The Hooghly River flows around a kilometre West from our residence. Whenever I manage to afford a bit of dispensable time, I venture towards the river. Though the area around is not entirely clean, still the ambience is better than the polluted concrete jungle where we have to live day in and day out. The ghat is famed for a temple, dedicated to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. There exists a jetty from where ferries ply towards Konnagar in Hooghly district.
Sitting under the canopy of banyan and other trees within the temple complex; the sight of the ferries, coloured blue-white, going towards Konnagar or returning from there make it a refreshing sight.
The other day, after accomplishing work at the nearby post office sooner than expected, I found myself in a short window of leisure which I desired to spend around the river for a bit of oxygen in lungs and balm in eyes.
I stationed myself in the temple complex and had a sight of the river which was flowing at its seam. As a ferry was proceeding towards the opposite bank, I took a few pictures when it was mid-river and sent it to my son back home.
After spending around 20 minutes, I walked back home after accomplishing a few other chores. As I returned, I came to know from my wife that after receipt of the pictures in his mobile, my son exclaimed in mock shock and helplessness – “Alas father has gone away to unknown by leaving us!”
Though I had a nice chuckle on hearing it, though such thought never had crossed my mind; I still gave a thought what if I had indeed left in that ferry, crossed the Hooghly and boarded a train from Konnagar station to wherever my heart wishes! I could have booked myself in a simple lodge of the area and intimated my family over phone that I would return after 7-10 days! I would explore the area leisurely on my terms or just relax in the lodge in the company of favourite books or music before proceeding to the next destination! Following enjoyment to the full (if viewed from a selfish state of mind), I would return home! I didn’t venture to the unknown. Even after hearing such a joking probability from my son, my mind doesn’t feel the attraction towards such an unplanned impromptu adventure!
I feel much content that far from taking the comfortable safer route across Hooghly, I continue to negotiate the much harder course of life, comprising tackling office to domestic sphere, banking formalities to daily purchases in markets or catering to the medical needs of senior relations. Though ‘Bohemian’ is a much overhyped term with persons indulging in it get invariably ‘worshipped’ as ‘Heroes’; but there lies not an iota of ‘heroism’ in venturing towards unknown whenever the heart desires as in such cases duty towards family and workplace indeed takes a severe beating (of course not applicable for those without any family/office to cater to)!
Just like it is damn easy (comparatively) to adopt suicidal steps, but much harder to live with head held high with a mindset simply not ready to allow it to get conquered by adversities of life; in the same vein, it is easy and irresponsible to escape the drudgery of life by acting ‘Bohemian’, but much tougher to accomplish duties of life with best of abilities and sincerity and toughest part lies in performing it with much pleasure. May we succeed in negotiating the toughest part of life i.e. performing duty with much pleasure instead of taking the route of escapism!
