Shadhinota Dibos

Kal Shadhinota Dibos. Deshattobodhok, that is patriotic songs are being played in the streets, the shops are getting decorated with the tricolours, today’s 14th August.




Scene I



In one such shop, a shop where notebooks and pen-pencils and graphs and the national flag are found for sale, a boy enters-



Boy: Uncle, uncle. Indian Flag hobe?

Shopkeeper(a man in his 60s): Ki?

Boy: Arre uncle! Flag, National Flag of India pawa jaabe?

Shopkeeper: Oww! Jatiyo Potaka? Achhe to, kirokom chai bolo agge?

Boy: Ki size-er achhe?

Shopkeeper: Chhoto, boro, majhari, kagoj-er, plastic-er, ja chao paabe.

Boy: Amay oi glossy-ta dao, chokchok korchhe jeta. Garite lagabo.

Shopkeeper: Garite lagabe? Kintu ota je boddo polka, chhire jabe haway.

Boy: Na na, A.C. gari-to, amra janla khuli na. Flag-ta besh gari-r modhhe dulbe, kalke Independence Day je! Celebrate korte hobe to.

Shopkeeper: Gari-te potaka lagiye celebrate korbe?

Boy: Na na, kalke amar schoole-e Independence day program. Amader Principal Flag hoist korben, tarpor amader cake-patties khawabe. Kal to khub moja!

Shopkeeper: Haan, kal khub moja. Ei nao tomar potaka.

Boy: Thank you uncle. Happy Independence day! [Leaves]

Shopkeeper: Shubho Shadhinota Dibos tomakeo.



Scene II



One of the roadside temples of Kolkata, where every Saturday, some or the other kind of Pujos are done. One such Pujo is going on in one such temple. A large number of people are crowding the road adjoining the temple. A group of 9-10 year olds in tattered clothes can be seen loitering around at a distance.



Boy 1: Ei sala shob ekhane dariye thak, ekhuni bhog debe.

Boy 2: Ki debe re?

Girl 1: Shei to ek-i khichuri bhog debe.

Boy 3: Orre amar moharani re. Ei khichuri-tai baa kobe pash?

Girl 2: Ei, nibi kishe? Maal-ta to gorom hobe.

Boy 1: Thik bolechhe shala, ajkal to thonga-monga kichhui dey na.

Girl 1: Cho amader pelate peye gechhi.

Boy 3: Koi?

Girl 1: Oi to kagoj jhulchhe dewal-e, chhire nilei holo, amader plate.

Boy 2: Mairi etar mathae budhhi achhe kintu.

Girl 2: Kintu otato Bharat-er potaka. Kal oi ki bole, Shadin-na-ki ekta achhe na! Bharat Shadhin hoyechhilo kalke je.

Boy 3: Haan haan, Joy Hind, mera Bharat mohan. Shob bujhe gechhi. Ekhon cho to.

Boy 1: Ei bhog dichhe, cho cho, joldi kagoj-gulo chher.

They quickly tear the paper flags, and run towards the prosad bittoronkari man.



Kal Shadhinota Dibos. 63 “glorious” years of Independence. Being the “proud” citizen of the next superpower in the world, I feel so pathetic, err.. I mean patriotic. Kal Shadhinota Dibos. Mera Bharat... Mahan?