Manali - Travelogue

It was a bright monsoon day when parents and I took off for a trip to Manali. It was a long distance drive. We travelled by road from Lucknow to Delhi. The newly built Yamuna express highway was a beautiful path. We moved again and stopped for lunch at a nearby dhaba then we kept moving ahead and reached Delhi.

We haulted in Delhi for a day and then again started for Manali the next morning. At 5 in the morning we started driving down to Manali and reached a wonderful Dhaba that served us breakfast. It is to be noted that Punjab and Haryana side has more developed Dhabas and highway inns. The word “Haveli” is used for denoting a dhaba or an inn and has comfortable stay and relaxing packages. The highways have all basic amenities including shops and malls.

As we started reaching Manali we saw the Beas river right aside us from our car window. The sight of the Beas river and the beautiful snow laden mountains made us feel having come into the Indian Switzerland. The Beas river was sea green in color right near the Radha Swami Satsang Ashram. We stopped at Manali for some tea and again started driving down alongside the mighty Beas river.

We crossed a dark tunnel which was lighted and was ranging for about 2.5 to almost 3kms. The picnic spots were beautiful and were in plenty alongside the road to the top of Manali. The picnic spots were small places aside the Beas river and provided Hotel accommodations, cafes and tea points. The drive is long and it took 16hrs in total to reach our destination.

We reached in the late evening and our Hotel was Portico Sarovar that was built aside the Manalsu river. Manalsu river is the river that flows there and the name Manali is derived from her.Early morning when we opened the curtain we saw the beautiful Himalayan range shrouded with Deodar trees. The day was followed by a buffet breakfast at the hotel and then we visited the lovely Manalsu river and dipped our hands and feet into it. We clicked pictures and laughed and played with the stones of the river.

Next day we visited market i.e. the Mall of the hill station. We purchased typical Manali wear and other items from the Mall. The himcoop products are quite authentic, supported by the HP Government and consist of the best fruits of Himachal Pradesh (“HP”). HP is considered to be the fruit bowl of India. Two days went by walking down the mall, observing the Manalsu river and visiting the Hidimba Temple.

We saw the lovely ice-capped mountains while sipping tea and coffee at the hotel. Most of the hotels were built of wood and glass windows in order that the tourists feel the surroundings while having food at the café.

There is a Manu temple also that is built in Manali is dedicated to Manu who is considered a saint. Manusmṛti (written also as Manusmriti or Manusmruti) (Sanskrit: मनुस्मृति), also known as Mānava-Dharmaśāstra (Sanskrit: मानवधर्मशास्त्र), is one metrical work of the Dharmaśāstra textual tradition of ancient Vedic Sanatana Dharma, presently called Hinduism.^[1] Generally known in English as the Laws of Manu, or Dharmic discourse to vedic Rishis, on 'how to lead the life' or 'way of living' by various classes of society.

The text presents itself as a discourse given by the sage Manu, to a congregation of seers, or rishis, who, after the legendary great floods in the vedic state of Brahmavarta in India some 10,000 years ago, beseeched him to guide them in how to face such calamities in future though an organized life with "guidelines for all the social classes".^[2] His response was captured and preserved in memory as a dialog between himself and the sage Bhrigu in some 2685 ślokas, the compilation of which is called Manusmriti.

What I could gather by the Manali trip was that the trip should be splitted in various parts. From Lucknow to Delhi, then from Delhi to Ambala and finally from Ambala to Manali. This causes less exhaustion to the traveler and keeps the energy quotient alive as the road gets covered into milestones.

In memory of Late Rituporno Ghosh - Drafted in Bengali

“Jokhun podbe na mor payer chinho………..eyi  ghaate” – 

Tokhun baaje atta…amar alarm clock ta bajlo tung tang kore. Ami aaste aaste konorokhume uthlam. Raatire besh kota bhalo boyi ghaanta ghaati korechilam. Din katlo jemni kaate…hothat dupure pishi phone korlo baba ke lunch er shomai aar khobor ti dilo. Khobor ta pey hotash holam aar silent hoye gelam. Pishi  aar Pishe Kolkataye well connected aar praye onek tollywood er shilpi der jaane.

Odhbhut laage….eyi genius er cholochitro gulo, ami baar baar dekhtam. Ekta chobio miss korini. Protik ti chobi te he never compromised on the quality quotient. Ekta notun story hoto, with a strong messge, script, cinematography, symbolism, sequence, depth aar puro paraphernalia ta nijer haathe toiree korto. Theek mone hoto Satyajit Ray er direction aar Rabindranath er mind ke meshano ekta odhbhut akriti prostut hoche chokher shaamne. Or cinema bangali der heart ke emun bhabe touch korto jeno mone hoto e toh  protek bangali jiboni ba badir golpo lagchey.

Shey chilo Rituporno Ghosh, ekta odhbhut manush. Personality te ekta odbhut magnetism chilo.  Or prothom chobi release hoye 1992 te…taar naam chilo Hirer Angti. Tokhun ami khub chotto. Or chobi ami dekhlam 1999 e…....naam chilo “Unishe April”, shey ek odbhut ma meyer golpo. Research korlam toh jante parlam Ingrid Bergman er Autumn Sonatar opore based kora chobi. French film with English subtitles chilo, besh bhalo.  Onar mritur khobor pe infact I was reminiscing Unishe April’s er first scene jekhane shobai beareved hoye condolence dite esheche. Ritu da’r bishoi shob jaante parlam internet theke ebong or shonge je shilpi ra kaaj korto. Tader interviews jokhun hoto tokhun buste partam real life e o kemun chilo. Or nijer library chilo, photography, admirer of flora and fauna, bhalo khetey, portey bhalo basto, very aristrocratic and his aesthetic sense was impeccable and matchless. Paint kora, make up kora, costumes choose kora aar shanghatik voracious reader chilo. Puro desh ghure chilo aar na na rokhumer writers der golpo national international aar films of different genre ja brevity of thoughts aar courage diye  potray korto sheta bhaba jayena. Nari shokti te nije ke ebong nijer mayer support ke identify korto.

Ritu da college er shomai naki jholar modhey besh ko ekta film society er boyi niye ghure bedato aar class room student chilo na..…eyi shob interviews e shunlam aar mone mone hashlam, ashol shilpi jonmaye shotontroto poribeshe, khola hawar modhey. Theek jemun Rabi Thakur, Einstein eder moton, jader creativity taarai jane bojhe aar aaste aaste nijer foundation toiree kore ekta beautiful aar intriguing Alpine Mountains hoye daaraye. College daze e nishchoi ekta odhbhut flamboyance thaake aar jaara jonmaye talent niye taara aro beshi energetic hoye aar knowledge gain korar ekta passion thaake tader modhey. Ora holo eyi shrishtir shobche shreshtho intellect, creativity, multi-dimensional, deep, extremely emotional with racing thoughts and ekanto aar peace bhalobashe jekhane nijer masterpieces ke jonmo dite pare. Ritu da advertising er jogot er shilpi chilo, borolene er jonno ekta caption toiree kore chilo. Ad world er lokera bolto je his captions had a middle class appeal. Ritu da’s films potrayed people from the society not fiction. Though the characters he drew were from proletariat as well as the bourgeoisie. His films were above stereotype societal norms and catered mostly to the classes not the illiterate masses. It is often revealed that Bengalis thronged the theatres and awaited his films, much to the dislike of the commercial film-makers and shallow audience, the echoes “what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow”. Eyi rokhum honour er aro filmmakers achey like Shyam Benegal, Sudhir Mishra who made “Hazaron Khwahishein Aisi” that was remarkably dedicated to a spirited woman called Renu Saluja. It is also noticed the Mishra has touched the north with  films of audacity like Sardari Begum etc.

Bengalis’ generally adore Robi Thakur, Satyajit Ray, Aparna Sen, Ritwick Ghotok,  Mrinal Sen, Kaushik Ganguly etc. Ontotoh most of them Michaelangelo, Leornado – Da Vincir moton oshadharon bhabe supersonic intelligence, sensitivity aar  multi-faceted personalities hoche.

Chobi gulo protik ti bhalo hoye daariye chilo…. 1992 te Hirer Angti – ota directorial debut chilo, based on Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay's novel, 1994 e Unishe April , 1997 e Dahan 1999 e Bariwali, 1999 Asukh Bengali, 2000 e Utsab, 2002 te Titli,  2003 te Shubho Mahurat jeta Agatha Christie novel – The Mirror Cracked er opore based chilo, tarpor ashlo Robi Thakur er golper opore lekha Chokher Bali- Binodini tremendous psychological struggle in her mind, tarpor Katha Deithilli Ma Ku Oriya, 2004 e Raincoat Hindi tey chilo, ota O’Henry golpo “The gift of the Magi” er opore based chilo. Chobi jokhun dekhlam tokhun buste parlam je Ritu da’r mother tongue Bengali tai chobi ta bangle tey toire hole otar underlying pathos ta ontotoh Bengali intelligentsia feel korte parto, 2005 e Antarmahal, 2006 e Dosar that dealt with infidelity, 2007 eThe Last Lear 2008 e…etao darun chilo…kemun ekta Shakespearan era theatre actor ekla hoye geche with the passage of time but in manic and grandiosity he recites the verses of the bard’s literature with phenomenal grace and pathos. Khela film tarpor Shob Charitro Kalponik, tarpor 2010 e Abohoman, tarpor Tagore er Noukadubi – Raima ke ekta Bengali well read and taught princess legeche aar baba aar meyr relation tao khub shundor with Dhritiman’s character,  tarpor 2011e Arekti Premer Golpo directed by Kaushik Ganguly, that dealt with homosexual relationship, pher ashlo ekta darun powerful story jaatey Ritu da ke prothom baar ami dekhlam - Memories in March. Eta te ami Ritu daar acting er modhey ekta odhbhut pensive manush pelam je melancholy modhe ache ebong shei melancholy ta golper modhey diye audience ke ki taan che. Golpo ta chilo khub deep aar typical societal norms ke periye lekha hoyechilo. Ekta gay manush aar taar premik er maar shonge oshadhoran relationship toiree holo…aar aste aste oder dujoner modey je kaoke haranor ja grief ta chilo sheta jaayeni kintu onek komlo bhalobasha diye ek onno ke. 2012 e Sunglass er bishoye shunchilam kintu dekha hoye ni amar.

Ami bhalo koriye jaantam jokhun or cinema gulo dekhtam, ekta odhbhut though provocation hoto, or cinema ta prothomoto “golpo” was always empowering and direction ekta flowing river er moto lagto. Satyajit Ray moton micro detailing e jeto. Prothomoto story drafting, script, cinematography, kon actor ba actress suit korbe kon role er jonno. Or shobche bodo contribution chilo Rituporna di, jaar bhitore je ekta super enduring womanhood ache sheta ke tule dhora……sheta onek bodo contribution chilo. Dahan, Paromitar Ek Din, Utsab shobetey ekta soft, feminine grace anlo. Shunechi je onek jaigai je o make up khub pochondo korto aar actress der make up aar touches ditoh. Ghorer light aar setting, costumes shobe tey or ekta touch thakto. Nijer bachar moton toiree korto cinema ke. Protek technician aar puro film  making group taar shongey boshe golper script ta narrate kora aar suggestion newa. Even  kajoger columnists der criticism er o proshansha kora aar oder ke phone kore janono je criticism ta bhalo chilo.

Ritu da ke onek ra bolto lonely, baba maara giyechilo, tarpor ma maara gelo jaar shongey khub close chilo. Ma ke bodhai miss korto. Tai or bhabona aar emotion er shrot chilo or ma aar protek female character or cinema te powerful hoto theek Robi Thakurer er Street Potrer moton (infact ekta radio teh or streer potrer drama taar narration nije koreche), Sarat Chandra er golper moton ba Satyajit Ray er Ghaire Bairer moton. Jekhane puro desh ekta delhi rape case ke niye etoh affected, shekhane Ritu da koto bochor dhore feminity aar female er shakti ke durga hishebey dekhiyechilo. Antarmahal ekta ironical portrayal chilo….ek dike etoh dominance of staunch priests aar feudal lords of Bengal der, badir mohila der opore otachaar aar chepe rakha, aar arek kone dike female form Durga protima ke oyi ottalikar  modhe rekhe taar pujo kora aar je balika bodhu ke otachaar korto oyi badir feudal lord taar chokher shamne ekebare durga moton toiree kore dilo murti ekta shabanno artisan. Artisan taar jonno oyi balika bodhu chilo durga. Onek symbolism chilo….hoyeto eyi depiction chilo that the balika bodhu daringly breaks away from the confines of that palatial house and ends the continued suffering.

Ritu da was highly influenced by Tagore aar onek research korto protek golpo ke present korar aagey. Chitrangada  bola hoye ota or nijer golpo chilo. Janinia koto ta shotto eyi convention ta. Kintu bhebe dukhoyi hoye. Ekta shanto manush chilo shey je.

 Rudra Chatterjee i.e. played by Ritu da who has spent his life going against society convention. As a young man he defied his father's wishes to become an engineer and became a choreographer instead. As he prepared for a performance of Tagore's Chitrangada, he and his partner decided to adopt. But there was one problem: same-sex couples are not permitted to adopt children.

Jiban Smriti Bengali Documentary on Rabindranath Tagore based on Tagore's autobiography, 2013..ami dekhini aar Satyanweshi Bengali Unreleased  film hoche jeta edit hoyeni. Dekhar icche achey…aar jani nischoi bhalo hobe. Okey onek lok bolto, je stree prodhan golpo lekhey aar onek kichu. Kintu amar mone hoto je mohashota debi jokhun stree prodhan golpo lekhe tokhun to keu kichu bole na. Ta chara Autumn Sonata, The Gift of the Magi, Chokher Bali, Noukadubi, The Mirror Cracked e gulor story toh male aar female ra likheyche. Ritu da just was medium to convey it grandly before the intellectual audience national , international both. Shudhu meyer character keno, shob chele rao impressive hoto or chobi te prosenjit, Tota Roychowdhury der ke darun legeche. Ritu da ke gay icon bola hoye…am proud Bengal pioneered in this kind of rare species.

Shudhu Ektai kotha bother kor chilo je Robi Thakur aar Sotyojit Ray er majkhane je bridge ta chilo sheta kaal bhengey gelo…..aar judbe ke aar ki bhabe sheta jaanina, there is a massive void ? Amader ke or onek kichu dewar theke bonchito holam onek rokhum kore. Or bhitorer grief taar jonnie amra bangali ra onek kichu pelam….onek kichu feel korlam theek Kurt Cobain er moton. Or cinema ekta lyrical odyssey hoto, social message thakto, emotionally sensitive hoto aar incredible “intellectually” stimulating hoto….…shob kothai hothat hariye gelo….shudhu memories roye gelo through his cinema.

Ritu  da my head bows down before you with a heart wrenched feeling that you gave us so much for the rest of our lives. Tomai Nondon, Robindro Shodon ba tomar studio te giye dekhte pelam na. Kintu tomar oyi sthir shorir dekhte bhalo lagto na amar…..….tomar teachings, haanshi, politeness with all, cinema, knowledge awakening kotha, emotion aar snigdho chehara bhalo lage. Tomai turban porle onek ta Swamiji moton lagto aar jokhun woman attires porte tokhun shotti khub charming lagto. I admired your sartorial clothing…theek bolte tumi je Jodi mey ra cheleder jama porte pare toh whats the harm in men wearing the same, after all men used to dress like this in ancient india….I salute the last maverick filmmaker after Ray. Thou shall live in a Bengali’s heart forever. Tomar jonno Bengal cinema prochondo rise korlo aar various international film festival e pouncholo. Tumi film jogot e shobai ke respectfully treat korte tai aaj protek ta manush tomar shroddhai tomai mone korche. Tumi state honor pele khub bhalo feeling holo…………..Beethoven er condolence mone hochilo.

Tumi Nari ke shomman dite, or shokti, intelligence, emotional strength  aar perseverance ke shomman dite eta ki khub bhul korte….ota toh nijer matribhumi keyi respect kora holo..tai na ?Tomar kotha bhable mone hoye ekta birat jahaj kothaye gobhir shomudror modhey dekhte dekhte …………….hariye gelo. Tomar Shubho Muhurat er chobi theke mone porey ekti robi thakur gaan…”Jibono moroney sheema na charaye…bondhu hey amar royecho daaraye”. Bondhu tumi puro baangali der buke……tumi chile ekta birat inspiration. Amar shudhu ektai biniti thakur ke…tumi jeno abar jonmao…eyi prithibi tey….onek kichu roye gelo…chere gelo mone hoye…..onek onek knowledge. Puro world bonchito holo bisri bhabhe…..world tumi shudhu mone rekho…eyi legend take Jodi er proti puraton prem dhaka pore jaaye aar notun aro filmmakers aashe. Shudhu eyi genius ti ke mone rekho !

By Mili Chatterjee

©Copright May, 30^th 2013