My Dubai Visit

September 2011

Nirlipta Raychoudhuri (Kismis) and Grindelia di are my childhood friends. Exactly, they are more than just friends. Their father Raychodhuri Jathu and my father worked at the same Railway Hospital, Kharagpur. Both of them were very close to each other, so was my mom and Jathima (Kismis’s mom). Our bungalows were also nearby, hardly 4-5 minutes walk. Ever evening we used to play at Kismis’s bungalow. In summer we played football and cricket in winter. They had a massive bungalow with a big play ground. There were about 10 -15 players, mostly my friends staying in the Railway colony and were of same age group. Together we made a great team.

Jathima was a good actor and took keen interest in ‘Natok’ (stage play). She encouraged my friends to do some ‘Natok’ during Durga Puja. It was a great fun for us acting. We used to rehearse about one month prior to the final play at Kismis’s house and Jathima was our director. After the rehearsal there was good tiffin for all. It was a great attraction for all of us and no one missed the rehearsal.

In 1981, as I went to Bhopal for my higher studies, I got detached for Kismis and Grindelia di. After few years Grindelia di got married and went to Kolkata and Kismis went to Baroda for his higher studies. As years passed by, Kismis completed his management studies and got a job in Mumbai and thereafter, I lost complete track of him.

In 1994, when I was very sick and bed ridden my father informed that Kismis got a job in Dubai and migrated there. I told my father that one day I will visit him in Dubai. Looking at my physical condition no one told me anything, everyone prayed that I become well soon. When I recovered from illness, my job took me to Lucknow, Dehradun and to Mumbai. From Mumbai I came to Ethiopia in 2010. I remembered that Kismis was still in Dubai, but I have no contact address of Kismis or Grindelia di. Thanks to Facebook & my sister who located them. I could contact them both and in September 2011, I could meet Kismis in Dubai on my way back to India for my vacation. I was overwhelmed to meet Kismis after about 30 years. He is now successfully running his own shipping business ‘Charter Trade Global.’ He is also having a love kid ‘Ishan’. Asanta boudi (Kismis’s wife) is from Mumbai. Kismis took me around the city of Dubai. It is wonderful city and a dreamland. We visit ‘Burj Kalifa’ the tallest building on earth now and also went around ‘Dubai Mall’ & ‘Palm Island’. I liked the place very much it was just like heaven on earth.

After going back to India I also visited Jathima and Grindelia di in Kolkata. Jathima now is over 80 years old, though suffering from old age related problems, but still very steady. Grindelia di has recently taken up a job to pass time as both her children Ankona and Moyuk is grown up. And his husband (Arun da) is busy with his job.

Memories of my Dubai visit - September 2011

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