In the past two days, two friends have sent me things to help me cope with post-Bagar life. I'm so ready to leave, but I'm not. My one solace is that I will constantly be in touch with our GDL family here.
I've never felt such a closeness for a place - not even Boston - as I do for Bagar. Boston, Chadds Ford, and Baltimore have special meaning for me because of my personal history with those places as well as the fact that the people I love live there.
I love Bagar because it's mine. I've played a part and have contributed to the culture of Bagar.
I still remember the day we arrived and the bus dropped us off in front of Piramal Nagar. To my naive eye, Bagar seemed like the middle of the desert. Now I know. I know how green Bagar is. How a small town with six cell phone towers and 35 educational institutions can have the feel of a village. I know all about the local of culture of feeding guests until they burst and the elegant way men touch their hearts to greet someone.
In anticipation of her leaving Bagar, a colleague of mine sent me a beautiful email. And now, in my emotional, confused state I turn to her to clearly express how I feel: I'm going to miss Saurav and Saurabh and how they would insist on coming at 5:30 am to run (and not always make it), Anita and Savita Saini's laughs, their mom's threats to beat me with a shoe after I had not visited for a long time, Chandi's gentleness, Bunty's dancing, my summer camp kids and their ability to make me cry and laugh within a span of 10 minutes, Muktha's ability to always look good, Mumta's and Neelam's sass, Deepa's smile and Praveen's sky high heels, Ravi's "hello ma'am," Suresh's mocking of my chai, Jithendra's confused looks, Upendra's shyness, Naresh's confidence, the way Amit & Chinu would always come to shake my hand and Priyanka would run into me after school and take my hand so we could walk home together, Monica's "didi! didi!" in the most high-pitched voice imagineable, Vinayak Restaurant's sandwiches and Riddhi Siddhi's lassis, Swamiji's dancing, L C Sharmaji's warmth, the way Pankaj was always around, my fights with Karthik, eating Dhadhichji's pedas (which were especially good when I remembered that he was up all night for Ram Leela practices), Shakuntalaji's devotion to her cows, Praveen's dedication to "physical fit," Shiv Bhagwanji's booming voice, the irritating subzi wallah who I continued to go back to, Lilesh reading the newspaper and informing me that people drive too quickly these days, Sonu's exclamation of glee after I say Ram Ram!
There are people I am forgetting but, let's face it, this list is endless.
I have 10 more days in Bagar. I think I'll tell all these people how much I love them and make sure they know I'm thankful for having met them. Lots to do!
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4 comments:
Glad to know you feel/felt so strongly about Bagar.
Aside from some different anecdotes and people, I feel similarly about leaving. I want to stay but can't. I want to go, but I know it's going to be hard saying goodbye. And yeah, no hometown or college city brings about the same feelings as Bagar does for me now. Bagar is going to have a lot of memories attached to it.
I'm glad I have you around over the next two weeks to laugh/cry/be confused with. :)
I got a smile from the things you will miss about Bagar. I personally miss the Thums Up, the dog / cow fights and Peanut Bagar.
I hope you savor each moment of your last few days in Bagar.
you've been there much much longer than i have! in spite of staying in bagar for just 10 weeks, i still feel that i left a wonderful part of myself back there.
Inadvertently, I am sure you will too. I am also sure that you will leave wonderful memories behind in the minds of all the people you've mentioned.
have a lovely last week! :)
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