BACK TO THE ROOTS

Backdrop: Chatterjee’s Bonedi bari at Shyambazar

It’s the day before Mahalaya, Durga Pratima is getting ready…….
Grandmother sitting all alone at the courtyard looking a bit sad.
Grandfather: “O Ginni! Raat pohalei toh Mahalaya….tumi erom mon
kharap kore bose keno? Taratari ghumiye poro, bhor bel ate uthe
Mahalaya shunte hobe toh naki?!”
Grandmother: “Amader ki aar sei Mahalaya, sei Durga Pujo ache! Aaj eto
bocchor hoye gelo chhele ta Durga Puja te ashe na…..eto boro bari, eto lok, eto
ayojon, eto anondo….. ekhon aar kichui nei!
In between the conversation, the son (Siddhartha) arrives with his family and
friends.
Siddhartha: “O maa! Radio ta ready korecho?”
Mother & Son hugs each other. The whole family takes blessings from them.
Grandmother: “Babu! Tui ekbar bolbi toh je tui asbi!”

Ankita: “Surprise Maa!”

Rudy: “Thammmiiiii…” (comes & hugs grandmother)

Ankita: “Rudy, thammi ke pronam koro”

Grandfather(approaches courtyard): “Babaaa…bari tee to hoihoi kisher?!”

Siddhartha, Ankita & Rudy takes blessings from Grandfather & Grandmother

Siddhartha: “Baba..this time I didn’t come alone, I brought few guests”

(introduces his colleagues)

Grandfather: “You all are welcome to my home, ami sobai ke sobar ghor
dekhiye debo kintu tar aage sobai mile Mahalaya ta shune ni…..esho sobai!”
Starts Mahalaya
Rudy (Grandson): “Daadu, I even brought my friends for showing them Durga
Puja! Since last year I flexed a lot about my culture! I promised them to show
Durga Puja around and even in my house! Man, Durga Puja getting honoured
as World Heritage by UNESCO is no joke! And dad said, here during these 5
days, people don’t sleep, they don’t rest, they go for panadal hopping. Even we
wanna go for pandal hopping”
Rachel: “Pandal hopping? Are we gonna hop?”
Grandfather: “Excellent Rudy bhai! We will do all these and more! You know
champs, India is a land of festival. And yes though, India’s population is the
highest now but what’s all the festivals without people. These people make
the festivals, it brings people together, it helps us to de-stress, to enjoy life!
Durga Puja prottek bangali’r gorbo…no matter where you live”
DURGA PUJA AS UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Speech: India is widely known foe it’s vivid traditions and cultural practices. One
popular festival among them is the Durga Puja, which is now on the
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Tapati Guha
Thakurta, a well-known historian and her team helped in preparing the dossier
which was sent to UNESCO by the Union Cultural Ministry. It was submitted in
March 2019. And Durga Puja was declared as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of
Humanity by UNESCO in 2021.
Rudy: “So when are we starting Daadu? Tomorrow?’
Siddhartha: “We still have some time my dear. Let’s start pandal hopping from
next week!”
Ankita: “In the meantime, we can go around and visit the other famous places
in and around Kolkata! Maa, Dakhineswar jabe? Onek bochor jai ni, ekhon
shunlam skywalk na ki ekta koreche! Tumio cholo ghure asbe.”
Grandmother: “Haan cholo dadubhai ke Dakhineswar, Belur Math, Botanical
Garden, Kolkata’r malik Saborno Roy Chowdhury’r bari,Howrah Bridge, Chakra
Rail sob dekhabo!”
Rachel: “Oh my god! There’re so many things! Calcutta is so much modern
than I ever imagined!”
Asif: “But Sid uncle why did Ankita aunty say Kolkata, isn’t it Calcutta?”
Grandfather: “My dear Asif! You are right, it was Calcutta as the British
named it, but in the year 2001, the Govt of West Bengal changed its name from
Calcutta to Kolkata. Do you want to know the history of ‘Calcutta’?”
HISTORY OF CALCUTTA:
The area where the city is now located was originally inhabited by the people
of three villages: Kalikata, Sutanuti and Gobindapur. However, the boundaries
of the three villages gradually became less distinct, and before the Battle of
Plassey, the city could be divided into four different sub-areas: European
Kolkata (Dihi Kolkata); a residential village with some sacred spots
(Gobindapur); a traditional Indian market (Bazar Kalikata or Burrabazar); and a
riverine mart concentrating on cloth trade (Sutanuti). After the Battle of Plassey
in 1757, the Company started rebuilding the city.

Job Charnock: (looking around) “What an extraordinary sight! I had not

expected such desolation in these lands. Tell me, Samuel, what do you make of
this place?”

Samuel: (scratching his head) “It’s quite unlike anything I’ve seen, sir. The fertile
fields, yet the absence of a settlement... It’s almost eerie, don’t you think?”

Job Charnock: (nodding) “Yes, indeed. One wonders who tends to this land.
(pauses) There! Do you see those figures in the distance? Let’s approach them.”

Samuel: “Hey! What’s the name of this place?”

Farmer 1: “Aggey huzur, kichu koitasen?”

Charnock: “Tell us the name of the place”

Farmer 1 (to the other farmer): “Ki koitase, kissu bujhtasis?

Samuel: (action) “What is the name of this place?”

Farmer2: “Amar mone hoy dhaan er kotha jigaitese”

Farmer 1: “Oh huzur, eida hoilo Kal Kaata””

Job Charnock: “Oh the name of this place is Calcutta!”

*Scene Ends*

Asif: “Does that mean it’s the British that made this beautiful city?

Rudy: “But wasn’t the British the villain in the story of Indian Independence,
like they tortured the Indians, exploited the country and all those.”
Grandfather: “Rudy, there’re both sides of the coin! True that British did exploit
our country and left us with the partition but we must accept the blessings that
we had due to them. The British helped the middle class to grow into
prominence in the industrial sectors. British brought many cultural
advancements. Without British, you won’t be able to stay in Chicago my dear!”
A week goes by visiting other major tourist attractions
[Background: Dakhineswar, Belur Math, Botanical Garden, Chakra Rail, Birla
Planetorium, Yuva Bharati Stadium]
(TUMIO HETE DEKHO KOLKATA-SONG)
On the day of Sasthi
Siddhartha: “Cholo! Is everybody ready? Let’s start our Pujo Porikroma with
North! Let’s see ultimately ke jete Sherar Shera Sharad Samman! What do we
start with Baba?”
Grandfather: “It will be a surprise! I planned everything!”
Grandmother: “Naaa naaa naaaaaa…..barite pujo fele ami kothao jacchi na, tumi
borong kochi kacha gulo ke niye ghure asho!”
They come to Shyambazar More. Everybody notices the huge Netaji statue in
the middle of the 5-point crossing.
Rachel: “Wow, it’s such a huge statue! What a marvelous structure!”
Mr. Patel: “Rachel, he is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose! He was such a genuine
fighter.”
Rudy: “I know him, Dad told me about him! I know about his contribution in
India’s struggle to get freedom. Right daadu? He is my favourite!”
Grandfather: “Yes you are absolutely correct! He joined the army called Azad
Hind Fauj which included women of that time as well. He was a rebellion!”
(KADAM KADAM BADHAYE JAYE-SONG)
(Screen-Shyamabazar More Netaji Statue + Indian National Flag)
NETAJI (parades & enters stage): Freedom is not given, it’s taken!
তোমরা আমায় রক্ত দাও, আমি তোমাদের স্বাধীনতা দেবো।
Siddhartha: “Baba..tram asche! Cholo oder ke kolkata’s another heritage tram
e kore niye jai!”
Takes a tram from Shyambazar and heads towards Jorasanko
Rudy: “Daadu, where are we going now?”
Grandfather: “We are here to visit Jorasanko Thakurbari Rudy bhai”
Rudy: “Thakur bari mane jekhane thakur thake?”
Grandfather: “Ae thakur sei thakur na bhai! He is the noble winner…..amader
praaner thakur biswaskobi Rabibdranath Thakur”
Grandfather sings ‘Prano bhoriye trisha horiye’
Rudy: “Daadu, even I know Rabindranath Tagore’s poem Birpurush. Maa taught
me that one”
Grandfather: “We always feel Rabindranath in all aspects of our life, in our
sorrow in our joy! He is not only our Bengali’s pride but the nation’s pride!”
Annie: “He is the first Indian nobel prize winner for literature”
Rachel: “Is there more?”

Siddhartha: “Of course dear! Many intelligent people are around from
Bengal. Moreover, one Yogoslovian woman without knowing our city,
came here and served distressed people selflessly. She is none other
than St. Teresa.”

[Background- The Mother House of The Missionaries of Charity]

Mother Teresa (enters with a child in her arms, pats): “Not all of us can
do great things. But we can do small things with great love”

From there they walk to Shimla Byamsamiti, Swami Vivekananda’s house.

Grandfather: (with a warm smile) “Look at this place, children! This is where
Swami Vivekananda spent his formative years. Isn’t it incredible?”
Mr. Patel: “Yes, it’s amazing to finally be here. I remember learning about him in
school. His teachings have influenced so many around the globe.”
Alex: (taking a deep breath) “It feels so different to stand here. The energy is
palpable!”
Asif: “Who was he, exactly? I mean, I’ve heard the name, but what’s the big
deal?”
Riyaz: “Asif, he went to Chicago and delivered one of the greatest speech to the
people over there”
Swami Vivekananda (delivers the Chicago speech) :
Sisters and Brothers of America,
It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and
cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most
ancient order of monks in the world, I thank you in the name of the mother of
religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people
of all classes and sects.

Takes a tram and on the way notices Sanskrit College in College Street
Riyaz: (pointing towards the Sanskrit College) “Look, that’s the Sanskrit College!
It has such a rich history.”
Mr. Arora: “It looks magnificent! When we were young, we always heard stories
about the great personalities associated with this place.”
Siddhartha: “Ah, Sanskrit College! A treasure of knowledge and history. Did you
know that it was founded in 1824? It’s home to some of the most brilliant
minds.”
Grandfather: “It was established by the great education reformer, Ishwar
Chandra Vidyasagar. He was one of the pioneer in Introducing English to many
educational institutions. One of his legacy remains in ‘Borno Porichoy’ which is
an elementary level book for learning Bengali alphabets.He was instrumental in
modernizing education in India, especially for women.”
Rachel: (intrigued) Women’s education? But why was that so important back
then?
Mr. Patel: (nodding) “In those times, many girls weren’t allowed to go to school.
Vidyasagar fought tirelessly against social norms to ensure that girls had access
to education.
write.”
They go to the nearest metro station for further pandal hopping
Grandfather: “Rudy bhai, can you get us the tickets for Mahanayak Uttam
Kumar?”
Rudy: “Is that a place or name of a person?”
Rachel: (curious) “Grandpa, why is this station named after Uttam Kumar? Who
is he?”
Grandfather: “Oh, sweetheart! Uttam Kumar was not just an actor; he was a
legend in Bengali cinema. He was known for his incredible talent and charm.”
Asif: (wide-eyed) “What made him so special?”
Grandfather: “Well, he had this amazing ability to connect with the audience..
He played every role so effortlessly. He is regarded as one of the greatest and
most versatile actors in the history of Indian cinema. He was the first recipient
of the National Film Award for Best Actor.”
Siddhartha: (joining in) “That's right. I remember the stories you used to tell us
about his films.”
*Proceeds to Mudiali

Rachel: (excited)”Wow! This is beautiful!”

Rudy: “What pandal is this, it looks like a movie set to me!”

Grandfather: “It’s actually based on a movie by Satyajit Ray. Can you guess the
movie?”
Siddhartha: “Wait let me guess! Is it Pather Panchali?”
Grandfather: “Absolutely correct! This train over here symbolizes hope and allure
of the outside world. Everybody knows Satyajit Ray, right?”
Asif: “Every personality is so intriguing, what was his speciality?”
Grandfather (pausing for a moment to reflect): “Satyajit Ray was not just a
filmmaker; he was a storyteller who captured the essence of life, the struggles of
ordinary people and the beauty of human emotions.”
Riyaz: “He is by far one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, brought honour to
India with his cinematic genius. In 1992, he received an Honorary Academy
Award, OSCAR for his extraordinary contribution to world cinema.”
Next Day Chatterjees & friends again went for pandal hopping
Alex: “It's so beautiful! I love how they've combined nature and the festivities.
It’s amazing to see how they have used waste materials to create such a
beautiful art!”
Annie: (pointing at a signboard) “Look, it says here, "Save Trees, Save Life." It
resonates so deeply, doesn’t it? Trees are like the lungs of our planet”.
Rachel: (interested) “Who started this idea? It feels like it has a history.”
Grandfather: (smiling) “It's fascinating, really. There were many thinkers, but one
of the greatest was Jagadish Chandra Bose. He was a scientist, a biologist, and a
true visionary about nature.”
Rudy: (curious) “Jagadish Chandra Bose? I've heard that name in school. What
did he do?”
Mr. Barua: “Well, he was one of the first to show that plants respond to stimuli,
much like we do. He believed that they have life and feelings. His experiments
proved that they could communicate and respond to their environment.”
Asif: (enthused) “So, he was like a pioneer in environmental science?”
Riyaz: “Absolutely! He taught us that every life, from the tiniest microorganism
to the largest tree, plays a role in the ecosystem. And this message is more
significant today than ever. We must protect our trees and nature.”
Siddhartha: “And it’s apt that we are celebrating Durga Puja with this theme. The
goddess herself represents power and nurturing. By saving nature, we honor her
spirit.”
From there, the young ones demanded to go see Sourav Ganguly’s residence.
They take Kolkata taxis, to reach there.
Granfather: “Now we are crossing Raja Rammohan Roy Road”

Rudy: “Wow! Was he the king of this place?”

Siddhartha: “No my dear! But his contributions to the society is not lesser than
that of a king.. He is considered as the Father of Modern India’s Renaissance. He
was one of the main reasons behind Abolition of Sati and other evil practices.”
Raja Rammohan Roy (enters the stage): “‘ঈশ্বর এক। বিশ্বের
পরম নিয়ন্তা। তিনি ব্রহ্ম। নিরাকার। তাঁকে দেখা যায় না, তাঁকে
অনুভব করতে হয়।”
Grandfather: “Exactly! Women empowerment owes a lot to Raja Rammohan
Roy and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar”
*Comes infront of Sourav Ganguly’s residence

Siddhartha: “And here we are!”

Rudy: “The G.O.A.T’s house right Arora uncle?”

Arora: (super excited): “Can you believe we're actually here? This is where Dada
lives! I’ve followed his career since I was a kid!”

Mr. Patel: (grinning widely) “I can’t believe it! I grew up watching him play. The
man is a legend!”

Mr. Barua: (jumping with excitement) “And he was the captain of the Indian
cricket team! I remember all those matches—especially the one against
Australia.”

Rachel: (rolling her eyes) “Aayan uncle, relax! It’s just a house. You’re acting like
we’re about to meet a superhero or something!”

Mr. Arora: “But he is kind of superhero to me!Remember the stories of how he

took off his shirt on that balcony in Lord’s? I wish we could do something like
that today!”
Vijaya Dashami morning
All the Chatterjee members are busy for the last day of Durga Puja.
Ladies are all dressed in traditional attire in red and white saree and they are
playing sindoor.
Vijaya Dashami Evening
Everybody gathered on the courtyard for Vijaya Dashami. Everybody is doing all
the customs including the foreigner friends.
They are all gathered to enjoy a cultural program arranged by the members
of Chatterjee family. Even Riyaz comes with his full family.
Ankita: (smiling) “Good Evening Everyone, thank you for coming! I’m so glad
to see all of you gathered here for our Bijoya Sammilani celebration. I hope
you all had a wonderful Durga Puja.”
Zara: “Thank you, Ankita! It’s wonderful to be here!”
Ankita: “Dear Respected Elders, Beloved Family, and Cherished Friends,
Durga, the embodiment of strength, compassion, and righteousness.
Moreover, Durga is the universal mother—compassionate, nurturing, and
ever-protective. She is a representation of the qualities we all aspire to
embody in our daily lives. She encourages us to embrace our inner strength
and resilience, just as she did when she faced the evil
Durga’s symbolism manifests in various aspects of our lives. She is the fierce
warrior who stands up to injustice, reminding us that even the gentlest souls
can exhibit unimaginable strength for a righteous cause. In today’s world, we
see her spirit alive in the voices of women who challenge stereotypes, break
barriers, and demand equality and justice. Durga urges us to be fearless and
confront societal challenges head-on, whether in our homes or in broader
society.”
*After the program
Rene: (smiling, watching the Chatterjee family interact) “I can’t believe how
close-knit you all are! It’s so beautiful to see.”
Alex (nodding): “It was beautiful Mr. Chatterjee! You can really see the love here.
It feels so genuine. In our culture, we often get caught up with work, and we
forget about these important connections.I have never seen such a beautiful
family bonding; this is so rare! All the generations unite together to make such
an amazing evening. Congratulations Sid!”
Siddhartha: “Thank You Alex & Rene. All the love is deserved by my father. He is
nothing short of a banyan tree, we are just the branches. Without him nothing
would have been possible, without him, I don’t know what would happen to our
family dynamics. He is the glue that holds us all together.He is a role model to
me. Tonight is on my father’s honor”
Grandfather: “We believe that Maa Durga is our daughter who lives far away in
her in-laws house and once in a year se comes with her four children and
whole heartedly we all welcome her. Actually, Bengalis are waiting for these five
days in a year to celebrate it with much sparkle and magnificence We celebrate
Durga Puja in honour the victory of good over evil or light over darkness.
In addition to being a festival for the Hindus, it is also time for reunion of family
and friends and a ceremony of cultural values and customs.
We learn the values of love, respect, faith, hope, caring, cultures, ethics,
traditions and everything else that concerns us through our families. Family
bonding is a cornerstone of healthy and harmonious family life.”
Riyaz’s family invites Chatterjees to their upcoming Eid celebration. The kids
were very excited and all of them promised to visit them on Eid.
In the morning
of Eid

Zara: “Oh Finally

I have
completed
cooking all the
dishes! Asif
beta…get up
and get ready.
Where’s your
father? Both of
you go to the
Masjid first. You
have to come
back home
before Sid
Uncle’s gets
here for the
feast. Fast
beta!”

In Mosque:
Ali: (smiling) “Hey, Riyaz! When did you come back from Chicago?”

Riyaz: “Hey, Ali! I just came back few weeks back. It feels great to be home!”

Ali: “That’s awesome! So, how long are you planning to stay this time?”

Riyaz: “I’m here for a couple of months. I want to spend some time with family
and catch up with all of you.”

Time for Namaz

Everybody gathered at Riyaz’s house for Eid celebrations

Riyaz: (setting up the table) “I can’t believe it’s finally Eid! I love how everyone
came together to celebrate this year.”

Grandmother: (putting out a tray of sweets) “Absolutely! We brought gulab

jamun for everyone to try. What’s an Eid celebration without something sweet?”

Rene: (laughing) “Your gulab jamun always steals the show,Sid! But don't worry,
I brought my special apple pie to balance it out.”

Zara: (grinning) “Ooh, now that's a delicious competition! I have prepared

sewaiyan, of course. Everybody have to try it. It’s a Eid must!”

Asif: “I was thinking how about a little talent show over here”

Rudy: “Sounds good to me!”

Diwali:

The whole house is getting decked up with lights.

Rudy: “Daadu, why are we decorating the house with lights?

Grandfather: “Because Rudy bhai, it’s time for Diwali! Don’t you celebrate
Halloween? Similarly, we have our own lights of festival, Diwali!”
Rudy: “Then why don’t we celebrate Halloween as well this year?! Come Rachel,
let’s help them to decorate for Halloween and explain it to Daadu?”
Halloween
Halloween’s origins can be traced back to the Celtic festival known as Samhain,
which was held on 1st November in contemporary calenders. It was believed
that on that day, the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people
dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off spirits. In this way, popular
Halloween tropes such as witches, ghosts and goblins associated with the
holidays. Though the holiday began in Celtic regions of Ireland, the United
Kingdom, and France, it quickly spread to other parts of the world.

Rachel(wearing a witch’s hat): “Hey everyone! Welcome to our Halloween Bash!

Are you ready to get spooked?”

Grandmother: “Happy Halloween Didibhai! Ki shundor kore sajiyecho tomra ami

konodin esob dekhi ni!”

Rudy: “Thank you Thammi, it’s all about creativity. Thammi, Let me show you
our haunted corner. We’ve tried to make it spooky but fun!”

Rachel: “Trick or treat Grandma?”

After all the festivals get over, the members are a bit tired but sad as well. Thus
they all decided to visit their ancestral house in the villages.
As they enter the ancestral house, few children of the village are seen to be
playing local games. (Gulti, Rumaal Chor)
Rudy: “What are they playing dad? It looks like so much fun!”

Siddhartha: “These are local games. You see that one is called Gulti. Even I used
to play these a lot with Riyaz uncle and other friends. These games are being
forgotten. Nowadays, kids are so absorbed in their mobile phones and video
games. They miss out on all this wonderful fun. These are far better than what
you play in the video games in your playstation”

Rudy: (confused) “But aren’t video games fun too?”

Siddhartha: (disappointed) “Sure, they can be fun, but they don’t create the
same memories. When I think of my childhood, I remember the laughter, the
teamwork, and the friendships built while playing outside, not sitting alone in
front of a screen.”
Time for Nabanna
Women are all busy preparing delicacies. They use all the authentic methods to
prepare the dishes. Children are all getting ready for Nabanna fairs.
[Harvest festival or Nabanna festival is a very popular ceremony among the rice
growers of West Bengal. It is celebrated to ensure good crops and healthy
livestock for the coming year. The festival is celebrated with joy and
happiness. Many local preparations of Bengali cuisine like “Pithas”, Payesh are
cooked and offered. The festival is celebrated with mela which are called
Nabanna Mela.
The villagers and locals from both the major religious groups join the festival
with equal participation. The festival gets a lot of support from the creative
army of Bengali culture. Several poets, musicians, bauls, and painters flock to
such mass gatherings.]

Relative1: “Oh bordi! Pithe gulo ki bhalo hoyeche dekho!Koto bochhor por
sobai Nabanna te ebar eksathe achi…..amar ki je bhalo lagche, ki anondo
hocche!”

Grandmother: “Babu eto bochhor por dadubhai ke niye elo aar amra ekhane
asbo na eta abar hoy naki?!”
Relative2: “Ankita, ki sundor roshbhora baniyecho go! Ki bhalo lage tome
dekhr, eto bochhor dhore tumi bideshe thekeo amader culture kichui bholo ni
aar Rudy keo ki sundor kore boro korcho. Keu dekhe bolbei na tomra eto
bochor por Bharat e phirle.”
Ankita: “Ashole ki bolo toh pishima! Tumi jodi nijer shikor bhulte chao tumi seta
jekhaneo thako tumi bhulei jabe….aar tumi bhulte na chaile, tumi jodi kono din
nijer jaegae na o fero, tao tumi bhule jabe. It’s a matter of choice! Tumi nijer
culture ke koto ta bhalobasho, somman koro”
After the Nabanna festival, Grandfather plays football with children and falls.
He hurt his head and sheds a lot of blood. Siddhartha and his family gets
confused as what to do. Grandmother keeps crying as they were not getting
doctors and the treatment was getting delayed. They call Riyaz and his family
who also lives in the same village and came to visit with them. Riyaz’s cousin
takes him to the nearest healthcentre. He donates his blood as grandfather
sheds a lot of blood.
Riyaz: (placing a hand on Siddhartha’s shoulder) Hey, Sid… I know this is hard.
You don’t have to go through this alone.
Siddhartha: (voice shaky) I just… I can't believe this happened. One moment
he was fine, and the next— (pauses, taking a deep breath) I just keep
replaying it in my head.I just… I wish I could turn back time and prevent it.”

Riyaz: (firmly) But you can’t, and beating yourself up over it won’t help. Focus
on being there for him once he wakes up. Your support will mean everything
to him.”
Siddhartha: (managing a small smile) Thanks, Riyaz. Seriously. I don’t know
what I’d do without you. Tor moto bondhu aar kojon paye bhai!
At home-
Siddhartha: “Maa, aaj Riyaz na thakle, ami jani na ami baba ke ki kore
bachatam!”
Grandmother: “Shotti babu!”

Siddhartha: “Maa, aaj jeno tomar sekhano kotha gulo khub mone porche. Tumi
bolte na chotobelae manush er sobcheye boro dhormo holo Manobota.”

Grandmother: “Tor mone ache babu? Shottii aaj Riyaz egiye na asle tor baba ke
amra phire petam na.”

Siddhartha: “Maa, Ami kono din bhulbo na tumi amake ki

sikhiyecho…..Humanity above all!”

Humanity:
Compassion is the fundamental element of humanity. It is the driving force
behind acts of kindness, charity and selflessness. Humanity is important to
protect cultural, religious and geographical boundaries, as it is a universal
language understood by all.

The Chatterjees along with their friends all return to Kolkata.

Grandfather takes Rachel’s family to St. Paul’s Cathedral before they head back
home
At St. Paul’s Cathedral:
Grandfather: “Arrey Mr. Gomes! Onek din baad e dekha….. All well Mr.Gomes?”
Mr. Gomes: “Everything is fine! You seem to have such a big group of friends
today!”
Grandfather: “My son and his family came from Chicago during Durga Puja and
these are all his friends, they are here to witness the cultural heritage of
Kolkata.” (To others) “This is Mr. Gomes, he is living here in Bow Barracks since
the last four generations”
Alex: “You are here for last four generations? You don’t miss your country, your
homeland?”
Mr. Gomes: “Never! Now Kolkata is my home, the warmth and love present
over here is incomparable I cannot imagine staying in some other place or
leaving my Bow Barracks. I invite you all to my home we can discuss more on
this topic. How long will you remain in Kolkata? Are you here till Christmas?”
Alex: “No actually! Enough of work from home, I have to get back to my office
before Christmas. Kolkata celebrates Christmas as well? Where is Bow
Barracks?”
Mr. Gomes: “That’s a bit sad! But never mind come to my place I’ll show you
how we celebrate it over here”
Mr. Gomes: “There is a common saying among Bengalis that is Baro Mashe
Tero Parbon. Bengalis celebrates every occasion with enthusiasm. Nobody is
secluded over here. They are the sweetest community in the entire world I
believe. Kolkata is known as City of Joy, so they will always make happy and
joyful. And for Bow Barracks, A cluster of red brick buildings tucked away in the
city of Kolkata. it was built to house the soldiers of World War I and was later
turned into apartments for the Anglo-Indian population of the city.”
In the evening they go to visit Mr. Gomes where they find other communities also
present over there. Mr. Gomes introduces Mr. Yang & Mr. Lee to Chatterjees &
their friends.

Mr. Gomes: “Do you want to see how Kolkata celebrates Christmas?”
Alex: “Sure, we would love to! Unfortunately we cannot be here at that time!”
Mr. Gomes: “ Let’s see the video I made for my friends in Texas”.
(Shows a video on TV)
Mr. Gomes:“Ladies & Gentlemen We are here in Park Street to celebrate
Kolkata’s Christmas Festival held in December. It is one of the largest dedicated
Christmas carnivals in India. The whole length of Park Street is decked out in
fairy lights, tuni bulbs and Christmas-themed lighting. After the sun sets, the
lights come on and its absolutely magical. Isn’t it?”
Rachel: “OMG! It’s LIT!”
(Everybody laughs at her reaction)

It’s been already few months now that Siddhartha came with his family
and friends. Now its time to bid adieu to Kolkata and their roots. All of
them are packing as they get ready to go back to their normal daily life.
Rudy: “Dad….Baba….I don’t want to go back to Chicago! I want to stay here
with Daadu, Thammi and others.”
Siddhartha: “Rudy, we have to go back dear. That is where we live, we have
work over there, you have school, you have your friends.”
Rudy: “But Dad, we don’t have our family over there, we don’t have Daadu &
Thammi over there, we don’t have such festivals, we don’t have such joyful
environment over there. I like it here dad! I will get admitted to school over
here, I can make friends over here. You also can work over here Dad. Daadu
showed me such celebrated and important personalities, if they can work for
the country staying over here, why don’t we stay over here and work for our
country. Daadu is getting old, we should stay with Daadu and take care of
him…don’t you think so? Tumi aar maa chole jao, ami jabo na baba!” *runs
& hugs Grandfather while crying “Daadu, I don’t want to go back, I want to
stay here.”
Grandfather: “Rudy bhai, now you pack your bags, you may again come
anytime and stay here as long as you want. I promise!”
Grandfather: “Rudy is right Siddhartha! It was your dream to study and work
abroad, we stretched our hands to fulfill your dreams so that you achieve and
establish. Tumi okhaner jonno onek kichu korecho….ebar nijer desher jonno
kichu koro… Nation expects something from you. You said to Rudy that is
where you live, that is your home, but is it so? Is that your root Siddhartha?
Nijer shikore ebar ferot esho and strengthen it so that it doesn’t get uprooted.
Tomake jeta ami etodin bojhate pari ni, today your son made you realise. Life is
not just mechanically earning and spending on self. True happiness is felt in
making a wholesome family with true emotions and working for humanity.
Tumi Rudy ke amar kache rekhe jete paro…aar parle tumi nijeo phire esho.”
Siddhartha: “Baba tumi thik bolecho! Rudy made me realise the importance of
roots, the more we stay over there for our convenience, the more chance is
there to get uprooted. Ami jokhon kaaj er faake eka thaki, ami tomader jonno
onek chinta hoy. I promise you baba, ebar amake jete dao, ami ektu gucchiye ni,
ami ferot asbo baba! I will return to my country baba..I will return!”
Drama ends
Moral of the story
1. Humanity
2. Family Bonding.
3. Patriotism
4. Brain Drain