Asim Bando's KOLKATA BLOG

The lost childhood will be recovered in the puja pandal of Khidirpur Nabarag Sangha. The obsessions of childhood, fear of homework, playing hide & seek, atmosphere of autumn festival would be there, or the sketches on drawing books, colours, expression of a green heart - all the flavours of precious childhood would be there at the puja mandap. So, the theme is 'Aamar Chelebela' (My Childhood). It is the brain-child of theme-maker Shantanu Chattopadhyay. Transparent Japanese clothes 'Tarpedo' will be used to draw and write. Many comic characters would also be there. Moreover, balls, boats, toys, bottles used by kids will also be there.To amuse kids, the lion of goddess Durga will be as Mama and the Asur would also be a comic character. With the help of reflected light, Tarpedo clothes and suitable background music, the puja pandal would be an ideal place to like by the children. -- A. B.

Labpur rail station - it was my everyday place of my childhood. I used to spend every afternoon at this station for the free ride of narrow gauge train of three compartments. The station remains the same as it was four decades ago. I was then a lad of 10 years, who used to sit under the great tree to wait for the narrow gauge line's train (the line of only two feet six inches long) to come. The train used to come with (now obsolete) smoky horizon of steam engine and the compartments were just like three match boxes. I used to board train, standing on the footboard and the train used to move slowly after a long whistle. The train used to run (15 kmph) through the mango forests, beside the backyard of villagers, duck-filled ponds, paddy fields, school buildings, haat-bazaar, or small stream... I used to board off at a junction station and back on the next train. The pleasure was mine... just only mine. A. B.