Chasing dreams Catching vibes

**A Rip Van Winkle in Australia: Juggling Time, Food, Grandkids, and Dreams with a Dash of Nostalgia**

When I touchdown in Australia to visit my son’s family, I slip into a peculiar state—a modern-day Rip Van Winkle, caught between time zones, cultures, and the whirlwind of my grandchildren’s antics. It’s a charming disarray, like waking up in a new era with Ameen Sayani’s voice still echoing in my ears. Life Down Under calls for flexibility, and I embrace it with a book in hand, a quirky vowel game, and Google Home as my nostalgic lifeline. Here’s how I navigate this Australian adventure, sprinkled with humor and a hearty dose of reminiscence.

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Food: Sadhguru’s Wisdom and Tasmanian Simplicity

The first challenge is food. In India, my kitchen hums with Bengali delights—ilish maach, cholar dal, and mishti that could seduce a monk. But in Australia, I channel Sadhguru’s advice: “Indians eat like it’s their final feast. One-third is plenty!” He’s not wrong. During a biting Tasmanian winter, I thrived on bread, butter, and eggs—a minimalist meal that felt like a culinary sonnet. So, I skip the craving for elaborate curries and settle for rustle-up fare: avocado toast, a quick pasta, or whatever my daughter-in-law tosses together. It’s freeing, like swapping a woolen shawl for a light summer scarf.

As Mark Twain quipped, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much of good whiskey is barely enough.” I’d say the same to food—too much weighs you down, but just enough leaves space for life’s sweeter moments.

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 Time: Books, Grandkids, and a Game of Vowels

If food fuels the body, time is my canvas. In Australia, managing it is the real task, but my books are a trusty ally. Reading is my time machine, making hours dissolve like sugar in tea. Reading is my time machine—whether it’s a tattered classic or a fresh thriller. But my immersion is often hijacked by Isha, my four-year-old granddaughter, a pint-sized attention seeker. With her impish smirk, she insists on “horsey” rides or tales of chatty kangaroos. I cave, because resisting a toddler tyrant is futile.

Then there’s Veer, my eight-year-old grandson, as restless as a cricket fan during a rain delay. To keep him occupied, I devised the Vowel Game. I throw him a letter—say, A—and he responds with a word containing two vowels, like “apple” or “aura.” I give him B, he fires back “bubble.” By Z, he’s tossing out “zebra” and “zombie” with the zeal of a quiz show champ. It’s a hoot, sharpening my English and his quick thinking. As Oscar Wilde noted, “Many lack the originality to lack originality.” Veer, bless him, is brimming with it.

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 Dreams and Drives: Bonding with Shuddy

And then there’s Shuddy, our eldest grandson, teetering on the brink of adulthood. At 17, he’s a dreamer with his eyes on the horizon, eager to slide behind the wheel of a jalopy he’s saving for with his weekend gig as a salesperson. Over cups of tea, he shares his ambitions—plans for uni, career ideas, and the thrill of owning his first car. I listen, marveling at his drive (pun intended), though I secretly worry about that jalopy’s reliability. “Shuddy,” I tease, “make sure it’s got more horsepower than my old bicycle back in Kharagpur!”

I try peeking into his iPad to grasp his school subjects, but it’s like deciphering an alien script. The education system has leapfrogged since my 1950s schooling—another Rip Van Winkle moment. Back then, calculus was the peak of academic peril; now, Shuddy’s juggling coding, AI ethics, and quantum something-or-other. I nod sagely, but it’s clear I’m out of my depth. Still, these chats with him are precious, a bridge between my past and his future. As Kahlil Gibran said, “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.” Shuddy’s longing is loud and clear, and I’m cheering him on.

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 Nostalgia: Ameen Sayani’s Timeless Spell

When jet lag or homesickness nudges me, and my brain flips between Indian and Australian clocks, I turn to Google Home, my digital djinn. “Play Binaca Geetmala by Ameen Sayani,” I command, and suddenly, the room glows with the golden voice of the legendary host, spinning Bollywood hits from the 1950s. It’s more than music—it’s a portal. I’m back in my school days, glued to the radio every Wednesday at 8 PM, soaking in Sayani’s charm.

The nostalgia peaks when I recall my IIT Kharagpur years (1960–65). My friend Y.C. Puri, the proud owner of a transistor in Patel Hall, was the Wednesday king. I’d invade his room, sprawl on his bed, and let Binaca Geetmala’s melodies—“Yeh Raat Bheegi Bheegi” or “Mera Joota Hai Japani”—carry me away. In Australia, I shut my eyes, and for a fleeting second, I’m that 20-year-old again, dreaming big in a hostel room. This is my Rip Van Winkle spell—waking in a new land, a new age, yet cradling the past. As Washington Irving wrote, “He had been sleeping for twenty years, and the world had changed around him.” My slumber is brief, but the shift feels just as profound.

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The Invisible Sphere: My Portable Sanctuary

Unlike some who seek out old friends or recreate Little Indias abroad, I don’t chase what was. I carry an invisible sphere—a cocoon of habits, memories, and joys that makes any place home. Books, the Vowel Game, Isha’s giggles, Veer’s wit, Shuddy’s dreams, and Ameen Sayani’s voice are all tucked inside. This sphere is my compass, proof that a change of geography doesn’t rattle the heart. Pico Iyer put it best: “We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel, next, to find ourselves.” In Australia, I find myself in the familiar, even amid the new.

So here I am, a Bengali Rip Van Winkle, juggling time zones, grandkids, and nostalgia with a chuckle. Life in Australia is a whimsical ride, and I’m all in—whether it’s cheering Shuddy’s jalopy dreams, dodging Isha’s mischief, or outsmarting Veer at vowels. Now, if you’ll pardon me, Isha’s demanding a kangaroo tale, and Shuddy’s probably eyeing another car ad. Somewhere, Ameen Sayani waits to whisk me back to the 1960s.

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Footnote: Binaca Geetmala

Binaca Geetmala was an iconic Indian radio program broadcast on Radio Ceylon (later All India Radio) from 1952 to 1994, hosted by the legendary Ameen Sayani. Aired every Wednesday at 8 PM, it featured a countdown of the week’s top Bollywood songs, chosen based on record sales and listener requests. Sponsored by Binaca toothpaste, the show became a cultural touchstone, enchanting millions with Sayani’s warm, engaging style and hits like “Awara Hoon” (1951) and “Chaudhvin Ka Chand” (1960). At its zenith in the 1950s and 60s, it was a household ritual, uniting families around radios and shaping India’s musical legacy.

Sapner Boi

Sapner Boi 

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Sapner Boi

(Dream Book)

I was combing through College Street in the muggy March light of 2015, chasing a ghost—the first-edition set of Srikanta, all four parts, by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay.

My quest for old books has always had an air of pilgrimage. As a schoolboy, I had scoured the pavements of Ajmal Khan Road in Karol Bagh, sniffing out dusty treasures. Later, I rummaged through the bookstalls of Gariahat, and even Darjeeling, where musty cartons lay half-forgotten under the misty mountain sun. But College Street—Boi Para, the Mecca of books—that was different. Here, I was chasing both a title and a memory.

It was while turning away from a glossy modern bookstore that I saw it—tucked between a crumbling sweet shop and a digital Xerox centre: a faded stall with a hand-painted board that read: Sapner Boi.

“Dream Book,” I chuckled to myself. It looked anything but dreamy—old wooden shelves sagging under the weight of memory, cloth covers fraying at the edges, and a crooked umbrella keeping out the sun. But something pulled me in.

A bespectacled old man, white-haired and smiling, waved me over.
“Babu, ki khujchen?”

I told him about Srikanta.
He didn’t bother to check the stacks. “Nai,” he said calmly. “But wait…”

From a shelf behind him, he pulled out a treasure: a first edition of Devdas, also by Sarat Chandra. My breath caught. I ran my fingers along its faded cloth spine, the pages yellowed, the type faint.

“I’m Narayan Bose,” he said. “The stall’s mine. Since long before Café Coffee Day came to this lane.”
He gestured to a battered wooden stool. I sat, and stories poured.

I told him about my book-hunting adventures—Ajmal Khan, Gariahat, Darjeeling, even a long-lost Russian novel I’d once found in a tea shop. He laughed and said, “You must be waiting for a magic book to find you.”

Then, almost casually, he pointed to a stack of handmade graphic stories. The covers were plain, stitched with thread. Inside: hand-drawn comics—Tintin in unfamiliar territories, teamed with Feluda, no less. The drawings were meticulous, filled with Bengali wit and a child’s wonder.

“Not for sale,” he said firmly, almost protectively.

Just then, a little whirlwind swept in. A girl of about nine, with oversized spectacles, jeans, a bright yellow top, and a backpack weighed down with imagination. She pulled out a handmade graphic notebook and handed it to Narayan Babu.

“This is Mishka,” he said. “Bengali father, Malayali mother. Shifted from Bangalore recently. Walked in one morning and began sorting my books.”

She glanced up at me, curious but not shy. The notebook she’d brought was a graphic story based on Jayant and Manik, my own childhood favourites by Hemendra Kumar Roy. Her illustrations were detailed, humorous, alive.

“She shares these with kids in the nearby slum,” Narayan Babu added. “And when customers come with children, she keeps them busy with her books. She's... part of the shop now.”

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A Decade Later

In May 2025, I was back in College Street to visit my publisher, Abhijan, when I felt an urge—more instinct than intention—to revisit Sapner Boi.

The stall stood there still. The signboard had been repainted but retained its old-world charm. The familiar smell of old paper mingled with the scent of brewed coffee, drifting from a CCD dispenser neatly installed in the corner.

Narayan Bose sat like an aging banyan tree—frail, eyes watery, hands trembling but warm. He remembered me.

“Devdas, 2015,” he said, smiling.

And there stood Mishka, now a young woman—taller, confident, still wearing slightly oversized glasses. The stall had evolved under her care. A small chalkboard listed storytelling sessions every two hours. A few benches and cushions were scattered around, and subtle background music played softly—piano notes, gentle and emotive.

I stayed for the 2 PM session. Mishka began reading from A Gentleman in Moscow. Her voice was steady, lyrical—each sentence spoken like a musical note. As Count Rostov paced the corridors of the Metropol, Satie’s Gymnopédies floated in the background. She had paired the reading with music so perfectly, it felt like watching the novel unfold on an invisible stage.

When she finished, no one moved. The stillness said everything.

I left quietly but not empty-handed. I bought a copy of Keigo Higashino’s The Final Curtain from the shelf—a little something for the flight ahead.

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Epilogue

Before leaving for Australia, I had asked Samaranand to stay in touch with Narayan Babu—and, indirectly, with Mishka. I passed along a list of Bengali and English children’s books I wanted him to buy from Sapner Boi from time to time—ostensibly for the books, but really so that Samaranand could keep a gentle eye on her well-being through Babulal and Soumya.

In truth, I had grown fond of her—drawn by her spirit, her imagination, her strange, beautiful world of drawings and dreams.

During my last visit, Narayan Babu shared with quiet pride that Mishka was now studying English Literature, pursuing a B.A. Honours degree.

That little girl who once stitched together Tintin and Feluda in a notebook was now walking steadily into the world of letters—book by book, story by story.

And Sapner Boi, the Dream Book, continued to shelter them both!

Travelogue: A Chilly, Chuckle-Filled Chase Through Tasmania’s Wilds

**Travelogue: A Frosty, Furry Fiasco at Brady’s Lake**

On June 16, 2025, our intrepid trio—my wife Madhuri (the queen of packing snacks), son Anish, and I—hopped a Jetstar flight from Brisbane, touching down in Hobart, Tasmania, by 10 a.m. The winter air hit us like we’d walked into a giant freezer with a personal grudge, a nippy 10°C. Travelers, heed this: leave your apples and carrots behind unless you want Hobart Airport’s sniffer dogs to give you a starring role in their next bust. Those floppy-eared enforcers don’t mess around!

At the airport, we sidestepped the car rental royalty—Hertz, Avis, Budget, all acting like they’re leasing Lamborghinis—and went with Bargain Car Hire. Anish, our family’s deal-hunting ninja, scored us a car that looked like it had survived a zombie apocalypse but drove like a champ. Our mission? Reach Brady’s Lake, where Anish and his wife Poonam had snagged a lakeside investment property, marked by a “Hakuna Matata” sign that practically sang *The Lion King* theme song. First, though, we raided Coles in Hobart for bread, biscuits, eggs, and enough snacks to survive a siege. Why? Because the nearest shop to Brady’s Lake is probably in Narnia. A quick chai or coffee run? Forget it—you’d have better luck convincing a koala to brew you a latte.

After a KFC pit stop—because nothing screams “wilderness adventure” like a bucket of fried chicken—Anish took the wheel for the 3.5-hour drive. Tasmania’s landscapes were a jaw-dropper: meadows so green they looked like they’d been painted by a toddler with a lime crayon obsession, dotted with sheep that probably had their own Instagram accounts. Rolling hills stood like silent bouncers, daring us to question their majesty. Hobart’s local radio station was our wingman, blasting everything from Midnight Oil to Billie Eilish, with a DJ yammering like he’d mainlined espresso. We half-expected him to warn, “Watch out for that wallaby doing cartwheels on the highway!” The meadows morphed into national reserve forests, where eucalyptus trees loomed like they were auditioning for a Tolkien flick. Signs cautioned about wallabies, koalas, and ice skids—because nothing says “welcome” like the threat of spinning out while a marsupial photobombs your crash.

Our first wildlife encounter came early. A wallaby, looking like it had overslept for a meeting, hopped across the road with the nonchalance of a teenager crossing a mall parking lot. Anish slammed the brakes, and we all cooed like we’d spotted a celebrity. “Look at that fluffy daredevil!” Madhuri squealed, snapping blurry pics through the windshield. Further along, a koala clung to a tree, staring us down like we’d interrupted its nap. “Mate, take a chill pill,” I muttered, half-expecting it to flip us off. These critters were just a warm-up for the zoo that awaited us.

We stopped at Ouse, a village so small it probably shares a Wi-Fi password with the next town over. We grabbed coffee at a cafe that looked like it was stuck in 1850, half-hoping for a barista in a monocle. Refreshed, we dove back into the forest, chasing Tasmania’s 4 p.m. sunset like we were in a budget remake of *Mad Max*. We pulled up to Brady’s Lake just before dusk, the thermometer laughing at us with a frosty 6°C and a wind so sharp it could shave a yeti. But there it was: the “Hakuna Matata” house, glowing like a warm muffin with a wood fire crackling inside.

**The House by Brady’s Lake**

This house was pure fairy-tale vibes, a wooden gem that looked like it had wandered out of a Brontë novel and decided to kick back by the lake. Its giant glass windows framed Brady’s Lake like a 4K nature documentary, complete with misty waters and forested hills. The wood fire was the MVP, snapping and popping like it was roasting marshmallows and telling ghost stories. Huddling around it felt like we’d gone full pioneer—minus the dysentery and questionable hygiene. The smoky scent made us feel like rugged bushfolk, even if my idea of “roughing it” is usually a hotel without room service. We spent the evening defrosting, sipping hot drinks, and cackling about how we’d have to ration the biscuits since the nearest shop was a pipe dream. The electric bed warmers were our saviors, turning our beds into toasty burritos. Without them, we’d have woken up as popsicles with regrets.

**Exploring Brady’s Lake**

Brady’s Lake, tucked in Tasmania’s Central Highlands, is a stunner that doesn’t play nice with city slickers. The lake, a hydro reservoir, looks like it was crafted by a deity with a flair for drama, its glassy surface ringed by hills and meadows. On June 17, I braved the drizzle for a walk, expecting a bustling hamlet. Nope. The place was deader than a dodo’s dance party. Coming from India, where “quiet” means only 100 autorickshaws are honking, this was mind-boggling. The only locals were wildlife, and boy, did they show up.

During my stroll, a wallaby bounced past, close enough to high-five. It froze, stared at me like I’d crashed its yoga class, then vanished into the bushes. Later, I spotted a Tasmanian devil—yes, *the* Taz—scampering near the lake, looking less like a cartoon and more like a caffeinated raccoon. “Slow down, mate, you’ll burn out!” I called, but it was too busy plotting world domination. Back at the house, Madhuri swore she saw a platypus doing laps in the lake, though Anish teased it was probably a log with ambition. We spent the day indoors, toggling between TV and gawking out the windows like we were in a wildlife safari with room service. The meadows around the lake were greener than a kiwi’s daydream, swaying like they were choreographed for a Bollywood number. The nearby national forest, part of the Central Plateau Conservation Area, was a tangle of eucalyptus and myrtle, with trails that whispered “adventure” but also “bring an umbrella, you numpty.”

The isolation was both magical and maddening. Need milk? Tough luck. Craving chai? Start praying to the lake gods. We joked that the wallabies might open a pop-up cafe if they sensed our caffeine withdrawal. “Wallaby’s Brew: One Leaf, Two Twigs, No Refunds,” Anish quipped, and we lost it.

**The Geography and Beauty of Brady’s Lake**

Brady’s Lake sits in the Central Highlands, a region that feels like it was designed by a poet with a side hustle in landscape architecture. Part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, it’s a hotspot for critters—platypuses, wallabies, devils, and birds that probably have their own folk band. The lake’s flanked by hills that pose like they’re on a magazine cover, with frost-dusted meadows that glitter like they’ve been sprinkled with fairy dust. Winter cloaks the area in a hush, with mist drifting over the lake like it’s auditioning for a gothic novel.

**The Return Journey**

On June 18, we hauled ourselves out of bed at 4 a.m., pre-sunrise, for the slog back to Hobart Airport. The darkness was thicker than my grandma’s dal, and Anish drove like he was in a video game called “Marsupial Mayhem.” The road was a full-on wildlife rave. Wallabies hopped across like they were late for a Black Friday sale, one nearly dive-bombing our hood before Anish swerved. “Mate, get a Fitbit and stay off the road!” I yelled. Koalas lounged in trees, their eyes glinting like they were judging our life choices. One looked so smug I swear it was clutching a tiny latte. Then came the owl, swooping low like it was delivering an urgent memo from Hogwarts. But the showstopper was a Tasmanian devil, darting across the road with the energy of a toddler on Red Bull. “Chill, Taz, it’s not a race!” Madhuri laughed, but we were all gripping our seats.

The Hobart radio station, now in late-night mode, played chill tunes like it was trying to lull the wildlife to sleep, with a DJ who sounded like he was one yawn from passing out. We’d pinned our hopes on Ouse’s roadside cafe for a coffee lifeline, but it was shut tighter than a roo’s pouch in a cyclone. “Bet the wallabies unionized and demanded a day off,” Anish groaned, as we nursed the car’s sad, lukewarm coffee dregs. The meadows, barely visible in the pre-dawn fog, teased their emerald glory like a burlesque act hiding behind a frosty curtain. As we neared Hobart, the sky softened into pinks and purples, making us forget our caffeine crisis—almost.

**Final Thoughts**

Our Brady’s Lake adventure was a side-splitting, fur-filled romp through Tasmania’s winter wonderland. The meadows were greener than a leprechaun’s wardrobe, the forest wilder than a rock concert mosh pit, and the wood fire cozier than a puppy pile. The road trip, with its chatty radio and acrobatic critters, felt like driving through a Pixar movie directed by David Attenborough. The “Hakuna Matata” house was our cozy bunker, even if we had to ration biscuits like we were stranded on a deserted island. The lack of a nearby coffee shop had us dreaming of wallaby baristas, but it only added to the trip’s quirky charm. Tasmania, you’re a frosty, furry masterpiece, and we’re already scheming our next wildlife-packed getaway—koalas, devils, and all.

Winter escape to Brady's Lake in Tasmania

Winter Escape to Brady’s Lake

A mid-June travelogue through Tasmania’s Central Highlands

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16 June – Arrival & the Highlands run-up

A dawn Jetstar hop from subtropical Brisbane felt like stepping through a portal: by 10 a.m. we were breathing the sharp maritime air of Hobart. Border bio-security was front-of-mind; beagles padded the carousel ready to dob in a wayward mandarin, so we kept our luggage strictly produce-free. Tip: never bring fruit or veg into Tasmania—declare it or bin it.

Bargain Car Rentals handed over the keys to our SUV (Hertz and Avis kiosks were doing brisk business beside them). After a pit-stop at Coles for bread, biscuits and eggs—and a guilty-pleasure lunch at KFC—we nosed onto the Lyell Highway (A10) bound for Brady’s Lake, 68 km northwest of Hamilton and roughly 125 km from Hobart airport.

Almost immediately the city fell away to emerald paddocks stitched with split-rail fences. Sheep browsed like scattered cumulus against the vivid winter grass; skeins of mist hung in folds of the Derwent Valley. We dialled the radio to 7HOFM 101.7 FM—Hobart’s oldest commercial station—whose breakfast crew bounced between traffic updates, dad jokes and a string of 80s sing-alongs. Windows fogged from our steaming takeaway coffee; outside, the dashboard read a brisk 9 °C.

Through Ouse & the high country

Ninety minutes on, we rolled into the hamlet of Ouse for caffeine and a stretch before tackling the climb. From here the highway kinks north-west, threading between brooding dolerite ridges and the skeletal ash forests of the Central Plateau Conservation Area. Yellow road signs warned of “WALLABIES NEXT 20 km” and “ICE SKID RISK”—they weren’t kidding. Frost ribbons glazed the bitumen in shaded gullies; Anish kept a white-knuckle 80 km/h while 7HOFM segued into Crowded House and weather bulletins that promised “snow showers above 900 metres”.

Past Tarraleah we left the main drag, skirting Lake Binney and braking for the first of many wallabies darting through dusk. At 4:30 p.m.—sun already kissing the treetops—we spotted the hand-painted road sign “Hakuna Matata”: our little cedar-clad haven on Brady’s shore.

Inside, a crackling log fire thawed our runny noses. The aroma of burning eucalyptus oil and resin lent the living room an old-world warmth electric heaters can’t imitate. Through picture windows the lake spread like pewter, ringed by ghostly stumps left by Hydro-Tasmania’s 1950s inundation. Outside it was 6 °C with an icy breeze; inside, the glow of red coals and the hum of electric under-blankets promised perfect hibernation.

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17 June – A day by the water

Morning rain drummed softly on the iron roof, pushing wisps of cloud across the lake’s glassy surface. We circled the foreshore on a mossy track strewn with quartz pebbles and pencil pine cones. At ~661 m elevation Bradys sits on a saddle between the Nive River and Bronte Lagoon; the three linked reservoirs form the headworks for Tungatinah Power Station far below.

Even muted by drizzle the landscape dazzled: teal water flecked with black swans, jade eucalypt slopes rising behind tawny tussock meadows, and absolute silence broken only by a ravens’ croak. The absence of neighbours was startling for us Indians accustomed to chai-stall chatter on every corner; here, “crowd” meant a pair of paddlers skimming across the chain of lakes.

Afternoon sent us indoors, where the fire’s amber light danced on Tasmanian oak floorboards. Rain rattled the windows while we dozed under woollen throws and grazed on toast, cheese and ABC evening news—winter hygge Down Under.

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18 June – Night drive & homeward bound

Alarms chimed at 04:00. Outside, Orion blazed over the inky water; breath plumed like smoke. The SUV headlights cut a tunnel through the Highlands as Anish eased back onto the highway. In the beams, wallabies, pademelons and an occasional brush-tailed possum bounded like pinballs—an ever-shifting slalom that kept speeds modest. A ghost-white masked owl swooped low, its wings briefly filling the windshield before vanishing.

We’d planned another coffee at Ouse, but the lone roadside café’s veranda lights were dark—winter hours, or maybe just Tuesday. Instead we let the radio keep us alert: 7HOFM’s pre-dawn announcer traded calls with long-haul truckies while Taylor Swift and INXS alternated in the playlist. As the first peach glow touched Mount Wellington, Hobart’s lights unfurled below and the airport loomed, country stillness giving way to jet-bridges and boarding calls.

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Brady’s Lake in a nutshell

Feature	Detail
Latitude / Longitude	42° 13′ 48″ S, 146° 29′ 24″ E
Elevation	~661 m (2 169 ft) above sea level
Origin	Impounded section of the Nive River, created 1950s for Hydro-Tasmania power scheme
Landscape palette	Dolerite hills, dry-sclerophyll eucalypt forest, button-grass plains and glacier-scraped lagoons
Wildlife highlights	Platypus in quiet bays; wedge-tailed eagles over the ridges; abundant nocturnal marsupials
Human footprint	A string of no-frills shacks and the odd Airbnb—otherwise, an amphitheatre of silence

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Final thoughts

Brady’s Lake pairs the raw minimalism of Tasmania’s Central Highlands with the cosy romance of a pot-bellied stove. In three short days we tasted both: broad-sky meadows and silvered peaks by afternoon; wool socks, woodsmoke and family stories by night. The Highlands road may demand caution—black ice, bounding wallabies, and radio banter your only companions—but reach the water before the early winter sunset and you’ll understand why our son chose to stake a claim here. It’s an oasis where Hakuna Matata isn’t just a signpost; it’s a state of mind.

The Ghostly Ride Through Calcutta's Past

**The Ghostly Ride Through Calcutta’s Past**

Sikka adjusted his backpack, the humid Kolkata evening clinging to him like a second skin. He stood at the gates of the South Park Street Cemetery, its weathered tombstones glowing faintly under flickering streetlights. He’d booked an Uber to explore Kolkata’s colonial heart, but the app showed his driver, “Ober,” stationed *inside* the graveyard. *Odd,* Sikka thought, but adventure called. The cemetery gates groaned as he stepped in, sneakers crunching on gravel.

A cold gust swirled, and a figure appeared beside a crumbling tombstone. Lanky, in a faded kurta and a driver’s cap from some bygone era, his eyes sparkled with mischief, his grin unnervingly wide. “Sikka, my friend! I’m Ober, your Uber driver tonight. Hop in!” he said, gesturing to a spectral bullock cart that shimmered into view, wheels hovering an inch above the ground.

Sikka hesitated. “This isn’t the Ola I ordered, man.”

Ober’s laugh rattled like dry leaves. “Ola, Uber, bullock cart—same difference! Ready for a ride through history?” Before Sikka could argue, he was nudged into the cart, which lurched forward with a ghostly whoosh.

As they rattled past the cemetery’s iron gates, Ober launched into his tale, voice brimming with pride and a hint of cheek. “This city—Calcutta, not your posh Kolkata—was built on dreams and dice. Back in the 1800s, the British were short on cash for their fancy roads and buildings. So, in 1817, they started the Lottery Committee. Sold tickets to folks like my great-great-grandfather, promising riches but really funding their Town Hall and St. John’s Church.”

Sikka, clutching the cart’s edge as it dodged modern traffic on Park Street, raised an eyebrow. “Your ancestor bought lottery tickets?”

“Oh, aye!” Ober chuckled. “Great-Great-Grandpa Gopal, a clerk, thought he’d strike gold. Blew half his wages on tickets—never won a paisa! His wife would nag, ‘You’re building their palaces, not ours, you daft man!’ But his coins helped raise the Town Hall, where we’re headed now.”

The cart halted before the Town Hall, its Roman Doric columns standing proud in the dusk. Ober pointed with a translucent finger. “Built in 1813, partly with lottery money. The sahibs danced here, sipping tea, pretending they were in London. Gopal? Never got an invite—too ‘native’ for their taste.”

Sikka smirked. “Sounds like your grandpa got fleeced.”

“Fleeced? Maybe!” Ober said, mock-offended. “But he believed in this city. Said it was his Calcutta, even if the British claimed it.” The cart zipped toward St. John’s Church, its spire piercing the twilight. “This one,” Ober said, “came up in 1787. Lottery tickets raised 30,000 rupees. Gopal chipped in, praying for luck. Spoiler: he got none. But this church was the cathedral till 1847. Proper grand, eh?”

Sikka nodded, snapping a photo. “So, the British just gambled their way to a city?”

“Spot on!” Ober grinned. “From 1817 to 1830, the Lottery Committee paved roads, dug tanks like Wellington Square, made Calcutta the ‘City of Palaces.’ But by 1830, London’s bigwigs got snooty—called lotteries ungentlemanly. Shut it down. Gopal was gutted; loved his ticket stubs.”

Sikka’s mind wandered as the cart rolled toward the Ganges, its waters glinting like scattered coins. *Lotteries back then built cities,* he thought, *but today? They’re a shady game. Black money turns white through rigged wins and fake tickets. Crooks buy their way to clean cash, while regular folks like me just lose. Lucky I steer clear—lotteries feel more like loot-eries now.* He shook his head, grateful his wallet stayed out of such traps.

The cart paused near a phuchka stall by the river, the tangy aroma pulling Sikka from his thoughts. “Ober, stop here! I need a snack.”

Ober tipped his cap. “Fine, but don’t dawdle. Ghosts aren’t patient!” Sikka hopped out, grabbing a plate of spicy phuchkas. He turned, mid-bite, to find the cart—and Ober—gone. The street was empty, only the Ganges’ murmur and distant traffic breaking the silence. His phone buzzed: “Ride Completed.” A chill prickled his skin as he recalled Ober’s tombstone: *Gopal Das, 1790–1820, Loyal Clerk, Dreamer of Fortunes.*

Sikka laughed shakily. “Well, Gopal, you spun a good yarn.” As he walked along the river, the Town Hall and St. John’s Church lingered in his mind, their stones whispering of lotteries, dreams, and a ghostly driver who loved his city. *Better those lotteries than today’s scams,* Sikka thought, popping another phuchka. *At least Gopal’s coins built something real.*

---

The Invisible Boundary: When the Moral Compass Begins to Haunt

---

Every human being carries within them an invisible boundary — a silent perimeter set not by society or law, but by the self. It is the subtle edge of the moral compass, unconsciously drawn through values, upbringing, and lived experience. We don’t always notice when we cross it — but when we do, even unknowingly, it often begins to haunt us in ways we never anticipated.

In the bustle of daily life, caught up in work, ambition, and survival, we often overlook the quiet needs of those around us. Our routines make us efficient, but not always empathetic. There may come a day when we give money to a stranger who is starving — a gesture of kindness — but in that moment, we might suddenly remember the time we ignored a friend in distress, or failed to support an ageing relative. The guilt that arises isn't about the current act of charity; it stems from a deeper regret — of having once missed a chance to care when it truly mattered.

Such moments of reflection don’t follow a schedule. They arrive uninvited, sometimes years later, triggered by something as simple as a street scene or a film. One such film, The Father, left a profound impact on me. Anthony Hopkins, in a hauntingly beautiful performance, portrays an elderly man slipping into the fog of dementia. His daughter, played by Olivia Colman, struggles to care for him — torn between love, exhaustion, and the hard realities of life. What the film so brilliantly captures is not just the disintegration of memory, but the quiet moral conflict of the caregiver. The guilt of not being able to do enough. The regret of losing patience. The ache of witnessing a loved one fade away, and the helplessness of watching yourself withdraw emotionally in response.

This story is not uncommon. Many aging parents, who once sacrificed everything for their children, now find themselves alone — sometimes placed in old age homes. The decision may be driven by practical constraints, but later, when life slows down, it can stir deep guilt. Memories return unbidden: of their silent sacrifices, the uncomplaining way they gave up comforts for our sake, the joy they felt in our smallest successes. And we wonder — could we not have done more?

These aren’t isolated emotions. They are shared by many who, in their earnest chase of personal goals, overlooked the human connections that truly mattered. Yet, guilt, for all its weight, is not entirely a curse. It is the soul’s way of nudging us toward reflection. It makes us human. It tells us that our conscience is still alive — tender, questioning, and capable of growth.

Conclusion

Life is noisy, and its demands never truly end. But somewhere between the appointments and obligations, we must pause to check in — not just with others, but with ourselves. The invisible boundary of our moral compass, though unseen, is felt. When we cross it, something inside us shifts. And while guilt may come later, like an echo from the past, it also offers a second chance — to reconnect, to redeem, and to realign.

Let us strive to be present, now — while there is still time. Let us not wait for regret to remind us of our humanity.

---

Ode to common man

**Title: "The Great Indian Stress Relay – Why the Dog (and the Car Wheel) Always Lose"**  

### **The Daily Grind of the Common Man (Kolkata Edition)**  

Our hero, **Mr. Mondal** , wakes up at 6:30 AM to the sound of his wife’s battle cry: *"Ekhono ghumochho? Cha khabe na?!"* (Still sleeping? Don’t want tea?!)  

He performs his **free-hand exercises** (which mostly consist of stretching once and groaning twice), freshens up, and sits down for breakfast—a **single lukewarm roti** with yesterday’s alu sabzi because the maid didn’t come. His wife packs his **tiffin**—two slices of bread with a single piece of omelette folded like a confidential government file.  

### **The Great Metro Migration**  

Now begins the **journey to office**—a test of human endurance.  

- **Option 1:** His **scooter**, which hasn’t started properly since the 2016 demonetization.  

- **Option 2:** The **chartered bus**, where he is pressed against the window like a lab specimen.  

- **Option 3:** **Uber**, where the driver takes the longest possible route while humming *"Kolkata, meri jaan"* in a tone-deaf voice.  

### **Office: The 8-Hour Suspense Thriller**  

He doesn’t know what awaits him—a **last-minute report**, a **boss who just discovered PowerPoint animations**, or a **colleague who microwaves fish in the office pantry**. But he survives, fueled by **three cups of over-sweet office cha** and the dream of **evening freedom**.  

### **The Return Journey: Stress Accumulation Phase**  

By 6 PM, his soul is 60% caffeine, 30% repressed rage, and 10% nostalgia for the time when he thought adulthood would be fun.  

- **Scenario 1:** He **delays going home** because his wife has transformed into a **human complaint box** ("Shobai bhalo kore promotion peyechhe, tumi ki korcho?!" – Everyone got promotions, what are you doing?!). Instead, he goes to a **dingy bar** where the whiskey is questionable, but the company (other frustrated men) is worse.  

- **Scenario 2:** He **goes home**, immediately picks a fight with his wife over **who left the fan on**, she yells at their son, the son kicks the **innocent neighbourhood dog**, and the dog, being the only sensible one, howls at the universe.  

### **The Incident: When the Car Wheel Became the Ultimate Victim**  

One evening, as I returned home in my car, my driver **Gopal** (a man of infinite patience) was reversing near a crossing when **Mr. Frustrated Common Man** (let’s call him **Babu-da**) appeared out of nowhere, like a **ghost from a Bengali horror movie**.  

**Babu-da** (already fuming from office politics): *"Ey! Andho naki? Chokh achhe ki tor?!"* (Hey! Are you blind? Do you have eyes?!)  

**Gopal**, following my strict **"no reaction, only smile"** policy, gave a **goofy grin**, as if he had just been told a bad joke by a distant uncle.  

This made **Babu-da** even angrier. He leaned into my window, veins pulsating like a **dramatic TV villain**, and shouted:  

*"Tomar moto boro lok, gaadi achhe, kintu driver ke shikhoni nai?!"* (You rich people have big cars but can’t teach basic manners to your driver?!)  

I, too, followed the **Gopal School of Conflict Avoidance** and gave him the same **mild, unbothered smile**.  

**Babu-da**, now deprived of his much-needed **stress-relieving fight**, did the only logical thing—he **kicked my car’s front wheel** and stormed off, muttering about **"these rich people and their untrained drivers"**.  

### **The Circle of Stress**  

And thus, the **Great Indian Stress Relay** continued:  

- **Boss** yells at **Babu-da** →  

- **Babu-da** yells at **Gopal** →  

- **Gopal** smiles →  

- **Babu-da** kicks **car wheel** →  

- **Car wheel** (being an inanimate object) suffers silently →  

- Meanwhile, somewhere, a **dog gets kicked** by a frustrated teenager.  

### **Moral of the Story**  

In Kolkata (or any metro), **stress doesn’t disappear—it just gets transferred**. From bosses to husbands, wives to sons, sons to dogs, and finally, from frustrated commuters to **defenseless car wheels**.  

The only winner? **The local bar owner**, who profits from all this pent-up rage.  

**Final Thought:** Maybe the dog should start drinking too. 🍻🐕