and to cover our body,

woolen quilt in the winter was provided. During Puja (worship festival) vacation in the

month of October we visited our village home. Grandma loved to remain clean and tidy.



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After ravening steamed food, deep sleep crawled on our eyes. Mother aunt, father, grandpa

and uncles were engaged in marathon gossip up-to late night.

My grand father breathed his last when I was 4 years old. But his dim memory still blazed

in my heart. He used to wear long shirt (Punjabi) and loincloth (lungi) and white cap on the

head. Grandfather smiled away my foibles for pouring sand in his water for prayer instead

of frowning my acts of folly. He tenderly called me tigress which was also mouthed by

uncles. Father fondly addressed me as tigress mother.

Our house boundary was very large and covered a few bighas of land. Woman used two

ponds inside and outer house pond named Gani pukur was for man. South corner had a

well used by the grandpa. Small pond was the reservoir of plenty of fishes like Kai, Shing,

Magur. Small fountain streamed by the side of our house was the focus of our childhood

attraction. Ripples berthed the rhapsody of my infancy and reverberated the flickering

memory of the childhood. The name of the fountain was Dularchara. Eyes could not

penetrate inside through the thick bamboo girt house. Door for passage to the stream could

be slammed from inside the house. On the south there was a big house, which had many

rooms where parents and uncle lived.

Grandma used to wake-up early and donned expensive thami, blouse and light fine scarf

with peaked chignon crowning the head. She had a wooden stick with silver plated top

hanging small silver balls ringing tinkling sound which woke us from sleep. On the south

side of the pond grandma had a prayer room the side of which was bedecked with plants of

Champa and Nageshwari flowers. The nageshwari flower was called a Naosha flower in



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Chittagong with yellow middle and halo white like an omelette. This flower was dear to

grand mother. She performed morning prayer along with counting of beads.

It was an Autumn season. Shiuely flower blossomed and withered. In the early morning we

collected the withered flowers and also flowers from the trees rocked by our brother

Shahadur the team leader who loved us and sometimes scolded us. We had small baskets

for plucking flowers. Our grandma prior to our arrival purchased these baskets. We

wreathed garland with Shiuely flowers. We used to separate stem from flowers and

grandma used stem to dye sari of dolls. Grandmothers prayer room was on wooden post

like tong house of the Burmese. We made frenzied efforts to garland the neck and bun of

grandmother at the end of her prayer. Gramdma advised to pick flowers after the sun rise in

daylight for fear of snake and never to pick in the dark. Brother Shahadur climbed up the

trees and plucked Nawsha flowers which grandma used to adorn her bun and kept Champa

flower in bottle for long to produce essence which was distributed as presents. Grandma

whom we girdled spun anecdotes and narrated the annals regarding our habitation at

Dulahazara.

Our grandpa Motiur Rahman Chowdhury a policeman of the British regime hailed from

Mirsarai, Chittagong. The village Dulahazara was a dense forest and a den of tigers, bears

and other animals. The shrine of Kallasha saint stood on the bank of pond (Ganipukur).

Our grandpa had profound respect for this Kallasha the spiritually developed person of

Dulahazra who used to shower blessing on him and told that he would be the owner of the

area. He decided to settle there and built habitat by dismantling the forest. First house built

by him was made of teak with long staircase like Burmese wooden house. During nights

the wooden staircase was rolled up to avert the assault of tigers and bears. Grandpa had two



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brothers who lived as members of one family. Grandpa was the eldest and Rafiqs father

was the youngest. Giasuddins father was the second. The wives of three brothers lived in

amity. When the family started expanding, they moved to new houses of their own. He

started sharecropping. Gradually people came and built habitat. Grandma was born at

Khurushkul near the sea and had seven brothers and three sisters. She grew up watching the

waves of the blue sea. But after her marriage she came to this place. The roaring of the

tigers at night alarmed her. She woke up in the morning and found the footprints of

elephants and tigers.

Grandma then said, that she would spin the long tale afterwards and asked us to take tea

and snacks. By sitting on a mat in a large veranda we all together relished parata, fowl and

venison etc. Uncle (Gurababa) ordered the servants to fish in the pond with net. Abulya and

Nurer Safa uncle cast nets in the pond. Uncle instructed to net only the big fish. The house

reverberated with the joy of Eid festival. My father, uncle and grand father all together

enjoyed the splendid banquet. Hunting was organized when father visited home.

Tigers assault in Dulahazra

One day in the morning some prominent people of village met my father and complained

that a tiger had become a man-eater and swallowed man which he when he went to jungle

to cut bamboo and tree. There was no alternative but to kill this tiger as it had the taste of

human blood. My father was deft in hunting. My uncle made necessary arrangement for

hunting. My father brought out the gun from Almira and cleaned it, which we watched.

Food for lunch was prepared and platform was hoisted in the jungle. We requested our

father to take us for hunting which we had not seen before. Father agreed to take us. With



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stick and big chopper my father along with 20/25 persons started through the jungle path

clearing bushes making the road. Abulya uncle roped a goat and carried it to jungle for

offering it as bait for the tiger I did not like the goat to be swallowed by the tiger, which

would be killed by my father. My brother Shahadur deterred me from riddling father with

volley of questions, which would inflame his passion.

I was weary of walking when I was taken in the arms of my sister Ruju. Near the platform

in the jungle the rope tied the goat with the tree. We finished our food by sitting beneath

the tree after walking a long distance. The goat mewed humbly. We climbed up the

platform. My father used to fasten us with the cloth so that we did not fall-down out of fear

at the sight of the tiger. Brother Shahadur requested not to fasten him but everybody had to

obey the orders of the father. The situation changed before the arrival of the tiger.

The deer was the friend of the monkey, which rocked the amloke tree. Sour fruit (amloke)

fell down and deer gorged them. The babel of the birds and monkeys were silenced. The

deer moved to the safe shelter. This foreshadowed the arrival of the tiger. Father and uncle

were on the trigger of the gun. The people who accompanied us took shelter on the trees

and whole forest was under the spell of silence. Eldest brother whispered that tiger would

arrive now. The weeds and bushes trembled. The tiger stepped slowly outside the jungle

with no sound. Father shot the tiger on the head and it fell down. Father warned everybody

not to go near the tiger. Sometime tiger pretended. After 20/25 minutes all went near the

tiger. It was a big tiger with stripes. The tiger could not devour the goat. The tigers four

legs were bound with the bamboo and carried to our house and kept on ground of the

compound. The villagers blessed my father for saving human life by killing the tiger. My

uncle engaged slaughterers who skillfully ripped the skin and preserved it with salt.



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My eldest sister was good-natured and well behaved girl who performed the work of my

mother and placated our demand and looked after all sisters and brothers. My sister Tunu

on stepping into the village could not be restrained from climbing on the trees. Syed

uncles two daughters Baduli and Pentuli were her playmates. All day they leaped from

tree to trees and plucked Guaba, Jujube and sour fruits.

During the mango season they enjoyed eating green mango with salt and chili on the

mango trees. Father told her to look after Ruju and Runu who were kept seated under the

tree and gratified with sop of the green mango. She instructed us to sit under the tree and to

cry fox when mother and grandma approached towards pond. They would then get down

from the trees. Grandma and mother did not like her climbing the trees, lest she fell down

from the trees and broke her leg. This was beyond the comprehension of this tomboy

character like Tunu who frivoled with childish frailty. Aunt Sonaiyars mother who had

affection for us brought up Tunu. Sound of the sticks heralded the arrival of grandma. Then

we cried like fox and sister Tunu and Pentuli aunt jumped down from the tree. To our utter

surprise we found the arrival of aunt Sonaiyars mother and sister Tunu then admonished

us by saying that we had told lies and made them get down from the trees. Sister Ruju

restrained her from beating us by saying that she would report their climbing the trees to

mother. Then elder sister Tunu was silenced like leech with salt in the mouth. Grandma

loved sister Tunu and restrained mother from rebuking her.

To grandma little grand child Tunu was tender in age a time for beautifying herself. At this

age she used to catch fish in the river and put gum in the leg of the duck. She was 10 at this

age a girl donned beautiful dress. Abul uncle told grandma that in the west Boiltali Tunu

toiled the whole day by ploughing the land with cows and got dress (Thami) as reward for



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her labour. This work did not match her status as she was a member of the elite family and

she was admonished. Tunu was a little bird that had no fear.

Grandma tells stories:

We used to hear the grandmas spinning of long story by sitting around in her prayer room

on the bank of the pond. We heard the songs of Malka Banu. Malka banus family was

related to our maternal grandfather. Her father was a famous landlord long back. Near the

Coxs Bazar they had vast tract of land that was devoured by the sea. He had one daughter

Malka Banu and seven sons. The search for domesticated husband was launched to keep

his daughter under his constant shadow. They looked for a handsome bridegroom, as

Malka Banu was a paragon of beauty. After long chase bridegroom was discovered in

village Bashkhali. The boy came from a good family and had no parents, sisters and

brothers. Her brothers met the boy who looked like a prince and who agreed to live with his

father-in-laws family. Malka Banu was wedded to Manu Miah with pomp and grandeur

and flamboyant banquet of delicious food, ballads and bands. Malka Banu had seven

brothers, but unfortunate Monu Miah had no relatives. Manu Miah journeyed by peacock

boat flying red sails to Malka Banus place. Among seven brothers of Malka Banu one was

famous wrestler and renowned as wrestler (Matwasa Bali).

He was tall and healthy. He could eat one full goat with a few chicken roasts at one time.

His wife requested the wrestler to take her to her fathers house. He wrestled the whole day

took food and slept. He did not remember his wife. His wife wept. Late night he decided to

go to father-in-laws house. She said that at such a late night tiger would blitz him. He



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fastened her on his back. With stick in hand, he went on foot through the deep forest. He

confronted a big tiger. He caught the tail of the tiger, jolted and killed the tiger and carried

it like a cat. His wife fainted at the sight of her husbands acts and he reached father-in-

laws house before morning prayer and brought her to senses by splashing water in the face

and the eyes. His wife entered into house. The wrestler kept the killed tiger in front of the

outer house and fell asleep. There was row in her fathers house in the morning. Everybody

asked who killed this tiger. All could understand that this was act of the wrestler

bridegroom. He ate twenty five eggs, ten chicken roasts and 2/3 dozens parata in his

breakfast. For lunch a castrated goat and ten seers of rice were cooked. After awakening

from sleep, the wrestler went to the pond wharf which was broken by his weight and he

could not go to the pond. There was a palm tree nearby which he jerked 2/3 times. The tree

fell down and he dragged the same to the pond and made steps of the staircase by large

chopper. After breakfast and lunch he left for home and told his wife that he would come

back after a week. The size of his ring was like bangle of the hand and 2/3 persons were

required to carry his wooden stick. These two things were preserved for a long time in the

house of our grandmothers maternal uncle Ashraf Ali Chowdhury. He had only one son

Mamtaj Ahmed Chowdhury whose only son is Mustaq Ahmed Chowdhury. I saw the ring

and stick with my own eyes in Chowfaldandi.

The grandma told us that there was no road in those days. We used to embark on boat in

the Malumghat during flow tide and the boat moved towards the sea. The boatman

cautiously rowed the boat. On the river mooring (quay) we disembarked from the boat and

rode on palanquin to reach the maternal uncles house. After our marriage we seven sisters

could not get together and only met one another after long lapse of time. In our childhood



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days, our mother used to advise us to live in amity and co-operation. After marriage

nobody knew about the destiny. My maternal grandmother was the own sister of my

paternal grandmother. Another sister of my grandmother was crank or mentally

unbalanced. She was the grandmother of my brother-in-law. Her brother was the father-in-

law of my uncle. Her youngest brothers name was Darbesh grandpa. Father-in-laws

houses their sisters were situated in different police stations. Meeting of the sisters took

place after 5/10 years. The river journey to Dulahazra through Bay of Bengal during the

rainy season was full of perils. The big boats tossed on the waves of the ocean like a paper

boat but during winter season the sea was calm and had no waves. We used to visit our

fathers house on the riverbank at Khurushkul.

Grandma when narrating the story of the eldest grandson Momin showed half middle

finger of her left hand. She was afraid of the leeches and which Momin knew. Grandma

was cutting the sugarcane. Momin jokingly said that there was a leech in the grandmas

hand. In sudden outburst of fear, she brandished the chopper and upper half of the middle

of the left hand was severed and blood oozed out. Momin was alarmed at the sight of the

blood. In the absence of doctor, quack stopped the flow of blood by herbal medicine.

During the rainy season leeches mustered Dulahazra and they lived by sucking the blood of

the animals. Salt was used to kill the leeches. I had abundant fear for leeches but my

brothers and other sisters did not fear.

My drowning in the pond:



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My grandmother narrated that her crazy younger sister who had good knowledge of herbal

medicine and capability to take timely effective action at peril visited Dulahazra. Runu was

then three years old and Junu was just born. At noon all was in sleep. Buri and Tunu were

to look after Ruju and Runu. My grandmother purchased a red colour sari from the village

market to clothe me which I liked. Hiding myself I went to the Shiuely tree (scented white

flower) near which there was a plum tree from which I collected plum and gathered the

same in the flounce of my sari. I got down in the north pond. Elder sister said that Runu

was not available. Mother was sleeping with the infant Junu. She woke up and cried to

inquire into the pond. God endowed the mother with capacity to comprehend the portents

of childs danger. Deranged grandma with vigilance and penetrating insight began

searching the pond.

Grandma prayed to the almighty for the life of granddaughter. Frenzied grandma

discovered the end of the red sari plunging into the water. She leaped into the pond and

salvaged me. It was a market day. People crowded our house and shared the sorrows.

Insane grandma brought big metal jar (pitcher) on which Runu was kept with face

downwards. The husking pedal crushed many earthen plates and crushed materials were

filtered through light cloth. To bring out the water from the belly, people wanted to revolve

me who would not be allowed by the crazy grandma as it would harm me. She began to rub

the body with crushed earth which became wet with water of the body. From the mouth,

water, plum and few drops of blood came out along with thin sound. At the time of

morning call to prayer, grandma cried that she was alive and freed of any fear. She

sheltered me in her bosom under the quilt and gave me hot milk to drink.



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Grandma was a pious woman and said that life was short-lived, advised to fear God, never

to pride, never to misbehave and to apologize to God for mistakes. I stayed one month after

the drowning which was not made known to my father. We were taught to behave well

with servants and others. Grandmother accompanied us to our fathers place of posting and

broke this news to my father.

Return to Narayangong:

We journeyed through deep forest, valley, and winding path and reached Dhaka.

Narayangonj was the last station. Narayangong Police Station had a field and after the gate,

there was an old large Kadam tree with big stem. During the rains yellow Kadam flower

blossomed dazzling the tree with yellow colour. There was big hole in the tree where boys

could easily hide. We played hide and seek in the hole. Mother warned not to enter the hole

which might be infested with snake and scorpion. But this was a great attraction for playing

hide and seek.

In the Narayangonj Steamerghat (Quay) Giridhari uncle had a sweets shop. When my

grandma visited us, he was informed to call at our house behind which there was a vacant

place kept for cows for milk. The cows gave sufficient milk cooked by Elachis father

whom we called brother. Giridari uncle used to make cream from the milk. He used to put

on white dhuti with small towel on the shoulder and came with big iron pot and asked my

mother who with veil used to sit before him. Uncle sat on the stool and taught the

preparation of various sweets. Mother learnt to make various sweets (mihidana, lalmohan

and rashogolla). Uncle in our cooking room put the posset in the cloth and separated it



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from the water. Elachis father made tea, which he used to drink by sitting on the stool, and

cooked the sugar syrup. Giridari uncle blended flour with posset, which was made soft. We

watched making of various kinds of sweets. We ate sweets with grandma. Father had no

liking for sweets. Eldest sister learnt sweet making and prepared sweets.

In the early morning the religious teacher came to teach us Arabic. We used to read Arabic

(Qaida), which was completed by third brother who started reading (ampara) higher

syllabus of Arabic. Reading of the Arabic by third brother was attractive. Sometimes he

pretended illness to avoid reading Arabic and which mother could not stand.

The teacher used to leave after the breakfast. Eldest brother used to meet our demand and

second brother was reserved and talked less. Father used to help with jobs and also

financially our village people who used to come from village. Their slim luggage later

fattened with cloths and other things presented by my father.

Third brother caroled the nursery rhyme

Your name is Runu

In your leg bangles ring.

Ruju, your name is Ruju

And move straight.

We used to play Tarzan and train with Syed bhai. He became Tarzan and jumped from the

bed and sometimes trains engine and we became bogies. There was whistling and zigzag

movement. Father called our names Tunu, Ruju, Runu, Junu in rhythmic tune and

immediately we appeared before him. Father was a Policeman. Underneath the tough

exterior, father was as tender as a child. He was a reputed police officer adorned with



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Queen Victoria Medal and a good horse-rider (Jockey) and played on violin. Late at night

father used to play on violin and raised plaintive tune which broke our sleep. None of us

inherited his quality.

Father had a black horse with white forehead. Every morning my father visited the fish

market on the bank of Shitalakha Bazar and purchased fish of his choice. As a child I

donned pant and shirt and could not be coerced to put on frocks. My sisters wanted me to

dress like girl. Father liked me in pant and shirt and none could protest.

Brother Rustom was the jockey of the horse and bridled the horse. My father and I rode the

horse and made journey to the market. Rustom came back with fish to our house. I liked to

hear the sound of iron hoof.

Grandma on arrival to Narayangong stayed for a long period. Father and grandma used to

tell elder sisters that they would be married in a few years and advised them not to wound

the feelings of anybody and repent for mistakes and to behave well with all and God would

forgive them. Parents said that we would remember whole life whatever our parents taught

us. As our mind was like mud, it would not perish from the memory. Grandmothers

counseling voice still rings in my ears.

In Narayangonj, my father had a few very close friends who loved us like their own

children and showed respect to my mother and visited our house which was reciprocated.

We had uncle Siddiq Dewan who joined the police service along with my father. They

promised to wed their son and daughter with each other and addressed each other as

(Behai) sons and daughters father-in-law and had nursed very cordial relationship with

each other throughout life. Another very close friend was Khan Bahadur Osman Ali who



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had house Baitul Aman in Chashara. Another very close business friend was Tularam uncle

who established Tularam College which stood as monument to his memory. They had left

this world forever for mankinds last address from where there was no return.

Fathers Horse race competition:

Manager of Rally Brothers, a British National cultivated friendly relationship with my

father and lived behind our house. He knew that my father was a skilled jockey and

requested him to arrange competition for the race between horse and train from

Narayangonj to Fulbaria Railway Station. Horse and train would start at the same time and

they would see which could reach first. Father accepted the terms and showed affection for

the horse by patting on the horse back. Horse kept its head on the shoulder of Rustam.

Jockey Rustom told the horse to win. The horse with my father started race with the train.

People gathered on both sides of the road to watch the event. Father reached ten minutes

prior to the arrival of the train. Father was decorated with medal and gleamed in joy. Father

came back to the Narayangonj Police Station. Rustom caught the bridle of the horse. When

my father was disembarking from the horse, the horse fell to the ground and breathed last.

Rustom was shocked and my fathers face was moistened with tears. Father was in deep

torments for a long time.

During Kalipuja a Hindu festival, uncle Tularam used to send various sweets in bright

brass plates along with Luchi and fried vegetables. We devoured sweets sitting round the

plate. Empty brass plate filled with fruits was returned subsequently under instructions of

my mother.



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Once my mother decided to go to maternal grandfathers house accompanied by my second

maternal uncle Mr. Bazlul Karim Chowdhury who studied in the Dhaka University and was

a manly handsome person. My grandma accompanied us upto Chittagong and went to

Dulahazra with my cousin. We entreated her to accompany us to Tailardwip - my maternal

grandfathers house. My maternal grandmother was her own sister. My father and mother

were cousin. In Chittagong marriage was limited to family members.

My elder sister fell ill in childhood. Mother prayed for her recovery and promised to wed

her without any dower. Eldest sisters marriage was fixed with my cousin in childhood

with an assurance for effecting marriage when my cousin became eligible. My would - be

brother-in-law was the only son of the daughter of deranged grandma, sister of my paternal

grandma. My second sister was married to the son of Siddiq Dewan as assured earlier as

service friend. In those days promise was sacrosanct, firm and no hoax. Man was simple.

Village people could hardly come to the town and ploughed their land and fisherman

caught the fish. Everyone performed his duty. Things were cheaper. People lived happily

with small income.

Elachis father our (badda) brother came from my maternal grandmothers place and was

an expert cook. Our house had frequent banquets and delicious food (pulao, korma) was

served which Elachis father prepared. There was no feast without hand made rolled bread

(special parata) made by (badda) Elachis father. He used to make parata without rolling

pin by pulling the wet flour and rolling the same by two hands and fried the same in oil.

Elachis father taught us method of the preparation of the parata (thin flat round bread fried

in oil). The splendour of the bread fried in oil (parata) attracted us and we were ready with



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plates to eat. The bread was kept in the earthenware. It was no difficult task for Elachis

father to make 100 parata.

His two front teeth were gold-plated which shimmered when he tittered. As third brother

was a voracious eater, he was advised to be cautious and to take the quantity which he

could digest. Runu would fall sleep without eating. We ate sitting on the stool of the

cooking room and requested brother Elachis father for a ballad.

The boatman fluttering the florid sails

Journeys far away

I am anxious to know about Elachis mother

who lives in my village home

I urge boatman to carry tidings about her

Whenever he sails

I request the boatman

to visit my home

on the bank of Karnaphuli river

and gather information

about daughter Elachi

and thus quell my anguish.

Documents

From Life--An Autobiography.Chapter-5