As normalcy slowly returns to my surrounding environment, it is time to concentrate on the work at hand. Somehow, the festivities always seem to have an overbearing influence on everyone, even though I always try to remain detached to the entire carnival as far as possible. There has been enough fun and festivity, high spirits and hangover; some people can come out of it quickly and some, strange as it might seem, show such spirited tenacity to disregard the “end”, that they continue to live in that make-believe world, of fun and frolic.
Slowly, the conversation changes. People start watching the television again, logging on the internet, reading newspapers to catch up what has happened while they were away. But festivities linger on.They just change names. There is always something to look forward to, till the year rolls over and marks the beginning of another year.
On another note, my thoughts these days are quite abstract and intangible, in other words childish and immature. Like yesterday when I walked through the streets, I wondered how it would feel like if I were to get lost. If I just continue to walk on the street for an infinite span of time, I would definitely get lost. Now the cynics reading this would disagree with me. They will insist that roads don’t run on infinitely… They do end at a point, perhaps, they culminate into a crossroad. And it is upto you again to decide which direction you want to choose.
Even if the road were to run infinitely long, people don’t have the leisure to walk on and spend an infinitely large amount of time to get to a place, so that they may term themselves “lost”. The question would be “Why do you want to get lost?” Man is a social being. He needs to live in a sort of community to survive. But, I personally like to walk aimlessly, exploring the surroundings. I find myself deriving a strange kind of a pleasure; a realisation that I haven’t been to this place before, haven’t walked on this road before, haven’t seen that shop in the corner of the street. Sure, many people have walked and are familiar with every nook and corner. But here I am an explorer, a discoverer within my own self. For me, this place has been hidden and unexplored.
Coming back to roads again. Some again might insist, that roads in cities are too short these days, so that it becomes difficult to get lost. A very modern day man-made area to get lost are Malls.
I have my issues of getting lost in departmental stores and malls, consciously or subconsciously. But the exploration part seems missing. Every corner seems the same, each and every shop seem to resemble each other. But it easier to get lost in a mall than in a street. On an average, it takes me about half an hour to figure out where I am, or where the exit route is. And if I do make it out where I am or how to get out, I find myself going out of the mall through a complete different exit. Then, I am completely confused about the Entrance. Although at that point of time when I realise, that I would want to know where exactly the entrance is, I find myself running late. It seems like an innovative quest to find out a particular shop, almost like hunting national treasure. I have been lost many a times in Malls, but somehow I cannot seem to find the thrill out of it. May be because I would like to get lost in a dingy alley than in a plush Mall.
During these festivities, Calcutta is bathed in lights. And with the confusion mixed with elation and mirth, you would say getting lost should be pretty easy. But no, its not. Because, whenever I am out during this time of the year, I don’t find the enthusiasm to get lost. I just want to go back home. The barricaded roads, people waiting for hours in queues, and the complete curbing of freedom to walk on roads, its enough to absolutely turn me off.
Even when in a conveyance, public transport or a car: the ending of the journey when my destination is reached, leaves me quite disappointed. Somewhere, I wish the journey was an infinite, never-ending process… so when I remember these following words, I find experiencing the exact same emotions, everytime I walk out of the house.
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet
And whither then? I cannot say.
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